School sure has changed!

[CCTAU 3,327]

Where Have All the Belles Gone?

by Hollie X

2/23/2004

One of my vivid college memories was the May Day when three women stripped naked, painted their bodies red, and released a “feminist manifesto” from the steps of the colonnaded building named in honor of our founder.

They angrily charged that campus security had torn down signs announcing a vigil for a slaying in a nearby gay bar. Another source of the ladies’ anger: the looming possibility that men would be admitted as undergraduates to our all-girls Eden. It was that issue that bothered the protesters the most. “I don’t want somebody who’s kind of wishy-washy on this coed crap,” shouted the leader. “I want somebody in the administration who going to stand up and say, ‘Hell no.’”

Is this a memory from Smith College, the elite New England school known for sexually adventurous lifestyles and advanced notions among its undergraduate population? No, this was Hollins University, formerly known as Hollins College, an all-girl school nestled in a valley surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains of Roanoke, Va.

Hollins, the quintessential southern belle factory. While not aspiring to belledom, I had been drawn by Hollins’s sense of tradition and had wanted to be a Hollie Collie -- as women south of the Mason-Dixie line who attended Hollins were known -- since I’d met an accomplished Hollins woman when I was 14.

Although Hollins was known as a school that turned out ladies, it also had something of a blue-stocking reputation. These were brainy Southern belles and Northern transplants, not ditzy cheerleaders. The roster of Hollins alumnae included pioneering White House correspondent, Ann Compton ’69, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Dillard ‘68, and the first woman publisher at Time Inc., Elizabeth Valk Long ’72 (publisher of Life, then People, Time). On my first visit to the campus, Hollins seemed like the stereotypical Virginia girls school, replete with rather girlish rituals.

On the college tour, our guide commenced by politely cautioning me not to walk under the awning adjacent to the Main Building and Bradley Hall -- or else. My hopes of getting engaged before graduating from Hollins would be dashed.

Later, she pointed to a gazebo across from Tinker, the first-year students’ dorm, where many a Hollie Collie had been kissed. It was rumored that if you kissed your beau under the gazebo, the two of you were bound for marital bliss. She also warned me not to step on the grass of Front Quad -- the consequence of doing so would be not getting a diploma.

My parents and I also had lunch at Chez Moody -- the Hollins nickname for the cafeteria. A distinct sound could be heard outside the cafeteria doors. OH-WHEY-OH-EE-YOOO! Girls dressed in wigs, boas, and clothes you’d only find at a second-hand store, chanted and clapped as they circled the cafeteria. Underneath their vintage costumes, they wore bright purple shirts branded with the vivid white letters, ADA. ADA is a selective group made up of mostly Southern belles -- one of whom was the first American woman to have climbed three of the world's 8,000 meter (26,000-foot peaks), Charlotte Fox '79; she survived the deadly blizzard on Mount Everest in May 1996.

The 91-year-old organization, responsible for encouraging and promoting spirit in the Hollins community, sponsors the Red Cross Bloodmobile every semester. As with a sorority, bids are given out each semester. But instead of calling them pledges, they’re called “spuds.”

Standing on a chair was a girl wearing a tiara who led the group in its weekly chant: “ADA’s on campus, ADA’s on the scene, and ADA wants ‘Til Tuesday.” I later learned each Tuesday, or ‘Til Tuesday as it’s called, bands perform in the Rat (Hollie Collie lingo for the basement). Sponsored by the Moody Monday Committee, the events were designed to attract boys under the rubric that “If you book bands, the boys will come.”

In a way, the Hollins I saw during my college tour was already changing. The day I received my freshman (oops, I mean “first-year,” Hollins is quite particular about the semantics of gender) orientation packet was the day my father began questioning my choice of colleges. The cover read, “Welcome to Hollins, Where Women Are Leaders, and Men Are Guests.” My father scowled. “I’m not sending my daughter to a college which conveys the idea that young women are superior to men. Men and women are equal,” he said.

Needless to say, my father and Hollins had a bit of a rough start.

Upon my arrival, I was determined to experience everything imaginable, well almost everything. I participated in the infamous Take Back the Night. Run by the notorious feminist group on campus, The Women’s Collective, it was a week-long womyn-only celebration.

Featuring chalk drawings promoting lesbianism that were mysteriously vandalized in the wee hours of the night by first-year students under the influence, the evening’s festivities consisted of a march (women chanting by candlelight), followed by the reading of anonymously written testimonials by victims of rape, domestic violence, and child molestation. Many of the anonymous victims later identified themselves. And I discovered that nearly a third of the women in my dormitory hall said that they had been the victims of rape or child molestation, and that half of those were gay.

The grand finale of the evening was the “Burn the Silence” Bonfire. We were invited to burn books and other publications we felt were oppressive to women. Hollie Collies were welcome to bring remnants of an ex-boyfriend, i.e. a t-shirt or photo, so that they could in turn contribute to the male-bashing book burn. The history department, archivists at heart, hung flyers arguing that the book burn represented an inherently destructive act.

Intrigued by The Women’s Collective, I decided to investigate feminism further by enrolling in a course entitled “Feminist Philosophies,” where I was joined by the grandest of Hollie Collies. A native to New Orleans, she chose Hollins for one reason only -- to obtain her “MRS.” Degree. Her lifetime goal: to have two children by 2002. She rarely attended class, but when she did she was always in full Hollie Collie attire -- a ponytail accented by a white bow, Hollins t-shirt, pajama pants, sneakers, and, of course, a strand of pearls. When in class, she never missed an opportunity to voice her disbelief over our professor’s negative comments on the institution of marriage -- a quality that made me adore her.

Class discussions debated female issues of great importance: from whether pornography empowered women to whether the sex-pot diva Madonna was a true feminista. By far the most interesting topic of discussion was the building which housed the administration. Named after Hollins’ founder Charles Lewis Cocke, the Cocke Memorial Building had the largest columns on campus. “Columns being phallic in nature,” the professor, who bragged of having an open marriage and raising his sons in an androgynous manner, claimed, “can be construed as oppressive to women.”

The question arose: “Is it the columns or the building’s name that is oppressive to women?” Huh?

Each year the lesbian community hosts their version of Hollins’ Spring Cotillion -- a black-tie formal sponsored by the Student Government Association -- appropriately named Cuntillion.

It wasn’t until my sophomore year that I witnessed my first lesbian couple in attendance at Cotillion.

I, like many other Hollie Collies, dislike public displays of affection, whether heterosexual or homosexual. Two girls who were quite intoxicated were sloppily kissing at a nearby table. A junior walked up to them and politely asked them to tone it down. As she turned to walk away, they resumed their make-out session. The junior returned, in true Hollie Collie fashion, and persuaded them to get a hotel room.

I don’t want to give the impression that the one-time bastion of Southern belles has become an overwhelmingly gay school. This just isn’t the case. The majority of the girls are straight, but during my undergraduate career many girls did experiment before graduation -- the GTGs (or Gay ‘Til Graduation). A Southern classmate, for example, was pursued by eligible young men in the summer months but spent the colder months dabbling in sexual alliances with other girls in the dorm. She fell in love and married a man from another Southern state shortly after graduation.

I don’t want to give the impression that all the old traditions have vanished. There’s still Tinker Day, when the students hike up Tinker Mountain and the underclassmen serenade the seniors and our sister class on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Roanoke valley. Seniors serve their underclassmen a picnic menu comprised of scrumptious fried chicken and Tinker cake -- in part to offer first-year students the olive branch. (Before Tinker Day, seniors run up and down the halls of dormitories banging pots and pans while screaming at the top of their lungs: “It’s Tinker Day!” Many first-year students fall prey to this historic prank by not writing a paper due the next day or studying for a test. As a result, a handful of first-year students retaliate by dousing seniors with ice cold water as they run up and down the halls of Tinker.) After the picnic, each class and campus organization performs a skit. By far the most awaited and applauded skit belongs to that of ADA.

While I have fond memories of Hollins, I can't help but wish I had experienced Hollins during the 1960s. According to historian Nancy C. Parrish, author of Lee Smith, Annie Dillard, and the Hollins Group, Hollins emerged as a “nationally competitive academic institution” beginning in the late 1950s.

During the tenure of Hollins President John Rutherford Everett, enrollment nearly doubled and the endowment increased from $400,000 in 1950 to $3 million in 1960. Under his leadership, the size and salaries of Hollins faculty doubled. It was Everett who expanded the English department and acquired Louis D. Rubin, Jr., who “proved exceptionally adept at incorporating the professional theories of New Criticism into a successful writing program at school.”

The writing program established by Louis D. Rubin, Jr. nurtured the careers of Lee Smith, Annie Dillard, Lucinda Hardwick MacKethan, and Anne Goodwyn (members of the class of '67), “some of the most powerful voices in contemporary literature.” Parrish attributes the success of Annie Dillard, who won the Pulitzer Prize seven years later for Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, and Lee Smith, who wrote her first novel, The Last Day the Dogbushes Bloomed, while enrolled in Hollins, to the academic atmosphere of Hollins during the 1960s: “These women forged a collective identity by joining to face common obstacles and developed a strong sense of individual identity through competition with each other.”

Hollins’ next president faces the challenge of increasing the school’s endowment and enrollment while maintaining its collective identity. My only hope is that she will commit herself to the traditions that Hollins once held so dear. Let’s hope her roots lie south of the Mason-Dixie line. After all, tradition is truly a Southern virtue.

"Hollie X" is a pseudonym for a graduate of Hollins.

Don't ask!

Jenny, Are all girls schools like this????

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Damn. I nearly went to Hollins!!!!

From a traditions and heritage standpoint, yes, all SOUTHERN girls colleges are like this, esp ones that existed pre-Civil War (Judson is older than Auburn). Not too sure about the Yankee equivalent, but I seriously doubt it. Like the author, that was one of the very things that attracted me to an all girls college - Southern Belles with PhD's - ladies who were tough as nails in the boardroom but also know how to conduct a tea service. Just because I was bright and wanted a strong academic environment did NOT mean I wanted to be any less a true Southern woman. We have teas and formal dinners and certain traditions and rituals and special events that marked milestones in the college year. Seniors are treated like godesses - underclassmen stand when a senior enters a room, except in the cafeteria and in class - and ALWAYS ANYWHERE if the senior is in cap and gown, which is worn to certain events all year long, not just for Graduation. There are parts of campus and certain traditions reserved for Seniors only. We sing a lot too - esp in the cafeteria.

Also, like Hollins, we had some girls who were gay, but everyone knew who they were, and treated them just like anyone else - same as at any college. They came to school that way and didn't attempt to "convert" anyone. We also had a few "GTG"'s - gay til grad - but experimentation can also happen anywhere. One girl in particular I remember was gorgeous and dated this hot guy from the military college, and then dumped him totally out of the blue. He hounded her for a reason and would NOT let it go, so finally, after he harassed her in front of about 20 people, she screamed that she was in love with her roommate, who was better in bed than he was. She and the roommate soon left school to move in together in Selma - but she also got married - to a man - several years later.

As far as rampant feminism - well, we also had shirts that said "Judson - where women are women and men are guests" and our brochures point out that all campus leadership positions are held by women - duh. But none of this paint yourself naked crap - no feminist propaganda classes - no bra burning. But Judson is also a Baptist college - with a religious affiliation like that, you seldom have to worry about these kinds of influences. Let me also point out that while there is now a Young Republicans group, there is STILL no Young Democrats group - due to a lack of interest, not censorship. VERY VERY conservative campus and I would not have it any other way. Judson has never had a woman president, and that is also the Baptist influence - honestly, I am not very happy about that, and many alum agree with me, but we are working within the system to bring about change - not trying to determine if the Greco Roman columns on the front of Jewett Hall are phallic symbols. :roll: I think that a woman college president - probably an alum - will appear in time.

Let me also say that Judson and colleges like it are NOT for everyone. It was perfect for me - I was very young when I started college (17 years, 1 month) and I would have been totally lost at Auburn - and the Southern heritage/how to be a lady thing really appealed to me, as did their academic record (100% of pre-meds get into med school of choice - 100% of pre-law get into law school of choice). I do NOT mean Southern heritage like Civil War traditions - no rebel flags on campus, etc. - but Southern ideals and morals and values.

I do intend on taking Katie to Judson with me to let her see what it is all about. But if she does not want to go, I would NEVER EVER EVER dream of pushing her to go. The girls on campus who were unwilling legacies were some of the most miserable people I ever knew. But if Katie does want to go, I would encourage her to the fullest.

[DKW 86 7,424]

Jenny, you went to Judson?

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Yep - Judson College, Class of 1990, member of the 150th freshman class ever to grace those hallowed halls.

[CCTAU 3,327]

Thanks Jenny. Maybe you should send in your reply with an article about how Judson was a "good" example of a women's school.

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Thanks Jenny. Maybe you should send in your reply with an article about how Judson was a "good" example of a women's school.

I really didn't get her article at all - on one hand, she seems to be making fun of the Hollins traditions, and saying that the radical feminists were all right. Then on the other hand, she seems to say taht the Southern traditions are important and need to be protected and the radical crap needs to tone down. She must be related to John Kerry - talking out both sides of her mouth.

Not everyone "gets" Judson. A lot of people already assume it is a hotbed of radical lesbianism - duh, it's BAPTIST! :roll: The academics alone are the reason the student body is so diverse - less than half the students are Baptist - we even had Hindu and Muslim and Catholic and Jewish students when I was there. All are welcomed. All have to go to chapel services every Tuesday and take two required religion classes, but the focus on specific Baptist theology is actually very subtle, if at all.

It is a VERY different college experience, that's the main thing I can say for it - and I do not regret having gone there.

[DKW 86 7,424]

Jenny, what on earth did you do in Marion, AL for four years?

[CCTAU 3,327]

Jenny, what on earth did you do in Marion, AL for four years?

I belong to a hunting club about 4 miles west of Marion on 14. So I just assume she is a hunter!!!!

I've seen the golf course there, not much to it. Kinda like the one on 20 towards Tuskeegee that use to be in AU.(All-terain golfing)

[Jenny AU-92 0]

Jenny, what on earth did you do in Marion, AL for four years?

Well, for one thing, it was only two years, ten months - Judson has an accelerated degree program - four year bachelors in half the time.

Having said that, that should tell you what I did in Marion, AL for that time - STUDIED MY A$$ OFF!!!!!!!!!!

Having said THAT, let me also just say that when you lock a bunch of girls in a dorm room every weeknight at 11pm (yes, we had curfew and it was strictly enforced), girls will talk about EVERYTHING. I was totally naive and innocent - really - when I got to Judson - no smoking ,drinking or cursing, and since I had turned 17 only the month before school started freshman year, I had never ever dated either (remember the strict cop father - I was the epitome of SHELTERED). So I got more than one kind of education at Judson - when they finished laughing at me, my roomates clued me in about men and the facts of life (my mother never gave me "the talk" - so I redefined the word "Virgin", seriously - they were amazed at how naive I was - I knew NOTHING), I smoked a cigarette once (hated the way it made my mouth taste, never did it again), got drunk off my ass at a few parties (off campus!!!), and still managed to graduate on time, cum laude. :angel:

Never made it to any hunting camps tho. Lots of them down there - supposed to be a good place to deer hunt - my dad used to hunt in that area too.

This explains why I dated the bammer guy for two years - T-town was only 45 minutes away from Marion, so that was where we went to party - hey, any port in a storm, right? And if you are desperate for a man that is not at a military college and actually has hair, then T-town was about your only choice. Note that I dumped him before graduation tho - no way would I have married that guy!