Group 2b small group interviews

What motivated you to go to college, and Mount Holyoke in particular? In hindsight, would you have made the same decision for the same reasons?
-All said that, where they were from, you were expected to go to college. All also said they went to a small high school.
-Acknowledged that a Mount Holyoke education was a lot of hard work.
-Mills also said that the people at Mount Holyoke always seemed to get along, enjoy the school, and each other.

Do you feel it was the norm to be expected to go to college? Was it a privilege?
-Privilege has two meanings: were you smart enough and did you have enough money? Many had to work summers to go to school.
-Parents expected their children to go to school and to graduate. "Not graduating would have let down the two most important people in my life." -Phyllis
-Those who didn't go to college were the exception, and many ended up going to college eventually.
-What would you do if you didn't go to college? (Sylvia's mother had told her if she didn't go to college, she would be stuck chopping the heads off of chickens in the Campbell's soup factory)

Did your parents go to college?
-Sylvia: Dad - Ph.D. from MIT, Mom - did not graduate high school (and was embarrassed about it)
-Phyllis: Mom - teacher's school
-Mills: Mom - "finishing school," Dad - yes.

Were you on financial aid?
-Not on financial aid, but worked a lot during the summers.

What did you do after you left Mount Holyoke?
-Phyllis: engaged when she graduated, immediately took a teaching course so that she could teach in September. She turned down an exclusive job in physiology because her mother told her if she took it, she would not be able to have a family.
-Sylvia: wanted to go to medical school, but was told she couldn't be a doctor and have a normal life. Ended up traveling the globe, meeting her husband, and having a family, while having part-time jobs in her field but no career.
-Mills: Married Wink the winter after graduating. Worked. Moved to Georgia, where they experienced the desegregation of the South.

How did Brown vs. Board of Education effect you?
-They were aware of it, but there were no discussions or lectures about it. Most were for the decision.
-They were known as the "Quiet Generation," that didn't raise a fuss when things were discussed.

How did it change Mount Holyoke?
-Because of the demographic of the student body (i.e., there was one black student), it did not seem to affect MHC.

If you could pick one thing to change about Mount Holyoke, what would it be? (this was a difficult question for them to answer)
-There were a lot of rules and regulations, but that was just how they lived. They were comfortable and secure with how they lived.
-Having men allowed in the rooms is the biggest difference found today.
-Chapel requirements: had to go 3 times a week. This wasn't a problem, except many people weren't used to going to chapel. Catholics had to take the bus off campus.
-Phyllis would change having to do comps (which we no longer do).
-Sylvia would change having Saturday (half-day) classes (which we no longer have).

Did there seem to be just one religion on campus?
-They didn't really know each other's religion because they didn't talk about it. "You don't know about it unless you start talking about it." - Phyllis

How did freshman housing help your Mount Holyoke experience?
-"Dorm eating made good friends." - Phyllis
-Led to cohesiveness, and you really got to know people.
-They could see how it would be beneficial to have the classes mixed now.

What does it mean to be a Mount Holyoke woman?
-Mount Holyoke women are a privileged group, filled with uncommon women. There is something very special here and this school serves a great need.
-When you meet another woman who went to Mount Holyoke, you immediately bond and become friends because of that connection.
-The experience here is very unique.

Something to take note of while we were chatting:
-Phyllis stated that she thought that one parent should not be working because it is not fair to the children; they do not get the attention they need. "If you want to work, you shouldn't have children."