Brown University women's athletics ephemera (Ms.2019.014)

Biographical/Historical Note

Brown University's first Athletic association was founded in 1875 to organize field days. In 1886 the New England Intercollegiate Athletic Association was organized and Brown began to send representatives to the meets. In the early 1900s, shortly after the founding of Pembroke College, the women's college in Brown University, women engaged in Basketball, bowling, field hockey, and tennis. Class teams vied for the college championship in basketball and bowling, and there was a college tennis tournament. In 1905 the newly organized Pembroke Athletic Association awarded six "BW" letters to women athletes. Baseball was played by the women as early as 1920. An apparatus team was added in 1924, and a pyramid squad in 1925. There was a swim team in 1924-25. In 1929 an "honorary" varsity field-ball team was selected. Field hockey was reintroduced in 1930. In the 1930s fencing and lacrosse became popular. Pembroke's athletic program was further expanded in 1934-35, when a modern dance group was formed, the first annual riding meet was held at Royal Riding School in Seekonk, and an intercollegiate telegraphic archery tournament took place, at which each college competed on its own premises and telegraphed its members' scores. In 1935 Pembroke students were allowed to play golf at Wannamoisett Country Club.

In 1971, Pembroke College merged with Brown University officially making Brown a coeducational university. women's intercollegiate athletics, which had been funded as a student activity, began to share in the funds for all University athletic programs in 1973-74, following the Title IX legislation of the Educational Amendments to the Higher Education Act of 1972, and fifteen varsity level women's teams were established.

[This note was partially taken from Encyclopedia Brunoniana]