To celebrate 100 years since women received the right to vote, The Women’s College at Brenau University hosted a Roaring 20s-themed party as part of the GOLD program last week.
The Trustee Library library was filled with 1920s-inspired food, mocktails and a place to make your own hat to honor the decade when the 19th Amendment was ratified. As participants passed through the library, they stopped at tables that represented different decades and the rights women gained during that time. After the student in charge of each table explained which right was earned, using slang from that time period, participants had to “give up” their rights as they stepped back in time.
“We want students to see what women did years ago to achieve these rights and all that’s at stake,” said Debra Dobkins, dean of The Women’s College. “So we want them to have fun, but get informed.”
Rachel Hodges had the time period of the 1970s when women were able to get credit cards in their own name with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974.
“It’s inspiring,” Hodges said. “Especially at a women’s college, learning how recently we got the right to do all of these things and how some of the tables are talking about what women on campus couldn’t do because of these laws. It’s crazy to think about all of the changes that have happened throughout history.”
Voter registration was available during the event for students, faculty, staff and the wider community. A costume contest was also held at the end, won by Alexandria “Sheik” Nause, and President Anne Skleder stopped by as well.
The GOLD Program is in its “G” year, where students in The Women’s College learn about gender. The GOLD Program includes a women speaker series, a gender studies course, alumnae and sister class connections and mentoring, and much more.
“One of (the) things I’ve said to the students is that the women in 1920 fought so hard to get the vote in order for women like us in 2020 to exercise that right,” Dobkins said.
