Margaret Shove Morriss (June 25, 1884 – January 22, 1975) was an American academic historian, She was the Dean of Women in charge of Pembroke College in Brown University from 1923 to 1950.
Early life and education Margaret Shove Morriss was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, the daughter of William Hayles Morriss and Mary Elizabeth Hairland Morriss. She completed undergraduate studies at Goucher College in 1904, and was granted a PhD from Bryn Mawr College in 1911,"70 Get Bryn Mawr Degrees" Baltimore Sun (June 10, 1911): 11. via Newspapers.com for her research on trade in colonial Maryland.Martha Mitchell, Encyclopedia Brunoniana (1993).Margaret Shove Morriss, Colonial Trade of Maryland, 1685-1715 (Johns Hopkins University Press 1914).Margaret Shove Morris, Maryland under the Royal Government 1689-1715 (PhD diss., Bryn Mawr 1911).
Career Morriss began her career at Mount Holyoke College, teaching American history. While there, she was active in the local chapter of the College Equal Suffrage League.John William Leonard, ed., Woman's Who's Who of America (American Commonwealth Company 1914): 578. In 1923, she was hired by Brown University to serve a professor of history and as Dean of Women,"Graduate of Goucher Named Women's Dean at Brown University" Baltimore Sun (June 23, 1922): 4. via Newspapers.com a post she held until she retired in 1950. She more than doubled the number of women enrolled at Brown during her tenure, and saw the 1927 creation of a Women's Building on campus.Dorothy Welsh Blalock, "Margaret Shove Morris, Psi, Dean of Women, Brown University" The Anchora of Delta Gamma (January 1928): 108-109. Her name was sometimes lampooned as "Peggy Push" (from "Margaret Shove"), to emphasize her assertive style of leadership. In 1951, Brown established a Margaret S. Morriss Scholarship in her honor. A dormitory built in 1960 was named for Morriss.Morriss Hall, Pembroke Quad, Brown University.
From 1917 to 1920, during World War I, she joined the Young Women's Christian Association efforts in France, Germany, and New York,Untitled news item, Hartford Courant (October 15, 1917): 9. via Newspapers.com as director of recreation for nurses."News of the Nurses" Liaison: The Courier of the Big Gun Corps (March 27, 1920): 454. During World War II, she was president of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) (1937-1941)"University Women to Aid British Sisters" Nebraska State Journal (October 6, 1940): 2. via Newspapers.com and president of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (1941). In 1965 the Connecticut chapter of the AAUW established an international fellowship in her name.
Personal life Morriss was a member of the Society of Friends, the National Consumers League, and the League of Women Voters. She was also vice president of the Association of Women Deans.
Morriss died in 1975, aged 90 years."Dr. Morriss, Ex-Dean of Pembroke, 90, Dies" Bridgeport Post (January 23, 1975): 36. via Newspapers.com
References