Margaret Bell (1888–1969) was the Professor of Hygiene and Physical Education, Chairman of the Program of Physical Education for Women, and in charge of the Women's Medical Service at the Health Service at the University of Michigan from 1923 to 1957. She became a full professor at the University of Michigan in 1924. When the Department of School Health and Physical Education of the National Education Association and the American Physical Education Association merged in 1938 and became the American Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation in 1939, Bell was named the first president of the new organization.
The Bell Pool at the University of Michigan is named in her honor."BHL: Margaret Bell Papers 1919-1956." BHL: Margaret Bell Papers 1919-1956. http://quod.lib.umich.edu/b/bhlead/umich-bhl-861055?rgn=Entire+Finding+Aid;view=text;q1=margaret+bell . March, 1987. Accessed March 30, 2015.
Bell was a fellow of the American College of Physicians).
Life, education, and professional career Bell was born in 1888 in Chicago. She was the daughter of Frank Elliot and Elizabeth T. Bell. She went to the John Dewey Laboratory School in Chicago. Bell graduated from Sargent Normal School of Physical Education in 1910, and received her Bachelor of Science from University of Chicago in 1915. She graduated from the Trudeau School of Tuberculosis in 1920, and later received her M.D. from Rush Medical School in 1921. She received a certificate from the San Francisco Hospital in 1923. She did post graduate work at the University of Chicago, University of Michigan, Vienna, Austria, and New York Post Graduate School of Medicine.
Bell was an instructor of Physical Education and Recreation in many institutions in Chicago, including South Park Playground in 1910, Englewood High School, Teachers College, and the University of Chicago.Bell, Margaret. Biography of Margaret Bell. Revised 2 August 1944. Box 1, Biography Folder. Michigan Historical Collections. Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor, MI. 4 February 2015.
Bell began as an Associate Professor of Hygiene and Physical Education at the University of Michigan in 1923, and became a full Professor of Hygiene and Physical Education for Women in 1924. She was also the chairman of the Department of Physical Education for Women, and was head of the women's medical service at the Health Service in 1923–24. Through these two roles, Bell was able to put all students at the university on the same footing to receive all privileges of the Health Service and gymnasium. During World War II, she also served on the University War Board, as a member of the Committee on Contributions of Physical Education and Health Fields to War program. She also served on the Governing Board of the Michigan League.Bell, Margaret. Offices held by Dr. Margaret Bell in educational organizations. Box 1, Biography Folder. Michigan Historical Collections. Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor, MI. 4 February 2015.
Bell was an advocate for women's athletics, both at the University of Michigan and nationally. She served as president of the Mid-West Directors of Physical Education for Women in Colleges and Universities from 1930 to 1932, and also, on the Program Committee of the National Directors of Physical Education for Women in Colleges and Universities in 1933-35. She was an active member of the American Physical Education Association, serving on the Executive Committee and Legislative Board of the Women's Athletic Section.
Margaret Bell never married, and died in 1969.
Department of Physical Education for Women Margaret Bell was a firm advocate for women's athletics and physicality. Despite the belief of others in her time—that athletic competition was harmful to women, both psychologically and sociologically—she believed that intense competition was important for women to explore their role as women, wives, and mothers. She believed it was important for women to participate in all sports, as it helped them socially and emotionally.Peckham, Howard H. "The Golden Years." In The Making of the University of Michigan, 1817-1967, 107. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1967.
Under her tenure as Chairman of the Program of Physical Education for Women, women's athletics grew extensively. When Bell arrived at the University of Michigan, women had both separate gymnasiums and fields than the men. Women met and played in the Barbour Gymnasium, which had been built in 1896 as the counterpart to the all-male Waterman Gymnasium, and women played on Palmer Field, the counterpart to the all-male Ferry Field.Bell, Margaret. Michigan Alumnus, January 4, 1936. Box 3, Publications. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collections. Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor, MI. 20 February 2015. Bell was director of the Barbour Gymnasium and helped fight to raise money to expand the physical education facilities for women. As Chairman of the Program of Physical Education for Women, Bell overlooked the activities that occurred at Barbour Gymnasium and Palmer Field, including physical education courses, dances, and open gymnasium times where women could come and meet other female students from around the university.
In 1927, when the famous Michigan Stadium, or "Big House", was built, the Board in Control of Athletics also gave $250,000 for a field and field house for women. The board admitted that improvements were needed in intercollegiate athletics, something that Bell had been trying to prove since she arrived at the university. Before these improvements, Palmer Field was uneven land, difficulty to play on. Palmer Field was leveled out at that time, and the field house was erected. She finally received the money for women's athletics, and a Women's Athletics Building was built on Palmer Field, between the campus and the Detroit ObservatoryPeckham, Howard H. "Embattled President Little." In The Making of the University of Michigan, 1817-1967, 184. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1967. The Women's Athletic Building was demolished in 1975 to make room for the Central Campus Recreation Building on campus. It stood where the Central Campus Recreation Building and the Margaret Bell Pool stand today.Women's Athletic Building. Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan. Retrieved March 21, 2015, from
She aspired to have health examinations become a fundamental aspect of the physical education system. In the years between 1930 and 1944, Bell wrote extensively about health examinations. World War II, especially, solidified the need for these examinations in Bell's mind. She believed that in order for women to efficiently replace men in their jobs while they were off at war, there was an immense need for women to engage in healthy habits, such as sufficient amounts of sleep, relaxation and meditation, mental hygiene, and regular exercise. Bell believed the best way to monitor the success of women following this plan was to encourage family doctors to fill out a physical examination form that would include information on health history, examination findings, any diagnoses, and the doctor's recommendations for each female student and her health. She wanted these medical cards to be filed in schools and made available to the appropriate school faculty.Bell, Margaret. Health Examinations. Box 2, Articles – Health Examinations Folder. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collections. Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor, MI. 4 February 2015.
Bell also encouraged her students to become physical education teachers, as she recognized her own vocation as one that truly developed young people into full, healthy adults.Bell, Margaret. Physical Education as a Vocation. Box 3, Publications Folder. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collections. Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor, MI. 12 February 2015. She believed that physical education did more than help develop muscles, but in the end, also helped mental and moral culture. She was very proud of her occupation, and wanted to ensure that future youth could also develop in the same way that she felt she developed her students. She gave talks on multiple campuses, trying to ignite interest in a career in physical education in female students across the east and Midwest.Bell, Margaret. Needs of Youth and Contributions of Physical Education. Box 3, Publications Folder. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collections. Bentley Historical Library, Ann Arbor, MI. 12 February 2015.
Margaret Bell Pool
Perhaps Bell's biggest accomplishment was the creation of an all women's pool in 1954, which Bell believed was a necessity for the 5400 female students attending the University of Michigan. It was a million dollar swimming pool for women, financed from a grant given by the Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics. The board gave the Women's Physical Education Department $3,500,000, and the pool used up $1,000,000 of this.Bell, Margaret. Letter to McPhee, Harry R., 29 March 1954. Box 2, Articles – Athletic Competition for Women: AAU Folder. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collection, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI. In 1922, Bell wrote to the University President Marion Burton that women's athletics' first priority was to have their own swimming pool.Bell, Margaret. Letter to Burton, Marion, 27 August 1922. Box 6, Bell, Margaret – Budget Records for Barbour Gymnasium, 1918/19, 1922/23 Folder. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collection, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI. Though it took a while to come into fruition, Bell admitted it was "the rare institution that has facilities and staff" that helped promote women's teams. She was proud that the University of Michigan was one of the leaders in this area.Bell, Margaret. Letter to Louise Freer, 14 June 1928. Box 5, Bell, Margaret – Department of Physical Education for Women – Questionnaires, 1924-1928 Folder. Margaret Bell Collection. Michigan Historical Collection, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI.
It was named the Bell Pool in honor of Margaret Bell in 1966, at the recommendation of H.O. Crisler, the Athletic Director at the time. Before this, it was simply referred to as the Women's Swimming Pool."Margaret Bell Women's Swimming Pool." Margaret Bell Women's Swimming Pool. 2003. Accessed February 16, 2015. http://umhistory.dc.umich.edu/mort/central/Observatory Street/Margaret Bell Swimming Pool/index.html. Michigan's Central Campus Recreational Building was later added on to the Bell Pool in 1976, and both remain in the same location on campus today."Bell Pool (CCRB)." 2013. Accessed March 16, 2015.
Local and national involvement Due to Dr. Margaret Bell's reputation throughout her life in the field of physical education, Bell was asked to serve on many committees throughout her life.