By JACOB COMP, Student Reporter
What would Northwestern Oklahoma State University be without women?
The history of Northwestern is filled with influential women who have made an impact on campus.
Northwestern’s doors opened in the fall of 1897 after seven men helped establish the school.
John Barton, an Alva resident and former Dean of Humanities, Fine Arts and Language at Northwestern from 1966 to 1995, said women have made a lasting impact on Northwestern’s campus.
“You know the women were even involved in getting it,” Barton said. “Even though their names aren’t mentioned, we’ve got to give them credit.”
EARLY-DAY EDUCATORS
Since the founding of Northwestern, women have played a huge role on campus.
A former Northwestern journalism instructor, Wayne Lane, talked about this point in his book, “Northwestern Oklahoma State University: A Centennial History” in 1997.
“Two women employed at the same time to work as instructors with [President James] Ament were Sarah Bosworth, who had been superintendent of Logan County schools, and Mary DeLisle, formerly principal of Alva public schools,” Lane wrote. “The women were paid $900 for the school term, while the president received $2,400.”
The following year, J. Everett Smith was hired to teach mathematics and natural science. His pay was set $300 higher than DeLisle and Bosworth at $1,200.
One of Northwestern’s biggest downfalls in regards to women is not giving them enough recognition, Barton said.
“Sarah Bosworth and Mary DeLisle haven’t been recognized,” Barton said.
Barton said Ament, the university’s first president, deserves the recognition he has gotten, but Bosworth and DeLisle deserve to be credited, too.
Bosworth and DeLisle set the stage for what would go on to be a tremendous group of women at Northwestern, Barton said.
Northwestern had no shortage of women in its early years.
Along with the professors, most graduating classes from Northwestern were somewhat evenly matched in the ratio of male to female students.
The first graduating class in Northwestern’s history came at the turn of the century in 1900. The class of six was comprised of four women and two men.
“The women were Edith Rudolph, Maude Green, Fannie Morris and Barbara Karr,” Lane wrote. “The men are Augustus Vinson and Jesse Langley.”
Since that time, women have continued to play a role in how Northwestern Oklahoma State University has progressed throughout the years, Lane wrote.
HONORING THEIR IMPACT
In 1910, a woman stepped on campus that would leave such a reputation that she would have a building named in her honor. Minnie Shockley, a former dean of women and an instructor of English, taught at Northwestern from 1910 to 1947. She was extremely well thought of by her students, Lane wrote. She is the only woman after whom a building on campus has been named.
In September of 1939, Shockley’s name was engraved in Northwestern’s history when the women’s dorm at the time was named Minnie Shockley Hall.
The swimming pool in the J.R. Holder Wellness Center recognizes another woman in Northwestern’s history.
The pool is named after Dr. Yvonne Carmichael, who taught health and physical education for more than 40 years. She formed the Aquarina Swim Club and was the sports coordinator for synchronized swimming during the 1989 U.S. Olympics
FROM PROFESSOR TO PRESIDENT
Dr. Janet Cunningham began her career as a business instructor.
Eventually, she moved to the position of business administrator.
Barton said he was not particularly happy with the move.
Referring to the president’s job, Barton said: “Most anybody can do that job.
It takes a hell of a person to be a good teacher. And you’re a good teacher, and I hate to lose you.”
Barton said Cunningham is just one example of the long line of great female teachers at Northwestern.
Perhaps the single biggest impact women have made on Northwestern’s campus is an excellence in teaching, he said.
“Northwestern’s teachers were well thought of,” Barton said. “There were schools that paid Northwestern graduates more than they paid other graduates in education, teachers, because they thought that Northwestern teachers were better, and they thought that through experience.”
Northwestern’s reputation for great teachers continues today, he said. Some of this success is because of Dr. Martie Young, the director of student teaching.
“I happen to know that Martie Young is a very good teacher,” Barton said.
Two Northwestern women have gone on to become university presidents.
One is Cunningham, who made her way through the ranks and became the president of Northwestern. Another is Dr. Cheryl Evans, the president of Northern Oklahoma College.
Both women are Northwestern graduates and even spent time teaching at NWOSU.
“There is no question in my mind that the females over the years have made significant contributions in teaching,” Barton said, adding that the contributions go beyond teaching.
“There’s no doubt that, without the women, Northwestern wouldn’t be where it is today and would not have the reputation that they have today,” Barton said. “I don’t know if I would want to be there.”
