Theresa Elizabeth Gagnon, class of 1939 - Second Interview
Theresa Elizabeth Gagnon was born on October 16, 1919 and graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1935 at the age of fifteen. She immediately enrolled at Pembroke College and graduated in 1939 with her A.B. in French and Italian. She taught at Woonsocket High School and then at the American Dependents’ School in Germany. When she returned to the United States she earned her A.M. in education from Brown University in 1962 and continued teaching until she retired.
In this interview conducted in 2012, Theresa Elizabeth Gagnon ’39, discusses her auspicious start at Pembroke College at the age of fifteen. She remembers being interviewed by Dean of Admissions Eva Mooar and being denied Spanish classes by Dean Margaret Shove Morriss because they were full of men. She also recalls the character of President Henry Wriston. Gagnon shares her favorite memories of attending proms, passing the swimming test, and participating in field hockey, bowling, and basketball under the supervision of the Director of Physical Education Bessie Rudd. She concludes by describing her career as a teacher after graduation and her influence in fundraising for Brown University.