Abstract
This interview with members of the Pembroke College class of 1958, highlights the experiences of Barbara Alice Fontaine, Maraya McCully Goff, Jane Marie Loveless, Carol May Jadick, Rayanne Lucille Walter, Beverly C. Hart, Martha Joukowsky, and Joyce P. Foster, at their 50th reunion.
The interviewees begin by discussing their reasons for attending Pembroke, and their academic experiences. Common to all of their experiences is the abundance of intellectual stimulation and the desire to do as much as possible. They speak regretfully about having to choose classes and majors, and speak about distribution requirements and memorable courses. Goff specifically recalls choosing her boyfriend over an honors major in creative writing and the alumnae discuss the nature of pursuing education and relationships. Additionally, they consider the expectations of women in the 1950s and the feeling of not having enough opportunities outside of the home. They close by discussing life in the dormitories, compulsory physical education and chapel, parietal rules, and the notion of gracious living.
Recorded on May 28, 2008 at Brown University, Providence, RI.
Interviewed by Jane Lancaster
Suggested Chicago style citation: 50th Reunion, class of 1958. Interview. By Jane Lancaster. Pembroke Center Oral History Project, Brown University. May 28, 2008.
Biography
The Pembroke College class of 1958 graduated under Dean Nancy Duke Lewis and Brown University President Barnaby Keeney. During their academic tenure they enjoyed extracurricular activities such as the theatre group Sock and Buskin, the Honor Council for maintaining moral standards, and the newspaper The Pembroke Record. Students also celebrated Father-Daughter Weekend and Spring Weekend. Nationally, during their senior year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration was created, and internationally, Nikita Khrushcev became the Premier of the Soviet Union, as the Cold War and the space race intensified.