1902-1915
edited by Jennifer Estes
The yellowing pages of Merediih’s
firsiOak Leaves, daicd as far back as 1904,
smell of mildew and dust, yei the maroon
Icaiher covcrs siill have their character and
dignity. Each haunting, girlish face in black
and A’hiie, stares out of the page and the
familiar lines from Dead Poets Society are
called to mind: “seize the day, seize the
day...” These young hopefuls of the Baptist
Female University had so many dreams
and aspirations that women of the nineties,
perhaps, take for granted. Learn from them
our heritage of being women. It is because
of them that we have come this far.
The cost was high for an education
based strictly on religious principles with
high standards expected of each who
entered. At this time the college was located
in the heart of Raleigh, near the capitol and
two Baptist churches. The surroundings of
B.F.U. were thought to be “tempestuous”
to the young women, and many parents
worried about their daughters in such a
**big city." The demand for a room was still
great, however, and the college went into
heavy debt with the construction of more
needed housing.
Dr. Richard Tilman Vann became the
president of B J.U. and freed the school of
its debt in 1904. And soacollege was bom,
(the young sister of Wake Forest). It was
difficult in the early days—no traditions,
no precedents to follow as a guide, and
mistakes were made and learned from.
In 1905 the name of the college was
changed to the Baptist University of
Women. Unusual college clubs were
formed: The Friday Aftenioon Sketch Club.
The Wild Goose Club, and even a Spinsters
Club, whose motto was “of all sad words of
tongue or pen, the saddest are these ‘Oh,
where arc the men?’”
In the 1906 handbook the laws were
made firm. There were demerits (not call
downs). TesLs werecalledrcciiaiiors. There
was no leaving campus without notifying
the lady principal, and church and Sunday
school were both required. There was a
rising bell every morning at 6;15am and
another at 10:15pm, which meant that "all
lights are extinguished” no matter whaL
Written permission slips from a parent or
guardian was mandatory to leave the
campus or receive visitors. One could not
call home more than twice a month (only
on Mondays between 3:30-5:30). The
students could not visit restaurants, hotels,
or placesof amusement without permission
and a proper chaperone. Only if the lady
ptincipal approved of the contents, was it
acceptable for a package to be delivered to
a student The telephone was not allowed
I' be used wiUiout p^mission, and there
:'i-e frequent room inspectiOTS. Rule #19
vui'.ed “Any woman communicating with a
man in any way will be publicly
reprimanded, suspended, or expelled at
faculty discretion.” In 1907 the new rule,
shoppings was permitted cmce a week on
Monday. In 1909 “students are allowed
Baptst Yemale t[nlDcr$ltv
A HIGH GRADE COLLEGE FOR WOMEN
OFFICERS ANK^TEACHERS
SJX MMN JHD tTOMMN
^IPLOMAS gimaadPhOetop^;
in Musi^Ani^ ExpfCirionC S^oolof th* Bilte
tmder (ndatta ^ Ncwtoa Tbcelofkal Seminary C
Tborottgh BodacM Coon* C ExccptioiMl advistacM
in Mwic M, ExctUcnt cqafpinait lor tcncbinf Sdene« € Chib
system adopted by two-fiflto of tbt boardinf pup{ls»tt a savinc
of fSQ.00 per ses^on C Students cared for by lady principal,
lady pbysician, matron, and norse € Another dormitory in
course of erection to aeeomBodate 96 girls A Board, LUorary
tuition, beat, light, baths (hot or c^d), fee* for pbyrid^ nwat
and library, #167.50 per session—In dobs, I40.00 to ^
R. T. VANN, President^ Raleigh, North, Carolina
advertisement in local Raleigh newspaper, 1902
walk in groups of two.” In 1912 rule, #27
Slated that “No student may have colored
women come to her room or to the dormitory
corridors.”
"JL/STSL/PPOSK"
(from the 1907 Oak Leaves)
... the juniors didn’t have a big head
...physics wasn’t required
.. .we had good laundry- women
... we had supper on Sunday evening (?)
...Miss Schuster didn’tmake nightly rounds
...the entire Physics class should pass a
quiz
.. .you could laugh out loud in the library
...examples in love-making were not set
for us by certain members of the musical
faculty.
FROM THE DIARY
OF A FACULTY MEMBER
4907
“I have noct all my classes for the fust
time, and indeed, I am not very favmUy
impressed with them. The young ladies are
very rude and disreq)ectfi]l; they whisper
and laugh amcMig thmselves • in common
parlance, and giggle.”
In 1910 the name of the college
changed from Baptist University of Women
to Meredith College. The Oak Leaves was
dedicated in memory of Thomas Meredith
whose “character, culture, and masterly
leadership soon set him in the front rank of
Noilh CarolinaBaplists.”Thomas Meredith
became “one of a committee of three
appointed by the stale convention on the
feasibility of establishing in Raleigh, a
seminary of high grade for women.”
Feminism is sweeping the nation today,
but in the early year of 1910 the women
accepted their role to be whatever their
husband wanted them to be. In the Oak
Leaves that year speared a two page ad—
BARGAINS/ BARGAINSt
MEN SAVE MONEY
OUR lOSS^YOUR GAIN
The photographs ac«>mpanying the
advertisment showed women dressed in
high class attire and cqMicmed, “bMutiful
women for you to choose from.” The other
pictures were of the same women cleaning,
cooking, with oul*stretched arms begging
to be chosen.
Through all our exciting years at
Meredith College, let us not fnget our
“sisters" from the past decades who
journeyed down the rood of rocky success
before us.
Here's to the place we love by spells-
But which all ihe time our joy dispels-
Where the newish (freshmen) becomes
bold.
Soph horrors a myth.
Here'seven to the fare at Meredith.
Richard TUman Vann
Page 2