Women at Beloit College collection

The admittance of women was a slow process for Beloit College. While most of the Midwest transitioned to coeducation by the 1890s, Beloit College continued to be a single sex institution. It was not until early 1895 when the Trustees met, discussed, and voted on the admissions of women. D.K. Pearsons, who wanted to see women at Beloit, helped push coeducation with his gift of $50,000. At this January meeting, the Trustees decided to admit women starting September 1895. The following academic year, thirty-four women arrived at Beloit College--twenty-seven freshmen, three sophomores, two juniors and two seniors. Although students and alumni were originally hesitant about this change, the majority of the faculty favored coeducation, and soon women proved themselves by successfully partaking in academics and extracurricular activities. During World Wars I and II, women effectively took over and ran the Round Table as well as other large groups and organizations. In the academic year of 1986-1987—exactly ninety years after the first women entered Beloit College, the college implemented a Women's Studies minor. At Beloit's sesquicentennial, faculty, students and alumni also celebrated the centennial of women at the college by convening a three-day conference in November of 1995.