1975

In 1996-97 Dartmouth is officially celebrating the 25 th anniversary of coeducation. This issue of DAM, including Class Notes, is devoted to Dartmouth women.

Forty-seven women graduated in our class. Half entered Dartmouth as sophomores; the rest as juniors. When we were sophomores, most of us were the only woman in our classes. It was intimidating to go to Thayer alone. Busloads of women were arriving on weekends, and the "cohogs" song was the rage. Coeducation at Dartmouth was an endless debate. Some of us secretly wondered how welcome we really were. ("Was the vote really 50/50?")

And yet, Dartmouth's physical beauty was overwhelming. The Dartmouth spirit was infectious and hard to resist. We had a great football team. We forged close friendships with men and women alike. We had the opportunity to start up activities for women. We left our marks on history by going to Dartmouth when we did.

Depending on our emotional readiness to deal with the challenges, some of us experienced Dartmouth as a difficult, painful place; while some of us found it exhilarating.

Dartmouth helped prepare us to compete later on in a male-dominated world. Yet, it was still a rude shock to graduate in the '70s, having been on equal footing at Dartmouth, only to discover how much gender inequality still existed in the workplace.

Dartmouth has affected our lives in many ways. The Dartmouth family provides lifelong friendships and career support. Equally important, our unique Dartmouth experience fostered independent thinking, developed our capacity to take risks, and prepared us for pioneering roles throughout life. We need these skills to help us navigate through all the choices available to women in the '9os.

I recently met a client under 30, who just couldn't believe it when I told him I had been at Dartmouth when the school went coed. At his age, it seemed that "Dartmouth has always been coed." Also, with so few Dartmouth women pioneers around, the chances of meeting one seemed slim indeed. But mostly, he just couldn't understand why someone would have chosen to take "such a big risk" on the college experience, something you only get to do once. This perspective was foreign to me. I had always looked at it as a great adventure, worth doing even if there turned out to be some difficult moments.

Which brings me to the subject of what it took for us to come to Dartmouth at all courage, true grit, a good sense of humor, and a strong desire to make a difference in the world. These are characteristics we bring to our chosen endeavors now. I feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to attend Dartmouth when I did, and meet truly exceptional women and men. I know the future holds great things in store for all of us. Stay in touch.

Schlobohm, 429 E. 52nd St., #22E, New York, NY 10022, (212) 980-2267 (h)