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A Handbook for Women, Fall 1971
Shuffling through the halls of academe circa 1921
Want to know where you are now? Then look at
where you've been. Turn back your mental clock
for a look at:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1921.
Yes, you are among the handful of women admitted
into the sacred halls of academe. But take a look
at the rules which governed your student life in
this fall of '21:
In class, you must sit in the back of the room, and not speak until spoken to. When class is over you must wait to leave the room after the men. That means last!
Dress? A generous code for women. Anything at all, as long as it is a dress. And you must wear a hat and gloves. Like a “proper lady.”
If you want to go out for a breath of evening air, fine. But make sure you have an escort.
No, your picture won’t appear in the student yearbook. That’s reserved for the men.
But persevere ‘till graduation day comes.
You will get your diploma, but remember your place: graduation exercises are for men only.
A lot of rules to make sure that nobody saw you.
Yes, there were a few women graciously admitted
to UNC 50 years ago. But the rulebook made sure
these were Invisible Women. Certainly not
heard, and preferably not seen.
But now, it’s the fall of ‘71.
Women are one-third of the University.
Discriminatory rules are not blatant, but subtle.
And reinforced by still subtler social norms
About “women’s place” in the University.
We are here, and there are a lot of us.
What makes us invisible now?