AN ABSTRACTOF THE THESIS OF Katrina Anne Knewtson for the degree of Master of Arts in InterdisciplinaEy Studies in Women Studies, History, and Adult Education presented on May 8, 1995. Title: The Enerience of Women's Higher Education at Oregon Agricultural College 1870-1916 Abstract approved: Janet Lee This study addresses women's experiences in higher education at Oregon Agricultural College between 1870 and 1916. The experiences of these women illustrate how they were affected by society's beliefs and values, and further, how their education encouraged them to develop skills necessary to transform their role in society. Education has been used to either maintain power structures or to transform a group's role in society. Education can be used as a tool to transform a group's role in society through the skills and opportunities obtained in learning. Women developed skills through their educational experiences. These experiences included academic studies,campusclimate,extracurricularactivities,and careeropportunities. Through these activities these college women developed skills which they then used to expand their role in society. Copyright by Katrina Anne Knewtson May 8, 1995 All Rights Reserved The Experience of Women's Higher Education at Oregon Agricultural College, 1870-1916 by Katrina Anne Knewtson A THESIS submitted to Oregon StateUniversity in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies Compiled May 8, 1995 CommencementJune 1995 Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies thesis of Katrina Anne Knewtson presented on May 8, 1995 APPROVED: Major Professor, representing Women Studies Associate Professor, representing History Associate Professor, representingAdult Education a-rt'CQP, Chair of Women Studies Program g-'t4L. -iL Dean of Graduat hool I understand that my thesis will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my thesis to any reader upon request. Katrina Anne Knewtson,Author ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation to those who have made contributions to this paper. First, I would like to thank my major Professor, Dr. Janet Lee for providing invaluable suggestions, support, and patience throughout my revisions. Second, I would like to thank Dr. Mina Carson for her encouragement, advice, and kindness throughout my struggles to begin and finish this paper. I would also like to thank my other committee members, Dr. Warren Suzuki and Dr. Vicki Collins for their support. Thank you to Elizabeth Nielsen of the Oregon State University Archives who provided resources and advice throughout my research. I would also like to acknowledge my friends for their continuing encouragement and advice throughout this endeavor. An especial thanks to my partner, Jeff McKinnis whose support helped me through it all. Finally, to my parents, Stephen and Donna; my brothers, Stephen and Bret; my sister, Rebecca; and my sister-in-law, Heather, thanks for believing in me. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................. 1 2. ACADEMIC "CHOICES," 1870 TO 1916......................................................... 33 3. LIFE ON CAMPUS........................................................................................... 53 4. STUDENT ACTIVITIES ................................................................................... 75 5. WOMEN'S ATHLETICS................................................................................. 100 6. DECISIONS AFTER GRADUATION............................................................. 120 BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................. 138 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 2.1 Graph Illustrating the Distributionof Women's Degrees, 1870-1920 ............................................................. ..........35 7.1 Graph Illustrating the Distribution of Women Alumni Occupations, 1870-1916..................................................................126 The Experience of Women's Higher Educationat Oregon Agricultural College, 1870-1916 1. INTRODUCTION In 1903 Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote, "strong indeed, is the girl whocan decide within herself where duty lies, and follow that decision against the combined forces which hold her back. She must claim the right ofevery individual soul to its path in life, its own true line of work and growth. "' Here Gilman refersto the "forces" in the United States which worked to maintain the contemporarystructure of society; these forces were essentially the powers of the stateover a society, working to maintain the status quo. In this interpretation of thesepowers or "forces" of society, the institution of education played a powerful role. This study focuses on women's experience in higher educationat Oregon. Agricultural College between 1870 and 1916. Oregon Agricultural College (now known as Oregon State University), was historicallya coeducational, land grant institution with much of its early curriculum directed by the Morrill Act of1862. This act designated land for a college that promoted "the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions of life. "2 The curriculumat Oregon Agricultural College expanded from liberal arts to agricultural, domestic sciences, and engineering, to name a few. Women have always beenpresent at the College and their numbers did increase over theyears, though the ratio of women to 'Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Home. It's Work and Influence, (NewYork: Charlton, Co., 1910), 268. 2Annual Catalogue of the Agricultural College of the State of Oregon for1899- 1900 and Announcements for 1900-1901, (Corvallis, Or.: Privately printed, 1900), 11. 2 men remained the same, at about one to two and at times almost one to one.' While Oregon Agricultural College welcomed women students between 1870 and 1916, their experiences, both educational and personal, were affected by the struggles to define women's higher education as well as women's expanding role in society. Using archival sources primarily housed at the Oregon State University Archives this study will examine the experiences of women at the College during this period. In 1848 the Seneca Falls Declaration of Sentiments, known as the first women's rights convention to be held in the United States, demanded women's access to education. By 1870 women were a part of higher education. as instructors and students and they pursued formal, higher education for personal enhancement and for occupational training. It has been said that education is essentially a tool, a tool that can be used in two ways: to reform social structures or to maintain the distribution of power in society.4 Since the status quo helps define the values and beliefs that govern the education of a group of people, women's perceived role in society played a large part in the nature of their education; women learned how to be mothers, wives, and workers within the domestic sphere, men learned to be skilled laborers and professionals in the public sphere. Oregon Agricultural College providesan example of how education can be used to eithermaintainthe status quo of a society, or to transform a particular group's position and role in that society. The higher education of women at Oregon Agricultural College between 1870 and 1916 illustrates how women were affected by society's beliefs and values, and further, how their education developed skills necessary to transform their role in society. To begin, education has been used to maintain power inequities throughout the history of the United States. Education socializes people by teaching them the values, 'Estimates collected from Oregon Agricultural College Biennial Reports of the Board of Regents, 1908-1918. 'PauloFreire,Pedagogy of theOppressed, (New York: The Seabury Press, 1970), 15. 3 beliefs,and skills of the dominant society and the dominant society often dictates the conditions under which this education takesshape.'The needs of the status quo do not necessarily benefit all members of thesociety; white,middle and upper class men, men with the power of a political voice have historically represented the statusquo. As such,"the nature of education providedfor anyparticular group within a society reveals a good deal about the status and position of thatgroup and in a large measure defines the social boundaries beyond which members of thegroup cannot easily move"; thus,women who sought higher education during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century were limited by contemporary society's views of the female role.' The needs of the dominant society vary over time but overallcarry an underlying principal of maintaining control througheducation.In the nineteenth century the increase in immigration from Europe broughta need to"Americanize"immigrant children in order to "render the mass of the peoplemorehomogeneous...for uniform and peaceablegovernment."Similarly, a work force ofgood,obedient laborers was needed in thefactories.'In this way, education was used as a means of producing an expendable and accessible labor force for an increasingly industrial society. Ina capitalist society reliable labor is invaluable for the successful production of marketable goods.Many working class women in New England forexample,were educated through vocational training in order to providea group of laborers