30 Interesting Vintage Photographs That Show What Life Looked Like in Female Dorm Rooms in the 1950s

Most colleges and universities provide single or multiple occupancy rooms for their students, usually at a cost. These buildings consist of many such rooms, like an apartment building, and the number of rooms varies quite widely from just a few to hundreds.

In the United States, residence halls are sometimes segregated by sex, with men living in one group of rooms, and women in another. Some dormitory complexes are single-sex with varying limits on visits by persons of each sex.

These interesting vintage photographs captured what life looked like in female dorm rooms in the 1950s.

Students in a dorm room share a telephone, 1951.

A student 'studies' in her dorm room, 1951.

A student hugs her pillow while sleeping in her dorm room, 1951.

A sleepy student grabs for her alarm clock, 1951.

Students contemplate cleaning a messy dorm room, 1951.

A student enlists the aid of her friends to select the proper dress for the night, 1951.

Students relax in a dorm room, 1953.

A student opens a care package from home in her dorm room, 1953.

Students at work in their dorm room, 1953.

Students play records and knit while relaxing in their dorm room, 1953.

Students play cards and relax in the dorms, 1953.

Students study and relax in their dorm room, 1956.

A student packs her suitcase in the dorms, 1956.

Students listen to music on an LP record player in a dorm room, 1956.

Students relax in a dorm room, 1956.

A dorm room in Main Building, 1959.

A student studies in her dorm room, 1959.

A student lounges while studying in her dorm room, 1950s.

Students study in their dorm room, 1950s.

Students gather to study in the dorms, 1950s.

Students study and relax in their dorm room, 1950s.

Students play records in their dorm room, 1950s.

Students play cards in the dorms, 1950s.

A student makes herself comfortable while talking on the telephone in the 1950s.

Students talk on the phone and relax in their dorm room, 1950s.

Students play cards and socialize in the dorms, 1950s.

Students study graphs in their dorm room, 1950s.

A student studies in her dorm room, 1950s.

Students studying in their dorm room, 1950s.

Students share a laugh while talking on a sofa in the dorms, 1950s.

(Images © Vassar College, Archives & Special Collections)