A Century of Women at Mines

A Century of Women at Mines A retrospective collection of the challenges, victories and achievements of Colorado School of Mines alumnae A Century Table of Women of Contents A Century of Women at Mines at Mines Published July 1999 by the Florence Caldwell Centennial Celebration Committee and the Women in Science, Engineering and Mathematics Program Colorado School of Mines Introduction . 5 Golden, Colorado The Early Years: The Pioneers . 9 Funded by The 1960s: The Beginning . 15 The Chevron Corporation The 1970s: The Caldron . 25 Written by the History Subcommittee The 1980s: The Transitional Years . 39 Kathleen Altman, Co-Chair Susan Riebe, Co-Chair The 1990s: Part of the Crowd . 59 Tiffany Abbink, Mary Beth Beach, Judy Bolis, Sandy Kramer Cathy Mencin, Tara Schenk, Pamela Tittes Florence Caldwell Centennial Celebration . 77 The Future: Comments from President Bickart 81. References and Bibliography . 85 Copyright, 1999 A Century of Women at Mines 3 A Century of Women at Mines Introduction A Century of Women at Mines 4 A Century of Women at Mines A Century of Women at Mines 5 A Century of Women at Mines Introduction he Century Book outlines the evolution of women’s par- women graduated . No longer will a coed have to brave the chal- ticipation in studies at the Colorado School of Mines . lenges of the school without the companionship of other Mines TThis document originally started out to be a memory book coeds . However, classes were still generally limited to one for the Caldwell Celebration that was held by Mines women, for woman per class with few exceptions . Mines women, October 3, 4 and 5, 1998 . During the 100 years The Caldron of the1970s saw the advent of the equal rights from 1898 to 1998 over two thousand women have graduated movement, environmental regulations, an escalation of the con- from this distinguished institution . This is a significant accom- troversy and strife of Vietnam and the civil rights movement and plishment, especially if one considers that only nine women had other substantial changes in our world . During this decade, 153 graduated during the seventy-year period from 1898 through more women graduated from Mines . Graduates of this decade 1968 . seemed to express feelings of anger and frustration, perhaps The depth and goal of the Century Book has grown during because of the changes swirling about them while they were stu- its creation . As members of the committee have sifted through dents . This decade signified a loss of the old, comfortable roles archives and alumni files, Mines Magazines and Orediggers, it and positions that had been enjoyed and a confrontation of the has become apparent that a wealth of information has been bur- uncertainty of all the unsettling transformations taking place in ied and it could be lost to posterity if it is not documented . The society . committee has made every effort to be accurate and to report the The 1980s could be called the transitional years . Students truth about the history of the Mines coeds and the school itself . weathered the upheaval of the caldron just as the country did . However, information has not been well organized and is, at Mines women established a clear, sustained presence on the times, contradictory . If there are mistakes or omissions, please Colorado School of Mines campus . During this time women send corrections or additions so an accurate history can be saved began to participate in all available activities and established for future generations . some of their own . This is the decade where a feeling of belong- The information in this history has been broken down into ing was generated . six eras and one section to document the celebration itself . They As the twentieth century nears an end, the feelings seem to are: have evolved to a period of acceptance . The female graduates of this decade do not seem to feel the sting of being different and the attitude seems to have changed to “what’s the big deal?” The Early Years (1895–1959): The Pioneers We belong here, too . All student are just “one of the guys .” The 1960s: The Beginning Although this educational institution has been dominated by The 1970s: The Caldron men and by traditions oriented towards males, women now have The 1980s: The Transitional Years a firm place here, too . This document is an effort towards recog- The 1990s: Part of the Crowd nizing the accomplishments of women who dared to break tradi- The Florence Caldwell Centennial Celebration tions and establish a foothold as engineering professionals The Future: Comments from President Bickart trained at the World’s Foremost School of Mineral Engineering . This book is dedicated to the women, graduates or not, who are known by name or not, who attended the Colorado School of As Mines during its 125-year history . This book is also in recogni- the tion of the women who have served on committees and served committee has worked on assembling the information to be pre- tirelessly to make the Florence Caldwell Centennial Celebration sented in this documentary, the evolutionary process has become a success . This is their story . This is our story . Thanks to all of familiar . The Early Years are obvious; four women graduated the individuals who have contributed to this project and to all of during this time period . The enrollment of women students the individuals who have supported this project, directly or indi- became more and more acceptable during the 1960s, pre-ERA rectly, male or female, young or old . For we all are the founda- (Equal Rights Amendment) . During this decade, a total of ten tion upon which this institution and its fame are based . Introduction 7 A Century of Women at Mines The Early Years (1895–1959) The Pioneers A Century of Women at Mines 9 A Century of Women at Mines scribed course of study and work .”4 At the time of 1902 her graduation, the school was known as the State • Helen Keller is a stu- THE EARLY School of Mines (S .S .M .) 23. dent at Radcliffe • Jello was introduced YEARS Florence Caldwell and Frank H . Jones, E .M . (1895–1959) 1898, met at school . Both were older students and 1903 shared mutual interests . They were not able to wed • Henry Ford sold the The Pioneers immediately after graduation,23 so she simply first Model A for $850 returned to teach at the Cleveland School of Art • The Wright Brothers while Mr . Jones accepted a position in Georgetown, flew at Kitty Hawk Colorado . Three years after graduation from the 1904 School of Mines, Florence married Frank in • The ice cream cone Timeline he earliest years of the Colorado School of should study mining engineering so she could Cleveland, Ohio,3,4, 23 on April 10, 1901 23. They The Early Years (1895– 3 and iced tea were Mines, women were not strangers to the oversee the mine . Both Ninetta Davis and adopted one son, Lawrence,3 in 1909 23. invented at the 1959): campus . The 1880–1881 President’s report Jacqueline Borthick were residents of the Denver The Pioneers T After their wedding, Mr . Jones was appointed World’s Fair to the Board of Trustees, noted that there were 18 area . Ninetta Davis was a native of Colorado . Deputy Mineral Surveyor for the District of “regular” students and 51 “special” students She was born in Denver on April 12, 1899 and 1800 Colorado so they returned to Colorado to live . For 1905 • Pizza was introduced • 62.9 million people including 13 ladies that attended lectures and graduated from East Denver High School . Jackie the next 12 years they resided in various mining to New York City’s lived in the United drawing classes . In 1881 a total of 33 ladies Borthick did her preparatory work at Kent towns including Leadville, Colorado, McGill and Little Italy States attended the drawing classes and special lec- School in Denver . She lived with her family in Ely, Nevada, Trail, British Columbia, and Milner, • One out of seven tures .1 Shortly thereafter, the school made a Englewood, Colorado prior to enrollment at Idaho .23 The March 1913 Colorado School of 1906 inhabitants of the U.S. concerted effort to raise its standards and for- CSM .3 Since they lived nearby, these women had been born abroad Mines Magazine reports: • San Francisco earth- malize the course of instruction to include a undoubtedly knew that Mines was dominated by “Frank H . Jones, with his wife and little boy, quake occurred • Kellogg’s Toasted 1895 four-year curriculum . This change in policy men and masculine traditions . visited the school on February 4th, and the assistant Corn Flakes were • Clutch operated car eliminated the courses that had been so popular . Although Florence Caldwell’s accomplish- secretary had a very enjoyable time talking over invented by accident with a carriage body Dean Morgan suggested in his 1955 book ment as the first woman to graduate from Mines old times with them . They are leaving Jerome, was introduced that “the original founders of the school never has been memorialized by naming the first wom- Idaho, for Houston, Texas, where Jones will open Florence Caldwell Jones 1907 • Natural gas was dis- dreamed of the School of Mines as a coeduca- en’s residence hall on campus and the recent 25 covered in Kansas 2 an engineering office .” • Neiman-Marcus tional institution .” However, the Territorial Act Centennial Celebration in her honor, little is Perhaps there were few enough alumni at the opened in Dallas • The tungsten fila- 1898 of 1874 established the School of Mines as a known about her as a person . The motivation that time that it was assumed that readers would know ment light bulb was • The Spanish American Territorial School by stipulating that “The School led Florence to leave her native Ohio, to come that Mrs .

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