Vassar College Digital Library

Adams, Ruth | to family, n.d.:

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Date
n.d.
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Transcript file(s)
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Identifier
vassar:8695,Box 1,VCL_Letters_Adams_Ruth_1904_004
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1 item
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: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004001
,Sept. 24, 1900 ,
Vassar
Sunday.
Dear People:-
This is absolutely the first moment I have had to sit down
with nothing to do except when I was so tired I lay down and couldn't
think of a thing. X haven't had a moment so far to be home sick in, per-
haps it will come later when we get settled. To begin at the very beginning.
Cora and I got safely to New York and caught the un train, after sustain-
ing several minutes of suspence while waiting in the tunnel. There weren't
any norters there but we manage to rush across, though it nearly

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004002
pulled the
sockets out of our arms. The ride up the river was perfectly lovely. We
looked over at West Point as we came along. It's just in the prettiest t>art.
Then when we got to Poughkeepsie Miss Ellery met us and took us up to the
College. She is very nice and has a room next but one to ours. She wishes
me to tell Papa the train men didn't steal her trunk strans. First we had
to register. Tell our name and address and age and father's name and all
about us to one person who filled out a blank which we had to take to another
person who filled out another blank. This person knew Dr. Taylor would
like to speak with me for my

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004003
father's sake. So I waited and went into his
study. He was very pleasant. Then we had to go to the Treasurer's office
with the last blank we got. Some of Cora's sister's friends took us around
too and were perfectly lovely. I think I shall probably have a crush on one
of them named Helen Stork. She's just as sweet as she can be. First we
handed in our blank at one window and answered questions for another
which we took to another window where we should have payed our $290 if we had had it. (Cora didn't have her's either) Well the man made a fuss and would--

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004004
n't give us our paper saying we had made satisfactory arrangements and didn't know what could be done. We began to think we would have go to the town for the night. Miss Stork was furious and rushed around and finally after dinner about 2 we got our papers and went into the parlor to wait our turn to see Mrs. Kendrick who hasn't gone away, but is going after a little. After waiting two hours we saw her and got our keys and at last got into our room. It is a very good one and we are very fortunate to be on the campus. Lots of freshmen are out somewhere in board--

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004005
ing houses. It must be perfectly horrid. Nobody seems to know exactly how many there are in our class, but it's very large. And it's such a nice class, such lost of attractive girls. We have two twins (I don't know as you say two) who are just a pretty as they can be and look and dress just alike. You can't tell them apart, at least at first. Everybody is wild about them. Then there are lots of other nice girls. Lucille Stimnson (if you spell it that way) is awfully nice and her roommates Edith Hawes and Florence Pelton. Then there is a Lucy Atwater we like very much.

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004006
She rooms with Miss Dimock. (The Morrises friend you know) and a Mary Thompson who seems much older but very jolly and lively. Miss D. isn't so very nice, I wish you could see the neckties she has hung over her gas jet. We picked in the other night when we were in with Lucy and she was out, About 2 or 3 dozen I should say. We have a table all arranged for that i3 who is to sit at it. But the tables aren't assigned yet, not till next week some time. The first 3 meals we got taken to the senior table, that is the one

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004007
at the head of the room where the senior president sits. That's a great honor you know. I don't know what would have happened to me if Cora hadn't been with me. I am very glad nobody came un with me. Some of the Mothers that come up make a great disturbance. They go In to Mrs. Kendrick and talk and talk and talk and never seem to realize that there are hundreds of others beside their daughters to be seen. Then they make such fusses about their daughters rooms. Oh their daughters haven't been used to it at all. Some

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004008
thing has got to be done. And of course there can't. It's much better to come up alone.
We had such a fine sermon from President T this morning. He only preaches twice a year. The first and last Sundays.
Saturday evening there was a reception by the President for the freshmen and teachers such a crush and jam I never was in and such noise. Everybody had to shout to be heard above the noise so of course you can imagine what it was like with so many people shouting at the ton of their lungs. I met any number of

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004009
people and can't remember any of their names but they can remember mine so it's all right. I saw Miss Leach who wished to be remembered to you. She was awfully nice. I haven't seen Miss Salmon yet. She was well. I didn't have anything proper to wear but others didn't either so I don't mind. I wish I had some more musilins (how do you spell it) or some wash dresses like that; they wear them so much. I hone to find my other dresses tomorrow. Perhaps you would like to hear about our room though I haven't much more time

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004010
I have been writing for dear life and expecting to have somebody come in every moment. It was such a joke the first night. Cora and I were tired and had gone to bed when suddenly we had some callers Lucille and Edith and some seniors. The first I knew they were Bounding on the door. They were very much amused to find us in bed; but we received them with great dignity. Well, about my room. It is like this
We are going to put a curtain over the door in the middle and make the front part the bed room

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004011
But we can't find anything decient for portiers. Poughkeepsie
is a dreadfully one horse little place you can't get anything. I got a desk
for ten dollars which I don't think particularly nice. (I mean for the price) It certainly was very expensive. W e may decide to have you get us some burlap and send it. Do you suppose you could? Our carpet is blue and the walls painted a sort of yellow tan They are dreadfully high with no fuze. We got some pretty curtains in tan $1.50 with blue lines which are very pretty but not quite broad enough. We haven't quite decided what to do about it yet. We have put my flag up

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004012
as a portier over the door into the hall and it's stunning every body admires it so. It's just the right sine. This afternoon we went for a long walk with a senior. I would tell you her name only I don't know how to spell
and Cora is lying down. We aren't much settled for we only have one
bureau and they haven't brought the other yet* So things are all over
Then it's so hard to hang the pictures we have to climb way up on the top
of the ladder and reach as far as you can then.
Lots of love
Ruth.
Miss Ellery is Dr. Baldwins Assis. I met him. They call him Jimmie.
She doesn't.

 


: VCLLettersAdamsRuth1904004013
I know this is dreadfully written and full of mis^takes, but I haven't a
moment to look it over. How I am to write regularly 2 a week I don't know.