A few months ago I posted about a group of girls at Wesleyan who were castigated regarding a dance they attended. On this date 100 years ago another dance had taken place. President Kemp gave a serious talk during the morning chapel hour and announced the suspension of 25 "girls" from the school. They had attended a dance given by the law school "men." These were the same circumstances that caused the trouble in 1915. It seems that this was a direct challenge to the rules of the University, and President Kemp certainly saw it this way.
After the initial suspensions were made, there was an outcry against the unfairness of only punishing those who were caught. President Kemp said that all those who were at the dance undetected should step forward on their honor and accept suspension. A further 25 students came forward and were suspended.
A parental outcry was made and two official meetings were held, one of which was led by President Kemp. A parental committee was made and in June they presented their views to the trustees. This committee was a group of major movers and shakers in Bloomington/Normal. Many potential donation dollars were represented here, and the parents must have felt that their voices would be heeded. An investigation was conducted via mailed requests to 62 other schools. The result: absolutely no change to the "amusement rules" at Wesleyan in December 1916 when the investigation concluded.
As I none too gently suggested, the practice of calling these women "girls" was ludicrous, especially given the fact that the men were called men. (And the fact that the law school had no such rule and none of the men risked suspension by holding dances.) But it was a different time, when girls were girls until they actually married or had attained the age of spinsterhood. Girls may "grow up too quickly" these days, but progress is being made when we are not infantilized by the institutions that educate us.