Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections

Archival Inventory

22 boxes (15 linear feet)

Historical Sketch:
Physical Education has been an integral part of the Mount Holyoke curriculum since the founding of the Seminary in 1837. Mary Lyon was an ardent proponent of exercise for women. She believed that physical development promoted mental and emotional development. Indeed, beginning in 1837, students were required to walk one mile or three quarters of an hour each day. In addition, students collectively performed 30 minutes of calisthenics every evening before they began their homework. In 1865, a gymnasium wing was added to the Seminary building. This marked the beginning of physical education as a distinct program at Mount Holyoke. In 1891, the College organized a Department of Physical Culture upon the recommendation of Cornelia Clapp. Swedish calisthenics characterized the 1891 curriculum. Also in 1891, students established Mount Holyoke's first club sport organization: baseball. After the Seminary building burned down in 1896, the College constructed the building now known as Blanchard Hall, which served (in part) as the Department of Physical Education gymnasium until 1950. During those 51 years, Mount Holyoke made vast additions to the physical education program, including field hockey, archery, canoeing, basketball, swimming, dance, golf, and horseback riding. In addition, Mount Holyoke hosted numerous recreational events and competitions such as gymnastics meets and winter carnivals. Mount Holyoke opened a new physical education facility, Kendall Sports Complex, in 1950 which was renovated and expanded to become Kendall Sports and Dance Complex in 1985. As of 1997, physical Education remains a significant program at Mount Holyoke College.

Description of Records:
The Mount Holyoke College Physical Education Department Records include correspondence, memoranda, handbooks, notebooks, scrapbooks, brochures, surveys, lecture transcripts, newspaper clippings, press releases, magazine articles, schedules of classes, department reports, course descriptions, biographical information on Physical Education Department faculty and staff, lists of faculty and staff, students' physical measurements charts, and photographs. The records contain information regarding Physical Education requirements, proper Physical Education attire, sporting events and competitions, the funding and construction of Kendall Sports Complex, course design and curriculum, the organization of clubs associated with the Physical Education Department, women in sports, sports at women's colleges, posture work at Mount Holyoke, and Mount Holyoke alumnae who competed in the Olympics. In addition, the Records include an extensive photo collection that highlights significant events, faculty, and benefactors of the Physical Education Department. They photographs document individual sports within the Physical Education Department, most notably riding, rowing, skiing, swimming, baseball, basketball, calisthenics, gymnastics, and tennis.

Cite as: Physical Education Department Records, Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections, South Hadley, MA.

Access Restrictions: Records restricted to use by office/department of origin for 25 years from date of record creation.