Interview with Peggy Geiger Stewart, class of 1943
By Julia Stringfellow
June 17, 2006
1. Could you please state your name?
Peggy Geiger Stewart
2. When did you graduate from Lawrence?
1943
3. What was your degree in?
French, with a minor in German.
4. Why did you decide to attend Lawrence?
Well, mostly it was for family. I had a sister in Oshkosh, and I wanted to go to a small liberal arts college. And I got a scholarship, so that did it. But I never saw the campus until I got here.
5. What was your first impression of the campus?
I was awed, beautiful buildings.
6. And what was the transition like between high school and college?
It was quite difficult actually; I had the shock of my life. I didn’t have to work very much in high school to get good grades, but I had to work here. And I didn’t know how to discipline myself studying. I spent too much time at the Union learning how to play bridge
That’s important, learning how to play bridge.
It’s a skill I still use.
7. What were some of the organizations or activities on campus that you were a part of?
I was afraid you were going to ask me that because I can’t remember. I know French Club was one. I was a Kappa Alpha Theta, and I enjoyed that a lot. That was the social life; we had wonderful dances with big bands. But I can’t remember much else. I know it was good that there were not sorority houses because this enabled me to make friends everywhere, in the dorm and so forth, in classes, instead of being more isolated, which was good, very good. I made a lot of friends.
8. What were some of the traditions here at Lawrence? I know that the ROCK was a big deal.
I’m trying to remember, I’m not sure if this was authorized by the college, the end of the year we’d all go up for a picnic out at High, the end of the lake, High Point I think it was called. High Cliff, and then had a big picnic and big bonfire, it was a big deal. I can’t remember…
We can move on if you want to.
I think we’d better move on.
9. Was there a teacher or teachers here that strongly influenced you?
Yes, Anne Jones was a French teacher, was my mentor, and matter of fact, when I eventually got to France, she gave me the name of a friend to look up that made a big difference in my stay. I went there right at the end of the war, World War II, that is.
10. What effect did the Second World War have on Lawrence? How did it change campus?
Tremendous impact, tremendous. I remember being in the dormitory when we heard the news of Pearl Harbor. And the following Monday morning we gathered in the Chapel for Convocation to listen to FDR’s speech. You never forget it, ever, ever. And we lost boys right and left. They left almost immediately and never saw them again. Can I inject something here?
Sure, go ahead.
I do remember this wonderful year where they had the reunion called the Fractured Forties. It was wonderful because you don’t make friends with just people in your class. And I met boys that I hadn’t seen since Pearl Harbor, because they left to go in the service and when they returned I had already graduated, So we never saw each other again, so that was just wonderful.
11. What dorms did you live in while you were here at Lawrence and what was living in the dorms like?
Oh, well I lived in Ormsby my freshman year, and then Sophomore, Junior, and Senior in Sage. I kept losing roommates, though, the first one committed suicide at Christmastime. So then I had another roommate, and she left to get married. Then I had a third one and she left to get married. And then my senior year I lived in a cottage, which was next to Sage, and that was a real privilege. We had our own key and felt very grown-up. I think there were twelve of us. And it had a big impact on me. And just being at Lawrence, has had tremendous influence in my life.
My friend Marjorie and I are lifelong friends forever and ever. I have other friends, my husband will say instead of saying somebody died, they fell overboard, almost all of our friends have fallen overboard. It means a lot to keep in touch with them. And I couldn’t have gotten the job I got during the war if I hadn’t had my degree. Marjorie and I took a correspondence course in Cryptography. When we graduated, we both had jobs with the Sigma Corps in Washington. She was married right when we graduated, she had already went to Washington, her husband was in the service. Anyway, from there I went to London and stayed in London until the war was over. And then I went to Paris for a year, lived and worked. If I hadn’t had my degree, who knows where I would have landed. And everybody laughed at me. When they asked me where I would like to be assigned and I said, “ Paris,” it was still occupied by the Nazis at that point. But I said, “I’ll wait,” and was sent to London, which was a step in the right direction.
12. That’s very interesting. When you’re back at Lawrence as an alum, how is it that Lawrence and the campus have changed and how is it that you feel like you were a student here yesterday?
Well Main Hall makes me feel like it was just yesterday, very little of it has changed other than taking out the stairway. I’m awed by all the new buildings and getting used to them. I don’t know my way around. Yes, I have to say my heart was pounding a little when I drove into town, just like 63 years ago! I’m very impressed with the direction the school is taking, proud to be a part of it. And less and less do I have to explain that it’s just plain Lawrence and not Saint or Sarah. I went East right after graduation and have lived there ever since. People out there don’t know Lawrence.
I think people are starting to learn more about it.
We’re going to make a mark with Oxford, that is so exciting.
13. Well, what were some other ways that Lawrence helped when you left and when you went on and did your work overseas and then in other areas of your life. How has Lawrence influenced that?
Well, I guess I can say that after coming back from Europe, I attended a wedding here in Appleton, one of my friends from Lawrence, Martha Boyd Siekman. I was one of her bridesmaids, and that was how I met my husband, who did not go to Lawrence. He was visiting; he was a guest at the wedding. That was how we met, and we’ve been married ever since. So I would ay that was a direct tie to Lawrence. I wish I could remember more about what the Thetas did, they had fun, they had wonderful dances, we had big bands you know, that was a big deal. Homecoming Weekend was a big deal.
14. Now what were some of the activities that went on during Homecoming?
We had a parade of course, downtown on College Avenue. The Theta float had something to do with live horses, and this poor sorority came behind us and well….oh dear, I think their theme was something about cleaning up Lawrence.
15. Do you think that was planned, the order of the floats?
I don’t think so. I like to think it was. It was a pretty bizarre sense of humor, oh dear. Why can’t I think of more to tell you?
16. Were there any activities that occurred as a result of the Lawrence football team and then the team that we would be playing for Homecoming, like any type of rivalry?
Oh yeah, there was a lot of that. With Ripon, Beloit, there was the parade, the game, a formal dance; we wore pretty dresses and long white coats. I didn’t do anything like that in high school. It was pretty special.
17. What was the relationship like between the students and the faculty and the administration here at Lawrence?
Well, one thing I remember clearly is the president used to walk a lot on campus, and he knew everybody’s name, it was President Barrows. But as far as interaction, there was still that little distance between student and teacher, it wasn’t like it is today, and everybody was Miss or Doctor, more formal in a way. Of course I had a professor I didn’t like because I think he didn’t like women.
18. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I can think of gathering in the chapel for convocation and hearing President Tarr.
19. What were some other interesting convocations in the chapel?
We met every week, we had to meet. It was required. There were a lot of hangovers from the origin of the college because it was based on, I think it was Methodist. As a result, of course there was no drinking allowed. And no question, if we were caught, that was it. Out you went, there was no recourse. I went to a party, and somebody spiked the punch. I still didn’t know what it was, I was so naïve, it had a funny taste. And walking back to the dormitory, I was having some trouble. And then I was terrified, if I was caught, I would have been expelled right then and there. And I was perfectly innocent, I had no idea. Of course, they used to flash the lights at the dormitory at eleven o’clock at night to lock the doors.
20. No one could get in or out?
Right.
21. Did they do this for the men as well, or was it just for the women’s dorms?
I think it was just for the women, not for the men. You know how that went; they could do anything they wanted.
Oh, I know what I was going to tell you. It got very cold here in the wintertime. One time it was something like seventeen below zero. And the announcement came through that the administration would allow women to wear pants to class. How about that? And it was so cold; I can remember my forehead aching because that was the only thing that was exposed when I went outside. And we wore stadium boots all the time, because it was so cold. Imagine getting special permission to wear pants. That was a long time ago.
22. Is there anything else you can think of?
Wish I could.
Well, that is going to conclude this interview.