Living on Campus (pre-1962)
The Women's Department and Centre (male students) also had separate student handbooks which outlined the rules each department was expected to follow. In the 40s, most of these rules were typical dorm-life rules around observing and respecting quiet hours; no showering/bathing, no talking, no typewriter use, and just no noise after a certain hour every night -- typically 10:30pm or 11:00pm. The women's dorms had pianos in their parlors which were available for students to play, but these were also banned during quiet hours and girls were instead encouraged to quietly play radios instead. One main difference between dorms of this time and dorms today is that there were more staff members: a desk clerk ran sign in, a resident nurse, and a weekly maid service was also provided, so women were encouraged to make their bed and stay tidy so the maid could better clean the room.
Some universal rules tended to revolve around daily life. Meals had required attendance and times, and the library had rules in place to ensure smooth operation and appropriate sound levels. Dorms had a closing time, and being late for this closing time had social penalties, especially if students did not call ahead to let the register know they were going to be late. Dorm room care was similar to what it is now: don't pin or paste things to the bare walls, don't damage the furniture, etc. Smoking rules were lax so long as students used ash trays and metal waste-baskets but alcohol rules were very strict. Starting in 1950, the handbook stated that:
"Any student found guilty of drinking, conveying, giving, or having liquor in his possession may be dismissed from college."
For women, rules about social engagements were the most elaborated upon, with a complex system in place that limited all types of social engagements: distinguished between walking dates, evening dates, and more. Freshmen had the harshest rules; they were allowed only three social engagements per week, required study hours from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, and a 10:30pm curfew every day. You could gain additional social engagements through class seniority and good grades: having straight As would allow any student to gain unlimited social engagements. The key difference in dorm/campus life for women and men is found in the signing in/out system. The system was meant to keep track of students and ensure that no matter what social events or activities women choose to participate in they would be back in their dorm room by a certain hour, but they often ended up being overly harsh. Rules from 1947 listed below:
- Whenever you leave the campus except to attend a regular class on the men's campus, sign out in the register in your hall. As soon as you return, sign in.
- If you have a date in the parlour in the evening, sign the register. The hostess at the desk will explain how to sign.
- If you leave the campus for more than five hours in Danville during the day, mark 'day leave' by your name in the register. You get a limited number of such day leaves each month.
- If you wish to leave Danville during the day for any distance of more than ten miles, you must make arrangements in the office of the Dean of Women twenty-four hours in advance. These absences are also called day leaves, and the number is limited.
- If you wish to take an overnight absence from the dormitory (absences permitted only on Friday or Saturday nights), make arrangements in the office of the Dean of Women twenty-four hours in advance. These absences are called week-end leaves, and the number is limited.
- In addition to making arrangements described in 4 and 5, sign the register in your own hall when you leave for a day leave or week-end. Sign again as soon as you return.
- In all signing in and out in the hall register, give the exact time of departure and return. Failure to sign the book accurately is considered a serious offense.
These rules were strictly enforced and being late at any step -- no matter what the reason -- would result in loss of social engagement privileges for some time, the number of engagements lost increasing with every minute the female student was late. There were additional rules and regulations whenever a male student was involved somehow. Some rules from the men's handbook in 1948-49:
KCW social regulations
- Men may call for girls to take them out at any hour up to closing time, but if they wish to sit in the parlors or remain in the building, they should come only when there is a hostess on duty. ... Men are expected to leave by 5:45pm ...
- Girls will know how many times a week they may have dates for the evening. In additiona, all students may have walking dates any night from 7-8pm.
- Men callers should let the desk hostesses call the girls downstairs.
Women were also not allowed to bring cars to campus, the only exception being made for women during the last six weeks of their senior year. There were also guidelines for flying, swimming, and more.