{"id":3978,"date":"2020-03-04T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2020-03-04T13:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/?p=3978"},"modified":"2020-04-03T10:48:48","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T14:48:48","slug":"i-belong-here-womens-history-at-the-university-of-maryland-baltimore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/?p=3978","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI Belong Here\u201d : Women\u2019s History at the University of Maryland, Baltimore"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Health Sciences and Human Services Library Historical Collections’ strives to provide broad access to our diverse collections both in person and digitally. Materials in our collections appear as they originally were published or created and may contain offensive or inappropriate language or images and may be offensive to users. The University of Maryland, Baltimore does not endorse the views expressed in these materials. Materials should be viewed in the context within they were created.<\/em><\/sup><\/p>\n

\"Timeline

Brief Timeline of the history of UMB, curated by Tara Wink, Historical Collections Librarian and Archivist.<\/p><\/div>\n

March is Women\u2019s History Month, the HSHSL will celebrate the month by honoring select UMB women through our blog and an exhibit<\/a>, The First Women of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, in the Weise Gallery. The University of Maryland, Baltimore as it is known today was formed through a number of mergers with other Baltimore area Colleges and Universities; additionally, the school was once a branch campus of the University of Maryland, College Park.\u00a0 Because of this, the history of women at UMB is intermingled with the histories of these schools and each accepted women into their programs at different times.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Photograph

Dr. Emilie Foeking, Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, Class of 1873. The first woman to graduate from a medical or dental school in Baltimore.<\/p><\/div>\n

The first woman graduate from any Baltimore medical or dental school was Emilie Foeking. She graduated in March 1873 from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (BCDS), which merged with the School of Dentistry in 1924.\u00a0 Dr. Foeking received admission to the BCDS through an appeal to the dean, Dr. Ferdinand Gorgas, after being rejected from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery.\u00a0 Dr. Foeking\u2019s <\/span>thesis<\/a>, \u201cIs Woman Adapted to the Dental Profession?,\u201d was published in the American Journal of Dental Science in April 1873 and argued that women were in fact well suited for the dental profession.\u00a0 The press had its own opinions. \u00a0A very short mention of Dr. Foeking\u2019s performance is given in the graduation announcement; instead the papers reported on what she wore and how she looked: \u201c…according to the professors, also passed the examination in a highly satisfactory manner\u2026 The graduation of a young lady in dentistry is such a novelty in this country that the appearance of Miss Foeking created a ripple of surprise.\u00a0 She was attired in the height of fashion and very handsomely, having a white silk dress with pink overskirt.\u00a0 When she stepped up to receive her diploma she was greeted by a thunder of applause from the spectators, and was the recipient of numerous bouquets and a handsome case of wax flowers.\u201d<\/span>[i]<\/a>\u00a0 Her graduation was treated as show instead of the incredible accomplishment it was for women in Dentistry.\u00a0 Following Dr. Foeking\u2019s success, the BCDS continued to accept and graduate women; the following year Louis Jacobi became the second woman to graduate from the school.\u00a0 Both women returned to Europe to practice dentistry, where women dentists were more common according to Dr. Else Roof, University of Maryland School of Dentistry, Class of 1915.<\/span>[ii]<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Louisa<\/a>

Louisa Parsons, first Superintendent of the University Hospital Training School for Nurses, the precursor of the School of Nursing.<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1889, the University of Maryland Hospital was in the process of opening a Training School for Nurses.\u00a0 Louisa Parsons, a nurse trained in the Nightingale Fund Training School for Nurses at St. Thomas\u2019 Hospital in London, was hired as its first superintendent.\u00a0 Parsons became the first woman to hold such a prestigious position within the hospital and medical school.\u00a0 She oversaw the two-year curriculum of the precursor to UMB\u2019s School of Nursing for two years; stepping down in 1892, she set the school on a solid foundation for future success.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The

First graduating class of the University Hospital Training School for Nurses, 1892.<\/p><\/div>\n

In 1892 the Hospital Training School of Nurses graduated eight women: E. Dunham, L. Dunham, M. Goldsborough, J. Hale, A.E. Lee, K.C. Lucas, A. Neal, and A.L.K. Schleunes. \u00a0Enrollment grew substantially in the following years, reaching 55 students\u2014again all women\u2014in 1905.\u00a0 In fact, the first time a man graduated from the School of Nursing was in 1961 when Hector J. Cardellino received his degree.\u00a0 This is the only school where men have consistently been the minority at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 1898, Lady Mary Johnson became the first woman graduate of the Maryland College of Pharmacy (MCP), which merged with the School of Pharmacy in 1904.\u00a0 Dr. Johnson had already received her medical degree from the Women\u2019s Medical College of Baltimore in 1897 before enrolling in the MCP.\u00a0 The Women\u2019s Medical College, was formed in 1882 in an effort to provide women with an adequate medical education as more and more schools in the state shuttered their doors to women.\u00a0 The school graduated 116 women before closing its doors in 1910.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Newspaper

The Baltimore Sun’s Newspaper Announcement of Dr. L.M. Johnson’s Graduation from the Maryland College of Pharmacy in 1898.<\/p><\/div>\n

Unlike the article announcing Dr. Foeking\u2019s graduation the newspapers presented the stirring words of Reverend Dr. H.M. Wharton, who challenged the men in the class to push harder, lest they fall behind women. \u201cHad I known that I should have been selected to appear as an orator on this occasion, I should have been as hard to find as the Spanish fleet, for whom our navy is now looking.\u00a0 This is the first time in the history of this school that a woman has been honored with a diploma.\u00a0 In times past woman has been relegated to the rear; indeed, it has been thought that her duties were confined to household work, even to handling the kettles and pans, but now woman has come forward and has begun the battle of the \u2018survival of the fittest.\u2019 She has not acquired this position by her winning ways or her pretty face, but has won her position by her intellect. I congratulate the Maryland College of Pharmacy for having opened their doors to women.\u00a0 To you young men of this class I would say, be careful that you are not relegated to the rear.\u201d[iii]<\/a>\u00a0 Rev. Dr. Wharton appears to have a higher opinion of women in professional positions, perhaps this is due to Dr. Johnson\u2019s physician degree received prior to her pharmacy degree.\u00a0 More likely it is the signs of progress for women that the turn of the century would bring.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Line

Line from the January 8, 1918, Faculty of Physik Meeting allowing women to apply to the School of Medicine.<\/p><\/div>\n

Twenty years after Dr. Johnson\u2019s graduation, women would finally be allowed to join the School of Medicine, when the Faculty of the School voted to accept women.\u00a0 The faculty were reacting to a significant drop in enrollment and an increased demand for doctors due to the United States involvement in World War I and mounting pressures for a public university, which received funds from the state, to accept women.\u00a0 By 1923, two women were members of the senior medical class.<\/p>\n

\"Women<\/a>

1923 Terra Mariae Yearbook, photographs of Dr. Theresa O. Snaith, Class of 1923 and Dr. Sylvia M.B. Saurborne, Class of 1924.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Theresa Ora Snaith, became the first woman to graduate from the school that year; her classmate, Dr. Sylvia Mabel Barnes Saurborne, would graduate the following year (1924).\u00a0 Both women were pictured in the Terra Mariea <\/em>Yearbook for 1923.\u00a0 Dr. Snaith\u2019s superlatives suggest the general reception she must have received from her male counterparts: \u201c\u2026I am sure we all agree that she has not detracted from the prestige of our Alma Mater.\u201d\u00a0 Dr. Barnes\u2019s superlatives are even harsher: \u201cAlthough [she] was an earnest advocate of equal suffrage and served as a speaker during the campaign for the constitutional amendment, she lacks none of the feminine characteristics as evidenced by her piquant use of a hand mirror and powder puff.\u201d\u00a0 Neither doctor received recognition for her medical abilities nor for her strengths for blazing a trail for future women physicians; they merely did not detract from the education of their male colleagues.\u00a0 Women in the School of Medicine for years after the first graduates would speak of obstacles in admittance from faculty as well as inappropriate comments from classmates who believed that \u201cMedical school is no place for a woman.\u201d[iv]<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Portrait<\/a>

Dr. B. Olive Cole, \u201cFirst Lady of Maryland Pharmacy\u201d, School of Pharmacy Class of 1913, School of Law Class of 1923, Dean of the School of Pharmacy 1948-1953<\/p><\/div>\n

Commencement exercises in 1923 also saw the first women graduates in the School of Law: B. Olive Cole (also a graduate of the School of Pharmacy in 1913), Fannie Kurland, Ida Clare Lutzky, Marie Presstman, and Helen I. Sherry.\u00a0 The School of Law first accepted women in 1920.\u00a0 Prior to that women were rejected because \u201cthere were no restrooms for women.[v]<\/a>\u201d\u00a0 In 1920, there were still no restrooms for women, they had to use those across the street at the School of Medicine.\u00a0 However, Dr. A. F. Woods, president of the University of Maryland, had the following promising words to say about the women graduates of 1923 and those 100 others still enrolled in the school (at this time the University of Maryland was one school with campuses at College Park and Baltimore): \u201cThey are better students than men.\u00a0 They study harder, behave themselves and as an average grade higher then the men. This institution holds every welcome for them and believes that they will come along in greater numbers in future years.\u201d[vi]<\/a> \u00a0\u00a0Women had made their mark at the University of Maryland and signs were pointing to their future successes in new professions and in leadership roles within the school.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These early women graduates faced obstacles and had their detractors, yet they were trailblazers and leaders for today\u2019s women.\u00a0 They faced critics who saw no reason to educate women in the professional fields, as they would surely leave their positions after marriage and children.\u00a0 They faced rejections of positions in favor of men and questions wondering about their career choices.\u00a0 Yet they succeeded.\u00a0 This month celebrates these early women and those that have followed to make the University of Maryland, Baltimore stronger.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

References:<\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cA Woman Druggist\u2026\u201d (20 May 1898) The Sun<\/em> (1837-1993); ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun:7.<\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cAsserts women lead at U. of M\u2026.\u201d (11 Jun 1923). The Sun<\/em> (1837-1994); ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun: 3.<\/sub><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cCommencement of the College of Dental Surgery\u2014A Young Lady Among the Graduates.\u201d (1 March 1873) The daily dispatch<\/em>. (Richmond [Va.]). Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Retrieved from: https:\/\/chroniclingamerica.loc.gov\/lccn\/sn84024738\/1873-03-01\/ed-1\/seq-3\/<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

Hyson, J.M. (June 2002). \u201cWomen Dentists: The Origins.\u201d Journal of the California Dental Association. <\/em>30(6):444-451. Retrieved from: https:\/\/www.cda.org\/Portals\/0\/journal\/journal_062002.pdf<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

Innovation in Action: The University of Maryland School of Nursing from its Founding in 1889 to 2012.<\/em> (2014). Retrieved from: http:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10713\/7106<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

Jablow, M. and J. Walker. (1972). Bulletin of the University of Maryland School of Medicine<\/em>. 57(3): 1-9. Retrieved from: https:\/\/archive.org\/details\/bulletinofuniver5757\/page\/n71\/mode\/2up<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cLocal Matters.\u201d (28 Feb. 1873). The Sun<\/em> (1837-1993); ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun: 1.<\/sub><\/p>\n

McCausland, C. (2018). \u201cEmpowered to Practice: Maryland Celebrates 100 Years of Admitting Women.\u201d Bulletin of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. 10(2): 6-13. Retrieved from: http:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10713\/8290<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cNew Dentists.\u201d (28 Feb. 1874). The daily dispatch.<\/em>\u00a0(Richmond [Va.]), 28 Feb. 1874.\u00a0Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. Retrieved from https:\/\/chroniclingamerica.loc.gov\/lccn\/sn84024738\/1874-02-28\/ed-1\/seq-3\/<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

Romer, L. (2009). \u201cRaising a Gavel for Women\u2019s Equality.\u201d University of Maryland: Research & Scholarship. 18-20. Retrieved from: http:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10713\/93<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

\u201cShe Likes Dental Work\u2026\u201d (28 Nov. 1912). The Sun<\/em> (1837-1993); ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun:4.<\/sub><\/p>\n

Terra Mariae.<\/em> (1923). University of Maryland, Baltimore. Retrieved from: http:\/\/hdl.handle.net\/10713\/2479<\/a>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

End Notes:<\/sub><\/p>\n

“I Belong Here” –\u00a0Dr. Bella F. Schimmel, School of Medicine Class of 1952. From McCausland, C. (2018). \u201cEmpowered to Practice: Maryland Celebrates 100 Years of Admitting Women.\u201d Bulletin of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. 10(2): 6-13.<\/sub><\/p>\n

[i]<\/a> \u201cCommencement of the College of Dental Surgery\u2014A Young Lady Among the Graduates.\u201d (1 March 1873) Richmond Dispatch<\/em>.<\/sub><\/p>\n

[ii]<\/a> \u201cShe Likes Dental Work\u2026\u201d (28 Nov. 1912). The Sun<\/em> (1837-1993); ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun:4.<\/sub><\/p>\n

[iii]<\/a> \u201cA Woman Druggist\u2026\u201d (20 May 1898) The Sun<\/em> (1837-1993); ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun:7.<\/sub><\/p>\n

[iv]<\/a> Dr. Martha E. Stauffer, School of Medicine Class of 1960. From McCausland, C. (2018).<\/sub><\/p>\n

[v]<\/a> Romer, L. (2009). \u201cRaising a Gavel for Women\u2019s Equality.\u201d University of Maryland: Research & Scholarship.<\/sub><\/p>\n

[vi]<\/a> \u201cAsserts women lead at U. of M\u2026.\u201d (11 Jun 1923). The Sun<\/em> (1837-1994); ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Baltimore Sun: 3.<\/sub><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

March is Women\u2019s History Month, the HSHSL will celebrate the month by honoring select UMB women through our blog and an exhibit, The First Women of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, in the Weise Gallery. The University of Maryland, Baltimore as it is known today was formed through a number of mergers with other Baltimore area Colleges and Universities; additionally, the school was once a branch campus of the University of Maryland, College Park.\u00a0 Because of this, the history of women at UMB is intermingled with the histories of these schools and each accepted women into their programs at different times.\u00a0 Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":3983,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,100,94,11,12,13],"tags":[199,186,185,187,189,197,194],"class_list":["post-3978","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dentistry","category-exhibits","category-historical-collections","category-medicine","category-nursing","category-pharmacy","tag-umb-history","tag-umbsod","tag-umbsom","tag-umbson","tag-umbsop","tag-umbssw","tag-womens-history-month-2"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3978"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3978"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3978\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4008,"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3978\/revisions\/4008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3983"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3978"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3978"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www2.hshsl.umaryland.edu\/hslupdates\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3978"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}