In the 1880s, President William Smith wanted Randolph-Macon to grow into a co-educational institution. The Board of Trustees, however, did not support this change, and the President's plan was never realized. Instead, he worked to found and becamed the president of Randolph-Macon Women's College in Lynchburg.

Women began attending R-MC before the transition to the co-education institution as day students. Typically, day students were either local women of Ashland or the daughters or wives of the R-MC faculty.

During the 1920s, woman throughout western society stepped out of "proper" place, the domestic sphere and began to participate openly in the public arena. The "new woman" was characterized by short, cropped hair, increased economic and poltiical agency, and a more open engagement with her sexuality.