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FURTHER ACTIVITIES OF STUDENTS

CASE STUDY OF “kK”

Before the School—“K” was household assistant in the Y.W.C.A. and, as such, she
was responsible for the clubs of the industrial workers. She had completed the twelfth
grade in high school and had attended lectures and classes at the Y.W.C.A., at night
school, and at business school. She was a leader in many activities in the Y.W.C.A. and
a member of church groups.

At the School—She attended the summer sessions of 1932 and 1933, when she was 22
and 23 years of age respectfully. Although her ratings were good for both years, she
made great strides in her second year.

After the School—She continued her leadership activities in the Y.W.C.A. She was
effective especially at industrial conferences; she recruited girls for classes; and she
obtained membership for Negro girls. She attended lectures given by the League for
Industrial Democracy and helped plan for conferences sponsored by the Affiliated

_ Schools. She did some work for a miners’ trade union and became an organizer for

the Amalgamated Clothing Workers’ Union. She arranged for classes in the latter
organization. She worked in a settlement house and on the W.P.A. workers’ educa-
tion program, later attending its state teachers training course. She continues to be
active in the State Security League. At present, she is an organizer for the Textile
Workers’ Organizing Committee and is secretary for its local in her community.
In 1938 she wrote to the investigator as follows:
“The chances are ten to one that if I hadn’t gone to Bryn Mawr, I would
not have done any of the things I did. At Bryn Mawr I learned to under-
stand some of the problems facing workers and something that could be done
about them . .. My family did not like the idea of what they called my
‘Red’ work but over a period of time in which my family met a good num-
ber of my ‘respectable red’ friends and since at intervals I was the only one
in the family working, my family although not in full accord are much more
sympathetic and understanding. They now call me a ‘Progressive Socialist’
... 1 would like to suggest that before the Bryn Mawr sessions end, the
girls should be given some POSITIVE alternative—by that I mean in the first
year most of our former ideas and ideals are either scoffed at or torn down
. . . then when we come back to our communities we must live and work
with folks that do not understand the experience that we have gone through
and not understanding, the Bryn Mawr girls are at a disadvantage—and in
my particular case, I took a reverse position and became more religious and
more intolerant than ever before I went to School. It wasn’t until many
weeks later that I attempted to try to pick up the threads and try to do some-
thing with what I learned at Bryn Mawr.”

In some of the Southern regions, the transitional period has been especially
difficult. Case studies of “L” and “M” show the influx of new ideas and new
opportunities in the South and the effect upon the alumnae. “L” is an
American, born of American parents. She had a sixth grade education.

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