Regulations on social life at Salem College
One of the people who helped keep the college running smoothly was the dean of women. Lane describes what she did and how she regulated the college's social life.
Citing this Excerpt
Oral History Interview with Mary Turner Lane, September 9 and 16, 1986; May 21, 1987; October 1 and 28, 1987. Interview L-0039. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Full Text of the Excerpt
It was as if
there was always a certain level of decorum that had to be maintained.
And of course, we had a Dean of Women who was responsible for your social
well-being, so to speak, who would check on you if you did not attend
chapel. We had chapel, I think it was five mornings a week, and maybe it
was cut back. But it was chapel—I think we called it
chapel—but it was not just a religious service. It was not
held in the chapel. It was held in an auditorium. I think
there's another word for it, and suddenly I can't
think of what it is. We went to chapel at nine o'clock, and
we marched in. The seniors marched in in their caps and gowns all senior
year, which was a very nice tradition. And they marched in, and we had
taken our seats. I'm sure they marched in singing a hymn. And the chapel was used for announcements and
sometimes—I don't really remember any sermons or
preachings of any kind. But we had to have done something in chapel. You
can see what a wonderful impression it made on us. But you had to
go.
- PAMELA DEAN:
-
You did this every morning before you began the day.
- MARY TURNER LANE:
-
Yes, you could go to breakfast, and then it seems to me that chapel was
either at 8:30 or 9:00. It didn't last very long but classes
were scheduled around it, you see. And the Dean of Women had to check on
whether or not you were skipping chapel and occasionally would check on
how your room was kept, important things like that. And she would have
to work with those students who came in late, because we were on a very
strict regimen of checking in and checking out for dates, or just for
going into town for a movie. You always had to sign in and sign out.
- PAMELA DEAN:
-
You had to say where you were going, with whom you were going?
- MARY TURNER LANE:
-
Yes. So the Dean of Women was the one that sort of supervised what was
sort of your social life and personal concerns that you might have, or
personal needs. She was a single woman, Miss Grace Lawrence, who was
thought of very warmly. She was kind and there were—I guess
there were always ways to get around what one is expected to do. But
anyway…
- PAMELA DEAN:
-
Did you?
- MARY TURNER LANE:
-
Some. I think I really was a very good girl, a very good child. Sometimes
I've regretted being so good. I think I was very good.
