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Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) -- to father, Feb. 24, 1894
Creator
Mansfield-Claflin, Adelaide
Date
February 24, 1894
Text
Vassar College. Oct. 21. (1894, Feb. 24. 1894. My dear Papa,- I want to wish you a happy birthday, and many returns of the day. It is too bad that you have to have a broken arm for a birthday present, especially when the gift is strung out over several weeks. Is it a bad break? Isn't it fortunate that it is your left arm, and isn't it fortunate that it is not in the summer, when your "eleven-inch grip" is needed for tightening fruit cans? But at best it is still very...
Show moreVassar College. Oct. 21. (1894, Feb. 24. 1894. My dear Papa,- I want to wish you a happy birthday, and many returns of the day. It is too bad that you have to have a broken arm for a birthday present, especially when the gift is strung out over several weeks. Is it a bad break? Isn't it fortunate that it is your left arm, and isn't it fortunate that it is not in the summer, when your "eleven-inch grip" is needed for tightening fruit cans? But at best it is still very unfortunate. However I have taken action that that shall not be your onlybirthday present: for I sent by express today, some "Vassar fudges". I made them all myself - the first time I have made any all alone. Ray wanted to make a box to put them in, so I was glad to let her. She worked at the box while I stirred the fudge, and then we both made the flowers. We cant make fudges in the day time because the gas is turned off, and there was such an interesting lecture last night that we did not want to miss it, so we made it after the lecture was over, when all was still. W e dont borrow stoves any more, but cook it on the drop light after taking off the shade and chimney. To be sure it makes ever so much soot on the bottom of the saucepan and consequently It takes about half an hour to wash the saucepan, but never mind. I don't know how fudges taste when they are two or three days old, as I have never eaten any that have were morethan two hours old. There was such an Interesting lecture last night, by Prof. Stoddart of Oxford, England. It was on the "Meaning and Use of the Color of Animals in their Struggle for Existence." He included not only the color, but the whole appearance of the animals, and, with stereopticon viev/s, showed animals, fishes, and insects, which protect themselves by being the same color as their surroundings, etc. He told of what use certain characteristics were, and explained many interest- ing facts not generally known. Thursday was a holiday - though after this year it is not going to be, because it "breaks into the work," and they do not have it as a holiday at most colleges. I spent a good part of it in cleaning out my closet. I took out every- thing from it, and dusted it all, and brushed the clothes, and rearranged the boxes on my closet shelf, etc. It is quite an art to arrange the closet shelf; we haveto keep so much on it. You see, on holidays I have to substitute my closet for the pantry at home, (though I don't believe my closet needed it quite as much as the pantry generally does, for there is no one but myself to muss it up.). From eleven to half past twelve on Thursday Prof. Dwight was in the Museum, to explain the things there. Quite a number of girls went over and it was very interesting, indeed. I thought it was very kind of Prof. Dwight. First he showed us some of the shells, the freshwater shells, delicate pink and green and brown colors- He spoke of the differences in shape and structure, too, all in a simple way that you could understand. The most expensive shell in the Museum cost $ 80. Prof. Dwight admires the case that holds theshells, as well as the shells themselves- It has not a nail or screw in it, but is all per- fectly joined, with very fine glue. It was sold to the college at a great reduction, for $25000. There was a good deal of coral there, too, and magnified that models, in glass, of tilings that inhabit the sea, and^look a good deal like seaweed. There is a very fine collection of birds, of all varieties and descriptions. Some of them Prof. Dwight spoke of especially in detail, for instance the albatross and cormorants. One of the cormo- rants cost $2000, and there are several birds that cost one or two thousand dollars. Prof. Dwight said that the Museum was really very good. Thursday evening, you know we had a Washington party. Of course there were lots of girls dressed in the regulation colonial style, with old fashioned dresses, kerchiefs, and high powdered hair. But there was somevariety in addition. Men were quite plenty, that is girls, in the guise of men. They all wore black skirts, and a few were fortunate enough to have real coats, others took their dress- waist that most resembled a coat, and made large cuffs, and gold or silver pasteboard buttons, large ones- A silk handkerchief, (with gold pasteboard buttons) folded across the front, made a beautiful waistcoat, and the "stock" was represented by two or three hand- kerchiefs generally- Then immense pasteboard buckles appeared on the shoes. For the three cornered hats the girls merely took the trimming off of one of theirs, and bent them up. Then there were Spanish Cavaliers, English lords, and French Marquises; to say nothing of a squad of British red-coats, (in red paper muslin coats);. Arlle Raymond escorted me; she was Gen Anthony Wayne. Shehas trouble with her foot, so that she has to carry a cane all the time, and that was quite an addition. She had a snuff box, Edie's silver stamp box, filled with a mixture of salt and pepper, and she offered some to President Taylor. I wore the dress that Edie sent to me, and the kerchief, and had my hair high and powdered- Ray was quite a sensation, as a^X Hessian Baron. She had some rubber boots, borrowed from a girl, a military coat, which one of the girls got from a boy in the Military Academy in town, and an astonishing bear skin drum-major hat, or rather head-dress, made of a heaver- cape rolled up, and kept on with hat pins and a black ribbon under the chin. Miss Nettleton thought it was a real drum major's and asked her where she got it. Ray carried out her character so well, and was extremely gallant, but she saysshe won't be a man next time, it is too hard work to be so gallant. In one corner of the room they had an "Authentic Collection of Relics", such as a common hand-bell labeled "Liberty Bell, a little dirt done up in tissue paper, labeled "From Bunker Hill," an old broken-nosed teapot, a kitchen spoon, and a cracked cup and saucer, the "Boston Tea Party," a piece of ice in a fruit jar, which was "With Washington when he crossed the Delaware, a very worn out haircloth piano stool, purporting to have been used by Nellie Custis, a section of the heel of a girl's shoe, illustrating the "Stamp Act", and many others equally interesting and instructive. During the evening there was a cake walk, by ten or twelve girls dressed as darkies. It was won by a couple, one of whom was a short fat man, (a girl who has the most peculiar and ungraceful gait in college) and a very tall thin girl, who took little mincing steps. After that they passedaround popcorn balls to everybody. All the tables were deco- rated that evening and the girls wore their costumes down to dinner. We had carnations and srrdlax and candles and some pretty little favors, that Ray made, two or three of us helping her. They were little boxes made of pink crepe tissue paper, with the top ruffled all around, and a little pink flower to hold each corner. They had a few pink and white peppermint drops in each. This morning some of the girls wanted to have some kodak pictures taken of them in costume so a Senior was found who wanted to do it, and a half dozen or so of us had her take us; we had two groups all together, and then several of two or three girls. Ray and I had one where she was kneeling before me in a loverlike attitude and I was looking at her with extreme scorn. I don't know whetherthe pictures will be good, as the Senior did not seem especially care- ful: but if thsy are, and don't cost more than six or seven cents, I shall buy one or two. This letter sounds as if our life was one grand round of fun, but you always have to remember that it is those things that we write about, and of course we don't mention very much the hard work that we have, and the lessons that worry us all the time etc. I hope that your arm will soon be better, papa, and that it won't trouble you a great deal. I am so sorry you broke it. X got your letter containing the bill, and I guess it will be all right to wait, and pay it when 1 feel like it. Of course this letter is for Lhe rest of the family to read too. With ever so much love from your daughter Adelaide. 4Claflin,
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Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) -- to mother, Sep. 30, 1894
Creator
Mansfield-Claflin, Adelaide
Date
September 30, 1894
Text
Vassar College. Oct. 21. (1894, Sept. 30. 1894. My dear Mamma,— It seems a long, long time since last Sunday when I wrote to you. The first week after a change of surroundings always seems long, because there is so much that is new to see and hear. We appreciate Sunday because we are so busy during the week. I am so glad that Edie and Miss Clara got their trip after all, I wasn't at all sure that they wouldn't be fooled again. And then, by Friday night, they had time to get ready...
Show moreVassar College. Oct. 21. (1894, Sept. 30. 1894. My dear Mamma,— It seems a long, long time since last Sunday when I wrote to you. The first week after a change of surroundings always seems long, because there is so much that is new to see and hear. We appreciate Sunday because we are so busy during the week. I am so glad that Edie and Miss Clara got their trip after all, I wasn't at all sure that they wouldn't be fooled again. And then, by Friday night, they had time to get ready more carefully. I hope the tripdid Edie lots of good, and gave her a nice rest after that lot of sewing. I hope now that she will get herself something to wear and take it comparatively easy- It was lovely for them to have such beautiful weather while they were up the lakes. They had better luck than Clarence did. When you wrote that JLou did not borrow Katharine Dunham's JLivy after all, I sent limine right away, together with Wilkins' Roman Literature. Is there any other book that Lou wants ? I wanted her to write to me all the books she needed to get, so that I could see whether I could get any of them for her. Does she need Genung's Practical Elementsof Rhetoric, for I have one and can't sell it, because they are not going to use it here any more. If she wants Stille's Studies in Mediaeval History or any other history books ^let me know. The Trigonometry and Horace's Odes, I will send home at Christmas. Mamma, Clarence says that Aunt Lizzie wants you so badly, \ you ought to go up there. Isn't it cool enough weather now? The idea of Annie and Emma making cakes and pies and churning butter. I think of them as almost babies. I am so glad the Christian Endeavor Society made $100 out of the concert. I wasafraid that it would not be such a big thing as they expected, but that was more than they hoped for, wasn't it? Is papa in earnest about going to Attleboro, or did he just say he would like to go? For if he goes, of course he would stop here, and see me. He must tell me about it, and just when it is going to be. It will be a good trip for him to Attleboro and I know he will be interested in seeing Poughkeepsie too, if it is a slow old town. And of course he could see everything about the college, and then he would know what I talk about. Etta's picture came Friday afternoon and is very good,I think. I -est-thought Clarence had his picture taken with her. I will write to her pretty soon, as she was so good as to write to me the first thing. Bess was angelic to write me three times in a week. Miss Sutliffe and Miss Gouldy came here Friday afternoon and went yesterday morning. I guess Katharine was pretty glad to see her. They called in our room Friday evening. Miss Gouldy seems to be very nice. We showed them our rooms, and they told us who used to room here when they were here. They stayed in this building over night, as guests of the college. Miss Sutliffe is coming again next week.We had a grand celebration here in our room last night, for my birth- day- the girls got it up for a surprise party but about evening time they decided to tell me. Ray had been to town in the morning to do some errands for us, and what else do you think she did? She bought some oysters. They got one of the girls to take me walking in the afternoon and while I was gone they fixed things, and invited the guests. The guests were five in number Katharine Dunham, Carrie Hardin, Gertrude Smith, Maidee Traver and Mary Tarbox. We had a real nice time and everybody seemed to enjoy it.Ray and Belle fried the oysters in a sauce pan, after dipping them in egg and cracker crumbs. They were good, too, though I suppose not very wholesome. It was the lirst time I had ever heard of girls' frying oysters here. They made us chocolate to drink too, and then when we thought we were through Ray brought out a little Charlotte never Russe for each of us' We^tho^t o£ having such swell things before. the oysters But Ray did^for my birthday- and Mary and Belle furnished the Charlotte Russe for their present. Katharine Dunham brought a box of candy - which Miss Sutliffe had gone and boughtfor me when she went to town. Gertrude Smith and Anna Bur chard gave me a little cup and saucer. Ray gave me a piece of stuff that\y Fritz brought from Syria and had given to her. It was a square for a sofa cushion cover, and Ray bought enough red silk to go with it and is going to put it on the pillow she made at home, when she let all the feathers into her room. Our room looks quite homelike now. It was very good of Bess to send me the stamps— the most useful present she could have made. I thank her very much. I have been waiting and watching for your picture but no sign of it yet. We have begun to study in earnest and have no leisure any more.This week I have been helping a girl with algebra. She has to take a re-examination in it. That takes an hour a day- We have had Prof. Lucy Salmon talk to us in History this week. She is fine, the most inspiring teacher I ever listened to, but we are going to have her just once in a while when she feels like it. I would have written another sheet but the bell struck for bedtime, so I can't say all I want to now. Adelaide. (Claflin,Sophomore year 1894-5 Roomed in 166, 4th North firewall, with R.C. Schauffler, Belle Whitney & Mary MacCall, sec. sem. Carrie Hardin replaced Mary MacCall.
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Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) -- to father, Mar. 3, 1895
Creator
Mansfield-Claflin, Adelaide
Date
March 3, 1895
Text
Vassar College. March 3. 1895. My dear Papa,- I have just used up my last sheet of writing paper, so I will write on my pad for a while. I must tell you the first thing that the money came all right, and on good time, Thursday - and I paid the bill immediately. I am very much obliged for the extra "change", too. It fills up my pocketbook quite nicely. It has been a beautiful day today - very sunshiny - a contrast to yesterday and the day before, when it snowedall day. But yet I was...
Show moreVassar College. March 3. 1895. My dear Papa,- I have just used up my last sheet of writing paper, so I will write on my pad for a while. I must tell you the first thing that the money came all right, and on good time, Thursday - and I paid the bill immediately. I am very much obliged for the extra "change", too. It fills up my pocketbook quite nicely. It has been a beautiful day today - very sunshiny - a contrast to yesterday and the day before, when it snowedall day. But yet I was glad to see the snow, for the old snow had grown rather dirty and hard. The snow does not disappear entirely here, the way It does at home, before spring- From the first snowfall to the last the ground keeps covered all over. Ray and Carrie and I went to town together to the Presbyterian Church - Belle stayed at home with a headache. Carrie is a Presbyterian, and so we usually go all together to that church- The minister Dr.Wheeler, has been the pastor of it for about fifty years, I think, and he is a very old man. There is a young assistant, but Dr. Wheeler almost always preaches-r. Taylor is sick- has been for two or three days- there seems to be a good deal of the grippe about- There are-were two sisters here named Hill, and a cousin by the same name. One of the sisters was sick in the Infirmary with the grippe, and as she had been sick a great deal this year, her mother came here to take her home. But as soon as her mother reached here she caught the grippe, and was put in the Infirmary too. At the same time the cousin was In there with the grippe. The Infirmary only holds four, —(except the wing and the contagion room).The other Hill sister at the same time had a cold, and Mrs. Kendrick told her not to dare to let it develop into the grippe, for they could not afford to give the Infirmary up entirely to the Hills!" Tomorrow night the President is going to announce the honors- given to the girls in the Senior class- so when I write next week who they are, you can find their names in the Catalogue which I mailed home yester- day- I had forgotten that I had not sent one home, till Lou mentioned it in her last letter. I am glad Clarence has a guitar - I shall expect him to play me some nice tunes when I come home. Lovingly Adelaide. (Claflin)
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Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) -- to Louise Claflin, Nov. 1, 1896
Creator
Mansfield-Claflin, Adelaide
Date
November 1, 1896
Text
Vassar College. Poughkeepsie. November 1. 1896. My dear Lou,— I hope you are having as lovely weather now as we are. We had so much rain the first part of the fail, that I had given up expect- ing aay good weather. But this week it has beea perfectly beautiful every day. Yesterday we finally saw Mohonk. The day was perfectly clear and quite warm, sothat it was very comfortable for driving. Half of our class, and the Freshmen who are in the Main Building made up the party. You know the rest of...
Show moreVassar College. Poughkeepsie. November 1. 1896. My dear Lou,— I hope you are having as lovely weather now as we are. We had so much rain the first part of the fail, that I had given up expect- ing aay good weather. But this week it has beea perfectly beautiful every day. Yesterday we finally saw Mohonk. The day was perfectly clear and quite warm, sothat it was very comfortable for driving. Half of our class, and the Freshmen who are in the Main Building made up the party. You know the rest of the Seniors and Freshmen went two weeks ago. We started at half past six, in "barges" - which is the name given here to a kind of open omnibus; there were twelve in our barge, four of them Freshmen - very nice ones too. We were the second barge, so we got across the river in the first ferry load, and reached Mohonk by eleven o'clock- On the way we sang all the songs wecould think of- and composed two into the bargain. One was this:- to the tune of "Tramp, tramp, tramp"— In the barges now we sit, Ninety-seven and Naughty-naught, To Mohonk our way we pleaaantly do wend, And with plsasurs the day is very clear. And with pleasure all is fraught; Uncle Fred, to thee our hearty thanks we'll send. Chorus: Cheer, cheer, cheer for seven-and-ninety Cheer for Nine teen-hundred too, Cheer for Uncle Fred end Prex, Vassar's uncle and her "rex", May they gladden hearts of classes yet to come!From Mohoak I mailed a -ear little book which they gave away at the hotel — giving very good pictures of the place—so far as they go- but unfortunately the pictures give mostly the artificial beauties of the place - "the improvements and give very little idea of the grand- ness of the natural beauties. They have not shown the most impressive parts of the scenery at all. 1 mailed one of these little books to Uncle Charles, as well as to mamma.When we reached Mohonk, we girls went to "Sky top" - which is the highest point there, from which there is a most glorious view. We came back by way of the "Crevice", which is a most difficult pro- ceedings. The "Crevice" Is is a crack between two great walls of rock, Just about the width of one's body. From the top at one end, you can let yourself down from one ledge of rock to another, and so by a gradual descent reachthe outer air at the bottom on the other end. It is not like a chasm, where you would fall hundreds of feet straight down, if you made a mistake, but it is like a stairway, where is a footing all the time. When you reach the outside of the crack, then you have to wind round and round the mountain over a floor of boulders* stepping up and down all the time from one boulder to another. This part is called the "Labyrinth". It was altogether an interesting walk, you can imagine. When we came back to the hotel, were quite ready for our lunch, as it was seven hours since breakfast. Unfortunately there was nothing hot to eat, - only some very strong coffee - which gave one of the girls in our barge a headache which she still has- There were hard sandwiches, •cold'boiled eggs, very rich milk, and cookies. After luncheon we just sat in a summer house, as most of us had had enough of walking and climbing. We started home again at half-past two. The hotel has been closed for the season, so there were no people there except the ones necessary to wait on us. We reached college again at six o'clock, just as the bell was striking for dinner. In the evening there was aRepublican mass-meeting, at which three girls and Prof. French and Prof. Wentworth spoke. Prof. Went- worth tried to be funny - without succeeding - but the rest were all very good. There was a procession, too - with drums and flags, but no horns allowed. This morning I thought I had better stay quietly at home for a change, so I did not go to town to church. Mrs. Kendrick came into our room because Ray was in bed for a little rest, and Ray and I had a delightful talk with her. Our Senior Parlor Opening
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Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) -- to father, Dec. 7, 1896
Creator
Mansfield-Claflin, Adelaide
Date
December 7, 1896
Text
Vassar College. Poughkeepsle. (postmarked Dec. 7, 1896, My dearest Father,— This morning there is no church here, on account of its being the first Sunday of the month, and X am going to write letters instead of going to town. You see I have to lead one of the Bible classes, at half past nine, and there Is not time enough to get to town after that. W e must make some special arrangement, I suppose, for town Sundays. I am so sleepy today: I have not yet gotten rested from "Phil."...
Show moreVassar College. Poughkeepsle. (postmarked Dec. 7, 1896, My dearest Father,— This morning there is no church here, on account of its being the first Sunday of the month, and X am going to write letters instead of going to town. You see I have to lead one of the Bible classes, at half past nine, and there Is not time enough to get to town after that. W e must make some special arrangement, I suppose, for town Sundays. I am so sleepy today: I have not yet gotten rested from "Phil."which was Friday night—and we did not get to sleep till one o'clock, We had a very pleasant evening— Mr. Capen was here for the evening, and stayed during most o£U. yesterday. There were a good many young men here, but not more than usual- I expected to see more, because this year, for the first time, round dancing was allowed, and of course young men would rather dance than walk miles and miles up and down the corridors. I had quite a little visit with Mr. Capen aad am beginning to feel more acquainted with him than I have before. He is quite Jolly when you get to know him. He took somepictures of our room yester- day, aad he will give us each some of them. Dr. Kimball was in here for a chaperone, and after Mr. Capen had taken different corners of the room he took a picture of Dr. Kimball sitting in a chair, surrounded by Ray and Winifred and me. I am anxious to see what it will look like. I got yesterday morning mamma's letter telling about the fire in the shop. Cheerful circumstance, isn't it? Of course I am very anxious to hear further particulars, especially whether they are going to rebuild the works, and whether you will have anything to do inthe meantime. K I were only teaching already! Never mind, I will be just as soon as X get a chance. I will try not to worry till then. For the present, I was going to write to you that I have begun again to print for the Library, and so you need not send me the -etfce-forty dollars which I was expect- ing this year, for I can earn enough to keep myself. You know I have been living so far this year, on the money that I earned last summer. I began to print a week ago, at Miss Underbill's request, for she had more work than workers, and they pay me forty cents an hour now- the highest price.I shall earn a lot during the Christmas vacation. There is a very nice girl from Cincinnati who is going to be here during the vacation - Edith Crane - the friend of the girl on Logan Avenue, whom I called on in the summer-time. I am going to have her stay with me - in Ray's bedroom, which will be more fun for both of us than to live alone in opposite ends of the building. We had such a treat this week in the shape of an*a» exhibition of pictures photographs near here- An agent of the Soul6 Photographic Co.in Boston was near here for a few days, displaying photographs for the girls college^o buy or order. They were copies of all the famous pictures in Europe and here. - of a good many in the Metropolitan Museum, which I saw last week. Most of the girls went over two or three times just to see them. Our table had a "waffle supper" last night, to celebrate the birthdays of two of the girls at our table - Winifred's and Gertrude Smith's. Win's birthday was last week: but we tacked on G's celebra- tionbecause forty-five cents was too much to waste just for one birth- day. W e had a very jolly time, and all the waffles we could eat - as well as chocolate cake - but only one piece of the latter. I am glad to hear that Dr. Freeman is so well liked, and that he finally arrived. I was beginning to think he would not appear upon the scene before Christmas. It was very nice of the Sargent's to enter- tain the Session, was'n't it? With a great deal of love to all the family and to your own self. Your loving daughter Adelaide. fi laflin, December 6, 1896. (see over)I forgot all about John Kendrick Bangs.'- Instead of the usual lecture, Mr. Bangs gave us a reading of two of his own stories—yet unpublished— "Van Bibber's Failure" and the "Recamier Salon" which latter is a sequel to the House Boat oa the Styx. This kind of an entertainment was more suitable to the occa- sion than some of the lectures we have had - Mr. Bangs looks just exactly like his pictures - rather homely. Ray sends her love to you- Lovingly Adelaide.
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Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) -- to mother, Feb. 1, 1894
Creator
Mansfield-Claflin, Adelaide
Date
1894-02-01
Text
Vassar College. February 1, 1894. My dear Mamma,— I ought not to have waited so long before telling you that the bundle you sent came on Monday morning. I was so surprised to find the waist,but it is just what I have been wishing that I had. I have been wearing my green spring dress a good deal lately as a change from my black one, which is not very comfortable for every day wear. But this new waist is just the thing. My spring dress was plenty warm enough, for I don't need to dress...
Show moreVassar College. February 1, 1894. My dear Mamma,— I ought not to have waited so long before telling you that the bundle you sent came on Monday morning. I was so surprised to find the waist,but it is just what I have been wishing that I had. I have been wearing my green spring dress a good deal lately as a change from my black one, which is not very comfortable for every day wear. But this new waist is just the thing. My spring dress was plenty warm enough, for I don't need to dress nearly as warmlyhere as at home, because it is warmer in the house here, and besides the heat is uniform. A few girls in the old building wear gingham dresses in the evening once in a while, even now. But I could not do that, I know. It is evident that Edie has exaggerated ideas of my plumpness, for my waist was considerably large. In fact I had to take in the side seams an inch and a half or more. I suppose she got that impression from my having to let out by white silk so much, but that was made very tight in the first place. I am a little larger than I was when I came, but not so much but that I am able to wear all my dresses still. When I let out my seams I looked all around to find a sewing-machine, but I could not find any in this institution that the girls are allowed to use - great and glorious institution that it is. There are women in the cottages near by who do sewing or mending for girls,but I should think they might afford a sewing machine for things that are not worth hiring done. S o I had to sew my seams by hand, of course very fine stitches, and sewed over and over. It looks all right. The book of logarithms and the trigonometry that papa sent, came all right too. The girls say that the book of logarithms will do, and the trigonometry I shall use next year. The Sophomores have just finished their Trigonometry and will soon have their " Trig." cere- monies." We are almost through with our exams.- only one more, and that is in Hygiene, tomorrow morning. Monday morning we had Latin - a very fair examination, and Miss Franklin told me that she found very little fault with my paper. Tuesday morning at quarter past eight we had our Greek. And of all fearful examinations that I ever had the pleasure of taking, that Greekwas by far the fearfullest. The exam, was on Lysias, and Ed will appreciate it when I tell him that one of the minor questions was to give in Greek Aristotle's opinion of Therameses; another to give a brief description of Lysias' style, using Greek words to describe it, and giving illustrations from his speeches; another to name the rhetorical figures which Lysias uses, citing examples (in Greek) from his speeches. I got about half through the exam, but I think I passed. Miss Macurdy expects every body to be able, like herself, to have at her tongue's end every thing she ever heard or read. But still she told Ray that most of the class did very well, and that Ray handed in one of the best papers that she ever saw. We had Solid Geometry yesterday morning - a very fair exam. I did not get nearly through, but Miss Richardson is always telling us - "Quality, not quantity, young ladies." We have not been cramming at all but we shall have to do a little of it for Hygiene. At present Arlie Raymond (who lives across the hall, and has a lame foot which hurts her like everything a good deal of the time) is lying on our sofa studying hygiene and also modelling a little skull with sealing wax. She is very clever at such things. Lovingly Adelaide (Claflin, There is lots of snow here now: it is snowing this minute- The skating has been spoiled and we hear talk of sleighing parties instead. I am so relieved to think that my knife has turned up- Where in the world was it? I was rather surprised to hear of Dr. Leavitt's resignation- Ray read it to me, putting Blank instead of all the names, and then s made me guess who it was. Give my love to the Miss Wheelers and their mother and to Mrs. Handerson.
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Mansfield, Adelaide (Claflin) -- to mother, Feb. 10, 1895
Creator
Mansfield-Claflin, Adelaide
Date
February 10, 1895
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Vassar College. Feb. 10, 1895 My dear Mother,— Your letter came yesterday morning- Friday no mail came, because the trains were not running. There has been almost a blizzard here for a day or two - snow in drifts, and wind blowing, and fine misty snow in the air. The electric cars were not running, nor the trains either. There was to have been a lecture Friday night but the lecturer could not get here. He appeared, though, in time to deliver his lecture at eleven oclock Saturday morning. It...
Show moreVassar College. Feb. 10, 1895 My dear Mother,— Your letter came yesterday morning- Friday no mail came, because the trains were not running. There has been almost a blizzard here for a day or two - snow in drifts, and wind blowing, and fine misty snow in the air. The electric cars were not running, nor the trains either. There was to have been a lecture Friday night but the lecturer could not get here. He appeared, though, in time to deliver his lecture at eleven oclock Saturday morning. It was on the "Underlying Causes of the American Revolution",and the girls said it was not very interesting- I could not go for I had an essay on hand- I have to take a Saturday off for an essay every six weeks- No extra time is given to us for writing them, and we have to prepare three lessons for Monday, too. I wrote on "Periodical Literature versus Books". We are given a half dozen subjects from which to choose. Carrie and Belle took "Is Football as it exists today justifiable? " They both said no. Some of the other subjects were: "Is it right to fee in this country? " Is it the proper sphere of the novel to attempt instruction or social reform? " "Does the Realist hold the mirror up to Nature? " "Can a man express In his art, qualities in which his characteris deficient? " I should not like to have to write on some of those. I can never get inspired to write on my essays till the time to hand them in is near at hand. We always have to hand them in on Saturdays at six oclock, and I never can begin mine till Friday night, (or sometimes even Saturday morning). I work out my thoughts a little Friday night, then Saturday I box myself up in my room and work at it steadily from breakfast till six oclock. On my first one this year I had "Good", on my next "Carefully written but not interesting." This last criticism I considered quite mild when I discovered that ever so many girls had to rewrite their whole essays- Lester Baker - the president ofour class - who is usually considered a good writer, had at the end of her last essay, "Very superficial. Carelessly written and over familiar. No argument worthy of the name. Rewrite." Ray did not have to write an essay this time, because they accepted the share that she wrote for Trig Ceremonies instead. She was on the com- mittee to write it. Trig Ceremonies come off next Saturday. I could not write you about it before because everything about it is kept a great secret by the class, and we try not to let any of the other classes know a thing about it beforehand, but they always do their best to find out something about it, especially the Freshmen, who are supposed to be the most interested. It is a sort of farceconsisting mostly of grinds on the Fresh- men, and the higher classes, and the Faculty. The occasion is when we required have finished Trigonometry - our last^Mathematics- and we are supposed to illustrate to the Freshmen what an awful time we have had with Mathematics and how glad we are to be through with them. I have a minor part in it - representing Mrs. Kendrick- We are all Puritans, so I am going to sit and knit-dressed in gray. This is the last time that there can be Trig Ceremonies, because they have changed the curriculum now so as to have Trig in the last half of the Freshman year, and of course they could not have Trig Ceremonies while exami- nations and commencement and everything else was going on. The Freshmen are studying Trig now. We have had a week of our new semester and are beginning to see what our routine will be like. I think Chemistry will be very interesting- though we have not had laboratory work yet- That begins tomorrow. It is so different from all our other studies - for we will work with things instead of with books. Miss Leach is such a fine teacher and makes the recitations very interesting- the This week we elected our officers of the Y.W.C.A. for^next year- and Carrie was elected Recording Secretary. She has to post notices on the bulletin board, and keep piles of minutes beside informing all members of committees of theirappointments, etc. The book in which she keeps her records weighs about ten pounds, and Carrie had to stand up and hold it while she read all the minutes for the last year, at the annual meeting Friday night. I believe I forgot to tell you how we changed bedrooms a week ago Friday. We made rather quick work of the bureaus and wash stands, for they are just alike in all the rooms and all we had to do was to carry the drawers to our new rooms without taking out any of the things. The room I have now is the smallest one - about the smallest room in college. It is like the one Miss Adams had in New York, when she sat on her bed and could reach everything in the room. It is 7 x 9 ft. and contains a bed, bureau, washstand, chair, wardrobe, and a path upthe middle, like this: It is a cute little place, and I am quite attached to it already. Carrie's bedroom is as large as the parlor, and I was going to have that, at first, but I chose this one instead, because it is cuter, and besides the kitchen utensils and such things are kept in the large room. Ray has the room I used to have. The trains are not yet running from New York I suppose, for the minister expected this morning could not get here, and Dr. Taylor preached instead- I hope Clarence has gotten over the mumps by this time- They go harder with grown people than with children don't they Love to all the family and neighbors. Adelaide. (Claflin)
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