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Date
October 18, 1896
Abstract
VC 1897
Creator
Transcript file(s)
Subject (Topical)
Details
Identifier
vassar:24514,,Box 21,VCL_Letters_Mansfield_Adelaide_1897_073
Extent
1 item
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: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073001
Vassar College. Oct. 18. 1896.
My own dear Father,—
I am going to be energetic today, and write my letter now between Bible class and church. The Bible classes met for the first time this morning: it is a branch of T.W.C.A. work that has just been started up this year. Before this we had only the Bible lectures Sunday evenings; we still [crossed out: fa] have them, but we
My own dear Father,—
I am going to be energetic today, and write my letter now between Bible class and church. The Bible classes met for the first time this morning: it is a branch of T.W.C.A. work that has just been started up this year. Before this we had only the Bible lectures Sunday evenings; we still [crossed out: fa] have them, but we
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073002
wanted something more, that would give us a systematic plan of study for each day. So we organised five classes of about a dozen each, three to study the life of Christ and two to study the foreshadowings of Christ in the Old Testament. We use outlines prepared by Prof. Burton of Chicago — who happens to be our Bible lecturer this year. The course is arranged for fifteen minutes' study every day, and we meet Sunday morning for an hour right after breakfast. Ray is the leader of one of the Old Testament [crossed out: course] classes, and I have
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073003
the other. I think the work will be very interesting. I wish we could spend more time on it, but of course we are all so busy that we can not plan for everything that we would like.
I always think I shall get a great deal of work done on Saturday, but somehow or other, so many things come up on Saturday that I never succeed in getting much studying done. Most of Friday afternoon this week I spent in bicycle riding. Did I tell you that Ray has her bicycle here, and I rent an hour
I always think I shall get a great deal of work done on Saturday, but somehow or other, so many things come up on Saturday that I never succeed in getting much studying done. Most of Friday afternoon this week I spent in bicycle riding. Did I tell you that Ray has her bicycle here, and I rent an hour
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073004
a day on it? We have not had the use of it very long because it was about two weeks after she got here before she could get a man to unpack it. But for the last two weeks I have been out whenever the weather permitted. Unfortunately we have had a great deal of rain. Friday afternoon was the first time that I have taken a long ride; another girl and I rode for two hours.
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073005
Friday evening we had another campaign demonstration. Mr. McKinley received four delegations at his home. That is, we had a girl dressed up as Mr. McKinley, another as his wife, and a corner of the Lecture Room fixed up as the porch of his house. There happened to be a door in the corner, which represented his front door, and we had two platforms together, for his porch
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073006
Where are the Walker Iron Works, or Electric works, or some kind of works? A girl here has a brother there now.
The Rev. Egerton R. Young, whom we heard at home two or three years ago, is going to speak to us tonight.
The Rev. Egerton R. Young, whom we heard at home two or three years ago, is going to speak to us tonight.
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073007
floor, with posts at the corners, wound with branches of autumn leaves and vines, to look like a vine twining up around pillars. Mr. McK. and his wife sat on the platform, together with Ex-President and Mrs. Harrison [crossed out: who] and Baby McKee, and Gov.-elect Black of New York state, who happened to be visiting at the House - and also, last but not least — Mark Hanna, (whose part throughout this campaign is taken by Ray, - the chairman of the committee). Of course the Lecture Room was crowded, so we had to have police to
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073008
clear a path for the delegations. There were two delegations of workingmen, who were dressed up in old coats, overalls, old straw hats, etc. and they carried implements such as the hods that bricklayers use for carrying bricks, etc. — where they managed to get them I do not know. The head of each delegation made a short speech to Mr. McKinley, and then he replied, and afterwards invited them to shake hands with him and his wife. Another delegation was composed of dudes, - "Young Men's McKinley Club from Chappieville".
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073009
They were splendid - You would not believe that intelligent girls could look so much like inane dudes. Of course most of them wore eye-glasses, and cork mustaches, and parted their hair in the middle, and for canes they carried short window-poles, with brass ends, which they held in their mouths a good part of the time. The last delegation was the "New Woman's Gold Standard
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073010
Brigade", which they asked me to see to. I got Mary MacColl to make the speech, and she was fine - dressed up in the most severe and strong minded fashion, with her hair twisted into a tight knot, and big spectacles on. She made a fierce and emphatic speech in the regular old Woman's Rights style, jerking her head and continually taking off her spectacles and using them in
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073011
gesturing. After her speech I read an "ode" a la Mrs. N. Coe Stewart in the Women's delegation which went from Cleveland in the summer. I was entirely a different type from Mary - the high-faluten simpering type of the New Woman. I tried to model some-what after Gay Stewart. The ode - which Ray wrote - was full of high-faluten mixed figures etc. I wore my bonnet, with the addition of strings, and my red cape, and a stunning ^& flowing veil of pink chiffon - my liberty scarf. Some of our delegation were rigged out in swell things and others - the strong-minded species
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073012
wore bicycle suits.
After all the speeches, the delegations formed in line and had a procession up and down the second and third corridors. Every [crossed out:thing] body was so enthusiastic and entered so much into the spirit of things that we had a very jolly time,—lots of singing and yelling.
Last night the Gold Democrats had a mass-meeting. They are few in number but they happen to have in their ranks some fine speakers, so they had a very entertaining time. Republicans were invited to the meeting, on the ground that "there is yet
After all the speeches, the delegations formed in line and had a procession up and down the second and third corridors. Every [crossed out:thing] body was so enthusiastic and entered so much into the spirit of things that we had a very jolly time,—lots of singing and yelling.
Last night the Gold Democrats had a mass-meeting. They are few in number but they happen to have in their ranks some fine speakers, so they had a very entertaining time. Republicans were invited to the meeting, on the ground that "there is yet
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073013
time to reform". Secretary Whitney, Grover Cleveland, Col. Breckinridge and others made speeches - very bright ones-. The girl who represented Grover Cleveland was made to look pretty much like him, and wore a stove pipe hat, which greatly added to the impression. A novel feature was the presence of the "shades" of the old ^"true" Democratic party - Jefferson and three or four others. They were entirely covered by sheets and
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073014
which said, "The True Democracy, present in spirit".
Yesterday half of the Freshmen and half the Seniors went to Lake Mohunk: next Saturday the rest of us go. I do hope it will not rain.
Mamma asked me about Ed's letters. I would like to have them sent, because he can not find time to write me very much; and you can send him mine, if he will take care to keep them - for I will have no other record of what goes on in college. I will send his back home,
Love to all, Adelaide. [Claflin]
Yesterday half of the Freshmen and half the Seniors went to Lake Mohunk: next Saturday the rest of us go. I do hope it will not rain.
Mamma asked me about Ed's letters. I would like to have them sent, because he can not find time to write me very much; and you can send him mine, if he will take care to keep them - for I will have no other record of what goes on in college. I will send his back home,
Love to all, Adelaide. [Claflin]
: VCLLettersMansfieldAdelaide1897073015
By the way, will the next person that goes down town, please buy at Crow & Whitmarsh's or somewhere, one of those big pictures of McKinley, like the one I brought with me, and send it to me by mail? Ours, which has been on the outside of our door all this time, was used by a Republican, who substituted it for a picture of Bryan in the Free Silver "banquet hall." The silverites, when they discovered it, indignantly tore it to shreds; and we don't want to be without one on our door. They can't be bought in this town. If you can't get that kind some other kind will do.
