Happy Women’s History Month, collegiettes! March was officially declared Women’s History Month by Congress in 1987. HC Dickinson is highlighting influential women in honor of this month, and for this installment, we are celebrating Zatae Longsdorff Straw, the first woman to graduate from Dickinson College.
Zatae Longsdorff Straw, of Centerville, Pennsylvania, followed in the footsteps of her father and brother by attending Dickinson College. She was a member of the class of 1887. Despite pushback from some of her male classmates, Zatae excelled during her years at Dickinson. She was the first woman to ever be considered for and win the Pierson Oratorical Prize, a distinguished honor given by the school.
Zatae was a trailblazer for future women at Dickinson. Shortly after her graduation in 1887, her three younger sisters attended Dickinson. After graduating, Zatae pursued a career in medicine, even though few women were doctors. She worked at the New England Hospital for Women and Children for some time before becoming the resident physician for the Native American reservation in Blackfoot, Idaho. Zatae later worked at her medical practice in Manchester, New Hampshire while raising her family.
In 1923, Longsdorff Straw even went on to become the first female president of the Manchester Medical Association. In 1924, she continued to break glass ceilings by becoming the first woman to be elected to the New Hampshire State House of Representatives. She was Chairperson of the Committee on Public Health and became an active force in New Hampshire politics.
As women at Dickinson College, it is important to remember that we were not always welcome in the world of higher education. It took bravery for women like Zatae Longsdorff Straw to break the mold and pursue a college degree. The fight to be included in spheres like higher education, STEM and government is still being hard fought. We must remember the important women in history who fought for equality before us in order to ensure their struggle is not forgotten.
Cress, J. (2015, March 28). Women’s History Month: Zatae Longsdorff was considered a pioneer among Dickinson College graduates. Retrieved from http://cumberlink.com/college/dickinson/women-s-history-month-zatae-long…
Zatae Longsdorff Straw (1866-1955). (n.d.). Retrieved from http://archives.dickinson.edu/people/zatae-longsdorff-straw-1866-1955