March 1
to
April 1
2024
“A Mutual Need for Friendship in New Surroundings”: The Union College Student Wives Association and Childcare Center, 1965-1986
Taken at Mrs. Martin’s house the night of the tea with the faculty wives - 1966.
In honor of International Women’s Day, this exhibition features materials from two collections in Union’s archives: the Student Wives Association of Union College and the Childcare Center Reunion Collection.
The Student Wives Association of Union College was established in 1965 by a small group of women who were married to men studying at Union. The group was interested in forging a sense of community with one another, addressing the challenges they faced as a collective, including housing, transportation, financial aid, and access to childcare, and getting involved in both the Union community and the wider community of Schenectady. The Student Wives Association hosted a variety of events, from dinners, to dances, to volunteering at nursing homes and children’s centers, to bringing a speaker from Planned Parenthood on campus in 1973. Members of the Student Wives Association were also involved in the formation of the Childcare Center, which opened in 1974 and had a reunion celebration in 1986.
Location:
This exhibit can be found in the Beuth Atrium, which is on the 1st floor of Schaffer Library, just behind the reference desk.
Selected Images from the Exhibition:
Acknowledgements:
Curated by Gabriella Baratier, Class of 2025.