Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-03-07
Smashing" at vassar.

american slang Is usually piquan:
and forcible. There is one term
which is siDgularly offensive; vulgar,
because it names Vulgar vice. It is
the verb to smash" aud its deriva.
tive nouns. ga mash's and ga mash.
er" To "mash" is to make an i'm
preston on susceptible heart of the
other sex. Washers" are of both
sexes and are usually exquisites. Ac-
tors and gamblers are usually mash
ers. One of the strongest ttmp,a.
tons of stage life is the opportunity
to smash. " All actors make more or
less "mashes' which accounts for
their ridiculous vanity. A correspon.
dent of the Buffalo Express, Vassar
girl, gives an account of a kindred
vice, Smashing" which is the prac
tice of smashing" among school girls:
wonder If any of your readers
have ever heard of the practice of
smashing" at Vassar College. Ii
not, l fancy that many might he
somewhat interested in hearing about
one OF the most curious freaks ever
INDUCED in by school girls Ct beg
pardon college young women)
know whereof | speak, for | have
been for over two years a witness of
this wild species of insanity. Vague
whispers and rumors of this disease
have occasionally crept ont from the
walls OF my beloved alma mater.
Now /, actaated solely by the pre-a-
lent fashionable desire of becoming a
retormer, am about to enlighten those
who FOR so long have sat in darkness.
In so doing hope also to show such
OF my fellow students as may chance
% read this how utterly foolish they
lave been in allowing this practice 10
30 SC long unchecked.
When young woman at Vassar
eees mother whose appearance, gen.
eral style, talents or eyes Especially
he lstter) she admires, instead Of
eeki-g her acquaintance in an ortho-
,,ox manner, straightway she an.
ounces to her friends and cronies in
ne n ost mysterious and confidential
air, t.,at she is hopelessIy, completely,
ntirely, utterly 'smashed'-in fact,
ieao gone Then follows a series of
he most idiotic performances.
Sma h. notes are written, elegant
flowers, boxes of candy, costly books,
etc, ire sent by the 'smashee' to the
smasher; appointments are made in
lark corridors TO kiss each other good
night, Sinking and ogling are in
1ogne in the dining room and in the
chapel This state of affairs is kept
up for some time--lepgth OF time de-
pends upon the violence of the attack.
Then the smash develops into an as
consisting friendship, or the parties
drop one another by mutual consent.
1t IS not uncommon to hear some
bright girl say: 50, am 80 smashed
IN Miss So-aud so just adore the
ground she walks on. | have the
'palps, so when | see her that can
hardly stand up have known girls
whose great power of intellect could
not be denied, who stood at the head
OF their classes TO make absolute fools
OF themselves over other girls | have
seen girls cry themselves sick because
their loved one smiled rlore favorably
on some rival than on them. | have
known Sc boxes of confectionery and
SIS boquets being sent through some
Jealous friend by the victim to the
victor. And, speaking of these to-
kens of pure, unadulterated aft ction,
me of something quite funny.
These offerings are often more practi-
cal tran poetical Dishes of pineap-
pie, Lot lemonade, fried oysters, etc.,
are common, and one young woman
Of an intensely practical turn of mind
sent to her adored one hot boiled
sweet potato! / apprehend that in
few years it will be no uncommon
thing TO express this holy emotion by
means of a raw onion or, ore appro-
priately, a cabbage head
1t is quite the thing at Vassar to
have tho reputation of being a sue
cessfnl 'smasher' One enterprising
young woman boosted of her $50 vic
TINS. She was Maine girl, and her
charm lay in the fact that she was
quite gentlemanly in appearance. But
she was notable exception. Very
few reach the zenith OF two dozen,
and il one were to successfully as
pire to more than that / think she
night say, Now lot thy servant de.
part IN peace | think also that un>
Ter the circumstances it would be the
NOS laudable petition she could pos
sibly put up.
NV, Mr.. Editor, that l have
shown the ridiculous side of this mat.
er, might continue to discourse, in
nou,nful numbers Of the serious side,
If its cause and effects, of the argu-
mems it furnishes for co education but
haze rome spark of kindly feeling
lett 'or your readers. Therefore /
will spare them the CHASTITY recital.