The "posture" thing was the remnants of a eugenics program intended to make sure that the women attending "elite" colleges, who would presumably marry the elite men and become elite mothers, were good physical specimens. My mom and her sister (Oberlin '52 and '54) were required to do this, and of course, it was rampant at all the women's colleges like Vassar, Radcliffe, Wellesley, Smith, etc. I had thought it was only women's colleges till my mom told me they did it at Oberlin too.
I went to Oberlin 1967-1970, then I lived there with husband (graduated 72) for a couple of more years running a student rooming house. All the 19th rules were in place until half-way through my freshman year, then suddenly co-ed dorms and not curfews! I do remember reading an article on this whole women's body thing when researching 19th century college life for my Scholarly Pursuits novel, but couldn't be bothered to look it up.
The "posture" thing was the remnants of a eugenics program intended to make sure that the women attending "elite" colleges, who would presumably marry the elite men and become elite mothers, were good physical specimens. My mom and her sister (Oberlin '52 and '54) were required to do this, and of course, it was rampant at all the women's colleges like Vassar, Radcliffe, Wellesley, Smith, etc. I had thought it was only women's colleges till my mom told me they did it at Oberlin too.
I went to Oberlin 1967-1970, then I lived there with husband (graduated 72) for a couple of more years running a student rooming house. All the 19th rules were in place until half-way through my freshman year, then suddenly co-ed dorms and not curfews! I do remember reading an article on this whole women's body thing when researching 19th century college life for my Scholarly Pursuits novel, but couldn't be bothered to look it up.
And back in 1950. Women could not get a credit card or own property !