World War II
World War II opened doors for women. Marie L Klein graduated from Officer Training School at Smith and came to MIT to help develop radar. She married co-worker Alan Lemlein from the Naval Academy. Their daughter is Carol Lemlein EE '83.
Marjorie Pierce '22 an architect for more than 70 years, led the first mainstream women's design group, CT Main
Lydia Weld '02 was called back to work in a California ship design office, after managing her family's ranch and developing new types of alfalfa.
Doors were opening for women on the MIT campus too. The first women's dormitory 120 Bay State Road was opened in 1945 and housed 19 women students. This new dormitory was due to the efforts of the president's wife, Mrs. Margaret Compton HM AMITA and the Technology Matrons, Florence Stiles '22 and Charlotte Sage '13. Katharine McCormick '04 provided a "taxi fund" for students to get across the river in any weather. The Cheney Room was a refuge at school in Cambridge.
Bay State Rd Residents (1954): Margolia Cohen Gilson '56 Biology, Fushi Tjian Ling '57 Architecture, Ronnie Wahl, Phyllis Anthony '54, Cora Stackelberg '56, Wendy Drew Aero/Astro, unknown, Cynthia Scheri, Dell (Lanier) Vanarde '55 Chemical Engineering, Joyce Davis '55 Physics, Marilyn ?, Dorreta Binner Klein '56, Alicia Larde Nash '55, Physics
More than 180 degrees were awarded to women between 1940 and 1950, including 69 SBs, 42 SMs in Biology and Public Health, and 23 PhDs.
Emily V. Wade '45, chemistry; second woman to head the Alumni Association. Founder of the Museun Institute for Teaching of Science
Frieda Omansky Cohen '45 Architecture, her husband ans 2 sons are alumni. Her granddaughter is Dena Cohen '98
Margaret (Florencourt) Mann '46, Electrical Engineering: married a classmate/MIT professor
Mary Frances (Penney) Wagley '47 Chemistry: the first woman to head the Alumni Association (1984) and MIT Corporation member.
Violet Haas '49, became a professor at Purdue and married a classmate/professor. Their daughter is Elizabeth '74, Management.