On Tuesday, November 12, 2002, the ALLIES group sponsored its first panel on "GLBT matters" in Memorial Hall in West College for the Dickinson community.
Some time between Spring 1999 and Spring 2000, this student group formed for (what was then termed) GLBT students and their allies as a more activism-focused alternative to the ALLIES support group that also existed at the time.
For the first time in Dickinson's history, the campus celebrated Mother's Day. Between 350 and 400 students and their parents participated in the celebrations. Rev. W. Emory Hartman delivered a special Mother's day sermon titled, "A Mother's Gift to her Children" in Allison Memorial Church. After the service, Professor Leon C. Prince delivered an address during an early dinner. The entire program was arranged by the all-College Social Committee composed of Dean Ernest A. Vuilleumier, Dean Josephine B. Meredith, William Grove, Ruth Shawfield, Benjamin James and Ruth Sharp.
After a compelling argument in the Dickinsonian published on October 31, 1906, in favor of created a drama club on campus, a meeting was called for the next day. It was held by Mrs. Lucretia McAnney of the College Faculty and, because of the huge turnout, she was able to order the creation of the organization, officially named The Dramatic Club. The officer positions were decided as President Wagg, ’09; Vice President Schwartz, ’09; Recording Secretary C.H. Stuart ’08; Corresponding Secretary Yard, ’09; Treasurer, Levy, ’10, and Mrs.
Professor Leon C. Prince became the first Carlisle man to have his speech at the American Legion banquet broadcasted from the WMBS Harrisburg station.
An alumnus along with his sister gifted a carillon to Dickinson College in memory of their parents. Dr. Daniel F Graham, class of 1916, and his sister gifted the carillon to the College. The carillon was placed in a tower of the Student Activities Building. It was a part of the college’s Ten-Year Development Program. This was first gift after building a girl’s dormitory. The carillon was temporarily placed in the new women’s residence hall until the Student Activities Building was built.
Dickinson reached its largest freshman class in 1950. The freshman class of 1954 had a record number of 260 students. Among the 260 students in the freshman class, were 71 women. In addition to the record number of students coming at the freshman level, 18 new students were admitted above the freshman level. The complete student body exceeded 900 students that encompassed students from 12 states, Holland, Germany, Cuba, New Zealand, and Mexico. Benjamin D. James, Director of Admissions stated that a number of application had to be denied to lack of dormitory accommodations on campus.
The first National Women's History Week took place in 1982, commemorating the efforts of women's rights pioneers. Sponsored by the Women's Center, the first Women's History Week celebration held at Dickinson College focused on the desired to promote and inspire similar awareness of women's role in history. Events included a lecture by Elisabeth Griffith on "Women in Politics" on March 5 and a showing of the film "Babies and Banners" on March 6.
Dickinson's first radio station, WDCV started broadcasting on Nov. 18. 1962 at 8pm. The radio began by playing on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from 8-12. Student staff members who worked on WDCV were Howie Spencer, Bill Mengel, Linn Meyers, and Jim Sharf.
President Gilbert Malcolm, who had served in World War I as a private in the US Army, became the first individual appointed as honorary Cadet Colonel in Dickinson College's Corps of Cadets (Reserve Officer's Training Crops) during a ceremony on Biddle Field. Major General William P. Ennis, the Commandant of the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, presented the award to President Malcolm (Class of 1915) on behalf of Cadet Battle Group Commander Robert D. Richardson.
The Student Senate Elections Committee used voting machines, which were on loan from the Borough of Carlisle, for the first time in the class elections held in South College on November 13. The Dickinsonian reported that Elections Committee chair Carolyn Gourley (Class of 1959) attributed the record turnout to the Student Senate's decision to run the elections for the first time, the new machines, and increased publicity.
The freshman orientation program for the class of 1988 was the longest program in Dickinson College history. The week long program, which concluded on Sunday, September 2, was an attempt to schedule events more loosely, which allowed students to get to know each other. The program was well received by students and featured outdoor events, parties, floor meetings, movies, and the start of their Freshman Seminar classes.
The Dickinson College Children's Center (DCCC) was formed by September of 1989. The Center, which was a proposed idea by the Dickinsonians for Daycare group on campus, was temporarily located in Allison United Methodist Church. The permanent facility was located, and still is today, behind the Kline Center and was planned to be open by Thanksgiving of 1989. Roughly, 37 children were enrolled in the program at that time, most of which were "College related children." Many faculty members were excited about this new addition to campus.
Junior Sara Hardon, founded the program "I Am Me" which teaches children of the ages of 10 to 12 to feel comfortable with themselves. The sessions involved guest speakers for nutritional information and physical activity to keep the kids active. The main goal of the project was to instill self-confidence in these children, which was critical to develop within the ages of 10 to 12: students of that age were more likely to succumb to peer pressure. The sessions were held every Saturday, starting the first week of April, from 11 am to 12:30 p.m.
Dickinson College finalized their study abroad program with the Mendeleev Institute in Moscow, Russia on October 10th. The ceremonial signing that took place solidified the three year agreement between the Institute and Dickinson and allowed for students to study in the College's Russian language summer immersion program. The program permitted 24 students to attend the Institute for a month long intensive immersion with the Russian language. It also allowed two faculty members to teach at the Institute.
The first volume of the student run paper Sheer Height Report was published on April 12th. The paper, a spin-off on another paper called Shere Hite Report which published false studies of sex, published false studies of Dickinson College. Only three issues of the report circulated that year with the last one being published on May 1st. All of the editors of the report were seniors, and at the time, had no specific plans for continuing the report. The advertisements in the report covered all of their publishing costs.
Alpha Phi Omega held their first organizational meeting on April 7th at 9:30 pm in the basement of Adams Hall. Alpha Phi Omega (APO) was, and is still today, a service fraternity. Freshman Dennis Albertson started APO at Dickinson College in hopes of giving students another chance to do community service. The meeting allowed for Greeks and non-Greeks to attend.
GLAD (Gays and Lesbians at Dickinson) held their first meeting at Dickinson on March 30th at 7 p.m. at the Women's Center. Karen Ruocco, a senior that year, was the organizer of the group. Although the group was strongly supported by the Women's Center, it was not sponsored by the Center and was in fact completely independent of it. Two of the stated goals of GLAD were to provide support groups for gays and lesbians on campus and to educate the college community about homosexuality.
Mandatory military drill begins for students at the start of the 1917-18 school year. Counting as a gym credit, students must drill with instructor, Mr. Robert W. Irving, at least twice a week.
Training of students began on campus. Students of the senior class started to prepare for officers examinations under the watchful eye of Lt. Rippey T. Shearer (Class of 1914) and Hays McLaughlin of Company G, the local National Guard unit.
Robert Emmet MacAlarney (class of 1893) becomes city editor of New York Tribune
For the first time in program history the Red Devil football team had a full-time coach in Dr. Nathan P. Stauffer. Unfortunately for Stauffer, his era did not start off pleasantly as Dickinson fell to the Carlisle Indian School at home by a wide-margin, 28-6.
Led by Player-Coach-Captain Willard G. Lake in their program debut, the Red Devils fall to Swarthmore at home by a score of 34-6.
Carlisle and the College underwent an air raid drill on December 18, 1941. The College fire protection service sent members to protect campus buildings.
On October 22, 1941, it was announced that the men's glee club and women's choral society would combine into one all-college choir for the year under the direction of Mrs. L. M. Kraper, director of the Allison Methodist Church choir. The decision to unite was made after several discussions between representatives of the two groups and President Corson.