I was all set to go to a state teachers college to major in mathematics and physics. Not that I wanted to be a teacher but it was the traditional thing to do for a woman who was interested in mathematics and science. The Saturday before the fall session started a phone call came informing me that I could study engineering. The previously all male Institute was now open to qualified women students.

That Sunday, I went to the freshman reception and, on hearing that I was going to study mechanical engineering, the President's wife expressed her delight and suggested that I might be able to help with their plumbing!

The year was 1942. I had just completed a wretched summer taking Engineering Graphics and College Algebra and Spherical Trigonometry School buildings were, in general, not air conditioned at that time and drafting with moist palms was a disaster. I have difficulty drawing a straight line with a t-square and a straight edge! In addition, typical of summer sessions, I was the only person taking the graphics course for the first time. The competition was tough. Not only were the others repeating the course but they also knew what they were drawing. Fortunately, my performance on examinations outweighed my performance as a draftsman.

The mathematics course was a breeze except for probability with which I still have some difficulty. The Institute was normally an all male school but, because of World War II, had made an exception for this one summer. Under the circumstances, it was not surprising that I found myself the only female in an otherwise all male class.

In high school I had liked science and mathematics and, since Amelia Earhart was a heroine in my eyes, I looked for a way to earn my living by combining my interest in flying with mathematics and science. This led me to consider studying aeronautical engineering. Summer school was a trial balloon-to find out if engineering was for me. The results as previously mentioned were mixed.

The decision to pursue mechanical engineering rather than aeronautical was the result of freshman counseling in which I was advised that since mechanical engineering was broader and more fundamental, it might be more suitable for me. It was during the same counseling session that I was told that the decision as to whether or not the Institute would continue to accept women students would rest on my performance. There were three other women admitted at the same time: one was to study architecture, a second, pre-med, and the third, metallurgical engineering. I assume they also received the same admonishment.

When I started, the academic year was made up of four nine week sessions. However, after the first nine weeks, the school switched to the semester system at the request of the Navy. During these same nine weeks, the male students were urged to join the military service of their choice. It turned out that those who joined the Navy remained in school and were joined by V 12 students from all over the country. So, from then on, with the exception of the three women and those men not qualified for military service, the entire student body was in the Navy. As the only civilian in my classes, I got used to being one of the "gentle men.'

From this point on, we were also on the "speed-up" program. We went to school five and a half days a week and had no vacations except Christmas and New Year's Day. Of course, since I was not in the Navy, I could have dropped out for a semester but I preferred to stay with my class, since I felt that I had finally won acceptance. It seemed to me, (at that time, women's lib did not exist) that being accepted was to be one of the "boys" and at the same time to be a "girl:' This meant that I had to carry my weight in all laboratory classes-not just be the data taker or the report writer. And, of course. I had to be an A student.

Early in the program, we had to take a shop course which covered pattern making, machine shop, foundry and forge. This course was taught not by regular faculty, but by old time journeymen who had long experience in the field. My lab partner was an avid tennis player and he left me to do all the work. This actually pleased me, however, for it gave me the chance to learn on my own. As a matter of fact, one of the few times he showed up, he broke the tool bit and suggested I take the blame since the teacher would not be surprised that a woman would do such a thing. It was assumed that the teacher would be less angry with me than him.

The teacher of the forge section of the shop thought I would not be strong enough to make the same tools as the other students and gave me easy hooks and eyes to make. But I enjoyed the whole process of heating the metal to red hot, pounding and twisting it into shape so much that I made the things I was given to do plus all the things the other students made.

Obviously my years as an undergraduate student were not typical. I was the only civilian in my classes, and lived at home, rather than in the dorms. I had to do most of my studying by myself with only minimal opportunity to consult with other students. The system called for each student to receive a grade-zero or one hundred-each day in class so there was no opportunity for slacking off between classes. Cheating was not tolerated-the consequences of doing so were drastic for students in the Navy. Of course, I was active in numerous student clubs and associations. 1 believe that I was secretary-treasurer of most, if not all of them in which I participated, but I was never chairman. Woman still had a long way to go.

Although the school years were tough years, rigorous and demanding, they were also fun years for I liked what I was studying. I liked the challenge. I also made lasting friendships. I learned to meet deadlines under pressure, to study independently and to excel. I learned to get along with people. The two and a half years went by quickly. In no time, it seemed I was interviewing for jobs. My fellow female engineering student, with whom I had managed to take one class, and I were the first women to graduate from that school.