Vassar College.
Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
,Feb. 21, 1897,
My own dear Father,—
My regular family letter will be addressed to you this
week, in order to wish you a very happy birthday Friday, and many
returns of them, and I wish I could drop in to help celebrate.
I suppose you will all have a holiday tomorrow and celebrate
Washington's birthday. As for us, you know we have no holiday. We
are going to have more or less celebration during the day, however,
and the usual Martha Washington Ball in the evening. So you see that
with regular lessons and extra celebrations too, it will be further than
ever from being a holiday. I shall not go to the Ball in the evening. A
committee has devised some means of protesting to the Faculty against
our being deprived of the holiday, but those I shall be better able to
describe next week.
There has been something going on every ctrerning this week—-
(and consequently a rising early on my part every morning.). It began
with Monday, when it was my turn to take charge of the meeting of
Civitas — a small club which interests itself in matters of current
interest. I took the Fabian Society for my subject, and spent three hours
of Monday in reading it up. I am glad my turn is past; it won't come
around again before I am graduated.
(Feb. 21, 1897, . z
Tuesday evening our class celebrated the anniversary of our
Trig. Ceremonies, which we had in Sophomore year. We had a sort of
burlesque of part of the Trig Ceremonies: and then we sat around and
sang a few minutes, after refreshing ourselves with lemonade and pop-
corn.
Friday evening a Mr. Williams of the Philadelphia Press, lec-
tured on "The First Presidential Campaign and the Last." I amused
myself with Latin Prose, instead of going to the Lecture, but everybody
who went said it was very interesting. Next Friday evening, by the
way. Professor Warren of Adelbert College is going to lecture to us on
"Victor Hugo as a Poet of the Household".
There have been a great lot of Alumnae up here yesterday and
today; partly on account of their having a vacation for Washington's
birthday, and partly on account of a meeting of the "Vassar College
Historical Association"- This organization has just been started; its
members are the Alumnae who have had elective courses in History in
college. The Seniors who have History were invited to go to the meet-
ings yesterday, so I went in for a little while. There were a good many
'95 girls, and several of the Class of '90, among whom was Miss Delia
Prentiss of Cleveland. I have often heard Miss Adams speak of her.
I met her after church today in the Senior Parlor. She played the piano
for us there. She is very musical.
feb. 21, 1897, - 3
Last night I was invited over to Prexy's for supper. The
Senior Class has been invited there on Saturday nights in batches of
about twenty each. Last night was the last batch; there were sixteen
there. W e had a very nice time, indeed. Such a good supper, with
oysters on the half-shell, sweetbread patties (which were delicious)
squabs (or something like that - small bird) on toast, lobster salad,
and ice.
There were three small tables in corners, with three or four
girls at each, and a larger table in the center, with seven girls at it.
Or. Patttson of Rochester Theological Seminary, who used to be our
Bible Lecturer, but who is here today to preach for us, was there last
night. He sat at our table at first, and Prexy at another table, and
Mrs. Taylor at still another one. And then these three progressed
from one table to another for different courses, so that we each had
each of them at our tables.
After the supper we all went into the large sitting room where
there was a fine wood fire. The house is beautiful; it is in selsniel
style, and there is woodwork wainscoting reaching up high on the walls.
Everything is beautifully arranged and finished off. Prexy showed us
his study; his rare and interesting books -
The incoherency of this letter is due to the fact that there are
(Feb. 21, 1897, - 4
numbers of people sitting around, all talking at once. I think I had
better not try to write any more now.
I forwarded you my semester bill last week--- my last one—
The "medical attendance" is for the time that I sprained my ankle.
I want to thank Bess for writing me two letters in one week.
She is very good about writing. It is needless to say that I enjoyed
Edie's and Lou's and Mamma's letters too.
Love to all, from your loving daughter Adelaide. (Claflin,
February 21. 1897.