“Alice in Wonderland”
College Vice President, Ruth Adams, joined Dartmouth’s administration to help with the historic transition in 1972. In her convocation address, Adams observed, “there is a kind of wonderland quality in coming to Dartmouth” as a woman. Undoubtedly, the women who arrived at campus for the first year of coeducation shared Adams’ sentiments. The ratio of male to female students was 8:1. While a majority of Dartmouth’s male students supported coeducation, there was a vocal and disruptive minority that made their distaste for coeducation and their female peers known through acts of aggression, discrimination, and harassment.
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"No Coeds"
Banners hung from Russell Sage hall by residents opposing the Committee on Student Life's recommendation for the residence to go coed by 1976.
"Send the bitches home..."
In 1975, at the annual Inter-fraternity Hums contest, “Our Cohogs” was performed by the brothers of Theta Delta Chi to the tune of the nursery rhyme, “This Old Man.” The lyrics are explicit, calling women vulgar names and accusing them of ruining Dartmouth’s “masculine heaven.” A “cohog”, is a combination of the words, “coed” and “quahog”, a type of clam. In this context it is used as a derogatory term for female genitalia. The song was voted most creative and original by Dean of the College, Carroll Brewster.
Photograph of Dean Carroll Brewster from Aegis, 1975
Dean Caroll Brewster celebrates with Theta Delta Chi fraternity brothers after winning the Hums contest, 1975.
Entry from a community journal kept in the Women's Center.
The author of the journal entry reflects on her experience being harassed on campus. She shares that in nine months of being at Dartmouth this is the first time. In contrast, two of her friends share stories from when “harassment was a way of life - the windows of Foley were constantly being broken, women’s rooms always entered, insults always falling.”
"The Dartmouth Spirit?"
The student publication Open Forum focused on violence against women in its November 5, 1979 issue. The eight-page publication highlighted incidents of objectification, harassment, intolerance, racism, and assault. The issue raised concerns over the emotionally violent culture at Dartmouth in the late 1970s.
"Why Beer is Better Than Women"
A Dartmouth sports team compares women to beer, listing 24 reasons why beer is better.