Women's history is the exploration of women's roles in all facets of life - including labor, politics, education, culture, and more - over time. Their experiences have not always been well documented, however, as historical narratives often focus on male experience. These materials provide documentary evidence of women's roles in and contributions to various causes and events, as well as items that display information and messages designed for female audiences, with a particular emphasis on activity at UNI and in the region.
Many items below come from various collections within Special Collections & University Archives. Finding aids to specific collections are linked below.
Photograph of a WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) cadet saluting. The WAVES initiative, instated in WWI and WWII, allowed women to enroll in the Navy for the duration of the war. The campus at Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI) served as a training facility for WAVES. From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03.
Newspaper article and cartoon about the WAVES second birthday. From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03. Published in The IOWAVE, Vol II No 26, June 30, 1944.
Cartoon in WAVES newspaper, The IOWAVE, about life in Bartlett Hall for WAVES cadets. From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03. Published in The IOWAVE, Vol III No 19, April 14, 1945.
The Navy Week 1943 issue of the WAVES class magazine describing life as a WAVES cadet in Cedar Falls in 1943. From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03.
WAVES cadet getting 'Navy' a haircut on base on the Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI) campus. From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03.
Photograph of WAVES marching to class at Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI). From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03.
Photo of and statement by Mabel Wyrick, an aviation machinist, third class as part of the WAVES at ISTC (now UNI). From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03.
Letter, written from the perspective of a fictional WAVES enlistee to her parents, as printed in the Fall 1943 IOWAVE magazine. From the WAVES Collections, 20/03/03.
A petition, dated 1970, protesting the "freshman hours" curfew at UNI, which required women under the age of 21 to be signed into their dorms during certain hours. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06 Box 4, folder "No Hours" policy.
Editorial article from the student newspaper, the Northern Iowan, arguing that the freshman hours policy should be dropped. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06 Box 4, folder "No Hours" policy.
A letter written by President Maucker to the Associated Women's Students president regarding the reevaluation of the curfew policy. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06 Box 4, folder "No Hours" policy.
An article that was published in a woman student's handbook from 1969. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06 box 4, folder AWS Student Handbooks 1969-1971.
List of regulations regarding guests and hours for women living in on-campus residence. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06, box 4, folder AWS Student Handbooks 1969-1971.
An article printed in the Northern Iowan regarding the new 'no hours' policy created by the Associated Women's Students organization. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06 Box 4, folder "No Hours" policy.
A section of a syllabus that would have been given to freshman students in 1938 at Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI). The section gives advice for women as they adjust to college. From the Women's League, 1932-1949 collection, record group 17/02/02.
Printed in 1939 by the Women's League, Campus Life was a handbook for women attending Iowa State Teachers College ( now UNI). The handbook provides information about student life, as well as the expectations for women on campus at that time. From the Women's League, 1932-1949 collection, record group 17/02/02.
This orientation booklet, entitled "On Your Way" was printed in 1947 and provided female students at ISTC with information about campus and the Women's League. From the Women's League, 1932-1949 collection, record group 17/02/02.
A handbook, published by the Women's League in 1938, giving advice to freshmen women about campus etiquette at Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI). From the Women's League, 1932-1949 collection, record group 17/02/02.
A handbook for women students from 1958 published by the Associated Women's Students. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06.
An article from a student handbook informing women how to dress and how the Social Standards Committee can help. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06 box 4, folder " AWS Newsletters+ Event Handbooks 1947-1969."
An article printed in a student handbook giving advice to women on how to dress appropriately. From the Associated Women Students, 1932-1974 collection, record group 17/02/06 box 4, folder "You at TC 1949-1961."
US Women's Naval Reserve Officer's World War II hat, overseas issue. Belonged to R.L. Rombold Lt.j.g. (junior grade). UNIM 1970.36.45.
World War II ration book, issued to Elizabeth Provan. UNIM 1973.43.175.
Certificate of Attendance at County Teachers' Institute awarded to Aletha Jacobs. UNIM 1975.4.135.
Photograph postcard from Iowa State Teachers College, dated to 1910. UNIM 1973.33.1.
Women's basketball team, 1911. UNIM 1973.33.12.
Certificate of Attendance to the Teachers' Institute, awarded to Aletha Jacobs. UNIM 1975.4.137.
Program for the Third Grundy County Teachers Inspirational Institute in Grundy Center. UNIM 1975.4.142.
Official program for the First Annual Session of North Central Division of the Iowa State Teachers' Association. UNIM 1975.4.147.
A poem titled "Ma and Her Auto," by Edgar Guest. UNIM 1975.4.31.
Badge for the Iowa delegate to the national convention of the Women's Relief Corps. UNIM 1977.27.1.
Women's Relief Corps delegate badge for the meeting in Columbus, Ohio in 1919. UNIM 1977.27.2.
WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) at Iowa State Teachers College in 1943. UNIM 1990.47.3.
Photograph of the end of WAVES "boot" classes in 1943 at Iowa State Teachers College. UNIM 1990.47.8.
Women in a chemistry laboratory at Iowa State Teachers College, circa 1920. UNIM 2004.17.112.
