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• 1 2021-06-29T16:54:31+00:00 Case Studies - Missionaries and STEM 46 This page will detail case studies of women who studied at Hope and became missionaries. plain 2021-07-29T18:22:02+00:00

  Background

  As featured on the Women in STEM data analysis, eight women who majored in STEM had files in the Joint Archives of Holland. Interestingly enough, we found a connection between women's  STEM majors and their career paths as missionaries. Here are brief descriptions of their lives.
   

  Gallery

  Jeanette Veldman 

  Jeanette Veldman was from Grandville, Michigan. Veldman attended business college in Grand Rapids. She also attended Hope Preparatory School in 1922. She graduated from Hope College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1926 after majoring in science [1]. At Hope, she participated in:
   

  Sorosis; Y. W. C. A. Cabinet, ‘24, ‘25; Gospel Team ‘26; Student Vol.; State Student Vol. Council ‘25; Recording Secretary; Michigan Student Vol. Union ‘25; Student Council ‘25; Milestone staff ‘25; Sweater Club; A. D. D.; Athletic Board ‘25, ‘26; House Com. ‘23; S. G. A., President [2]
   

  After Hope, she went to the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in Chicago in 1929. Then, she went to the Kennedy School of Missions in Hartford, Connecticut, Teachers College at Columbia University in 1946, and School of Midwifery in the NYC Maternity Center Association. In 1930, she was sent to Amoy, China and worked in Hope and Wilhelmins Hospital and School of Nursing. In 1946, she received an M.A. in nursing education and administration from Columbia University.
  
  Veldman was employed abroad in Amoy, China as a nurse until the Communist goverrnment ordered her departure from the country. She was there from 1930-1951. However, a short period of employment in India 1937-1938, a prisoner of war interment during World War II, and a return to mission work in 1946. Afterward, she lived in Arabia (Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman) until she returned to the United States in 1967. Veldman passed away in 1994 [3].

   

  Helen Zander 

  
  Helen Zander was born in Schenectady, New York as the youngest of five. She attended grammar school, high school, and Bellevue Reformed Church (Educational Work in Japan). Zander was interested in elocution at a young age and nurtured this interest in church and school work. She acted as a reader with a male chorus and with a group of children who went around giving performances for various groups. Zander decided at 12 to become a missionary after she had a dream in which Christ knocked at the door calling her to service like in the Book of Revelations.

  Her church in Schenectady helped finance her education at Hope. Zander graduated from Hope College in 1928 with a Bachelor of Arts and took a science course [4]. At Hope, she participated in

  Alethea, President ‘25; Y. W. C. A. Cabinet ‘27, President ‘28; Student Volunteers; Gospel Team ‘26, ‘27, ‘28;  Debating Team ‘26; S. G. A. [5]
  
  After graduating from Hope, she was presented as a missionary to Japan by the women’s board of foreign missions. She had not meant to go to Japan (instead, India, Arabia, or China) but had attended a Northfield conference and the theme was Japan. Plus, her big sister’s family at Hope had spent time in Japan. In 1928, after her graduation, she left for Japan. After studying French and German in college, she studied Japanese while in Japan.

  In 1929, Zander entered the Japanese Language School, studied under the Mission Language Committee course until she left the field in 1940. She taught in seminaries in Japan like Sturges Seminary and Ferris Seminary. Zander taught some physical training but specialized in subjects like English (composition, reading, and literature), stenography, typing, commercial English, and office practice. Zander found hobbies in Japanese penmanship, flower arrangements, and collecting envelopes and chopsticks.

  In 1934, she came back to the United States for the first furlough but returned to Japan in 1935. She taught until  her second furlough in 1940. After, she attended Columbia University and got an M.A. degree in Rural Education with emphasis on Industrial Arts [6]. In 1962, she taught at a girl’s high school in Tokyo [7].

  Zander worked at seminaries that specialized in the Christian education of women in Japan. Some notable alumni of her schools were two ladies in waiting for an imperial princess, one of the first Japanese authors to produce Christian literature, president of one of the foremost women’s universities, and minister’s wives. Zander herself said that the students represented “largely girls from a very good class of home and are picked through entrance examinations for scholarship and personality.” Very few of the students were Christians when they came, which was a “tremendous evangelistic opportunity” [8].

  Zander received an imperial award known as the Fifth Order of the Sacred Treasure from Iwatoro Uchiyama, Governor Kanagawa Prefecture. She was awarded it because of her work in the “furtherance of good Japanese-American relations with your wealthy knowledge, ideas, and love.” In regards to this achievement, Zander wrote “I am grateful that God called me into His service, directed my interests toward Japan” [9].

  Overall, Zander taught at four schools - Baiko Jo  Gakuin, Ferris, Joshi Gakuin, and Woman’s Christian [10]. She was a missionary for the Reformed Church in Japan from 1928 to 1941 and 1947 to 1974. Helen Zander passed away on January 1, 1983 [11].

   

  Eva Van Schaack
   

  Eva Van Schaack was born in Coxsackie, NY in 1904 [12]. She graduated from Hope in 1929 with a Bachelor of Arts and a major in science. She was involved in the Dorian sorority and the Senior Girls Association [13] 

  Van Schaack specialized in botany after she graduated from Hope. From 1931-1937, she studied at the School of Higher Studies at the Faculty of Philosophy of the John Hopkins University where she received a PhD. She taught and worked as a laboratory assistant and taught at many schools. Van Schaack was an assistant professor of botany at Kalamazoo College from 1946-1947, assistant professor of plant science at Mount Holyoke College from 1948-1950, associate professor of biology at Wheaton College from 1953-1956, and a professor at Hope College from 1956-1969. She was a member of Sigma Xi.

  At Hope, Van Schaack’s pay was very low for an associate professor, and she did not obtain full professorship until two years before her retirement even though she had “distinguished herself in the field of biology”. Van Schaack specialized in fungi and was promoted in 1967.

  Van Schaack passed away in 1981 [14].
   

  Bernadine Siebers De Valois
  

  Bernadine Siebers De Valois was born Bernadine Siebers in Grand Rapids. She went to South High School in Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Junior College, and graduated from Hope College in 1930. She received a Bachelor Arts after majoring in science [15]. At Hope, she participated in

  Dorian; Gospel Team 2, 3, 4; Y.W.C.A. Cabinet 3, President 4; Student Volunteer, Secretary-Treasurer 3, President 4; Trumpet Quartet; Orchestra 2, 3; Milestone Assistant Editor; Dorian Basketball 4; Chairman Senior Music Committee; S.G.A. [16]
   

  The Milestone described Bernadine as 

  "Bernie," the capable president of the Y.W.C.A. Let us consider her good characteristics. Purposeful is she, with a good deal of plain vigor in carrying out her plans; sociable to a high degree. For an example of enthusiasm we would direct you to her and leave you to be convinced in a moment's conversation. We must not forget that terrible trait of hers of working so hard that others feel ashamed of themselves [17].

  After Hope, she received an M.D. in 1934 from Rush Medical College. She was a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examinations in the United States in 1936. In 1936, she was sent to Vellore, India as a missionary. She worked in surgical wards and clinics with an ear, nose, and throat specialty, taught medical and nursing students, public health programs in villages, and village women’s classes and conferences. She married John James De Valois in  1946 [18]. 

  While in India, Siebers De Valois wrote many letters and pamphlets describing her life in India. She noted that she treated an average of 225 patients a day [19]. In her letters, she discusses the dangers of missionary work abroad. In particular, she detailed religious conflicts, riots, extreme weather, and illness. However, she hoped that the dispensary she was helping found would “become a real source of healing power for physical and spiritual needs,” [20].

  Eventually, India became suspicious towards missionaries and began to make it harder for them to stay. In an article published by the Church Herald, Siebers De Valois argued that mission work was not meant to establish Christian belief or practice as superior or even drastically increase the number of Christians. Instead, it was meant for converts to have a free response and agency in their religious experience [21].
  
  Moreover, she published articles in the Hope College Alumni magazine attempting to get alumni to become missionaries. In one article, she argued that medical outreach is an important part of Christian professional training. Moreover, the Church needed to focus on the new field of preventative medicine. She argued that her job was to provide new dignity and respect to womanhood in areas where women were treated poorly and so, she focused on village outreach, food, maternal and child welfare [22]. She targeted mothers to disperse information. She described the importance of missionary work as similar in the words of Jesus taken from scripture “‘I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.’” [23] Bernadine illustrated how missionary work fulfilled this vocation as she claimed that 

  Hope College cannot have a greater and more important mission today than to send her  well-armed children as the resolute servants of our scientific and spiritual life to all the imperiled posts of American to save the future life of this nation,... and to watch over the freedom of mankind [24].

  Hope presented her with an honorary D.Sc. degree on June 4, 1956 [25].

  Eventually, she went to Africa. Upon returning to the United States, she was a member of many medical societies, taught at Western Seminary, and worked at Pine Rest. Bernadine Siebers De Valois passed away on June 19, 2001 [26].

   

  Anne De Young

   

  Anne De Young was born in Clymer, New York though she lived in Newark, New York. Her father was a Reformed Church Minister and her aunt was a domestic missionary. De Young was the middle of seven children [27]. Her parents were born in the Netherlands and went to Hope. De Young decided to enter the nursing profession after visiting her aunt [28].

  She graduated from the Berea College School of Nursing in 1938 and Hope College in 1942 after majoring in biology [29]. At Hope, De Young participated in

  Sibylline, Treasurer 3; Alcor 4, President; Y. W. C. A 2, 3, 4, Vice President 4; Christian Workers League 2; Band 2; Chapel Choir  3, 4; Music Group 4; German Club 3; Girls Basketball 2, 3; Treasurer of Voorhees Hall 3; Voorhees Hall Nurse. [30]

  While at Hope, she worked at Holland City Hospital. After graduating from Hope, she studied Chinese in Berkeley, California in hopes of being stationed in China as a missionary. However, China closed its doors to missionaries so she was unable to go [31]. Then, she studied at Kennedy School of Missions, Hartford, Connecticut in 1951 for one term and the School of Midwifery in 1952 [32]. 

  De Young was an assistant nurse in Voorhees Hall at Hope College for two years and was the head nurse for one year. While head nurse, she had over 100 girls in her care. Afterwards, she was an instructor in the hygiene department at Hope [33]. She continued to teach at the Berea, Kentucky School of Nursing for nine months [34]. 

  She worked at Scudder Memorial Hospital in India for one year. Then, she served in Amoy, China from 1946 to 1951. De Young was reassigned to Arabia in 1952 where she worked in the medical field. She was furloughed from 1958 to 1959 and transferred to Oman soon after reentering the field [35]. Overall, she had mostly been a nursing teacher and supervisor [36]. Anne De Young passed away in 2007.
   

  Mary Louise Talman 

   

  Mary Louise Talman was born in China in 1921. Her parents were missionaries. They returned to the United States in 1929 where they lived in Hyde Park, New York [37]. She graduated from Hope in 1942 with a Bachelor of Arts and a major in biology. At Hope, she participated in 

  Sibylline, Reporter 1, 2;  Anchor 1, 2; Y.W.C.A. 1, 2, 3, 4, Cabinet 2; Christian Workers League 1, 2, Secretary 1; Chapel Choir 1; Scalpel Club 4; Philosophy Club 4; Tennis 4 [38].

  Talman was a part of the faculty at Presbyterian Green Mountain Conference in Poughkeepsie, NY. She taught science at Attamont, NY High School and earned a M.A. from Albany State Teacher’s College in 1944. She eventually taught general science in Santiago, Chile where she was the head of the middle school department of the College. 

  Talman died in Lima, Peru on her way home from teaching at Santiago College, Santiago, Chile. The cause of death was an accidental gas leak [39].
   

  Marjorie Van Vranken

  
  Van Vranken was born in Schenectady, New York. Her parents were missionaries in India where they quickly returned after Marjorie was born. Her playmates were Indian children of the compound and she  went to Highclerc School for  Missionary Children in Kodaikanal, South India. Van Vranken described this time as having “many opportunities of witnessing to God’s handiwork  in nature and to His word in their Christian training.” [40]

  Van Vranken earned an A.B. from Hope  in 1946 after majoring in biology and chemistry. The Milestone lists her hometown as Hudsonville, Michigan in 1946. At Hope, she participated in 
  
  Thesaurian 1, 2, 3, 4, Treasurer 3; Y.W.C.A. 1, 2. 3, 4, Cabinet Member 4; Milestone 3 ; Alcor 4, Secretary-Treasurer 4 ; Sister Organization of Alpha Chi 4 ; French Majors' Club 1, 2, 3. 4, Treasurer 3; Scalpel Club 2, 3, 4, Secretary-Treasurer 3, President 4. [41].

  To pay for tuition, Van Vranken worked many odd jobs including as a glass grinder, machine mirror engraver, nurses’ aide, and at a chemical plant and wire and spring factory.

  After graduating from Hope, she did graduate work at the University of Illinois and received her master’s degree in physiology in 1949. She spent a summer at the YWCA learning about labor and social problems. At graduate school, she was a member of the University Woman’s Scientific Research Association. She also was a part time assistant in physiology and served as a laboratory instructor. 

  There was a need for women doctors and nurses in India so she got a teaching position in the physiology department of the Vellore Christian Medical College. This was an interdenominational school and international institution which got support from the RCA. She studied Tamil and took exams alongside working. Van Vranken wrote that it was “refreshing to be back in India, but it was also a challenge to be a small cog in the work of God’s kingdom among the students.” She returned to the United  States in 1952 [42].

  Overall, she spent thirteen years as an RCA missionary in Vellore, India, 28 years involved in the activities of the International Protestant Church of Kinshasa, and five years with the Protestant Women of the SHAPE Chapel in Belgium. She passed away in 1995 [43].

   

  Alida J. Kloosterman
   

  Alida J. Kloosterman was born in 1921 She spent her early life in Grand Rapids except for summers spent on her grandparents farm. At the age of six, she went to Rogers Junior High School where she liked school so much that she did not want to take vacations. She was a member of the school safety division where she worked from a patrolman up to the captain of the force. Home was a “wonderful example of Christian nurture and recognition.” During this time, Kloosterman became interested in Christian Endeavor and the Girls’ League for Service. She also loved sports.

  Kloosterman was about to enter Lee High School when her father died, leaving her younger brother to take over the home and support her mother, herself, and her younger sister. The girls sold flowers and babysit as any further education had to be earned through “spartan diligence.” At seventeen, she became a member of the Reformed Church in Grand Rapids. She taught Sunday School and enjoyed listening to the missionaries. She wanted to give her “life to full time Christian service, too, but her finances seemed always to stand in the way.”

  After her mother’s death, she worked to pay off debts and mortgages on the house. She saved enough for one year in college. While at Hope, she worked summers, vacations, evenings, and Saturdays, to finance other years too. She worked for the American Sunday School Union and was the Director of Summer Camps. She taught Vacation Bible School, was an inspector at a wood factory and was in charge of girls in the plant. At Hope, she worked in the dorm collecting and dispensing linen, in laundry as a cleaning girl, in the library, and filing. She viewed college as the background for her life work [44]. 

  At Hope, she was in the varsity club, speech club, red cross, Y. W. C. A., prayer bands, wrote for the Milestone and the Anchor, and was a member in the Theasurian sorority (page 47). She graduated from Hope in 1948 after majoring in mathematics [45].

  Her desire to become a missionary intensified at Hope College as she was encouraged and assisted by Mrs. John Piet who had worked in India as a missionary. She hoped to work in villages with Bible women or teaching. In 1947, during her Junior year at Hope, she applied to the Board of Foreign Missions. She was accepted as a missionary that year with an appointment to India. In 1949, she went to Chittoor, India and studied the language. She was financed by the Reformed Church, American Church, and the Sunday School of the Second Reformed Church [46]. Kloosterman stayed in India for three years and then taught at the North 4th Street Christian School. Alida J. Kloosterman married Bastiaan van Dijk in 1953. According to her marriage notice, Kloosterman planned to move back to the Netherlands where her husband was from [47]. The U.S. Death Index from 1898-2008 lists Kloosterman's death date as February 3, 2001.
  
  References:
  [1] Biographical Materials, Box 5, Veldman, Jeannette (1901-1994). Papers, 1912-1989. (W89-1012.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [2] Milestone 1926 (Holland: Hope College, 1926), 28, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/11.
  [3] Biographical Materials, Box 5.
  [4] “Helen Zander: Educational Work in Japan,” Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions, July 1942. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [5] Milestone 1928 (Holland: Hope College, 1928), 35, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/13.
  [6] “Helen Zander: Educational Work in Japan.”
  [7] Helen Zander, “South for the Holidays,” The Church Herald, April 6, 1962. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [8] Helen Zander, “The GI Didn't Know - Do You?” The Church Herald, February 13, 1953. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [9] Helen Zander, “A Bridge Across the Pacific,” The Church Herald, April 24, 1964. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [10] Helen Zander, "A Bridge Across the Pacific."
  [11] “Helen Zander Dies,” The Church Herald, January 2, 1983. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [12] Biographical, 1950-1969. Van Schaack, Eva (1904-1981). Papers, 1911-1976. (H88-0177.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [13] Milestone 1929 (Holland: Hope College, 1929), 37, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/13/.
  [14] Biographical, 1950-1969.
  [15] “Dr. and Mrs. J. J. De Valois,” Board of Foreign Missions, October 1955. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [16] Milestone 1930 (Holland: Hope College, 1930), 65, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/17.
  [17] Milestone 1930, 54.
  [18] “Dr. and Mrs. J. J. De Valois.”
  [19] Bernadine Siebers to St. Ives, September 24, 1938. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [20] Bernadine Siebers to Mission Hospital for Women, June 1, 1939. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [21] Bernadine Siebers De Valois, “The Church’s Right to Send Missionaries,” The Church Herald, May 20, 1955. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [22] Bernadine Siebers De Valois, “Eat too Little - Live too Wretchedly - Die too Young!” The Church Herald, February 17, 1956. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [23] Bernadine Siebers De Valois, “Science Plus-Miracles in India,” Hope College Alumni Magazine, July 1956. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [24] “Nigerian Chicks and Consultations,” Hope College Alumni Magazine, October 1962. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [25] Bernadine Siebers De Valois, “Science Plus-Miracles in India."
  [26] De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [27] “Miss Anne R. De Young,” Board for the Christian World Mission Reformed Church in America, November 1958. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [28] “Anne R. De Young,” Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions, 1946. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [29] “Miss Anne R. De Young.”
  [30] Milestone 1942 (Holland: Hope College, 1942), 40, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/26.
  [31] “Anne De Young To Retire,” June 25, 1982. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [32] “Miss Anne R. De Young.”
  [33] “Anne De Young To Retire.”
  [34] “Anne R. De Young.”
  [35] “Miss Anne R. De Young.”; “The task of Christian missionaries in… Muscat, Newest Oil Town,” The Church Herald, September 19, 1969. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [36] “Anne De Young To Retire.”
  [37] “Hope Graduate Buried in Peru,” Holland City News, July 24, 1947. Hope Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [38] Milestone 1942 (Holland: Hope College, 1942), 40, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/26.
  [39] “Hope Graduate Buried in Peru.”
  [40] “Marjorie Alice Van Vranken,” Board of Foreign Missions Reformed Church of America, September 1953. Western Biographical File,  Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [41] Milestone 1946 (Holland: Hope College, 1946), 47, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/27.
  [42] “Marjorie Alice Van Vranken.”
  [43] “Marjorie A. Van Vranken,” P.F. PORBEUR - Asquillies, 1995. Van Vranken, Herbert E. (1891-1972). Papers, 1914-1995. (W01-1258.7.), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [44] “Alida J. Kloosterman”, Board of Foreign Missions Reformed Church in America, January 1950. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [45] Milestone 1948 (Holland: Hope College, 1948), 47, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/30.
  [46] "Alida J. Kloosterman."
  [47] "Teacher is Wed to Mr. van Dijk, Netherlander," The Sunday News, December 6, 1953.
  

• 1 2021-07-01T14:29:15+00:00 Popularity of Female Majors 28 Popularity of Female Majors plain 2021-07-27T19:21:49+00:00

  Detailing Popular Majors

  Modern-Language English

  Consistently, some form of English has been in the top two most popular majors for senior women from 1925-1950. Until 1932, the most popular course of choice was modern-language English. The 1925 Bulletin, the equivalent of a modern course catalog, lists the requirements for a major in modern-language English as 30 semester hours in English, 20 in French, 20 in German, 8 in history, 6 in biblical literature, 2 in public speaking, 4 in political science, 4 in psychology, 4 in evidences, and 32 in electives. This list includes general education requirements that other majors also had to complete [1]. In the 1929 Bulletin, the major name switched to English modern language, though the requirements remained identical [2]. This course was recommended for high school teachers, for graduate work in English or modern languages, or for training in journalism. In general, this major was advertised as flexible and adopted to “general cultural work.” [3]
  

  English Modern Language

  In 1932, English modern language was separated into two majors - English and modern language [4]. Modern language remained popular with eleven women majoring in it that year but only one Senior woman took English. There is no description written from that year to differentiate requirements between the two. Moreover, there is an English department with courses but no modern language department. Even though there is no official description of what a modern language major was, modern languages offered were French, German, Dutch (until 1942), and Spanish (offered beginning in 1943). These French, German, Dutch and Spanish are considered to be modern since they are currently spoken which is in contrast with ancient languages offered like Latin and Greek. 1938 was the last year that modern language and English modern language were listed as any Senior women’s majors in the Milestone. 

  History

  Until 1940, history was also a consistently popular major. According to the 1925 Bulletin, a major in history required 24 semester hours in history, 20 hours in a modern language, 15 in English, 8 in political science, 8 in philosophy, 6 in biblical literature, 6 in history of education, 4 in psychology, 4 in evidences, 2 in public speaking, and 33 in electives [5]. The course was recommended for students who planned to enter “law, the diplomatic or civil service, to teach or to do graduate work in history.” [6] The recommended career paths for history majors is of interest because graduate school during this time period had many barriers for women. Some women were able to obtain entrance into colleges through attending women’s colleges, taking advantage of quotas in co-ed colleges, finding advocates on their behalf, or moving to Europe [7]. However, graduate degrees were rarer for women from 1925-1950. 

  Moreover, law, diplomatic and civil service were all traditionally male fields which fit into the idea of the “public sphere.” Women were expected to enter the “private sphere” which included influence over the family, household, children, and religious affairs [8]. A relevant question is whether these women hoped to pursue these career paths or typically forged a path of their own instead. Our research team found that a portion of women who attended Hope College during this time period used college as a means to find potential partners in marriage. This finding is in alignment with national trends as women found economic returns from attending college through both labor and marriage markets [9]. Therefore, it is reasonable to draw the conclusion that while recommended career paths were influential for some women, for others it was less relevant.

  Education

  Notably, after 1940, education or elementary education were the most popular majors for women until the end of our research scope (1950). This trend is not surprising considering the rapid feminization of the field of teaching. By the 1880s, 80% of school teachers were women according to the Historical Dictionary of Women’s Education in the United States [10]. However, men occupied most of the upper level roles; women were effectively sequestered to the classroom. This is not to degrade individual women’s roles as teachers considering how important education is. Rather, the trend of feminization is key in understanding what women’s lives were like at Hope and throughout the United States during this time period.

  The sudden popularity of education in the 1940s gives the false impression that women at Hope were taking a newfound interest in the field. On the contrary, teaching was one of the original three vocations that Hope was founded to train workers for [11]. Originally, teaching was a certification that students could obtain through Hope College but it was not a major to concentrate in. Therefore, women could have been obtaining certifications and attending Normal Colleges but that would not have been listed as their primary major in the Milestone where we pulled our data from. The creation of a teaching major that prepared students for certification was new in the late 1930s at Hope College. Our data reflects this change in available majors. Though it is significant that education became a major later because teaching might have been a less valuable degree before 1935 because married women were barred from employment [12]. Therefore, the creation and popularity of an education major shows the shift in this policy.

  Data Analysis

  Only providing the two most popular majors made sense for the first half of the data set because options were limited and there was a distinct mode. For the second half of the data set, providing only the two most popular majors may be misleading. After World War II, the G.I. bill allowed enrollment to increase exponentially [13]. As a result, more incoming tuition money allowed for the expansion of resources and more majors were available. Therefore, the data is less condensed around two majors. In this chart, it seems as if no women majored in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). In reality, STEM majors were consistently the chosen majors for most years following English, education, and history. During some years the margins between the most popular majors and STEM majors were slim. For example, in 1934, the second most popular major was history with seven senior women majoring in it. The third most popular major was science with six women majoring in it. In 1939, six women majored in history and four women majored in mathematics. In 1948, thirteen women majored in English and six women majored in biology. 
  Other years, the gap between the two most popular majors and STEM as the third most popular was wider. For example, in 1942 - the most popular major was tied between English and education with fourteen senior women in each. The second most popular was biology with three women majoring in it. In 1944, twelve women majored in English and four majored in biology. In 1945, ten women majored in elementary education and three women majored in biology. In 1947, four women majored in English and three majors tied for the third most popular major with three women in chemistry, three women in music, and three women in mathematics. Lastly, in 1949, education was the second most popular major with seven senior women in it and four majors tied for third place with five women majoring in math, five women in social studies, five in elementary education, and five in biology. The rise in biology is notable as it was particularly suited for students to take a pre-medical or pre-nursing track.

  However, for many years, the third most popular majors were still in what we would now call the social sciences or humanities. In 1935, the third most popular major was in Latin with four women in it. The third most popular in 1936 was English modern language with six women in it. In 1937, the third most popular was French with three women in it. In 1938, the third most popular major was modern language with four women in it. In 1940, the third most popular major was Latin with four women in it. In 1943, the third most popular major was education with four women in it. In 1946, French was the third most popular with six women in it. In 1947 and 1949, music, social studies, and elementary education tied for third place with STEM courses as listed above. Lastly, the next highest major was education with ten in it in 1950. 

  Other Majors

  Least Popular Majors

  Typically the least popular majors differed from year to year. Consistently, the classical track was less popular with only ten women taking it from 1925-1950. Possible reasons for the lack of women in this track was that classical training was meant to prepare students for politics, work, law, and graduate school. Plus, classical training was seen as a masculine subject [14]. While analyzing the Milestones from 1925-1950, I noticed that many men took the classical course which illustrates a clear gender division. Similarly, women did not major in engineering during this time period. Engineering tended to be less popular overall at Hope as it was newer. However, men did major in engineering more than women. This pattern of women majoring in certain areas less than men also holds for ancient, classical languages like Greek and Latin, philosophy, business, and economics. Latin was more popular until 1942. After that, only one woman every few years would major in it. Philosophy and economics were consistently unpopular as only two women majored in it for the duration of this study. Though, economics was introduced much later than philosophy. Business was typically a less popular major for all students as business administration was preferred.

  Other Majors

  Other majors that had some popularity were sociology, psychology, religious education, social service, and business administration. Sociology was added as a major in 1945 and attracted a few women each year. Similarly, psychology was introduced in 1948 and remained somewhat popular. Religious education was established longer than the other two but only remained marginally popular during this period. Lastly, social service was a composite major that was established in 1944, though no women majored in it until 1946. To major in this, a student would take courses in philosophy, economics, political science, and history [15].
  
  References:
  [1] 1925. V63. 03. November Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1925), 11, http://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/86.
  [2] 1928-1929. V67.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1928), 16, http://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/95.
  [3] 1928-1929. V67.01. February Bulletin., 16.
  [4] 1931-1932. V70.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1931), 28, http://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/99.
  [5] 1925. V63. 03. November Bulletin., 11.
  [6] 1928-1929. V67.01. February Bulletin., 16.
  [7] Linda Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary of Women’s Education in the United States (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1998), 351-352, EBSCOhost. 
  [8] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, xii.
  [9] Claudia Goldin, Lawrence F. Katz, and Ilyana Kuziemko, “The Homecoming of American College Women: The Reversal of the College Gender Gap,” Journal of Economic Perspectives 20, no. 4 (Fall 2006): 134, 10.1257/jep.20.4.133. 
  [10] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, xvii.
  [11] 1916. V54.01. May Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1916), 13-14, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/49.
  [12] Goldin, Katz, and Kuziemko, “The Homecoming of American College Women,” 136. 
  [13]  Goldin, Katz, and Kuziemko, “The Homecoming of American College Women,” 133. 
  [14] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, 350.
  [15] 1943-1944. V82.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1943), 31, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/111.
  
  
  
• 1 2021-06-29T20:01:42+00:00 Sororities at Hope College in the 1930's 24 1930's Sorority Culture plain 2021-08-02T14:44:39+00:00

  
  Sorority life proved an essential part of many women’s lives at Hope in the 1930’s and 1940’s. While athletic events, musical groups, and theatre provided some entertainment, many students also organized primarily in literary clubs. While many sororities and fraternities formed prior to the 1930’s, their popularity among students exploded as the Great Depression progressed. On January 1, 1930, the Anchor states that 32.1% of women enrolled at Hope belonged to a sorority [1]. However, thanks to the scrapbook of Eleanor Dalman Vanderhill (42’), one can see an obvious change in these greek life participation statistics. According to a welcoming letter to Vanderhill prior to her freshman year in 1938, Hope College Student Council immediately explained Greek life as the main social outlet for students, followed by college funded groups. They note that 75-80% of Hope women belonged to sororities in the preceding year [2]. While the Depression wreaked havoc across the country and tested Hope financially, students flocked to organizations such as Greek Life. 
  We can’t confirm if either of these numbers are completely accurate, as they came from multiple sources and are not official Hope College statistics. However, they do provide information on the importance of Greek life and the way students communicated its importance to their peers. Mary C. McComb in her book The Great Depression and the Middle Class writes that nationwide, Greek life suffered during the Depression and almost didn't survive. However, while Hope sororities did struggle financially through the Depression, their popularity only increased [3]. Hope men and women relied on Greek Life heavily to establish themselves in the Hope community. 

  While the Hope College Bulletin, presidents’ files, faculty information, Anchor, and Milestones provide an abundance of information of the events at Hope College in the 1930’s, they can’t pinpoint the daily lives of students. Because of the importance of sororities to women’s lives throughout the 1930’s, one can look past the official Hope College publications to get a closer look into the everyday social lives of women of the time by investigating the culture of these organizations. We can also begin to understand students’ values, their forms of entertainment, how they learned to conduct themselves in social settings, as well as how their sorority influenced them.

  Many of the sororities available to students in the 1930’s remain in existence today. In the 1930’s women could choose to rush Sorosis, Dorian, Sibylline, Alethea, and Delphi [4]. These sororities were not nation wide but rather Hope founded and remain Hope based today. Women had fewer options for sororities than women have today; however, this did not hinder sorority life as the largest social organizations on campus. During this time, there were also less women and total students at Hope. Throughout the 1930’s, enrollment did not exceed 500 students total.

  However, the process of rushing has changed since the Great Depression. This process reflects the popularity of sororities during this time. While gathering information on the experiences of incoming freshmen, sorority involvement and education on sororities proved to be a delicate subject. A woman’s entrance into the Hope community as well as into the Greek life community began as a woman awaited her freshman year. In many of the personal scrapbooks and memory books donated by women during the period, women saved letters from the college or president, student council, and their “big-sisters” that told them of what to expect in their first semester at Hope. The 1938 student council’s letter to Vanderhill communicated the general groups and activities at Hope, emphasizing Greek life as important to the majority of students [5]. However, they did not promote one sorority. Margaret Kole, who attended Hope from 1929-1933, included a guide to acting as a big sister of an incoming freshman in her scrapbook. Hope paired each incoming freshman with an upperclassman student that would become their companion and confidante as they entered college. In this guide, Hope instructed women to inform their “little sister” of college activities, introduce her to other students, and make her feel at home without spending any money. The guide specifically states in these endeavors that a woman should not favor a particular society or speak with her little sister about her own society [6]. Hope wanted each incoming student to choose her society for herself. This emphasizes the importance of sorority life to the future of incoming freshmen as well as to current students. 
  

  Kole includes an example of a sister letter by keeping a letter from her own Big Sister, Anna Marie Peelen from August 8, 1929, the summer prior to her freshman year. Peelen writes to assure Kole that she planned to be a trusted confidante and to help her through any questions she had during the transition into college [7]. When I found this letter, it reminded me of the big sisters/little sisters sororities utilize today. Peelan follows all rules and regulations that Kole later learns of in her own guide. However, this avoidance of conversation about sorority did not deter Kole from joining Greek life, as she joined the Alethea sorority in the fall of her freshman year [8]. 
  

  Sororities would welcome new members in the fall and have them pledge before becoming new members, looking at the dates of invitations to rushing events [9]. According to the Sorosis minutes from 1930-1939 as well as the clippings and saved invitations from many of the scrapbook owners, societies would meet weekly. The order of these meetings across societies remained relatively the same. Each meeting would include a theme for the order of business and the invitations [10]. Examples of these themes from the Dorian and Alethean scrapbooks as well as the Sorosis Minutes included meetings with a Bird theme, Great Women of America, Gems, a Bell theme, Around the World, etc. Each order of business would center around this theme. For example, in Alethea’s Gem meeting, the order of events included: “Gems of Joy, Gems of Today, Gems of Value, Gems of Song, and Gems of Jest” [11]. The Sorosis minutes provide a clear example of what each event truly entailed. The documentation noted that members met in their sorority room allocated to them and would first begin with a time for devotions. They then addressed any business issues such as the electing of officers or committees, the treasurer report, addressing of any behavioral, financial, or social issues, as well as planning any sorority events. The president of the sorority would also address the payment of dues during this time. After serious conversation, the Sigma Sigma girls typically put on a skit regarding the theme of the meeting or provided a performance of some sort. The group would also sing sorority songs during this more leisurely, entertaining portion of the meeting [12].
  
  

  
  Sororities to many women proved to be a lifeline throughout their experience at Hope. They connected individuals to the community of Hope, to alumni, and to their peers during the 1930’s. Not all women participated in Greek life and we sadly don’t have access to their personal experiences. However, documentation of sorority life provides us access to a large portion of the Hope community’s social experience during this period. With this documentation, we can glimpse the events, topics, and behaviors that many of these women within the Greek community admired. 
  
  References: 
  
  [1] "Societies Not Cause", Hope College Anchor, 1 January, 1930. 
  [2] Letter from Student Council to Eleanor Dalman Vanderhill, 1938, Vanderhill, Eleanor Dalman. Papers, 1926, 1938-1942, Joint Archives of Holland, Holland, MI. 
  [3] Mary C. McComb, Great Depression and the Middle Class: Experts, Collegiate Youth and Business Ideology, 1929-1941 (New York, New York: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, 2006), 79.
  [4] Milestones, 1930-1940 (Holland: Hope College, 1930-1940), https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/12/.
  [5] Letter from Student Council to Eleanor Dalman Vanderhill, 1938, Vanderhill, Eleanor Dalman. Papers, 1926, 1938-1942.
  [6] "Duties and Interdictions" in Memory Book, 1925-1933, Kole, Margaret J. (1909-1994). Papers, 1925-1933 (H95-1250), Joint Archives of Holland, Holland, MI.
  [7] "Letter from Anna Marie Peelen" in Memory Book, 1925-1933, Kole, Margaret J. (1909-1994). Papers, 1925-1933 (H95-1250).
  [8] Memory Book, 1925-1933, Kole, Margaret J. (1909-1994). Papers, 1925-1933 (H95-1250).
  [9] Memory Book, 1925-1933, Kole, Margaret J. (1909-1994). Papers, 1925-1933 (H95-1250)., Scrapbook, 1929-1936, Swets, Ethel Leestma Papers, 1929-1936 (H18-1988), Joint Archives of Holland, Holland, MI., Scrapbook, 1934-1938, Stegenga Groenevelt, Marian Ruth (1917-1996). Papers,1934-1938,1996 (H12-1818), Joint Archives of Holland, MI. 
  [10] Minutes, 1925-1930, 1932-1935, Sigma Sigma Sorority, Records, 1906-[ongoing] (H01-1413), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, MI.
  [11] Scrapbook, 1935-1948, Dorian Sorority (Kappa Beta Phi). Records, 1922-2008 (H09-1695), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland MI.
  [12] Minutes, 1925-1930, 1932-1935, Sigma Sigma Sorority, Records, 1906-[ongoing] (H01-1413), 58-59.
  
  

• 1 2021-07-06T15:16:49+00:00 Women in STEM - Data Analysis 21 plain 2021-07-13T20:03:26+00:00
  

  Once on campus, women gravitated towards STEM majors. By 1925, three out of eighteen women (16.67%) in the Senior class majored in STEM with one student in science and two in math. The two years with the highest STEM enrollment were in 1934 and 1947. In 1934, ten out of thirty-eight Senior women majored in STEM (26.32%) with 4 in science and 4 in math. In 1947, nine out of thirty-six (25%) of Senior women majored in STEM with two in science, one in biology, three in chemistry, and three in math. The years with the lowest portion of women who majored in STEM were 1937 and 1943. In 1937, one woman out of 37 majored in STEM (2.70%); she majored in mathematics. In 1943, no senior women majored in STEM. There is no data available for 1931, 1933, and 1941.

  Until 1939, science and mathematics were the only two courses that women majored in within STEM. These two majors are some of the oldest at Hope and contained broad possibilities depending on the resources of the school at the time. If there were more resources, then there were more classes and disciplines available for students to study in. Mathematics still remains a popular major at Hope though general science majors were less common after 1947. In general, science and mathematics were the most popular STEM courses for all students at Hope from 1925-1950 even after new departments were created, though men also majored in chemistry, physics, and pre-medical. 
  Chemistry was first listed as a student’s major in the 1936 Milestone and the major soon increased in popularity. The first time that women majored in chemistry was in 1945 when two out of nine women in STEM majored in chemistry. Chemistry was consistently chosen by a few (one to three) women each year until 1950 when no women majored in it. Similarly, biology was first listed as a student’s major in the 1939 Milestone and the major grew exponentially in the years after. A significant proportion of women in STEM majored in biology that year. Three out of the seven female students in STEM majored in biology which is 42.90%. For every year after that, at least one woman majored in STEM with 1943 as the exception. 
  The pre-medical track was offered in 1925 as individual courses, but female students first picked it as a major in 1938. Two out of six women in STEM took a pre-medical course in 1938. Pre-Medical majors were less frequent for women than men. This is reflected in the data because only one other woman was a pre-medical major from 1925-1950; she was a senior in 1945. According to the 1945 course catalog, the four-year pre-medical curriculum had been available to “pre-medical students at Hope College for some time” and was designed to meet the most “rigid requirements of medical schools.” [1]

  In 1945, nursing was available for the first time to students. Our data would only have accounted for two cohorts of Seniors (1949 and 1950) that could have majored in it because the only data on majors available was from Seniors. Regardless, no Senior women were recorded as having majored in nursing in 1949 or 1950. Similarly, pre-forestry and pre-dental tracks were offered for the first time in 1945 and no women were recorded as having majored in either during the scope of this project [2].
  Two glaring omissions are the “T” and “E” in STEM - technology and engineering. Technology, mostly comprised of computer science and information technology majors, is a fairly recent field and career path. Therefore, no women within the scope of our project majored in technology. Engineering was offered during our study, though not until 1942, and no women majored in engineering during the duration of our study [3]. Other common majors that would fall under the STEM umbrella term are geology, physics, algebra, geometry, and statistics. Physics is the only course that was offered during this time period and no women majored in it. The other disciplines were not available to Hope students to major in.
  
  References:
  [1] 1944-1945. V83.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1945), 39, http://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/112.
  [2] 1944-1945. V83.01. February Bulletin., 35.
  [3] 1941-1942. V80.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1941), 55, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/109.
  
  

• 1 2021-06-29T16:53:19+00:00 Missionaries and STEM 19 This page details the link between majoring in STEM and becoming a missionary. plain 2021-07-28T18:36:19+00:00

  It is important to acknowledge that the findings of this research are inherently biased. In an attempt to try to find more information on the women who majored in STEM at Hope from 1925-1950, I cross-referenced the names from the Milestone  with records at the Joint Archives of Holland, where our research is based out of. Out of the 951 women recorded, only a small portion of them had files in the Archives. It was more likely that there would be information on them if they were a part of an established Dutch family in Holland. The archives had many files on these women’s husbands but rarely information on them. Of the women that did have files, most were prominent missionaries for the Reformed Church of America. 

  Context

  According to the Hope College 1916 Semicentennial Catalog, the founding had a clear religious purpose. The catalog explicitly states that 

  They wanted a Christian school to prepare, in a general way, for high grade American citizenship and the intelligent development of Christian character; but, more specifically, they wanted a school to serve the three-fold purpose— to equip competent teachers, to train ministers, and to prepare missionaries for the foreign field [1].

  This statement hints at the college’s long-standing mutualistic relationship with the Reformed Church of America (RCA). Dennis Voskuil, a scholar and interim president at Hope College, argues that the RCA supplied resources for the college and in return, the college supplied people in his chapter “Continuity and Change” in the Hope College at 150 [2]. This can be seen in the college course bulletin as the college emphasized prerequisites for seminary training and Christian ministry. Voskuil also argues that Hope College was valued by the RCA because of the volume of missionaries coming out of the school. By 1941, over ⅓ of Hope College alumni were missionaries (2,300 people). In 1926, out of 1,410 graduates, 60% were religious workers [3].

  The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was a major Protestant organization sending missionaries abroad. Even now, much of the missionary movement in the United States can be tied back to the ABCFM. Initially, women could only go abroad if they were wives of male missionaries [4]. Many women married in part because it was the most accessible pathway abroad. However, this changed in the 1830s as the ABCFM became desperate for missionaries. According to the Historical Dictionary of Women’s Education in the United States, this policy change resulted in “hundreds of unmarried women” finding employment as assistant missionaries and going abroad [5]. By 1880, women represented 57 percent of the missionary force [6].

  While researching women who majored in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics at Hope College from 1925-1950, there was a noticeable amount of students who entered the missionary field after graduating. This makes sense given that science and classical training were perceived to be dichotomous in the United States. Classical training was masculine and prepared men for the public sphere. Science was not as explicitly linked to gender. However, females and science were implicitly linked as science education was utilized by many female seminaries to teach “critical observation and… logical thought” [7].  Classical training was not essential for future female careers since they were most often entering the private sphere. 

  STEM and Missionary Work

  Similarly, missionary work during this time period was founded upon gendered separation and the idea of the “private sphere” as the woman’s domain. Women were seen as inherently pious and religious with special skills in nurturing and teaching [8]. Serving as a missionary complimented women’s perceived influence over religion and the family. Only eight of the women who majored in STEM during this time period (1925-1950) at Hope had files in the Joint Archives of Holland. Of the eight, seven were missionaries. Of that seven, three of them had parents who were missionaries and were raised to enter the field. Those women were Anne De Young, Mary Louise Talman, and Marjorie Van Vranken. Two of them, Helen Zander and Alida J. Kloosterman, decided to become missionaries through religious communities. Women were instrumental in recruiting, retaining, and becoming missionaries. 
  STEM was a logical primer for missionary work because it allowed women to take a pre-medical track and obtain education in nursing. While none of these women have a pre-medical track specified in the Milestone, a few of them specified that they took a pre-medical track in their archival files. This means that the women who majored in STEM might also have taken pre-medical tracks even though that is not noted in my data.

  Moreover, these women may have become missionaries because of the clear alternative to marriage and child-rearing. Women no longer had to be married or mothers in order to live abroad and have careers. The Church has a history of providing a certain amount of independence to women through positions as nuns, missionaries, and other religious work. Therefore, missionary work could have been correlated with STEM as well as other potential factors relating to marriage, motherhood, and family. 
  Of the eight women that have files in the Joint Archives of Holland, four were nurses while serving abroad. The other four women were not employed in the medical field but instead, specialized in education. Eva Van Schaack was the only woman who majored in STEM during this period with an archival file who did not become a missionary. She worked as an associate professor and professor at Hope College in the biology department [9]. 

  Higher Education

  Moreover, an interesting trend became apparent while analyzing these women’s files - all of them obtained some form of higher education. Eva Van Schaack and Bernadine Siebers De Valois both received doctorates, though Siebers De Valois’ was an honorary degree from Hope College [10]. Van Schaack obtained a PhD from John Hopkins University [11]. Helen Zander attended Columbia University and got an M.A. degree in rural education with emphasis on industrial arts after taking a furlough in 1940 [12]. Mary Louise Talman received an M.A. from Albany State Teacher’s College in 1944 [13]. Marjorie Van Vranken got a master’s degree in physiology from the University of Illinois in 1949 [14]. Jeanette Veldman recieved a M.A. from Columbia University in 1946 for Nursing Education and Administration [15]. Lastly, Bernadine Siebers De Valois obtained a M.D. in 1936 while specializing as an E.N.T [16].
  Though the sample size is small, the proportion of women who majored in STEM and received higher degrees after college is noteworthy. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, even though women participated in science before it was formalized in higher education, the professionalization of science pushed many women from the field. Women found barriers blocking them from graduate school, gaining doctorates, and getting jobs in equal value to their level of training. Some women were able to obtain entrance into colleges through attending women’s colleges, taking advantage of quotas in co-ed colleges, finding advocates on their behalf, or moving to Europe. Still, most women found themselves at the margins of science and the women who had gained entry in the field were the minority. 

  Nevertheless, women still pushed for space in education and science. Prior to 1900, nearly 30 percent of doctorates earned by women were in the sciences. By 1900, American women had earned 229 doctorates and at least 60% of the doctorates were in the sciences. However, women scientists lacked employment opportunities unless they found employment at a women’s college. If they did find employment at a college, they were typically valued as teachers over researchers. Government and industrial employment followed this same pattern of valuing teaching over researching which further marginalized female scientists. By the mid-twentieth century, land-grant institutions became significant employers of female scientists rather than just women's colleges [17].

  Career Paths

  Though these eight women from Hope College majored and obtained advanced degrees in STEM, most of their career trajectories followed the pattern described above as they became employed as teachers. Helen Zander, Mary Louise Talman, Eva Van Schaack, and Alida J. Kloosterman found teaching as their primary employment. Helen Zander specialized in English and stenography. Mary Louise Talman taught general science. There is no information on what Alida J. Kloosterman specialized in. Eva Van Schaack is the anomaly in that she obtained a doctorate, taught, and researched - though it is noted in her file that she did less research than other professors in her department. 
  Meanwhile, Jeanette Veldman, Anne De Young, Marjorie Van Vranken, and Bernadine Siebers De Valois found their primary employment in the health field. Regardless, teaching became an important part of their vocations as they trained future health professionals and locals. Bernadine Siebers De Valois, a practicing surgeon and doctor, emphasized the importance of education in both preventative and reactive health interventions. Her method emphasized educating mothers and caretakers in order to influence domestic life. This pattern is significant not because of an unimportance of teaching degrees but rather, the lack of female scientists. Teaching has been historically feminized and women rarely achieved higher positions. Even highly trained and degreed women in STEM rarely purely stayed in STEM. Teaching was a clear vocational route when employment for women had many barriers. 

  World War II gave women job opportunities as the men went off to war and positions opened up. However, as can be seen by these women’s stories, this change was not inherently lasting after the war. The veterans came back and entered higher education in large amounts and reclaimed their positions. The 1950s, introduced a need for “scientific womanpower” during the Cold War as the United States’ technological weaknesses were shown. Women were an untapped resource of trained, educated, and willing workers. Still, the national rhetoric “never matched the reality of women’s employment opportunities” [18]. Eventually, the Civil Rights and Feminist movements made gains for women’s rights. However, this is an issue still relevant today inside and outside of STEM.
  
  References:
  [1] 1916. V54.01. May Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1916), 13-14, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/49.
  [2] Jacob Nyenhuis, Hope College at 150 (Holland: Van Raalte Press, 2019), 150.
  [3] Nyenhuis, Hope College at 150, 165.
  [4] Linda Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary of Women’s Education in the United States (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1998), 48, EBSCOhost.
  [5] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, 49.
  [6] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, 48.
  [7] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, 350.
  [8] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, 350.
  [9] "Biographical, 1950-1969." Van Schaack, Eva (1904-1981). Papers, 1911-1976. (H88-0177), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [10] Bernadine Siebers De Valois, “Science Plus-Miracles in India."
  [11] "Biographical, 1950-1969."
  [12] “Helen Zander: Educational Work in Japan,” Woman’s Board of Foreign Missions, July 1942. Western Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [13] “Hope Graduate Buried in Peru,” Holland City News, July 24, 1947. Hope Biographical File, Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [14] “Marjorie Alice Van Vranken,” Board of Foreign Missions Reformed Church of America, September 1953. Western Biographical File,  Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [15] "Biographical Materials," Box 5.Veldman, Jeannette (1901-1994). Papers, 1912-1989. (W89-1012), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.; Greg Carlson and David M. Vander Haar, "Veldman, Jeannette Oral History Interview: Old China Hands Oral History Project I and II." in Old China Hands Oral History Project (former missionaries to China) (H88-0113) (Holland: Hope College, 1976), https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/old_china/?utm_source=digitalcommons.hope.edu%2Fold_china%2F15&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages.
  [16] “Dr. and Mrs. J. J. De Valois,” Board of Foreign Missions, October 1955. De Valois Family. Papers, 1938-2001. (W11-1384.10). Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, Michigan.
  [17] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, 351-352.; Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, xvii-xix.
  [18] Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary, 352.
  
  

• 1 2021-07-01T13:50:20+00:00 Majors for Women at Hope 16 Majors for Women at Hope plain 2021-07-27T19:25:38+00:00

  Historical Context

  Hope College was founded in coordination with the Reformed Church of America (RCA) [1]. The 1916 Semicentennial Catalog reveals the intention behind the creation of the college as it says

  They wanted a Christian school to prepare, in a general way, for high grade American citizenship and the intelligent development of Christian character; but, more specifically, they wanted a school to serve the three-fold purpose— to equip competent teachers, to train ministers, and to prepare missionaries for the foreign field [2].

  Teaching, missionary work, and ministry were the three vocational pillars that guided the founders in creating the school curriculum. As a result, emphasis was placed on classical training in Greek, Latin, and English. Classical curriculums were often elemental parts of higher education for male colleges in the United States since it was meant to prepare men for the public sphere. This included politics, work, and law. Moreover, knowledge of Greek, Latin, and English were required for admission to graduate programs. As a result, classical training was seen as disciplined and masculine [3].
  The importance of classical training to Hope is evident in the 1866 Course Catalog where the only three options for courses of study were normal (teaching), English, and classical. The two men who took normal and English courses were temporarily absent from the school. Therefore, the classical course was the only active option for students [4]. This analysis does not include the Junior College or the School of Music. We only looked at Hope College. As the school expanded, more departments and courses of study opened up. By 1916, the semicentennial, there were six courses of study open to students - classical, philosophical, natural science, modern-language English, modern-language mathematics [5]. 

  By 1925, the first year analyzed in this study, there were six courses of study available - classical, science, modern language-English, mathematics, history, and Latin [6]. Those remained the same six courses available until 1930. There is no available data on majors recorded in 1931 since the course catalog does not list available courses and no Milestone was published. In 1932, eight courses were offered - business administration, classical, English, history, Latin, mathematics, modern language, and science [7]. These same courses were offered until 1936.
  From 1931-1932, the four year course schedule for each major that had been in the bulletins was no longer included. They were reintroduced in 1933 but only for Freshmen and Sophomores rather than Upperclassmen. After 1933, formal recommendations for four year plans were no longer included in the bulletin. However, in 1945, four year plans were listed for those on pre-professional tracks like nursing, dentistry, law, forestry, journalism, engineering, theology, social service, library science, and business administration. These plans were listed under “suggested professional curricula” [8]. This continued after the 1950 school year which is out of the scope of this research. No schedule recommendations were given during this time for majors. It is important to clarify that women could take different tracks like the pre-medical track or pre-professional tracks without them qualifying as their primary major. These would not be listed in the Milestone sometimes. Therefore, the lack of women in these fields during this time period (1925-1950) does not necessarily mean that they did not take them. For example, stenography was a certification that women could get but could not major in.

  Moreover, lists of available majors were not included in 1931 but were reintroduced in 1932.  This could have been due to the expansion of available majors. However, a more likely theory is that the college wanted to save money on printing costs or felt that it was unnecessary to include the information. By 1936, only “groups” were specified that students could take courses in rather than majors. These groups were English, foreign languages, science, and social studies in 1936 [9]. After 1936, music was added to the list of groups. Departments and majors fit under these umbrella categories but were not individually listed [10]. 
  
  The option of three science and math courses in the 1916 Semicentennial catalog (philosophical, natural science, and modern-language mathematics) reveal a significant shift towards incorporating hard sciences in addition to classical courses [11]. In 1942, a science building, Lubbers Hall, was opened which allowed room for physical expansion of the science department [12]. In 1943, the Army Specialized Training Program began at Hope. The College provided engineering courses for the troops, so Hope split into the Army College with an emphasis on mathematics and science and the other was civilian with an emphasis on liberal arts education [13]. More information on the creation of the STEM departments can be found on our page about the Founding of STEM at Hope and Women in STEM.
  
  References:
  [1] 1916. V54.01. May Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1916), 15, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/49.
  [2] 1916. V54.01. May Bulletin., 13-14.
  [3] Linda Eisenmann, Historical Dictionary of Women’s Education in the United States (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1998), 350, EBSCOhost.
  [4] 1865-1866. Catalog (Holland: Hope College, 1865), 31-33, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/2/.
  [5] 1916. V54.01. May Bulletin, 105.
  [6] 1925. V63. 03. November Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1925), 10-11, http://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/86.
  [7] 1931-1932. V70.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1931), 28, http://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/99.
  [8] 1944-1945. V83.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1945), 35, http://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/112.
  [9] 1935-1936. V74.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1935), 30, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/103.
  [10] 1936-1937. V75.01. February Bulletin. (Holland: Hope College, 1936), 28, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/catalogs/104. 
  [11] 1916. V54.01. May Bulletin., 105.
  [12]  Milestone 1943 (Holland: Hope College, 1943), 70, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/24.
  [13] Correspondence between Hope College and Army, July 1943-September 1943,  Military Training Programs, records, 1917-1951, (H88-0266), Joint Archives of Holland, Holland, MI. 
  
  

• 1 2021-07-09T12:39:28+00:00 Diversity Statement 15 Diversity Statement plain 2021-08-15T17:39:11+00:00
  

  As a research team, we want to acknowledge the limited scope of our project.

  History is filtered through many biases which silence those without power.  Philosopher and historian Michel-Rolph Troulliot argues that this happens in four stages with the first being in the original recording of documents. The poor, the powerless, and the illiterate are never heard from. The second stage happens when only some documents get archived, as those documents deemed "important" are saved and others are discarded. The third stage of silencing happens when historians choose what archived materials are worthy of research. The fourth stage occurs with the establishment of the canon of historical topics and works. Throughout these steps, people and perspectives are intentionally or accidentally forgotten and silenced [1]. 

  Though students and faculty of varying identities have attended Hope, those with marginalized identities or living at the intersection of multiple identities are more likely to be victims of these biases in the historical record. Therefore, they are marginalized in the archive and in Hope’s history. As a result, most of the women featured in this project are middle to upper-class, White women. This can be seen clearly in trends among the female faculty and students analysis page. Chapters in commissioned chronicles of Hope’s history focus on the White, Dutch, male founders of Hope and Holland. Occasionally, they feature men of color but spend little time considering variations in religious identity, ability, gender identity, and sexuality. Therefore, despite our effort, our project is clearly and frustratingly exclusive. 

  In light of this reality, we hope to provide some context on Hope’s progression towards diversity in the realms of gender, ethnicity, and race. We must be transparent that this short timeline oversimplifies a complex history, but we hope to do it accurately.

  Ottawa Nation

  
  

  Before settlers from the Netherlands came to the area now known as Holland, the land had long been occupied by the Odawa (Ottawa Nation), specifically the Black River Band of Ottawas. Chief Joseph Wakazoo (later Waukazoo) and his tribespeople welcomed the immigrants, though there was much cultural and linguistic confusion. Albertus Van Raalte, the founder of Hope College, and other immigrants founded the city of Holland in 1847, displacing the Odawa. The Ottawa Nation was among other tribes of Native Americans forced to choose by President Andrew Jackson to become settled in reservations on the Western frontier (West of the Mississippi River) or become settled farmers. After the 1830 Indian Removal Act, Michigan tribes surrendered their land to the government. Chief Wakazoo hired Reverend George N. Smith to lead them, and the Ottawa Nation moved to Northport, Michigan, where they had previously spent summers, by 1849 [2].

  It was not until 1924 that the first Native American student graduated from Hope College, though he was not a member of the Ottawa Nation [3]. As a research team and a community, we acknowledge the reality that the creation of Hope and the Dutch immigrants' presence in Holland rested on the removal of the indigenous peoples. As a result, many ancestors of Chief Wakazoo’s tribe are a part of the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. They are active today throughout Michigan. 

  Early Graduates of Hope College

  
  

  Hope College’s first matriculating cohorts were male and mostly White. The exceptions were two international students from Japan who graduated from Hope in 1879. Though multiple Japanese students attended Hope, the first to graduate were Kumaji Kimura and Motoichiro Oghimi in 1879. According to Elton J. Bruins, author of Envisioning Hope College: Letters Written by Albertus C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps Jr. 1857-1875, international students were accepted to Hope under perceived Christian duty and the aspiration that the students would convert to Christianity and evangelize in their home countries. This can be seen in the admittance of Kimura and Motoichiro who were both unconverted before attending Hope, but both served in ministry after matriculating. This is also exemplified in one of Van Raalte’s letters where he wrote, 

  “I rejoice in the increase of the number of Japanese: the Lord may make this Institute, by many of no account felt even far off. - Your wandering in the East is need[ed] and fruitful. - I trust that Mrs Phelps will rejoice in having now in hand three Japanese : So she does do missionary work indeed.” [4]

  Over the next 50 decades, most international students came from locations where the Reformed Church of America had missions such as China, Japan, India, Arabia, Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, Mexico, Korea, and Peru.

  Japanese Women

  
  In 1878, women were first welcomed to Hope. At first, they boarded locally or lived with their parents. When Voorhees Hall was completed in 1907, women were housed there for a time. Though there is not much information on women of color at Hope in the early twentieth century, one Japanese woman is featured in the 1934 Milestone named Setsu Matsunobu. She was from Yokohama, Japan and majored in English. Matsunobu was an active member at Hope, participating in Greek Life (Alethea), International Club, Student Volunteers, Chapel Choir, the Young Women’s Christian Association, and Senior Girl’s Alliance [5].
  
  
  
  Two Japanese women also graduated from Hope in the 1930s. Fumi Watanabe, a resident of Tokyo, graduated in 1931. In the Milestone, she is described as, “Friendly, Free, Firm,” and her hometown is listed as Tokio, Japan [6]. Miyo Tase, a graduate in 1932, participated in Women’s Gospel team, Girl’s Glee Club, Athletic Debt Diggers, Dorian Sorority, and Dorians’ Inter-sorority Basketball Championship Team [7]. Clearly, international women and women of color were important members of the community - though detailed records of their lives have not been saved.

  Bias in Saving Materials

  We can see evidence of the small sampling of what is saved in the archives when comparing  our information available on three students of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s: Japanese international students, Fumi Watanabe and Miyo Tase, and the daughter of missionaries,  Wilhelmina Jean Walvoord. The only information we have on Fumi Watanabe Takenouche and Miyo Tase remains in their matriculate document that notes their general enrollment at Hope as well as their grades, attendance at graduate schools, and possible work after college. Watanabe attended Ferris Seminary in Yokohama, Japan and continued to teach there after graduating. Her records were burned in a fire, after which we have no information on this woman other than her married name, Takenouche [8]. We were unable to find Miyo Tase’s matriculate document. 

  Meanwhile, we have a large history of Wilhelmina Jean Walvoord. Born in Japan in 1909, Walvoord was the daughter of American RCA missionaries in Japan. She and her two sisters were homeschooled in Karuizawa, Japan by her mother until the death of her father in 1919. After his death, the Walvoord family returned to the United States. Wilhelmina was just 10 years old. Her mother became the first matron of Voorhees Hall. After attending school in Holland, Wilhelmina and her sister enrolled at Hope College in the fall of 1926. After her time at Hope, she became a youth director on the east coast until WWII. During the war she worked for the USO and continued with the organization and the YMCA after the war until her retirement in 1979 [9]. Wilhelmina’s entire life story was documented by her cousin, David De Jong in 2009. 

  These three women attended Hope around the same time. Both Walvoord and Tase participated in a number of activities during their time at Hope [10]. However, the histories donated and saved about these women are, sadly, completely different. Wilhelmina, due to her connection through her cousin, David De Jong, had her entire life story written and saved. Her Dutch heritage and connection to the college allowed her story to be completely told. On the other hand, the Joint Archives have precious little information on Watanabe and Tase. Speaking with the Joint Archives of Holland’s Director of Archives, Geoff Reynolds, this may be due to a difference in feeling worthy to donate their information to the Archives [11]. Meanwhile, Watanabe and Tase perhaps did not think their own story worthy of documentation and therefore, did not leave records for the archive. They may not have been invited to do so, and no one else donated materials about them.

  This complex process of what’s saved in the archives limits the sample of experiences  that we are able to examine for our research. The saving of materials from these three women is an example of the flaws in the way that people’s stories have been saved at the Archives throughout the 20th century. Because the Archives is limited to what is donated by family members or individuals, much of the collection remains extremely exclusive. It also demonstrates the difficulty for researchers to get an accurate sample of all student experiences at Hope. 

  The First Native American Student at Hope College

  
  

  In comparison to international diversity, Hope took longer to embrace American racial and ethnic diversity. Nonwhite American students began enrolling in the 1920s. As previously mentioned, the first Native American student was James Collins Ottipoby, a member of the Comanchee nation; he graduated from Hope in 1925. While at Hope, he took a classical course and participated in Greek Life (Cosmopolitan), Home Volunteer, Gospel Team, Football, Baseball, Varsity Basketball, the Monogram Club, and the Hope College Kurfew Klub [12]. After graduating from Hope, Ottipoby attended Western Theological Seminary and became a minister and pastor. During World War II, he was a Chaplain and a Major. Afterwards, he served in the ministry at the Laguna Reservation [13].

  The First African American Student at Hope College

  James Carter Dooley Jr. was the first African American to matriculate from Hope in 1932. He majored in history at Hope. Then, he received a Masters in Education Administration and Supervision from Texas Southern University. He later served as a teacher, assistant principal, pastor, and missionary (graduates program). Carter Dooley's father, James Carter Dooley Sr., founded the Southern Normal School in Brewton, Alabama. That school then became a feeder school to Hope College. Pauline Hendrieth (see below) and many other African American graduates from Hope came from the Southern Normal School [14].

  1951

  Dr. Samuel Lewis, an African American from Brewton, Alabama, graduated from Hope in 1951 with a double major in chemistry and biology on the pre-medical track. He received a doctorate in zoology from Howard University, entered medical school and the U.S. Army. He was employed as a heart disease specialist [15].
  
  
  
  
  

  In 1951, three women of color appear in the 1951 Milestone. Pauline Rosalee Chaat, a Native American student from Oklahoma was a Junior [16]. There is no record of her in the 1952 Milestone, though that does not mean she did not matriculate from Hope. Wynette Devore, an African American student, was a Senior in 1951. She was from Metuchen, New Jersey and majored in English. She was a member of Dorian or Kappa Beta Phi [17]. Lastly, Pauline Hendrieth, an African American student, was also a Senior in 1951. She was from Brewton, Alabama, majored in English, and was a member of Sigma Iota Beta [18]. Pauline Hendrieth and Samuel Williams, a Western Theological Seminary graduate, married and ministered together across the country. Samuel Williams, her husband, started Upward Bound at Hope College which is pre-college preparatory program which serves high school student from families who have low incomes and are first generation college students. He also served as an assistant chaplain for Campus Ministries [19]. As we researched the predominantly White women at Hope in 1930s and 1940s, we hoped to recognize the importance of these women of color's lives in shaping the experiences of all of Hope's future students.

  We do not have many indicators of what daily life was like for minority students at Hope during Hope’s first century, and they certainly must have faced discrimination and many challenges. One positive memory stands out in the record, however. In regards to President Truman’s mission to desegregate the military, Samuel Lewis said  “The only conversations that I heard about segregation and civil rights were students saying that they were hoping that [US president Harry S.] Truman was able to do what he was trying to do. They were not opposed to that. As a matter of fact, they were fine with it.” [20]

  While this quote paints a positive picture, this statement should not negate the struggles and structural problems that minority students have faced and continue to face at Hope. There is still much to do for Hope to be considered an actively anti-racist and diverse institution. The second annual Green lecture on October 15, 2020 at Hope College entitled “To Achieve Our Country: Pathways to an Anti-Racist Future” listed steps forward for Hope College. This includes inclusive worship in our curriculum and co-curriculum, diverse leadership, an overarching goal of diversity, personal skills for students to interact with diverse communities, and using our location in Holland as an asset for building stronger community ties with diverse groups. Dr. Chuck Green argued that these steps were essential to continue progressing towards an inclusive and accepting community atmosphere so all students and faculty feel valued and heard.

  The trials placed on diverse individuals and the biases in what is saved in the Archives throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries were crucial in giving us the sources we have when researching. They have also limited us to exploring the lives of White women at Hope during the 1930s and 1940s.

  Our research includes a focus on the treatment of women in the 30s and 40, and we have found that Hope was not always equitable in its treatment of women, as readers will discover while reading our project. There are also times where the women we are studying here reinforced inaccurate depictions and stereotypes (see above). Researching the diversity of Hope has allowed us to understand the systems and background from Hope's history that continue to perpetuate divisions today. We also learned more about the relevance of our project and places where future research can be done to investigate the treatment and experiences of other diverse groups.

  
  References:
  [1] Trevor Getz, Abina and the Important Men: A Graphic History (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015), 139-1940.
  [2] Robert P. Swierenga and William Van Appledorn, ed., Old Wing Mission : Cultural Interchange as Chronicled by George and Arvilla Smith in Their Work with Chief Wakazoo’s Ottawa Band on the West Michigan Frontier (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub., 2008), xviii-3.
  [3] Milestone 1925 (Holland: Hope College, 1925), 41, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/42. 
  [4]  Elton J. Bruins and Karen G. Schakel, ed. Envisioning Hope College: Letters Written by Albertus C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps Jr. 1857-1875 (Holland: Van Raalte Press, 2011), 263-264.
  [5] Milestone 1934 (Holland: Hope College, 1934), 35, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/15.
  [6] Milestone 1930 (Holland: Hope College, 1930), 72, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/17.
  [7] Milestone 1930, 132, 137, 163, 188, 221.
  [8] “Takenouche, Mrs.,” September 13, 1930, Matriculate Files.
  [9] David De Jong, “Billie Walvoord”: Wilhelmina Jean Walvoord, 2009, Walvoord, Wilhelmina “Billie” J. (1909-1987). Papers, 2009 (W12-0121.6), Joint Archives of Holland, Hope College, Holland, MI. 
  [10] David De Jong, “Billie Walvoord”: Wilhelmina Jean Walvoord, 2009, Walvoord, Wilhelmina “Billie” J. (1909-1987). Papers, 2009 (W12-0121.6).; Milestone 1930, 132, 137, 163, 188, 221. 
  [11] Reynolds, Geoff, July 15, 2021. 
  [12] Milestone 1925, 41.
  [13] Hope: Portraits of Early Graduates (Holland, International and Multicultural Education: 2013), 9. 
  [14] Hope: Portraits of Early Graduates, 11.
  [15] Dafina-Lazarus Stewart, Black Collegians’ Experiences in US Northern Private Colleges: A Narrative History, 1945-1965 (New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2017), 220.
  [16] Milestone 1951 (Holland: Hope College, 1951), 56, https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/milestone/43.
  [17] Milestone 1951, 41.
  [18] Milestone 1951, 44. 
  [19] “Distinguished Alumni of 2000,” The Commons, June 2000, 1.
  [20] Stewart, Black Collegians’ Experiences, 146. 
  
  
  
   
• 1 2021-07-01T14:03:25+00:00 Raw Data - Majors 5 Raw Data - Majors plain 2021-07-11T17:00:52+00:00
  This chart details the most popular majors for female Seniors from 1925-1950. The total majors column is included because some seniors had double majors which increased the total. There is no data available for the years 1931, 1933, and 1941. This is denoted with a dash. Only the most popular two majors are listed. This data was pulled from the Milestone for each year and only includes Senior women because major information is only listed for them. Therefore, the numbers may not precisely match the enrollment data from course catalogs because students created the Milestone.
   

  Most Popular Majors for Female Seniors
  Year	Total People	Total Majors	Most Popular Majors
  1925	18	18	Modern-Language English (36), History (12)
  1926	34	34	Modern-Language English (25), History (4)
  1927	35	35	Modern-Language English (18), History (9)
  1928	41	41	Modern-Language English (21), History (11)
  1929	33	33	English Modern Language (13), History (12)
  1930	50	50	English Modern Language (29), History (13)
  1931	-	-	-
  1932	35	35	English Modern-Language (11), History (15)
  1933	-	-	-
  1934	38	40	English (15), History (7)
  1935	35	36	English (17), History (8)
  1936	36	39	English (15), History (8)
  1937	37	45	English (29), Modern Language (2)
  1938	45	48	English (24), History (6)
  1939	36	37	English (17), History (6)
  1940	47	51	English (26), History (8)
  1941	-	-	-
  1942	45	47	English (14), Education (14)
  1943	25	29	English (10), Elementary Education (5)
  1944	40	44	Elementary Education (16), English (12)
  1945	43	48	English (16), Elementary Education (10)
  1946	48	51	English (13), Elementary Education (11)
  1947	36	36	Education (12), English (4)
  1948	62	63	Education (22), English (13)
  1949	58	65	English (19), Education (7)
  1950	81	90	English (26), Music (19)