Interviewer
Ty Young
Abstract
This interview was conducted by Ty Young with Moe Bell for Young’s paper on coeducation at Winthrop University. Bell attended Winthrop from 1969 to 1973 as a member of the first group of men admitted to the formerly all-female institution. He discusses the circumstances surrounding the admission of men to Winthrop as a pilot project and describes being one of a small number of men who entered as freshmen in 1969 and completed their degrees at the university. Bell explains that all male students in this initial group were day students who commuted to campus because men were not initially permitted to live in the residence halls.
Bell discusses his decision to attend Winthrop, explaining that the opportunity to attend as a commuter made a four-year college education financially possible for him and his family. He describes his experiences as one of relatively few male students on campus, including the reactions of students and faculty to the presence of men and the feeling that some members of the Winthrop community believed the university should remain an all-female institution. He discusses classroom experiences, including being called upon to provide “a man’s opinion,” as well as participating in physical education courses with female students. Bell also describes participating in badminton competitions and a camping trip with female students and a female professor.
The interview addresses the accommodations made for male students during Winthrop’s initial transition toward coeducation. Bell describes the lack of male residence facilities, the makeshift shower accommodations provided for men, and the eventual establishment of a residence hall for male students after the university formally transitioned to coeducation. He also discusses the social experiences of male day students, including spending time in Dinkins Student Center, participating in informal sports, and developing friendships with students and faculty. Bell reflects on the limited opportunities for male students to participate in existing campus traditions and activities and discusses the changes brought about by the addition of athletics and the expansion of male enrollment.
Bell also discusses the reasons he believes Winthrop transitioned to coeducation. He identifies declining enrollment and the need for additional revenue as important short-term factors, while also describing arguments that a coeducational environment would provide a more diverse educational experience and better prepare students to interact and work with people of different backgrounds. He reflects on whether Winthrop would have survived as an all-female institution and discusses the growth of the university following the transition to coeducation. Bell concludes by reflecting on his experiences as one of the first male students at Winthrop, his subsequent return to the university for graduate study, and the lasting importance of his Winthrop education.
Publication Date
2-26-2019
Unique Identifier
OH 522
Format
MP3;
Length
00:28:34
Restrictions
Open under the rules and regulations of the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections at Winthrop University
Recommended Citation
Bell, Moe, "Interview with Moe Bell - OH 522" (2019). Winthrop University Oral History Program. OH 522.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/783