Myra Beach Jordan

Dean of Women 1902-1922

Myra Beach Jordan, the new dean of the women of the literary department, whose maiden name was Myra Beach, was born in Calhoun County, Mich., near Battle Creek, March 17, 1864. She was graduated from the Battle Creek High School in 1881, and for eight years thereafter she taught in the Battle Creek schools. In 1889 Miss Beach entered the literary department of the University and remained two years.

In 1891 she became a teacher of English and history in the Salt Lake City High School. After two years in this position, in August of 1893, she was married to Mr. Fred P. Jordan, assistant in the general library in charge of the catalog. Since returning to Ann Arbor as a faculty woman, Mrs. Jordan has been active in the religious and charitable work of the city and University, and especially in social work among the University girls. She has been most of the time on the advisory board of the Women’s League, for a portion of the time president of the Hospital Circle of the King’s Daughters, and continuously chairman of the committee on work for children in the hospitals.

The duties of her present position include no teaching, but are instead of an advisory—or, should occasion require, disciplinary — nature. Its effects must come largely through her personal contact and personal influence with the young women of the University. In furtherance of this purpose, “organization” and red tape will be depended upon to the smallest possible degree; informal personal acquaintance to the very greatest. She hopes to make the women’s building the center of the social—using social in the broadest sense—life of the University women. With this end in view, the office of the women’s dean has been moved from the faculty room to the parlors of the women’s gymnasium. Informal “at homes” will be held there also from four to six one day of each week. The informal nature of these meetings will be insisted upon.

The Michigan Alumnus, October 1, 1902, Page 18

Memorial

Myra Beach Jordan, ’93, who was responsible for the organization and establishment of social life of the women on Campus when she served as Dean of Women, and in whose honor Jordan Hall (women’s residence hall) was named, died at her home in Ann Arbor, October 23. She had been in failing health since the death of her husband, Frederick Parker Jordan, ’79, last March. Mrs. Jordan was appointed as the University’s second Dean of Women in 1902, occupying that position until her retirement in 1922. Famous for her ability to call every girl on Campus by name during her first years as Dean, Mrs. Jordan organized and established the first League houses and later helped to interest alumni in residences for women, assisting in obtaining Martha Cook, Helen Newberry and Betsy Barbour dormitories. She wrote the first Junior Girls’ play, and inaugurated the now traditional Senior dinner preceding the play organized Senior Society, and honorary society for independent women; and established Wyvern, junior honorary society.

Born in Calhoun county, Michigan, March 17, 1863, Mrs. Jordan attended Battle Creek High school before entering the University, where she became a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She taught at Salt Lake City for a period after two years an undergraduate at the University, returning to Ann Arbor in 1893. It was at this time that she married Mr. Jordan, an Assistant Librarian at the University for many years.

After retiring from active work at the University, the Jordans lived in Italy and traveled abroad for two years, and later made many return trips. They had spent the last ten years in Ann Arbor. Alice Lloyd, present Dean of Women, said: “Mrs. Jordan built well for the women of Michigan in establishing finer living standards and in giving special attention to organization which would be of value in student government and in the development of leadership. The finest memorial she can have is found in the many organizations which she originated and supported and which are still a vital part in the life of the women of Michigan.”

Faculty Senate