Today’s students know Pope as the name of a residence hall. But, to those who attended Bridgewater throughout much of the first half of the 20th century, S. Elizabeth Pope was a prominent figure in their college experience.
Pope was more than an administrator; she was an inspiring mentor who students both feared and admired.
Named For
S. Elizabeth Pope
The Backstory
A native of the Dorchester section of Boston, S. Elizabeth Pope was an omnipresent force on campus for generations of students.
Serving as dean of women for several decades until her retirement in 1955, Pope was a feared yet respected disciplinarian who held students to a high standard. Many dreaded receiving a letter telling them to report to her office.
Pope strove to create a level playing field for Bridgewater graduates, who she worried lacked the social graces of their peers from Harvard. Thus, Pope regularly taught a class in fine manners that included a formal meal in Tillinghast Hall. She also taught generations of students how to properly serve tea.
“It has been through your untiring guidance as dean of women, instructor, advisor and friend that you have made the word – teachers – into a way of life,” the editors of the 1956 yearbook wrote in dedicating the publication to Pope.
For 15 years after retiring as dean of women, Pope served as the executive secretary for the Bridgewater Alumni Association. Today, the Pope Society (named after her) recognizes donors who give $1,000-9,999 in a year to the BSU Foundation.
Built in 1960, Pope Hall helped alleviate a space crunch for housing on campus. The building underwent a significant renovation and expansion in 2008 and 2009.
Use Today
Located in West Campus on the corner of Park Avenue and Summer Street, Pope Hall houses 339 residents and eight RAs. Students live in double and triple rooms within the five-story building.
Material in this article comes from a Fall 2005 Bridgewater magazine article by John Winters, G’11, Not to be Ministered Unto, But to Minister: Bridgewater State University, 1840-2010 by Dr. Thomas R. Turner, and the 1956 yearbook, Alpha.