Dean of Women records: Edith L. Stallings and Louise McBee

Descriptive Summary
Title: Dean of Women records: Edith L. Stallings and Louise McBee
Creator: University of Georgia. Office of the Dean of Women
Inclusive Dates: 1946-1974
Language(s): English
Extent: 2.25 Linear Feet
Collection Number: UA97-119
Repository: University of Georgia Archives

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Collection Description

Historical Note

Edith Stallings (1903-1987) held the position of Dean of Women for the University of Georgia from January 1, 1948 through August 1, 1963. Louise McBee (1924-) took over the position upon Stallings retirement and served as the Dean of Women until the office was abolished in 1969. Under Stallings and McBee's leadership the Office of the Dean of Women dealt with many social changes including the integration of the University of Georgia campus in 1961 and the beginnings of student activism. In addition both Stallings and McBee were confronted with the evolving roles of women both on campus and off. Edith Stallings graduated from the University of New Hampshire with a B.S. degree, did post-graduate work in dietetics at John Hopkins University, and received her M.A. in English from the University of Alabama. Stallings was widowed five years after her marriage to a lung and heart specialist and in 1942 joined the WAVES. While in the WAVES, she served in administrative positions through 1947 when she decided to retire in order to accept the position of Dean of Women at the University of Georgia. Stallings was a world traveler and lived in England for a while after her husband's death. She was active in the installation of four Georgia chapters of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority, the only woman on the board of the Georgia Museum, and president of the Georgia Association of Women Deans and Counselors. In addition she was a supporter of Triquetra, a leadership organization for non-sorority women, at the University.

Mary Louise McBee was born on June 15, 1924 in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. She holds degrees from East Tennessee State University, Columbia University, and Ohio State University. Prior to joining the University of Georgia, Dr. McBee taught English in the Netherlands as a part of the Fulbright Scholarship Program. McBee also taught physical education in Virginia for three years, and served as the Dean of Women at East Tennessee State University for two years before joining UGA in 1963. At UGA, Dr. McBee served as the Dean of Women, the Dean of Students, the Assistant Vice President for Instruction, and the Vice President for Academic Affairs. In 1968, she served as the Dean of Women for Chapman University's World Floating Campus program. In 1988, Dr. McBee retired from the University of Georgia and participated on an expedition to Mt. Everest.

In 1991, McBee ran for a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives representing Athens-Clarke County. Representative McBee served on and chaired several committees, including the Appropriations Committee, the Retirement Committee, the World Congress Center Overview Committee, and the Women's Legislative Caucus. She was elected Head of the Education Committee and contributed to the beginnings of the HOPE Scholarship in addition to working on several House Bills related to higher education. McBee was also instrumental in supporting pension plans including the Teachers' Retirement System as well as advocating against the development of a landfill in Arcade, Georgia. After serving five unopposed terms, Representative McBee retired from the General Assembly in 2004.

Scope and Content

This collection mainly documents the Office of the Dean of Women from the years 1946 through 1970. Although most of the collection pertains to the office under the leadership of Edith Stallings, there is a good deal of material associated with Louise McBee. Also included is material from the late 1960s and early 1970s related to UGA Dialogue, a conference designed to promote better communication among University faculty and students, and the National Association of Women Deans and Counselors (NAWDC). Of particular interest is a wealth of information pertaining to how the Office of the Dean of Women dealt with the 1961 integration of the University of Georgia. Also of special interest are annual reports which cover the Office of the Dean of Women under both Edith Stallings and Louise McBee and give a detailed breakdown by year of numerous statistics and facts relating to women students, housing, staff, and the social mores of the day. Along that same theme, some materials illustrate some of the issues surrounding young wome's dress and behavior during the 1950s and 1960s.

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Dean of Women records: Edith L. Stallings and Louise McBee, UA97-119, University Archives, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University Archives, The University of Georgia Libraries.

General Notes

RG 6

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Related Materials and Subjects

Subject Terms

Related Collections in this Repository

Related collections in this repository: "Stallings, Edith" vertical file ; Dean of Women Edith Stallings papers; Mary Louise McBee papers.

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Series Descriptions and Folder Listing

 

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Annual Report, 1946-1947

The Director of Women's Activities, Martha Latimer, compiled this annual report for 1946-47. It notes how the campus is reverting back to peacetime activities and discusses activities on campus, sorority rushes, and points out the need for more faculty members to volunteer as student event chaperones.

 

1	2	Annual Report, 1947-1948 ()
		(Pages 10-13-14 Out). The annual report for 1947/48 was compiled by the new Dean of Women (as of January 1st 1948), Edith Stallings, and includes a brief biography on page 2. Also included as a separate entry in the folder is Martha Latimer's Report of Women's Housing for 1946-1947, which was submitted to Dean Tate.

 

1	3	Annual Report, 1948-1949
		(Complete). Martha Latimer's report is included in the annual report.

 

1	4	Annual Report, 1949-1950
		(Complete). Includes a particularly detailed section devoted to the counseling and discipline of women students.

 

1	5	Annual Report, 1950-1951
		The report notes the annual University of Georgia tour of Europe led by Edith Stallings was suspended for the summer of 1951 due to "unsettled world conditions"(29-31). There also is some information on how members of the staff helped with the Sesquicentennial.

 

1	6	Annual Report, 1951-1952
		(Complete). Includes comments about the importance of treating international visitors to campus with great hospitality so that they can "understand and appreciate the scope of our program and its wide influence". Dean Stallings notes that she was joined in a ride to Miami by the visiting professor of Religious Philosophy from India to Emory and his wife who were in Athens attending the Foreign Student Conclave. Once in Miami, the professor and his wife had most, if not all, expenses paid for by the University of Georgia.

 

1	7	Annual Report, 1952-1953
		(Complete). Includes some examples and comments regarding students "growing interest" in "community welfare projects and local philanthropies. A spirit of service for service's sake seems to be increasing".

 

1	8	Dean of Students. Correspondence, 1953-1955
		Includes material focusing on administrative concerns over student conduct along with information about the functions and objectives of the Department of Student Activities. Also of particular interest is some very spirited correspondence between Edith Stallings and J. Thomas Askew arising from an incident involving Health Services that occurred in May of 1953.

 

1	9	Dean of Students. Correspondence, 1953-1955
		Contains numerous memos and letters relating to the Division of Student Affairs.

 

1	10	Annual Report, 1953-1954
		(Complete). Stallings writes of the low morale in her department resulting from the removal of one of her staff in July of 1953 without advance notice (see folder 8 for correspondence relating to this incident). This caused Stallings staff to experience "excessive work loads and many other handicaps".

 

1	11	Annual Report, 1954-1955
		(Page 22 Out). Includes discussion about the problems encountered with the ban on freshman cars. The report also has a particularly interesting breakdown of and comments on the excuses given during Spring Quarter 1955 by women who missed class.

 

1	12	Annual Report, 1955-1956
		(Complete). Includes more discussion on problems caused by the ban on freshman cars and changes in policies regarding excused absences for women students.

 

1	13	Annual Report, 1956-1957
		(Complete). The report has recommendations on how to utilize the new University television station.

 

1	14	Annual Report, 1957-1958
		Includes comments on security problems generated by, among other things, the "changing character of Athens" and campus panty raids.

 

1	15	Annual Report, 1958-1959
		(Complete). The report has a copy of the "University of Georgia Expressionaire on Dormitory Life" given to women living in dorms.

 

1	16	Annual Report, 1959-1960
		Dean of Women Office Copy. Notes that incidence of Beauty Queen Contests has "greatly increased" and caused more work for Stallings office.

 

1	17	Annual Report Dean of Women Office Copy, 1960-1961
		Stallings commends the manner in which most of the women students reacted to campus integration.

 

1	18	Annual Report, 1961-1962
		Dean of Women 4th Copy Office Copy. Stalling writes that there is a growing trend on campus "toward too casual, careless, and even vulgar behavior".

 

1	19	Annual Report, 1962-1963
		4th Copy. Due to retirement this is Stallings last annual report.

 

1	20	Annual Report, 1963-1964
		4th Copy. Louise McBee became the new Dean of women. Problems with the new freshman residence, Creswell Hall, are noted.

 

1	21	Annual Report, 1964-1965
		4th Copy Office of the Dean of Women. Included is a good deal of discussion about the effects of mixing different classes (i.e. freshman, sophomores, etc) of students together in dorms.

 

1	22	Annual Report, 1965-1966
		The report recommends academic averages be computed using IBM data processing.

 

1	23	Office of the Dean of Women Annual Report, 1966-1967
		4th Copy. Dr. McBee writes that she has noticed a "rising tide of interest in student rights and student autonomy coupled with a demand by students for a voice in policy making" throughout the campus. In addition there is discussion about a house director who was terminated for staging a sit-in.

 

1	24	Annual Report, 1967-1968
		4th Copy (Office). According to the report "this year on the University of Georgia campus has not been like any in the past!". Among other events noted are a student demonstration and sit-in. There also is a proposal to bring in a "predominately colored" sorority.

 

1	25	Annual Report-Office Copy, 1968-1969
		The report mentions that there have been few problems generated by the "drastic changes in women's regulations which became effective in September". Evidence of increased use of drugs is noted with three women in residence halls charged with drug possession.

 

1	26	Annual Report, 1969-1970
		4th Copy. There has been a change in the structure of the administration and the Office of the Dean of Women is no longer in existence. As a result this is the Annual Report of the Associate Dean, Student Affairs (Programs).

 

1	27	NAWDC [National Association of Women Deans and Counselors] Convention, 1973
		Includes newsletters, program guides, listings of itineraries and agendas plus a hotel receipt.

 

1	28	NAWDAC Convention, 1974
		Texas. Includes newsletters, programs guides, and Louise McBee's correspondence.

 

1	29	Dialogue, 1969
		Dialogue was a conference designed to promote better communication between faculty and students. Included in this folder are program guides and agendas along with Louise McBee's correspondence.

 

1	30	Dialogue, 1969
		Includes summary of Dialogue '68 plus Dialogue '69 itinerary and short bios of participants.

 

1	31	UGA Dialogue, 1970
		Includes Louise McBee correspondence and "A Statement of Concern" from faculty and students participating in Dialogue '70. There also is a synopsis of a Dialogue committee meeting on July 19, 1970 and a report on three fall quarter task force activities.

 

1	32	UGA Dialogue, 1970
		Includes Dialogue '70 guidelines, short bios of participants, program plans, more Louise McBee correspondence, and UGA Dialogue '70: A Summary.

 

1	33	UGA Dialogue, 1971
		Includes applications for 1971 Planning Committee membership, brochures, the final revision for the Dialogue '71 program, and correspondence from Louise McBee and others. Also biographical data about attendees and their "Statements of Concern".

 

1	34	Dress (Proper Dress For Women)
		Includes numerous newspaper and magazine clippings from the 1950s and 1960s addressing issues pertaining to women's fashions both on and off the University of Georgia campus. The folder has two complete Young and Beautiful Magazines from the early 1960s (also see Folder 17, Box 1) along with a copy of the University's Guide for Georgia Co-Eds 68-69. There is a memo from Edith Stallings informing women of the inappropriateness of "extremely" short skirts in the classroom, as they are "a source of considerable embarrassment to the instructors". Additionally, there is a set of correspondence between Dr. William Carlton, a Botany professor, and Dolores Artau, Administrative Counselor, on the subject of allowing women to wear shorts in his summer school class.

 

1	35	Dress (Proper Dress For Women)
		Consists of various 1950's era articles accompanied by photographs in vivid color from The Atlanta Journal and Constitution Magazine. This folder also has the original newspaper clippings from which the photocopies in folder #34 were made.

 

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Integration

Includes the itinerary for escorting Hamilton Holmes and Charlayne Hunter around campus. There also are numerous letters, cards, articles, and surveys addressing the issue of integrating the University of Georgia campus.

 

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Integration

 

2	3	Integration
		Includes letters, articles, and telegrams along with the original newspaper articles and Western Union Telegrams from which photocopies in folders 1 and 3 were made.

 

2	4	Court Subpoena, 1960 December 13
		Contains a civil subpoena commanding Edith Stallings to appear in the United States District Court for the case of "Hamilton E. Holmes, Et. Al. vs. Walter N. Danner, Registrar of the University of Georgia".

 

2	5	Surveys and Studies
		Includes surveys and studies of freshmen, transfer, and women's dormitory residents. Also the results of the "University of Georgia Self-Study" as published in Higher Education, Vol. XV, no. 6, February 1959.

 

2	6	Surveys and Studies
		Includes compiled comments from surveys (1949?) of residents of UGA women's dorms.

 

2	7	Surveys and Studies-General
		Includes information gathered from surveys and questionnaires dealing with, among other things, the backgrounds of UGA students and the experiences of women deans at selected colleges.

 

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House Funds, 1966-1968

Relates to controversy over house funds for residence halls.

 

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Dean of Women - Articles, Brochures, and Assorted Materials, 1951-1976

 

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Annual Report for the Dean of Women's Office, 1962-1963

 

3	4	Freshman, 1959-1963
		Includes information about Freshman Camp along with other freshman activities.

 

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Edith Stalling's Papers, Certificate and Scrapbook