The Search for Equity: Women at Brown University, 1891-1991

US-RPB-OF.1OA.1ZP Pembroke College Department of Physical Education records1914-1978 Raymond Butti Jr. and Amanda Knox on behalf of the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women and the John Hay Library, Brown University. Curatorial work provided by Karen Lamoree on behalf of the Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women and the Brown University Library. Brown University Library

2024 June 13

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Business Number: Tel: 401-863-3723 email:hay@brown.edu URL:

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-06-13. Description is written in: English, Latin script. Describing Archives: A Content Standard John Hay LibraryUniversity Archives and Manuscripts

Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Pembroke College Department of Physical Education records Pembroke College (Brown University) OF.1OA.1ZP 6 Linear Feet 1914-1978 This collection contains the records of the Pembroke College Department of Physical Education. Established in 1897, this department was part of Pembroke College, the women's college in Brown University until the women's and men's colleges merged in 1971. This collection includes physical education course materials, financial records, correspondence, conference materials, meeting materials, and museum objects dating from 1914 – 1978. English . Pembroke College Department of Physical Education records Biographical / Historical

The Pembroke College Department of Physical Education was established in the fall of 1897 as the Department of Physical Culture in the Women's College. In 1904, it became the Department of Physical Training. The name changed again in 1912 to the Department of Hygiene and Physical Education. The department was located in Sayles Gymnasium after the building's dedication in 1907. In 1956 the department assumed its final name, the Department of Physical Education, until 1971 when it merged with the men's Department of Physical Education. The merger of men's and women's physical education and athletics was not complete, however, until 1973-74 when they had a single budget, administration, and faculty. Although it was known as the Department of Physical Education and Recreation in the 1960s, it is not clear that that was ever its official name. In 1892, the second year women were allowed to take Brown University's final examinations, women were required to exercise with dumb bells and Indian clubs and "in Swedish movements", and first year students had to take a course in hygiene. The exercise requirements reflect the growth of the new field of physical education; men were also required to exercise and hygiene was part of a required course for both sexes (at first physiology, later biology). By the mid-19l0s, however, women's requirements grew into a four-year program that cultivated fitness and femininity whereas the men's dwindled to two years, and then only one year, of exercise. It was not until 1957 that the chair of the department, Bessie Rudd, excused seniors without too many prior cuts from physical education their final year. In 1963, the requirement dropped to one year to match the men's. In 1970, the physical education requirement was eliminated for both sexes. Although hygiene was initially part of an introductory biology course and was also taught through the short-lived Household Economics department, by 1912, as its name proclaims, hygiene was an integral part of the department's work. A "freshman course" that included instruction in hygiene began before 1910. Hygiene included not only care for one's body through proper grooming, but also nutrition, information about diseases, and posture and other training appropriate for "proper" young women. Both parts of the department's mission (hygiene and physical education) required close connections to campus medical and health staff, from the days of the Medical Examiner through the emergence of the Division of University Health.

Although the Department of Physical Education was not the rubric under which competitive undergraduate women's sports developed, its staff facilitated student-run efforts to organize some A sports. (Although the work of the Athletic and Recreation Association, a student organization, is - evident throughout these files, for its own records, see the Pembroke College Athletic and Recreation Association records (OF-lQ-Alzp) at Brown University)

Although competition was carefully regulated so as to keep Pembroke women within the bounds of femininity, there was inter-class and even intercollegiate competition. The attempts to restrain competition may have been what produced intercollegiate "telegraphic meets" in bowling, archery, etc.; rather than compete directly, students sent their scores to be measured against the results from competing schools.

Some intercollegiate competition appears to have emerged from individual physical education courses, for example the Basketball course (see series II: Basketball). In addition to sports, the department was the locus of dance on campus until the late 1960s. The department offered dance courses and sponsored student performances and exhibitions by outside groups. May Day and Sophomore Masque productions were aided by department faculty.

For further historical information, see see Cindy Himes' "From Equity to Equality: Women's Athletics at Brown", in Polly Welts Kaufman's The Search for Equity: Women at Brown University, 1891-1991.

Courses: Hygiene and other instruction Series 1 1915-1955 English. Camp Counselors Training I.1 1 I.1 Camp Counselors Training I.2 1 I.2 Camp Counseling I.3 1 I.3 Camp Counseling I.4 1 I.4 Freshman Course - Correspondence I.5 1941-1945 1 I.5 Scope and Contents

Correspondence.

Freshman Course I.7 1943 1 I.6 Freshman Course - Grooming I.7 1 I.7 Freshman Course - Schedules I.8 1932-1949 1 I.8 Freshman Course - Schedules I.9 1954-1955 1 I.9 Freshman Course - Suggestions From Other Students I.10 1938-1950 1 I.10 Freshman Course - Suggestions Given at Exam I.11 1 I.11 Freshman Course - Suggestions Given at Exam I.12 1 I.12 Freshman Course - Suggestions Given at Exam I.13 1 I.13 Freshman Course - Tally I.14 1 I.14 Freshman Course - Tuberculosis and Heart I.15 1939 1 I.15 Freshman Course - Hygiene I.16 1949-1951 1 I.16 Scope and Contents

Contains books lists and visual aids.

Freshman Course - Hygiene - Diseases I.17 1932-1944 1 I.17 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Diseases I.18 1948-1951 1 I.18 Freshman Course - Hygiene I.19 1938-1949 1 I.19 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Examinations and Keys I.20 1950-1953 2 I.20 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat I.21 2 I.21 Freshman Course - Hygiene - General Health I.22 1937-1952 2 I.22 Scope and Contents

Includes card warning against low weight.

Freshman Course - Hygiene - General Health Pamphlets I.23 2 I.23 Scope and Contents

Includes reprint of "Vital Capacit4y in College Women : A Study of Students with High and Low Vital Capacity" by Abby H. Turner, published by the Archives of Internal Medicine, 1930, and pamphlet re: Elizabeth Blackwell.

Freshman Course - Hygiene - Mental Health I.24 1931-1949 2 I.24 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Nutrition I.25 1939-1951 2 I.25 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Nurtition (Printed Material) I.26 1927-1951 2 I.26 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Poster and Bulletin Board Material I.27 1927-1951 2 I.27 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Sex and Reproduction I.28 1919-1945 2 I.28 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Skin I.29 2 I.29 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Teeth I.30 2 I.30 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Body Mechanics - Feet and Shoes I.31 1947-1953 2 I.31 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Body Mechanics - Menstruation I.32 1934-1943 2 I.32 Freshman Course - Body Mechanics - Notes for Bessie Rudd I.33 2 I.33 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Body Mechanics - Posture I.34 2 I.34 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Body Mechanics - Posture I.35 2 I.35 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Body Mechanics - Relaxation I.36 1947-1950 2 I.36 Freshman Course - Hygiene - Body Mechanics - Sample Examinations I.37 1948-1955 2 I.37 Games I.38 1925-1934 2 I.38 Scope and Contents

Grade school, leisure time.

Gymnastics - Exercises I.39 3 I.39 Scope and Contents

Games, stungs, Folk Dancing, etc.

Gymnastics - Exercises I.40 3 I.40 Health Education I.41 3 I.41 Scope and Contents

Material for Hygiene lectures and conferences.

Health Education I.42 3 I.42 Recreation and Course Material I.43 1940-1954 3 I.43 Spectator Sports I.44 3 I.44 Scope and Contents

Lecture notes.

Water Safety, Canoeing I.45 1938 3 I.45 Courses: Recreation and Sports Series 2 1915-1961 English. Examinations on Sports II.1 1930-1944 3 II.1 Scope and Contents

Copies of tests.

Archery II.2 3 II.2 Archery II.3 3 II.3 Badminton II.4 1931-1955 3 II.4 Basketball II.5 1919-1929 3 II.5 Scope and Contents

Includes resultes from national survey.

Basketball II.6 3 II.6 Basketball Examinations II.8 1927-1935 3 II.8 Baseball II.9 1926-1935 3 II.9 Billiards II.10 1959 3 II.10 Bowling II.11 3 II.11 Bowling II.12 3 II.12 Bowling II.13 3 II.13 Crew II.14 1955 3 II.14 Fistball II.15 1921-1947 3 II.15 Fencing II.16 1934-1956 4 II.16 Field Ball II.17 1929 4 II.17 Field Hockey II.18 4 II.18 Field Hockey II.19 4 II.19 Field Hockey - Scorebook II.20 1935-1939 4 II.20 Games - Recreation : Deck Tennis, etc. II.21 1932-1942 4 II.21 Golf II.22 1933-1942 4 II.22 Golf II.23 1947-1961 4 II.23 Golf - Reference Material II.24 1948-1949 4 II.24 Lacrosse II.25 1932-1960 4 II.25 Riding II.26 1928-1960 4 II.26 Riflery II.27 1959-1961 4 II.27 Sailing II.28 1939-1957 4 II.28 Skating II.29 1927-1960 4 II.29 Skiing II.30 1949-1961 4 II.30 Soccer and Speedball II.31 1949-1961 4 II.31 Square Dance II.32 1957 4 II.32 Swimming II.33 4 II.33 Swimming II.34 4 II.34 Swimming II.35 5 II.35 Swimming II.36 1938-1947 5 II.36 Table Tennis II.37 1952 5 II.37 Tennis II.38 5 II.38 Tennis II.39 5 II.39 Tennis II.40 1930-1954 5 II.40 Tennis Rackets II.41 1940-1943 5 II.41 Track II.42 1922-1954 5 II.42 Volleyball II.43 1950 5 II.43 Classes of 1933-1969 Series 3 English. First Year and Senior Conference, Posture Evaluations III.1 5 III.1 Scope and Contents

Samples of closed material in series III. Also includes blakd medical form not found in these records but that may have been used by the department.

Class of 1933 III.2 1958 5 III.2 Class of 1934 III.3 1957-1959 5 III.3 Class of 1936 III.4 1933 5 III.4 Class of 1937 III.5 1934 5 III.5 Class of 1938 III.6 1934-1935 5 III.6 Class of 1939 III.7 1935 5 III.7 Class of 1940 III.9 1937 5 III.9 Class of 1942 III.10 1938 5 III.10 Class of 1943 III.11 1939-1940 5 III.11 Class of 1944 III.12 1941 5 III.12 Class of 1945 III.13 1941-1947 5 III.13 Class of 1946 III.14 1942-1946 5 III.14 Class of 1947 III.15 1944-1948 5 III.15 Class of 1948 III.16 1944-1948 5 III.16 Class of 1949 III.17 1945-1949 5 III.17 Class of 1950 III.18 1946-1950 5 III.18 Class of 1951 III.19 1947-1951 5 III.19 Class of 1952 III.20 1948-1952 5 III.20 Class of 1953 III.21 1949-1953 5 III.21 Class of 1954 III.22 1950-1954 5 III.22 Class of 1955 III.23 1951-1955 5 III.23 Class of 1956 IIl.24 1952-1956 6 III.24 Class of 1957 III.25 1953-1957 6 III.25 Class of 1958 III.26 1954-1958 6 III.26 Class of 1959 III.27 1955-1959 6 III.27 Class of 1960 III.28 1956-1960 6 III.28 Class of 1961 III.29 1957-1961 6 III.29 Class of 1962 III.30 1958-1962 6 III.30 Class of 1963 III.31 1959-1963 6 III.31 Class of 1964 III.32 1960-1964 6 III.32 Class of 1965 III.33 1961-1965 6 III.33 Class of 1966 III.34 1962-1966 6 III.34 Class of 1967 III.35 1963-1967 6 III.35 Class of 1968 III.36 1964-1968 6 III.36 Class of 1969 III.37 1965-1969 6 III.37 Financial Records Series 4 1967-1968 English. Equipment Repair IV.1 1967-1968 7 IV.1 Miscellaneous and Publicity IV.2 1967-1968 7 IV.2 Petty Cash : Leotard and Key Accounts IV.3 1967-1968 7 IV.3 Sports IV.4 1967-1968 7 IV.4 Supplies, Books and Periodicals IV.5 1968 7 IV.5 Supplies, Books and Periodicals IV.6 1968 7 IV.6 Student Service [Employees] IV.7 1967-1968 7 IV.7 Swim IV.8 1967-1968 7 IV.8 Travel IV.9 1967-1968 7 IV.9 Student Organizations and Events Series 5 1914-1961 English. Archery Club V.1 1950-1961 7 V.1 Athletic Association V.2 1957-1960 7 V.2 Dance Club V.3 1941-1951 7 V.3 Interclass Competition and Demonstrations of Gymnastics, Games, and Dancing V.4 1914-1919 7 V.4 Interclass Competition and Demonstrations of Gymnastics, Games, and Dancing V.5 1920-1923 7 V.5 Interclass Competition and Demonstrations of Gymnastics, Games, and Dancing V.6 1924-1929 7 V.6 Interclass Competition and Demonstrations of Gymnastics, Games, and Dancing V.7 1929-1930 7 V.7 Interclass Competition and Demonstrations of Gymnastics, Games, and Dancing V.8 1935 7 V.8 May Day V.9 1918 7 V.9 Resources and Correspondence Series 6 1919-1972 English. Dancing : Pageants, Masques, etc. VI.1 1919-1959 8 VI.1 Dancing : Pageants, Masques, etc. VI.2 1919-1959 8 VI.2 Dancing : Pageants, Masques, etc. VI.3 1919-1959 8 VI.3 Course Outline by Gertrude Mandustro : Rhode Island State Normal School VI.4 1919 8 VI.4 Demonstrations and meets - other colleges VI.5 1920-1949 8 VI.5 Demonstrations and meets - other colleges VI.6 1920-1949 8 VI.6 Scope and Contents

Flyers, pamphlets, etc.

Physical Education in War Time VI.7 1925-1943 8 VI.7 General

Phamplets, reports. Also marked "Physical Fitness Test".

Posture VI.8 1931-1935 8 VI.8 Scope and Contents

Schematograph and Wellesley method for recording images 1920s (late).

Posture VI.9 1951 8 VI.9 Scope and Contents

Correspondence with Samuel Higby.

Posture VI.10 1953 8 VI.10 Scope and Contents

Correspondence re: National Posture Week.

Posture VI.11 1961 8 VI.11 Scope and Contents

Photographs (silhoulette) and evaluation. Closed for research pending administrative review.

Speeches and Radio Broadcasts VI.12 1932-1956 8 VI.12 Scope and Contents

Radio scripts and speeches. It is unclear if they all belong to exclusely to Bessie Rudd.

Holyoke Dance Recital VI.13 1934 8 VI.13 Scope and Contents

Correspondence.

Biology VI.14 1934-1939 8 VI.14 Scope and Contents

Relative to lecture by Miss Wilder.

Announcement VI.15 1962-1972 8 VI.15 Scope and Contents

Re: classes offered to alumnae, staff, and their families.

Bryn Mawr May Day VI.16 1936 8 VI.16 Scope and Contents

Program, clipping.

May Day, Sophomore Masque VI.17 1939-1940 8 VI.17 Scope and Contents

Correspondence.

National Aquatic Leadership Committee VI.18 1940 8 VI.18 Scope and Contents

Pamphlets, correspondence, proposal, report. Comittee of the American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

Menstrual Research--Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania VI.19 1941-1943 8 VI.19 Scope and Contents

Correspondence, charts, etc.

Radio Scripts : Physical Fitness and War, Women and Sport VI.20 1942-1943 8 VI.20 American Association of University Women, British Federation of University Women VI.21 1946-1961 8 VI.21 Preparatory Material for Speeches VI.22 1946 8 VI.22 Scope and Contents

Articles, jokes, stories, etc.

Anatomical Charts VI.23 1946-1951 8 VI.23 Scope and Contents

Correspondence.

Sayles Gym and Alumnae Hall VI.24 8 VI.24 Scope and Contents

Memos.

Your Job Future after College VI.25 1947 8 VI.25 Scope and Contents

Phamplet.

Martha Graham Concert VI.26 1936-1950 9 VI.26 Scope and Contents

Program, notes, clippings, correspondence, fincial accounts. Martha Graham and Dance Company performed in November 1949. Also includes program from Graham's 1936 Providence performance. Oversized poster filed in office files map case drawer.

Martha Graham Concert VI.27 1949-1950 9 VI.27 Scope and Contents

Correspondence, report.

Brazilian Dance Group VI.28 1951-1952 9 VI.28 Scope and Contents

Reports, correspondence, photographs. The group performed at Pembroke in October 1951.

International Relations VI.29 1951-1953 9 VI.29 Scope and Contents

Pamphlets.

International Relations VI.30 1960-1969 9 VI.30 Scope and Contents

Newsletter, booklets, reports 1952.

Bennington College Dance Group VI.31 1955-1957 9 VI.31 Material on Alcohol VI.32 1957 9 VI.32 Scope and Contents

Most from workshop at Rhode Island College of Education.

Dorothy S. Ainsworth VI.33 1958 9 VI.33 Scope and Contents

Letters to Bessie Rudd. Photographs are filed in University Archives Photograph File: 1-ZP, Bessie Rudd.

Survey of Physical Education Facilities and Programs in a Selected Group of Colleges and Universities in the South and Midwest VI.34 1960 9 VI.34 Scope and Contents

Report of a Tour of Colleges and Universities, by Bessie Rudd.

Red Cross Basketball Commemoration Day VI.35 1961 9 VI.35 Scope and Contents

Programs.

Arlene Gorton VI.36 1962 9 VI.36 Scope and Contents

Letter to Bessie Rudd. Folder was marked "Arlene Gorton". Letter signed "Ronnie".

Physical Education at Pembroke College VI.37 1969 9 VI.37 Scope and Contents

Recommendations.

Bessie Rudd VI.38 9 VI.38 Scope and Contents

Place card. Cutout of woman dancing.

Conferences and Professional Organizations Series 7 1923-1976 American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation VII.1 1954 9 VII.1 American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation VII.2 1961-1962 9 VII.2 Scope and Contents

Committee to Develop Patterns and Standards: reports, etc.

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--Division for Girls and Women's Sports VII.3 1957-1973 9 VII.3 Scope and Contents

Reports, pamphlets, histories.

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--Division for Girls and Women's Sports--Rhode Island VII.4 1957-1970 9 VII.4 American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--Eastern District Association VII.5 1947-1973 9 VII.5 Scope and Contents

Constitution, proceedings, plans, manuals.

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--National Section on Women's Athletics VII.6 1935-1948 10 VII.6 Scope and Contents

Standards for sports.

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--National Section on Women's Athletics VII.7 1942-1949 10 VII.7 Scope and Contents

Marked for "BHR" report by Frances Kaszubski, member of the 1948 women's Olympic team.

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--National Section on Women's Athletics VII.8 1942-1952 10 VII.8 Scope and Contents

Credo and operating codes.

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--National Section on Women's Athletics VII.9 1943-1952 10 VII.9 Scope and Contents

Personnel and finance reports, policy.

American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation--National Section on Women's Athletics VII.10 1950-1956 10 VII.10 Scope and Contents

Re: executive secretary, change to divisional status.

Annual Conference of Instructors of Body Mechanics VII.11 1933-1941 10 VII.11 Scope and Contents

Reports announcement. The name of this conference changed constantly. See contents.

Annual Conference of Instructors of Body Mechanics VII.12 1938-1940 10 VII.12 Scope and Contents

Correspondence re: conference at Pembroke College.

Annual Conference of Instructors of Body Mechanics VII.13 1940 10 VII.13 Scope and Contents

Correspondence re: conference at Pembroke College

Annual Conference of Instructors of Body Mechanics VII.14 1940 10 VII.14 Scope and Contents

Reports and handouts for conference at Pembroke College.

Annual Conference of Instructors of Body Mechanics VII.15 1940-1941 10 VII.15 Scope and Contents

Re: student surveys for presentation at 1941 conference. The presentation was given by Bessie Rudd.

Annual Conference of Instructors of Body Mechanics VII.16 1943-1944 10 VII.16 Eastern Association of Directors of Physical Education for College Women VII.17 10 VII.17 Scope and Contents

Annual Conference, Pembroke College. The contents of this files refers to the association as a society, but the proper name is at it appears above.

Eastern Association for Physical Education for College Women VII.18 1955-1957 10 VII.18 Scope and Contents

History, reports.

Eastern Association for Physical Education for College Women VII.19 1962-1976 10 VII.19 Scope and Contents

Newsletters, programs lists.

Eastern Association for Physical Education for College Women VII.20 1962-1976 10 VII.20 Scope and Contents

Newsletters, programs lists.

Eastern Association for Physical Education for College Women VII.21 1962-1976 10 VII.21 Scope and Contents

Newsletters, programs lists.

Eastern Association for Physical Education for College Women VII.22 1965 11 VII.22 Scope and Contents

Skits for 50th anniversary.

Middle Atlantic Association of Women Sailors VII.23 1967-1968 11 VII.23 National Amateur Athletic Federation--Women's Division VII.24 1923-1928 11 VII.24 National Amateur Athletic Federation--Women's Division VII.25 1929-1930 11 VII.25 National Amateur Athletic Federation--Women's Division VII.26 1931-1932 11 VII.26 National Amateur Athletic Federation--Women's Division VII.27 1932-1933 11 VII.27 National Amateur Athletic Federation--Women's Division VII.28 1934-1936 11 VII.28 National Association for Physical Education of College Women VII.29 1962-1965 11 VII.29 Scope and Contents

Newsletter, history.

National Conference on Intramural Sports for College Men and Women. VII.30 1955 11 VII.30 Scope and Contents

Washington, D.C.

New England Women's Sailing Association VII.31 1960-1963 11 VII.31 New England Women's Sailing Association VII.32 1964-1966 11 VII.32 New England Women's Sailing Association VII.33 1967 11 VII.33 New England Women's Sailing Association VII.34 1968-1971 11 VII.34 Northeast Regional Conference of the Athletic Recreation Federation of College Women VII.35 1964 12 VII.35 Scope and Contents

Program, report, handouts from conference at Pembroke College.

Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation VII.36 1945-1964 12 VII.36 Scope and Contents

Constitutions, history, speech by Bessie Rudd.

Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation VII.37 1941-1973 12 VII.37 Scope and Contents

Newsletters lists of officers, etc.

Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation VII.38 1941-1973 12 VII.38 Scope and Contents

Newsletters, etc.

Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation VII.39 1941-1973 12 VII.39 Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation VII.40 1963-1970 12 VII.40 Scope and Contents

Programs and minutes.

Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation VII.41 1964-1966 12 VII.41 Scope and Contents

Resolutions Committee.

Women Coaches Series 8 1968-1978 Women's Coaches Meetings VIII.1 1968-1972 13 VIII.1 Scope and Contents

Minutes, correspondence, schedules.

Women's Coaches Meetings VIII.2 1975-1977 13 VIII.2 Women's Coaches Meeting VIII.3 1977-1978 13 VIII.3 Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women VIII.4 1972-1973 13 VIII.4 Scope and Contents

Newsletter, policies and procedures, minutes.

Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women VIII.5 1971-1973 13 VIII.5 Scope and Contents

Pamphlets and correspondence.

Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women VIII.6 1974 13 VIII.6 Scope and Contents

Includes correspondence.

Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women VIII.7 1975 13 VIII.7 Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women VIII.8 1973-1975 13 VIII.8 Eastern Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women VIII.9 1975-1976 13 VIII.9 Scope and Contents

Meetings.

Museum Objects Series 9 1934-1976 Pembroke College Horse Meet IX.1 1934 November 22 12 IX.1 General

Two identical items (ribbons).

Medallion IX.2 1976 12 IX.2 General

National College Athletics Association Swim Meet.

Key Ring IX.3 12 IX.3 Button IX.4 12 IX.4 General

"Panda-Monium".

Button IX.5 12 IX.5 General

"Farewell Steve Harvey".

Pin IX.6 12 IX.6 General

"WISC".

Fork IX.7 12 IX.7 General

One silver fork inscribed "Women's College".

Collection information Scope and Contents

This collection contains the records of the Pembroke College Department of Physical Education. Established in 1897, this department was part of Pembroke College, the women's college in Brown University until the women's and men's colleges merged in 1971. This collection includes physical education course materials, financial records, correspondence, conference materials, meeting materials, and museum objects. Materials date from 1914 – 1978 and are arranged into 9 series.

Series 1, Courses: Hygiene and other instruction, 1915-1955, includes correspondence, syllabi, pamphlets, reports, lecture notes, material from other colleges, exams, and course evaluations by the students. The bulk of this series is material used by freshman course (referred to as Hygiene and Body Mechanics) instructors, but it also includes files used to teach gymnastics, camp counseling and water safety, and how to teach games. This series documents an important part of the required curriculum at Pembroke College, including implicit, if not explicit, definitions of what Pembroke women should know and how they should carry themselves and act. Since the freshman course had counterparts at most, if not all, women's colleges in the northeast, this series can be used to add to that more general history as well as to the social history of women at Brown. This series is arranged alphabetically by course title and then chronologically.

Series 2, Courses: Recreation and sports, 1915-1961, contains correspondence, exams, clippings, articles, rules, announcements, material from other colleges, reports, pamphlets, and results of inter- and intra-collegiate events. A number of instructional clippings, and printed pamphlets were discarded; a sampling was kept. In addition to the file of exams at the end of the series, exams appear throughout this series. Although Bessie Rudd was probably the primary owner of many of these files, some predate her arrival and many were added to and used by other instructors. In addition to documenting the variety of sport and recreation courses the department offered and some of the pedagogy used, this series provides information about early intercollegiate and intramural athletics. This series is arranged alphabetically by course title.

Series 3, Classes of 1933-1969, contains statistics (e.g. the class's combined weight), lists of potential athletes, notes taken during first year and senior student conferences, grades, results of swimming and other tests, lists of students restricted from specific physical activity and why, lists of students with dysmenorrhea, lecture notes, clippings, and some reunion material. It does not include posture pictures, which were destroyed (for one example, see series VI). Early files were marked "statistics". Portions of almost all of the flies in this series are closed until eighty years after the year of graduation. For a sample of some of the closed items, see the first folder in the series. The closed material includes all information regarding student grades and medical and physical descriptions. The first year and senior student conferences were conducted by Bessie Rudd, and later by Arlene Gorton. During those conferences. Rudd and Gorton noted such attributes as a student's height, weight, ideal weight, physical (e.g. severe acne) and emotional (e.g. moody) descriptions, if she had dysmenorrhea, notes regarding posture and corrective requirements therein, medical restrictions (e.g. has asthma--may drop out), athletic interests. and career plans. For more information on posture pictures, read The Great Ivy League Nude Posture Photo Scandal in The New York Times (January 15, 1996) and listen to these Pembroke Center Oral History Project interviews. This series is arranged chronologically by class year.

Series 4, Financial records, 1967-1968, includes work orders, invoices, purchase orders, and receipts that document some of the department's fiscal activity during one academic year. This series may provide insight into such diverse matters as what kinds of equipment the department had, and their reliance on taxicabs.

Series 5, Student organizations and events, 1914-1961, contains correspondence, programs, lists of Athletic and Recreation Association board members, score cards, and an Archery Club report. It includes lists of events, planning material, and results from the inter-class competition and demonstration days, sometimes known as Field Day. This series provides fragmentary evidence of the relationship between the department and student activities; more such documentation is available in series 8.

Series 6, Resources and correspondence, 1919-1972, documents the department's ties with other colleges including exhibitions and their sharing of resources, particularly regarding posture. Items include pamphlets, correspondence, programs, reports, speeches and radio scripts written by Pembroke College department staff and others. This series also contains the only posture pictures (all of one woman) found in these records, which are closed for research pending administrative review. For more information on posture pictures, read The Great Ivy League Nude Posture Photo Scandal in The New York Times (January 15, 1996) and listen to these Pembroke Center Oral History Project interviews. This series is arranged chronologically.

Series 7, Conferences and Professional Organizations, 1923-1976, contains reports, announcements, handouts, and correspondence, from conferences and organizations within which department staff were active. For material from organizations in which staff do not appear to have been active, see series 6. Many of these files were kept by Bessie Rudd, who continued to go to meetings and conferences and to collect material after her retirement. Because her files continue those begun in these departmental records, they remain in this collection. For the participation in similar organizations by former members of the department after the merger, see University Archives OF-lOA-2. The organizations represented here include: the Annual Conference of Instructors of Body Mechanics (the name of which changed several times, see the files for the name at any given time); the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation and its relational Section on Women's Athletics, Division for Girls and Women's Sports, Eastern District Association, and Rhode Island DGWS; the Eastern and, National Associations for Physical Education of College Women; the Women's Division of the National Amateur Athletic Federation; the [New England Women's Intercollegiate Sailing Association; and the Rhode Island Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. Material from the body mechanics conferences documents the philosophy driving curriculum in Pembroke College's Freshman Course and similar courses in other departments, as well as illustrating the curriculum itself. This series provides the context of national, regional and state organizations within which the department acted. This series is arranged alphabetically by name.

Series 8, Women Coaches, 1968-1978

Series 9, Museum Objects, 1934-1976

The folder titles in this collection were virtually all taken from the titles on the files when they arrived in the archives. Unfortunately, these files do not provide much information about the Department of Physical Education before 1930. Although there is only one folder specifically devoted to the Pembroke College Athletic and Recreation Association, the work of this student organization is evident throughout these records.

Conditions Governing Use

All researchers seeking to publish materials from the collections of the John Hay Library are requested to complete a Notice of Intent to Publish, available on the John Hay Library website or by request, prior to reproducing, quoting, or otherwise publishing any portion or extract from this collection. Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.

Preferred Citation

Pembroke College Department of Physical Education records, OF.1OA.1ZP, Box [#], Folder [#], Pembroke Center Archives, John Hay Library, Brown University.

Arrangement

These records are arranged into 9 series:

Series 1, Courses: Hygiene and other instruction, 1915-1955

Series 2, Courses: Recreation and sports, 1915-1961

Series 3, Classes of 1933-1969

Series 4, Financial records, 1967-196

Series 5, Student organizations and events, 1914-1961

Series 6, Resources and correspondence, 1919-1972

Series 7, Conferences and Professional Organizations, 1923-1976

Series 8, Women Coaches, 1968-1978

Series 9, Museum objects, 1934-1976

Conditions Governing Access

There are some restrictions on access for analog materials, including student records that are closed for 80 years and posture pictures, which were closed for research pending administrative review in 2024. The collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested. Advance notice is required to view any audiovisual media or born-digital records that may exist in this collection.

Administrative information Immediate Source of Acquisition

Many of these files were transferred from the Pembroke College Department of Physical Education to the University Archives via Pembroke Center Archivist Karen Lamoree in 1986 and 1988.

Additional information Related Materials

Additional Pembroke College Department of Physical Education records exist in the University Archives. For clippings see the Topics File: 1-ZP Pembroke Athletics. For eleven comprehensive scrapbooks compiled by the department, see SB-lOA- lzp. For departmental bulletins, see Classified File: 1-ZP Physical Education Departmental Bulletins. For information about women's athletics at Brown University after the merger see the Women's Coaches minutes: OF-lOA-2. For physical education banners and clothing, see the Museum Objects Index. Records documenting women in the Department of Physical Education and in athletics at Brown University after the merger are in the departmental and athletics records as well as the Brown University women's athletics ephemera (Ms.2019.014) at Brown University. See also the Arlene Gorton files (OF-1UF-G3) at Brown University and her oral history interviews. For more information on posture pictures, read The Great Ivy League Nude Posture Photo Scandal in The New York Times (January 15, 1996) and listen to these Pembroke Center Oral History Project interviews.

Names Pembroke Center for Teaching and Research on Women. Pembroke College (Brown University). Athletic and Recreation Association Subjects Athletics. College sports for women Physical Education Physical education for women Posture. Women--Education. Women and Gender at Brown University