Two place cards. One says Pauline Spencer and includes an illustration of a girl holding a basketball. The other is for Julia Darrow and includes an illustration of a girl with her back to the viewer reading a newspaper article about the women's basketbal

Name table tents/place cards for Pauline Spencer, the first woman to receive an athletic letter at Iowa, and basketball player Julia Darrow. Early 1920s. C. Pauline Spencer Papers [IWA0627], Iowa Women’s Archives.

From curator Dr. Jennifer Sterling: 

C. Pauline Spencer graduated from the University of Iowa (then the State University of Iowa) in 1923 with a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education. She excelled at a number of sports offered by the Women’s Athletic Association (W.A.A.), including basketball, swimming (Seals Club), and track. The place cards of Spencer and teammate Julia Darrow and the related “Women’s Basket Ball” and W.A.A. banquet booklets – all from the 1920s – are evidence of the early commitment to, and support of, women’s athletics at Iowa. Both Pauline Spencer and her sister, Helen, earned multiple “I” letters from the W.A.A. for their athletic endeavors while at Iowa.

Black and white photo of 7 women in white puffy athletic pants and black sweaters with the letter I on the front. The caption says they are "I letter girls." This photo is from 1923.

Read more about 1923 women “I” letter winners in the Hawkeye Yearbook.