Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-07-11
NO. 1852
Mistellauepns.
SMARTER THAN THEN ALL.

IL has been duly announced in The
World that the salutatory and other accus-
toned orations at the annual Commence
ment of Bates College, in this pleasant
little city, were delivered on Wednesday
last with their usual excellence and effect,
in which announcement appeared the un-
osteDtatious statement that Jane Rich
North spoke the valedictory. Under Or
dinary circumstances this might and un-
doubtedly would have sufliced for Bates
and the people hereabouts who are inter-
| ested in its affairs, but on investigation the
circumstances do not appear to be ordi-
nary. The name Jane implied a young
wOman-incredulou as it seemed that one
of this sex should have carried off the
honor in a class of her superiors. men
and young lady the valedictorian proves
TO have been.
To her classmates, many Of whom still
| remain in town, and who are found prop
erly, if somewhat unexpectedly, enthusi-
astic upon the subject of her many and
varied talents, she is known as Jennie
North, and is described as perfect brick
of a GIRL" whose career in college has
been continuous justification of the CO.
education OF the sexes. Miss North en-
tered the class of " four years ago at the
mates thirty-eight young men and single
representative of her own sex. What
stand this other young lady took in the
class does not appear, and indeed need
| not be mentioned, for from the very mo-
| energies solely to the task of defeating
| the thirty-eight young men her timid gaze
| had discovered sitting on the college fence
ha dan IF ,huo -,
Bristol, Conn, and from the Inauguration
of her teens had taken kindly to Greek
roots at the hands of Yankee school
master, so that she was well prepared for
the ambitious task, and to do justice to
the young men, though they magnani-
mously ignore the advantage, 1t must be
| admitted that the cruel Sophomore favored
her studious intent with q partiality not
shown any Of the 'male Freshmen" Miss
North, however, early showed that her
| talents were not confined to "grubbing."
She modestly refused an invitation to join
the base ball club, but developed liking
for the gymnasium, and is said during her
Junior year to have swung the Indian
|. clubs as well and more gracefully than
any man in the class. During the four
years there were times when the tender
conscience of this fair student las a Sc
rious hindrance to petty rebellions against
class discipline, but even these unpopular
characteristics are now related by her
chivalrous classmates more in admiration
than in bitterness. Being the youngest
member OF '"77," it is to be supposed that
Miss Jenny was the pet of the class; cer-
| tain it is, she was present at all the class
| contests; waved her handkerchief, some
| say her hat, at every class victory on the
ball ground or elsewhere, and in every
manner prominently identified herself
| with the interests of her classmates. There
were few young men malicious enough
to assert that 'Jennie would spoil her
complexion" but Miss North seems to
have feared none of the dangers incident
TO collegiate education.
AT what time it dawned upon the male
mind that 1.-The little girl of the class was
10 fair way OF carrying off the highest
honors is not definitely known, bnt it il
stated on good authority that when this dis.
coyery was made united effort on the part
| of dozen young men in the class at
| tempted to defeat her, putting Miss North
| to the inconvenience OF studying late into
the night, by which means she triumphed.
Miss North leaves college with the in
| tention OF teaching school Tor while, as
she has two little sisters to care for, but
hopes eventually to become a practcing
physician. 1t is an interesting fact that
Bates College was the earliest Gin 1869 to
open its doors to and Tin 1869 TO graduate
| a woman, Miss Mary w. Mitchell, who is
now professor at Vassar, and it has now
secured in Miss North the first female val
edictorian. AT the present time the New
England colleges receiving women are
Wesleyan, Waterville College, Vermont
University and Bates Correspondence
| Of the NetO York World.