Change in Courses Offered
Examining course bulletins in the 1933-34 school year and forward reveals a decline in the number of home economics courses and, as the years went on, an increase in the number of mathematics courses. This is presumably because men were admitted in the 1933-34 school year and, as more men attended the college, more scientific courses were made available, leaving less funding for courses geared toward women of the time. During this time, most women attending college were expected to become housewives while men were expected to be the main breadwinners. However, some women did hold jobs before getting married and having children, in which case, having some knowledge in mathematics could be useful to them.
A bulletin from the 1933-34 school year shows that Westmoorland had more home economics courses than mathematics courses. Courses such as “Child Care and Training” and “Home Management'' would have provided very useful skills to young, middle-upper class white women planning to become homemakers and start a family after college, as was the norm for many women of the time. Mathematics courses were still offered to them though, which would have been important to women planning to help run a business after getting their education. Many women during this time did work before getting married and having a family.
A bulletin from the 1933-34 school year listing home economics courses offered.
A bulletin from the 1933-34 school year listing home economics courses (continued) and mathematics courses offered.
A bulletin from the 1934-35 school year shows that Westmoorland had many fewer home economics courses than mathematics courses. A wide range of mathematics courses were offered, from calculus to mechanical drawing. This wide range provided students with the opportunity to explore different areas of mathematics which might have been important before deciding what career would be best suited for them.
This page from the 1937-38 course bulletin shows Westmoorland had a division for the natural sciences, offering courses in departments such as chemistry and physics, which were not seen in earlier bulletins.
This page from the 1937-38 Westmoorland course bulletin shows how students took more specialized courses as they moved from lower division to upper division classes. This style of encouraging students to explore a wide range of disciplines before focusing in on a specific area is typical of a traditional liberal arts school.