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Description: TEAL POLYESTER SEMI-FORMAL DRESS HAS V-SHAPE NECK WITH CAP SLEEVES. KNIFE PLEAT ON THE SHOULDER SEAM. DRESS IS FITTED AT THE WAIST AND HAS A BELT OF THE SAME MATERIAL THROUGH TWO STRING BELT LOOPS AND FASTENS WITH A RECTANGULAR PLASTIC BUCKLE AND HOLES. THE SKIRT FALLS TO AROUND THE KNEE AND IS FAIRLY FITTED WITH ONLY TWO KNIFE PLEATS ON EITHER SIDE OF THE WAIST. THE REVERSE IS THE SAME EXCEPT THERE ARE TWO DARTS ON THE BUTTOCKS AND IT HAS A SEAM DOWN THE CENTER OF THE SKIRT WHICH ENDS IN A KICK PLEAT. THERE IS A ZIPPER ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TORSO. THE WAIST AND ZIPPER ARE LINED WITH A GREEN RIBBON ON THE INSIDE, AND THE HEM A BLUE RIBBON. THE MATERIAL IS SHINY WITH GREEN, BLUE, AND PURPLE CHECK DESIGN DEPENDING ON THE LIGHT.

History: THIS DRESS WAS WORN UNDER THE DOCTORAL ROBES DUE TO THE COMPLEMENTS OF COLOURS OF THE DRESS AND SATIN, AND THE DONOR FELT IT FILLED THE NECK IN WELL. DONOR DR. ISABEL WILKINS WAS BORN IN CALGARY IN 1907 AND GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL THERE. AFTER HIGH SCHOOL SHE ATTENDED CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL TO BECOME A TEACHER. AFTER TWO YEARS SHE HAD SAVED ENOUGH MONEY TO GO TO UNIVERSITY IN EDMONTON. IN 1930 SHE GRADUATED AS B.A. GOLD MEDALLIST AND THEN BEGAN WORK AT THE LETHBRIDGE COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE WHERE SHE STAYED TEACHING AN ESTIMATED 7,000-10,000 STUDENTS UNTIL HER RETIREMENT IN 1971. SHE MARRIED DR. FRANK WILKINS, A PIONEER LETHBRIDGE OPTOMETRIST. IN 1942 SHE OBTAINED AN M.A. THROUGH SUMMER SESSIONS AT MCGILL AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA. HER THESIS WAS "A COMPARISON OF SIR WALTER SCOTT AND PROSPER MERIMEE IN THE FIELD OF THE HISTORIC NOVEL." IN 1947 THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF LAVAL SHE COMPLETED HER PH.D. "MAGNA CUM LAUDE". THIS THESIS WAS "AN IN-DEPTH STUDY OF CANADA DURING THE DOZEN YEARS PRIOR TO THE END OF THE FRENCH REGIME, BASED ON A RECENTLY-DISCOVERED SERIES OF PRIVATE LETTERS WRITTEN AT THAT TIME, IN THE FORM OF A DIARY ('LA CORRESPONDANCE DE MADAME BEGON')." SHE DID POST-DOCTORAL WORK AT SORBONNE FROM 1964-1965. SEE ATTACHED PICTURE OF DONOR, AND ATTACHED DOCUMENTATION FOR FURTHER PERSONAL AND ARTIFACT HISTORY. ALSO SEE BRUCE HAIG'S "WHO'S WHO IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA 1988-1989." P.849.