In 1966 SMU celebrated its 50th anniversary with a wide variety of events that showcased the university. Then President Willis M. Tate and Graduate School Dean Claude Albritton casually suggested an event that did "something special for the ladies." Neither of the two men thought the event would produce the lasting legacy on the campus, city, and region that it has.
Dean of Women Emmie V. Baine did not take the small event "for the ladies" lightly. Instead she programmed a hard-hitting event that explored the role of women in society. She crafted a two day symposium entitled "The Education of Women for Social and Political Leadership." While not highly visible, there existed a latent Women’s Movement in Dallas at the time. Just a few years earlier Betty Friedan had published The Feminine Mystique and Dean Baine had brought her to campus. The interest of students was overwhelming and they gave her a standing ovation. Similarly, the first women’s symposium provided the needed space for the women of Dallas to voice their concerns. The response to the event was astounding; planned for 150 it drew more than 400 participants. The keynote speakers of the first symposium were Marietta Tree, former U.S. ambassador to the U.N.; Dr. Carl N. Degler, professor of history at Vassar College; Dr. Helen V. McLean, psychiatrist at the Institute for Psychoanalysis in Chicago; Dr. Mary I. Bunting, president of Radcliffe College; and Viola H. Hymes, chairman of the governor’s Commission on the Status of Women for the state of Minnesota.
The momentum sprung from the 1966 symposium carried over into the next year. The second Women’s Symposium in 1967 built upon the initial impetus of the first symposium and further encouraged stronger relationships between women leaders and SMU students. The early symposiums were, as one woman described them, "a once-a-year intellectual feast" for the women of Dallas. In 1974 under the conference theme of "Can We Be Human Together?," men were welcomed to participate as workshop leaders and facilitators. Topic themes of later symposia emphasized women’s rights as issues of national and global importance. In issues like food scarcity, increasing national inequality, and student activism, women’s roles were seen as central. The depth and quality of the programs helped create an annual symposium that grew to be the longest running program in the nation.
Emmie Baine coordinated the Women’s Symposium until 1987 when she stepped down. Under Baine’s leadership the symposium covered topics that ranged from leadership to sexuality to politics. She brought respected guests such as Margaret Mead (1970), John Kenneth Galbraith (1979), Coretta Scott King (1983), and Maya Angelou (1987) to the SMU campus to interact with students and community members. SMU and Women’s Symposium alumna Sandra Tinkham took over the helm from Baine in 1988.
The change in leadership did not interrupt the momentum of the program and in 1990 the symposium celebrated its 25th anniversary. By 1990, after 24 years of programming, the Women’s Symposium had attracted at least 15,000 individual participants, 81 eminent scholars and writers, over 300 speakers and consultants, and hundreds more local Dallas volunteers.
The Women’s Symposium was the genesis for many other Dallas groups. Many organizations could trace their origins to the SMU Women’s Symposium like: Explore, an eight-week education program that helps women; The Women’s Center of Dallas, an organization that works to change society’s stereotypical expectations of women; Women’s Issues Network, an advocacy group supporting equality of opportunity; The Dallas Women’s Foundation, an inter-generational, multi-ethnic inclusive women’s organization that writes grants for innovative programs for women and children; the Dallas Chapter of the National Organization for Women; the Women’s Equity Action League; and the Women’s Political Caucus and the Women’s Coalition. As Vivian Castleberry described the symposium, it "began as a gentle breeze…" and became "a persistent tailwind that has challenged mindsets, disturbed comfort, and jarred complacency for a quarter of a century."
Castleberry, Vivian. "A Forum for Challenge and Change," SMU Magazine, Winter 1990: 19-21. Found in Folder 2 Box 20.
Castleberry, Vivian. "Whatever Happened to the Women’s Movement?: An Eyewitness, uh, Her story of Three Decades of Progress for Dallas Women," D Magazine, 1987: 78-83. Found in Folder 5 Box 20.
Women’s Symposium, "1967 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes," Folder 10 Box 1.
This collection contains the programs, working notes, reading materials, publicity, correspondence, attendance records, expense reports, and directories of the SMU Women’s Symposium organizing committee. It is an ongoing collection, but the majority of the materials deal with the years from its inception in 1966 to the symposium’s 25th anniversary in 1990.
Collection is open for research use.
Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Director of the DeGolyer Library.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain copyright authorization.
Southern Methodist University Women's Symposium records, Southern Methodist University Archives, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University.
Gift, Rebecca Bergstresser, 2005.
Please note that Series 2: Programs was originally accessioned as SMU2005.0359 as a gift from Rebecca Bergstresser in 2005. The decision was made to combine the box of programs into the SMU2006.0389 accession containing the bulk of the SMU Women’s Symposium records.
Aaron Sanchez, 2010.
Lara Corazalla, 2010.
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Series 1:
Records
20 boxes |
|
This series contains the programs, working notes, reading materials, publicity, correspondence, attendance records, expense reports, and directories of the SMU Women’s Symposium organizing committee. It is organized in chronological order. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 1 |
1 |
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1966 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1966 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
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3 |
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1966 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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4 |
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1966 Women’s Symposium—Reading Material |
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5 |
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1967 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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6 |
|
1967 Women’s Symposium—The Education of women for Social and Political Leadership, booklet |
|
7 |
|
1967 Women’s Symposium—Registration |
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8 |
|
1967 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
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9 |
|
1967 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
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10 |
|
1967 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
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11 |
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1967 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
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12 |
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1967 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
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13 |
|
1968 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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14 |
|
1968 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
15 |
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1968 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
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16 |
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1968 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
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17 |
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1968 Women’s Symposium—Workshop |
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18 |
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1968 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
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19 |
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1968 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
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20 |
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1968 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Groups |
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21 |
|
1968 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
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22 |
|
1968 Women’s Symposium—Letter of Invitation |
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23 |
|
1968 Women’s Symposium—Registration |
| Box |
Folder |
| 2 |
1 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements |
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3 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Workshops |
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4 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Groups |
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5 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Panel |
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6 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
7 |
|
1969 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
8 |
|
1969 Women’s Symposium—Evaluation |
|
9 |
|
1969 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
10 |
|
1969 Women’s Symposium—Letter of Invitation |
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11 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
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12 |
|
1969 Women’s Symposium—Bibliography |
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13 |
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1969 Women’s Symposium—Registration |
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14 |
|
1969 Women’s Symposium—Letters of Responses to Symposium |
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15 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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16 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
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17 |
|
1970 Women’s Symposium—Letter of Invitation |
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18 |
|
1970 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
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19 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
20 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Panel |
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21 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
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22 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
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23 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
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24 |
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1970 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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25 |
|
1970 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
| Box |
Folder |
| 3 |
1 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—News Kit |
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2 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—Budget |
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3 |
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1971 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials and Discussion Group |
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4 |
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1971 Women’s Symposium—Letter of Invitation |
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5 |
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1971 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
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6 |
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1971 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
7 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
8 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—Registration |
|
9 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
10 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
11 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—Panel |
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12 |
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1971 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
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13 |
|
1971 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
| Box |
Folder |
| 4 |
1 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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2 |
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1972 Women’s Symposium—Panel |
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3 |
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1972 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
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4 |
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1972 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
6 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
7 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Budget |
|
8 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Letter of Invitation |
|
9 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
10 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
|
11 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Registration |
|
12 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—General |
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13 |
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1972 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements |
|
14 |
|
1972 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
| Box |
Folder |
| 5 |
1 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
2 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes and List |
|
3 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
4 |
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1973 Women’s Symposium—Registration |
|
5 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
|
6 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Budget |
|
7 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Leaders |
|
8 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
9 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
10 |
|
1973 Women’s Symposium—Letter of Invitation |
|
11 |
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1973 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
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12 |
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1973 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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13 |
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1973 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements |
|
14 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
15 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
16 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
17 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
18 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
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19 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
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20 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
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21 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements |
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22 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
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23 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
24 |
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1974 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
| Box |
Folder |
| 6 |
1 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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3 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Colleges and Notes |
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4 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Expenses |
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5 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
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6 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
7 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
8 |
|
1975 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
9 |
|
1975 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
10 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
11 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Panel |
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12 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
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13 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
14 |
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1975 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements |
| Box |
Folder |
| 7 |
1 |
|
1976 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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3 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Colleges and Notes |
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4 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
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5 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
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6 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
7 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
8 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
9 |
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1976 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
10 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
11 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
12 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Student Delegates |
|
13 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
14 |
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1977 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
15 |
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1977 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
16 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
17 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
18 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
19 |
|
1977 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
| Box |
Folder |
| 8 |
1 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1978 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
6 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
7 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
8 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
9 |
|
1978 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
10 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
11 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
12 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
13 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
14 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
15 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
16 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
17 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
18 |
|
1979 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
| Box |
Folder |
| 9 |
1 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
2 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Panelists |
|
6 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
7 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
8 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
9 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
10 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
11 |
|
1980 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
| Box |
Folder |
| 10 |
1 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
2 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
6 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
7 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
8 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
9 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
10 |
|
1981 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
11 |
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1981 Women’s Symposium—Opinionnaire on Working Partnerships |
|
12 |
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1981 Women’s Symposium—Information on Past Symposia |
| Box |
Folder |
| 11 |
1 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
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1982 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
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1982 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
6 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
7 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
8 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
9 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
10 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Panelists |
|
11 |
|
1982 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
| Box |
Folder |
| 12 |
1 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Program |
|
2 |
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1983 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Publicity Committee |
|
4 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
5 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
6 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
7 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
8 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
9 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
|
10 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
11 |
|
1983 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 13 |
1 |
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1984 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1984 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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3 |
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1984 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
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1984 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
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1984 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
6 |
|
1984 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
7 |
|
1984 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
8 |
|
1984 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
9 |
|
1984 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
10 |
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1984 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
|
11 |
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1984 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
12 |
|
1984 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 14 |
1 |
|
1985 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1985 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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3 |
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1985 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
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1985 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
|
1985 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
6 |
|
1985 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
7 |
|
1985 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
8 |
|
1985 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
9 |
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1985 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
10 |
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1985 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
|
11 |
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1985 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
12 |
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1985 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 15 |
1 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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3 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
6 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
7 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
8 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
9 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
|
10 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Information on Past Symposia |
|
11 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Photographs |
|
12 |
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1986 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
13 |
|
1986 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 16 |
1 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
6 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
7 |
|
1987 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
8 |
|
1987 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
9 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Expenses and Arrangements |
|
10 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
|
11 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
12 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Panelists |
|
13 |
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1987 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 17 |
1 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
6 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
7 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
8 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
9 |
|
1988 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements |
|
10 |
|
1988 Women’s Symposium—Expenses |
|
11 |
|
1988 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
|
12 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Information on Past Symposia |
|
13 |
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1988 Women’s Symposium—Panelists |
|
14 |
|
1988 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
15 |
|
1988 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 18 |
1 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
|
3 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Directory |
|
4 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
5 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
6 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Evaluations |
|
7 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Reading Materials |
|
8 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
9 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements |
| Box |
Folder |
| 19 |
1 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Expenses |
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2 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Registration and Attendance |
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3 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Panelists |
|
4 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
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5 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Information on Past Symposia |
|
6 |
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1989 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
| Box |
Folder |
| 20 |
1 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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2 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Publicity |
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3 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Discussion Group |
|
4 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—CORE |
|
5 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Reading Material |
|
6 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Working Notes |
|
7 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Arrangements and Expenses |
|
8 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Attendance and Registration |
|
9 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Panelists |
|
10 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Correspondence |
|
11 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Information on Past Symposia |
|
12 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Annual Report |
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13 |
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1990 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
|
14 |
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2000 Women’s Symposium—Misc. |
|
15 |
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2010 Women’s Symposium—Program |
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16 |
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Women’s Symposium—Undated |
