Academics

Marjorie Whitcomb Sallie '27

Marjorie recounts her experience as a student commuting from Foxboro, MA.  She talks at length about her rigorous co-ed science courses,  her desire to become a doctor, and the guidance of Dean Morriss.

In Part 2, she speaks about religion as a driving force in her live and about her love of reading. She describes the volunteer activities she pursued after a long career as a teacher and administrator at public and private schools around the country.

Virginia Macmillan Trescott '38

Virginia's interview begins with descriptions of her childhood and family in Pawtucket, RI. She recalls her years at Pembroke College, in particular: her role on the Pembroke Record staff and as President of the Student Government Association; life as a commuter student; attending college during the Depression; interactions with Brown faculty members; and student activities, including formal dances, Ivy Day and Scut Week.

Ruth Wade Cerjanec '33

This interview begins with biographical and family information about Ruth, whose mother was a supporter of female suffrage and determined that her daughter should attend Pembroke College. In Part 1, Ruth also describes her experience at as a "city girl" from Central Falls and the attitudes of her classmates.

Alice O'Connor Chmielewski '28

Alice begins by discussing her life growing up in East Providence and assuming guardianship of her brothers and sisters after the early deaths of her parents. In Part 1, she also talks about changing careers to become a social worker, the state of public welfare services and her work for the Rhode Island Department of Children, her marriage and children, and earning a Master's degree later in life.

Rose Miller Roitman '31

In this interview, Rose discusses the reasons she attended college; her graduate studies and career in bacteriology; Deans Morriss and Mooar; Magel Wilder, her sole female professor at Brown; sex and dating; attending Pembroke as a "city girl"; life during the Depression; and her work with Planned Parenthood.

Gladys Paine Johnson '13

Gladys describes her family and how she came to Brown in 1909, the first member to attend college. She considers herself lucky to have lived in the mansion on Benefit Street, where she met Sarah Doyle and made lifelong friends. Describing her classes and professors, Gladys remembers public speaking with Professor Thomas Crosby and Deans Lida Shaw King and Margaret Shove Morriss. She majored in math and notes that she did not receive any career guidance while in school.

Katherine Perkins '32

In this interview, Katherine talks about her family and her upbringing in East Providence, and how she came to attend Pembroke College.  She discusses her travel as a day student to campus, the courses she took, extracurricular activities, the one black woman in her class, and the Great Depression. Katherine describes her first career as a social worker and her later work as a French teacher at East Providence High School. At the end of the interview she discusses her activities in retirement, including the Brown Street Series and the Pembroke Club.

Elizabeth Gibbons Perryman '52

In Part 1 of the interview, Elizabeth talks about her family and her upbringing in rural Texas and how she came to attend Pembroke College. She also discusses her close relationship with Nancy Duke Lewis (Dean of Pembroke College from 1950 to 1960), the tradition of chapel, dinner in Andrews Hall, her dislike of the physical education requirement, and her holiday train trips back to Texas.

Linda Peters Mahdesian '82

Linda begins this interview by talking about her family background in Chicago, Illinois; her reasons for choosing Brown; the experience of bi-racial students at Brown; and the Women's Movement on campus. In Part 2, she discusses her jobs after graduation; hiring of minority faculty; and the choices that women have to make as a result of the gains of the Women's Movement.

Elissa Beron Arons '66

In Part 1 of this interview, Elissa discusses her enthusiasm for college life, having entered Pembroke after her junior year of high school. She describes the social expectations of the time and how they began to change; her experience applying to medical schools as one of few female pre-med students; her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement; the creation of the Pembroke Pandas, the first college women's ice hockey team; and Posture Pictures.

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