Archives’ September exhibit: Katharine Dexter (McCormick), Class of 1904: “My Preparation for the M.I.T.”

Katharine Dexter in labKatharine Dexter (McCormick), a pioneer of the women’s suffrage and birth control movements, was also one of MIT’s most important benefactors. A dedicated alumna, one of her most significant gifts was a residence for women, McCormick Hall, which opened in 1963.

For an English composition class at MIT, she wrote of her determination to be fully prepared for entering MIT – preparation that included a degree from another institution and study in France and Germany. Her composition is included in the Object of the Month exhibit by the Institute Archives and Special Collections.

The papers of Katharine Dexter McCormick, which include student papers, class notebooks, and family correspondence, are available for research in the Institute Archives and Special Collections, 14N-118, Monday – Thursday, 10 am – 4 pm.

Photograph courtesy of the MIT Museum