Vassar Female College,
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. February 11 1866

My Dear Father & Mother

I enjoy writing home very much but I should like it better if I had something interesting to write about so that I might have the satisfaction when they are finished that they were worth reading but that cant be helped so must endured like writing Compositions we have them for the first time tomorrow I have mine done, the subject English
language but it is a very small thing in my opinion some of the girls cried all yesterday afternoon but I do not intend to do that if it is hard work for me to get them done Prof Buckham asked Laura why she objected to writing them and she told him there was a lack of time and ideas. It is really warm to day it seems like a spring It was day It is so warm still there is considerable snow on the ground it snowed all day Thursday it is good sleighing we have been once but going with thirty girls and a teacher is a style I do not fancy and don't care to try It again I think the drives here will be beautiful in summer they are so much more hilly here than at home

Last Tuesday evening the President Invited the students to his parlors we did not care much about going as we knew what It would be before we went but as we had never been we concluded to go It was rather stupid no refreshments and no gentlemen but a good deal of dress some of the girls asked Miss Lyman if they should wear gloves she said certainly but we had none to wear so we went without nearly all had them on but I did not care. Miss Lyman wore black velvet, white kids and elegant laces Mr & Mrs Raymond stood in one corner and shook hands with the girls as they came in and went out, the warning bell rang and we dispersed to several rooms feeling tired and rather cross

I have just come up from chapel the sermon was on work Dr Raymond has three daughters and several sons but the sons are never seen here his eldest daughter is engaged her gentleman was at Chapel this afternoon he is quite an ordinary looking young man I am surprised one of his daughters should be engaged he is so very exact and particular

There are 350 students here now and there thirty more coming this week I think that the college will be full by that time the dining room is very nearly full now. Mamie asked some time since if our apples froze they did not we have bought a peck and a half since we have been here they cost 40 cts for every half peck but sometimes we want something so badly that we cannot
resist the temptation Perhaps Father will 
think that he bought us paper enough 
for us not to have had any more well 
he did but we just had two or three sheets 
of this to give you an idea how the college
looks also this photograph though I do 
not think you can get a very good idea 
from these. About the verses, Mother 
you can get the whole verse or just the 
name or promise as you choose. 
We have a Bible Class every evening 
most, the subject there is to recite texts 
on the efficacy of prayer. I think that 
bill of M. Buffinton's was enormous but 
she did a good deal of work and bought 
considerable trimmings. Has that bill 
ever been paid at the Hoop skirt store we 
took them to try and I forgot to say 
anything about it. The next time you 
write please send some of that elastic in 
One month has gone only five more 
Elisabeth Haviland has not been out 
to see us I think it is rather funny
I thought when I first came that we should 
not have exercise enough but I have given up that 
we have to go up sixty stairs to get to room 
from walking, besides trudging up and down 
all day
Hoping you are all well I remain
your loving daughter
Carrie
(Caroline E. Slade)