LibGuides: Photos through the Decades at Meredith College: 1940s

1940s

Three students in the kitchen of the Home Management Apartment.

Home economics students practiced housekeeping skills during a month living in the Home Management Apartment, then located in Vann Hall and made up from three suites. The "apartment" moved to the Brewer House in 1960. This image is from 1940.

Two students, one studying, one relaxing, in a dorm room.

A typical 1940 dorm room - according to a promotional brochure.

Three art students sketch on tablets around a table. On the walls are examples of art work.

An art class in 1940.

Two women on the same side of a table playing ping-pong.

Playing ping-pong game in the gymnasium. (Oak Leaves, 1942.)

A student bent over a table signing in. Behind her are racks of cards.

A student signing in after a trip off-campus. (Oak Leaves, 1942)

Two students pose beside a Raleigh city bus on campus.

During World War II, gas rationing meant that buses were critical to students. One alumna remembered, "The buses would take us to civic music concerts down in Memorial Auditorium, and take us to church.... Everybody rode the bus back then. Nobody had cars. When you went downtown or you went off for the weekend, you rode the bus."

(Oak Leaves, 1942)

A student poses with laboratory equipment.

This photo of a student in a laboratory appeared in the April, 1942 Acorn, the student literary magazine.

A student dressed ina skirt, sweater and low shoes poses with a bicycle near the dining hall.

Another sort of transportation. (Oak Leaves, 1942.)

A woman holds a giant sbowball in a snow-covered landscape filled with bare trees.

Appreciating an early 1940s snowfall. This photo is stored in the Class of 1943 class box in the Archives.

Seniors in graduatuion gowns and mortorboard in a

Step singing by the senior class, 1943.

a group of students seated at desks in a classroom.

A 1943 physical education class.

Two students seated at desks with typewriters with an instructor behind them.

While not identified in the yearbook, this is likely a typewriting class taught by Miss Ellis (Oak Leaves, 1944.) In the 1945 Bulletin, the objective of the class is the "development of the ability to typewrite at the rate of at least fifty words a minute on letters, articles and similar material."

Other classes in the Business Department were: General Statistics, Elementary Shorthand, Accounting, Business Communications and Reports, Advanced Shorthand, Retail Distribution, Business Law, Office Management and Practice, Teaching of Business and Work Experience.

A gathering of foreign students attending Meredith College posed around a map, 1944.

A student with a racket aims for a badminton shuttlecock.

Badminton game in the gymnasium (1944.)

A row of four students perform headstands, while four more support them. At the center one standing woman holds another seated on her shoulders.

Students in the new tumbling class, added to the curriculum in 1945.

Four students dressed costumes shaped like Lux soap cartons.

Four seniors dressed in their Stunt costumes in 1945. "Lux" was a brand of soap - as well as the school's motto.

Wearing bathing suits and turbans, five students soak up the sun on a bright day. up sun.

Sunbathing (1944-45.) According to mentions in the Twig, those seeking tans gathered on the breezeways between the dorms.

The eight student operators pose with campus switchboard.

Students manned the campus switchboard in Johnson Hall.

Three women and two men smile as they struggle to open a closed door,.

This snapshot in the 1947 yearbook is captioned "After 6:10." Perhaps there has been a curfew violation?

A picnic table, benches and chairs under the trees somewhere on campus.

A lovely place to gather outdoors somewhere on campus.

Students seated in a rustic gazebo on campus.

The two "summerhouse" gazebos were favorite landmarks and were located amongst the oak grove fronting the campus (1947.)

One woman in a gym uniform and another in street clothes clown around with basketballs in the gym,

Showing off different basketball styles in the original gymnasium,

Students take off on a footrace during Play Day while observers on the sidelines watch. .

Play Day, 1947. Play Day was a chance for students and staff to compete against each other in various games and sports. Here the competitors appear to line up for a foot race in 1947. Athletic events took place on the areas of campus where Martin Hall, Campbell Library and Lux Hall are now.

Students appear to be square dancing in the gym while onlookers watch from the sidelines.

Folk dancing was a popular activity on campus through classes and clubs.

Two Meredith College students and thie male dates seated on a couch.

Students entertaining their dates in one of the parlors in Johnson Hall (Oak Leaves, 1948.)

Six students seated on and near a dorm room bed. One student is playing records.

A dorm room gathering during some unscheduled time - one student is supplying music with her record player. (Oak Leaves, 1948.)

One student rings the dining hall bell while another covers her ears in dismay.

Dining hall bell (1949.)

Five fold dancers in Scottish costumes pose on the steps of the dining hall.

Folk dancers for 1949's May Day.

A view from the stage of students, in caps and gowns, seated in the original auditorium. President Campbell speaks to the audience.

Commencement, 1949, in the original auditorium. The new auditorium, Jones Hall, would be dedicated in September.

On the Timeline....

1941 First Play Day

1941 Two-week quarantine (October-November) as a result of one student contracting meningitis.

1942 “The Hut” built with student funds. The log building is used for various student meetings and events.

1942 Establishment of a music library.

1942 First summer school session on Meredith College campus.

1942 Placement of historical marker on Hillsborough St.

1945 First Corn Huskin’ Bee (Name changed to Cornhuskin’ in 1961.)

1945 A student brings her personal horse to campus, traditionally said to be the start of the Equitation program on campus.

1945 U.S.S. Meredith Victory commissioned. Named to honor War Loan Drive donations by students and staff.

1947 Honor Code adopted.

1949 Jones Auditorium dedicated as first new building since the Hillsborough Street campus was created in 1926.

1949 First annual horse show.

1949 Outdoor swimming pool opens.