Vassar College Digital Library

Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) | to mother, Feb. 17, 1895:

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Date
February 17, 1895
Abstract
VC 1897
Transcript file(s)
Details
Identifier
vassar:24546,,Box 20,VCL_Letters_Mansfield_Adelaide_1897_045
Extent
1 item
Type
Rights
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: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897045001
Vassar College.
Feb. 17, 1895

My dear Mother, -

We heard from home, in a way, this morning, for Dr.Upham, of the First Baptist Church, preached for us- We liked him very much. I think I had heard him just once at home. Katharine Dunham had him over to Strong for lunch yesterday. It was very nice for her. Irene Lawrence, too, goes to his church, you know.

We have had an interesting week this week, with the climax last night when the "Trig. Cere

 


: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897045002
monies" came off. Every body said it was the best thing they had seen since they have been in college. Our committee, who wrote it, was very bright and put ever so many cute jokes in it- Ray was one of the committee. The grinds on the Faculty were very good, and not mean, and the Faculty took them beautifully- I never saw them laugh so much. Dr. Taylor chuckled right straight through, and nearly bent double with laughter. They always have the "Ceremonies" printed, so that you can read it and have the jokes explained in the summer time. Trigonometry was represented by a witch, Goody Trig, who was condemned to be burnt at the

 


: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897045003
stake. When they had Goody Trig, tied to the stake they brought out for fuel ^paper lamp-shades which the Board of Trustees have just forbidden us to use any more on account of the danger from fire, and Mrs. Kendrick had just put a notice on the bulletin board to the effect that we must all dispose of our lampshades immediately.

I represented Mrs. Kendrick, and I had to sit and knit, and chaperone A.B. - a Puritan maiden with whom '98 was in love, '98, you see, was trying to win A.B. The audience was very enthusiastic and the classes were more hilarious than I ever saw them. Each class cheered for itself, and then they all cheered for Dr. Taylor, and

 


: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897045004
Mrs. Kendrick, and some of the Professors.—between the acts. I thought Dr. Upham would think we were a pretty noisy set, but he did not know that this is the only occasion - the great occasion, in the year, when we carry on so.

I had a good deal of work in writing the invitations beforehand, on account of my being Secretary- I had to write separate invitations to all the Professors and teachers, and housekeepers and so on. But still I will not have nearly as much work as Secretary of our class, as Carrie has as Secretary of the Y.W.C.A.

This week I was appointed a member of the Devotional Committee of the Y.W.C.A. Ray is chairman of the missionary committee.

 


: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897045005
Last night Jo Sleight came and spent the night with us - She was here last year, but does not come this year. She lives only three miles from here, so she comes to see us quite often, and as an ex-student is entitled to spend one day in the college free. She slept In Carrie's bed. since Carrie was invited over to spend the night with Ellen Hailey at one of the cottages. Ellen, you know, is the girl with whom I spent most of my time during the Christmas vacation - We came back from New York together. She is going to become a doctor and is going to a [crossed out: medical] hospital first and be a nurse, for she is quite ^too young to enter a medical college. She is going to a hospital next year for she can not afford to go to college

 


: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897045006
any longer- (She is an orphan)- So she is a special this semester and takes only what she needs for entering medical college. There are so many who want to come into the college now that all the Specials are banished to live in the cottages- So poor Ellen had to leave us and go over to Mr. Wheeler's to live.

We have not heard from Mary for more than two weeks. The last we heard she was talking about spending the winter in Boston, where some friends invited her. But we do not know whether she is there or not. Her brother in Princeton Theological Seminary was very sick, so that her mother had to go there and leave her to keep house.

Friday afternoon I heard a very interesting lecture by Prof. John Howard White of Harvard-

 


: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897045007
It was, rather, a talk, for it was at the meeting of the Hellenic Society- composed of girls who take Greek- His subject was a Greek one. In the evening he lectured before the whole college on the "Old Greek Comedy". He was a very fluent and polished speaker. He is a famous authority on Greek subjects - a "big bug." He spent eight months of last year in Athens.

Miss Leach had a reception for him afterwards, to which she invited her Junior and Senior Greek classes, and they had ices and coffee for refreshments. I suppose Lou is happy now that her examinations are done- Poor girl, I am glad she is through with Hall and Knight.

I am glad to hear that Clarence is over the mumps- How funny for him to have them at his age.

Love to all, and especially to you, dear mother, from your loving
daughter Adelaide. [Claflin]