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1920-01-14 [1921]
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vassar:44181,vcl_Letters_Aaron_Fannie_1921-02_009
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: Page 1, vcl_Letters_Aaron_Fannie_1921-02_009
January 14, 1920 [1921]
Dear Mother, Father, and Pete:
I believe that this is the date I have dated my letters for the past three days. Don't send me a calendar, Pete, because I have three already.
I don't like to acknowledge the time I woke up this morning to study for our chem oral quiz. However, it was five-thirty, and then it was so bitter cold that I waited a half hour lettering the room warm up before starting to study. The maddening part of it was that we didn't cover nearly as much as we were supposed to, and therefore I could have slept till seven. That is very hard on anyone who likes sleep as much as I do. I was so dead yesterday after three hours of lab that I finished my history topic after dinner and went to bed at nine.
Miss Salmon gave a long dissertation this morning on marks. She says she hates them, hates them to the nth degree, and that the only reason she gave them and will keep on giving them is that she must conform to the rules of the college. She hates honors, too. She said she could not say that she thought that a girl who inherits a good brain and who doesn't study much deserves honors more than a girl of average mentality who does good, hard work. The other night she had the officers of all the classes, of all the organizations of importance, and the editors of the Miscellany News out to her house to discuss the question. She wants them to start a campaign of discussion in the News, in the hope of waking people up and eventually abolishing marks. She says that that is one of the chief causes for what she is constantly talking about--the falling off of intellectual interest in the student bodies of the colleges. Miss Brown of the history department, who lives with Miss Salmon, told the girls afterwards that no reform of any importance had ever been brought about at Vassar which had not been instigates by Miss Salmon. Incidentally, she said in connection with the subject, that she never yet had been satisfied with a mark that she gave and didn't imagine any student had ever been satisfied with the mark she received, but she had one thing to ask of us--that we shouldn't ask her why we get the mark we do, because she would not be able to explain it. All of which is very interesting, provided she gives us decent marks! I admit I am not sufficiently developed mentally to be able to forget the existence of makrs. I would be a lot happier if I could, but they certainly are in the foreground most of the time to most of the people.
We are reviewing in class in Ec. I certainly like the stuff.
There has been skating for two days now. I had planned to try my luck this afternoon, for the first time in two years. but it snowed all night and is rainy and sleety now, and there is no skating today. The Ice Carnival was scheduled to take place tomorrow night. I hope it won't be interfered with. I shall compromise and go walking this afternoon.
Love, Fannie
Dear Mother, Father, and Pete:
I believe that this is the date I have dated my letters for the past three days. Don't send me a calendar, Pete, because I have three already.
I don't like to acknowledge the time I woke up this morning to study for our chem oral quiz. However, it was five-thirty, and then it was so bitter cold that I waited a half hour lettering the room warm up before starting to study. The maddening part of it was that we didn't cover nearly as much as we were supposed to, and therefore I could have slept till seven. That is very hard on anyone who likes sleep as much as I do. I was so dead yesterday after three hours of lab that I finished my history topic after dinner and went to bed at nine.
Miss Salmon gave a long dissertation this morning on marks. She says she hates them, hates them to the nth degree, and that the only reason she gave them and will keep on giving them is that she must conform to the rules of the college. She hates honors, too. She said she could not say that she thought that a girl who inherits a good brain and who doesn't study much deserves honors more than a girl of average mentality who does good, hard work. The other night she had the officers of all the classes, of all the organizations of importance, and the editors of the Miscellany News out to her house to discuss the question. She wants them to start a campaign of discussion in the News, in the hope of waking people up and eventually abolishing marks. She says that that is one of the chief causes for what she is constantly talking about--the falling off of intellectual interest in the student bodies of the colleges. Miss Brown of the history department, who lives with Miss Salmon, told the girls afterwards that no reform of any importance had ever been brought about at Vassar which had not been instigates by Miss Salmon. Incidentally, she said in connection with the subject, that she never yet had been satisfied with a mark that she gave and didn't imagine any student had ever been satisfied with the mark she received, but she had one thing to ask of us--that we shouldn't ask her why we get the mark we do, because she would not be able to explain it. All of which is very interesting, provided she gives us decent marks! I admit I am not sufficiently developed mentally to be able to forget the existence of makrs. I would be a lot happier if I could, but they certainly are in the foreground most of the time to most of the people.
We are reviewing in class in Ec. I certainly like the stuff.
There has been skating for two days now. I had planned to try my luck this afternoon, for the first time in two years. but it snowed all night and is rainy and sleety now, and there is no skating today. The Ice Carnival was scheduled to take place tomorrow night. I hope it won't be interfered with. I shall compromise and go walking this afternoon.
Love, Fannie
