The sun., 1879-06-23
zEALoUsLY GUARDED HoUNe WOMEN
where the Publicity Of Appearing on Gradu-
alton Day is Avoided.

alton Day Is Avoided.
NORTHAMPTON, Mass, June 20.-The eleven
young women who got the degree OF A. b. from
Smith College. in this town. on Wednesday last
failed to take any part in their own graduation
exercises whereby those who have been watch
ing for them curiously could gather an intima-
tion OF their Intellectual caibre. At Vassar
when the young women graduate. each one
roads an essay. and tho hoarer Is enabled to
analyzo and make no end OF conclusions in re-
gard to the accomplishments in which the
course has resulted; but hero no such thing Is
permitted. The faculty say that the graduates
Of Smith shall not be subjected to public per-
formance. and that while they are at college
they shall be protected in n privacy which is
naturally courted by the sox. President Eliot
in his oration before the class. spoke OF the
necessity Of joining with the high education OF
women tho preservation Of their innocence and
OF that sensitive delicacy which. after all. must
always constitute their greatest charm. 1t is
because tho effect upon young women of o
course OF study equal to that which is pursued
at Harvard was contemplated with doubt. that
zcalously guarded Whether the precaution Ia
responsible for tho result. | do not know: but
among those OF the students whom have met
there are none who look or behave especially
like blue stockings" Possibly their natures
would not have been materially changed II they
friends on Wednesday, md possibly they would
remain utterly feminine and retain taste in
come educated up to that pitch that they could
speak Sanskiit luently. Still the students have
fallen quite In with tho idea OF the inadysa-
blltty Of having the assays. When asked one
OF the students. on the morning OF the gradua-
ton, whether her sisters OF the senior class
were not going to gay anything before they be-
came bachelors OF art. she said. No; they
didn't do that sort OF thing horo." in n tone
which led ms to feel that had been guilty Of
NHfHN uYHNN 10 la anN Inc hat NfRNH
There are 1888 students at Smith now. which
Will serve to show how, rapidly the college has
advanced In popularity In the four years of its
existence. When these were gathered in =" So
cial Hall at commencement they displayed n
great many pretty faces and u grcat many
dresses that were all but Os pretty. lust us NJ a
commencement at Harvard or Yale. 1t was
eyinced that the buovant affairs OF life entered
largely into the concern Of the students. and
that their minds were very moderately per-
pleNed by anything under the sun. The eleven
graduates were intellectual looking. but not un-
pleasantly so IL is pardOna5le to suppose that
they possessed some Of the strong characteris-
tics Of pioneers. No one OF them was noticcably
pretty. They were all dressed very modesty in
black. and wore flowers and some tribes OF lace
NJ their bOsoms and necks, and looked like y lot
OF quiet and rather grave girls OF the sort that
you may meet a-plenty IN any New England
town. They will nearly all become teachers,
and several Of them have already obtained posi-
uons "a such.
The first year that they spent at Smith Col
lege these girls were required 10 put through
the Odyssey and Icnophon's Memorabilia.
geometry. botany. and anti-classic history. and
listened TO lectures on many themes. The sec
ond year they had Demosthcncs ana Tacitus.
French. rigonometry. classic history. chemis-
try min0ralogy. and lectures. Tho third year.
German. physics logic. rhetoric physiology,
medigval history. study OF the Scriptures. and
| Greek aud Latin. Of course; and the fourth
year. mental and moral science, English litera-
ture. social and domestic science political econ
| omy. evidences of Christianity modern history
! astronomy, geology. Greek and Latin, and lis
u lFAr r.N no md
| music. Besides, there we're elective studies in
| numerable. and the graduates are said to have
come out with ~ good knowledge Of as many
things as any casual eleven come out OF Yale OF
| Harvard with. They have, its faculty say. stuck
| TO their work with extraordinary tenaciousncss
| aud s,il they have in all Instances preserved
| their health.
This matter Of health was one that concerned
| the iriends OF Smith College equally with the
matters Of ability 10 mHster the course and ahil-
| ity TO remain feminine. All that Is possible
soems to have bcen done 10 secure il. The col
| OF and overlooking the town. Across ths val
| ley lifts Mt Holyoke. with a startlingly defined
front door OF the vast white tavern which sur
| mounts II. Breezes OF the most invigorating
S1d sweep eetween she s; 9,s ana 'he S9r'n,
the grass OF tho fertile Connecticut
nmead9ws Hmis is green; rS There are pleasssn,
walk these Afford abundant exercise. There is
| moreover, In AL tho surroundings. everything
| 70 crafty the oye. The meadows and slopes OF
! the Connecticut Valley in this neighborhood
are famous for their lovelness. and the mind
| OF u student IN the course o. an hours ramble
| along the river side or under tho elm trees
| whose vast arches span the highways for miles
| could not fail OF happy issue ont OF even the
| most Intricate tangle. should NORTHAMPTON
ever achieve n toerably decent inn. So that the
| traveller might be- enabled occasionally TO alter
| nate with the pleasures Of the mind the com
| tort OF the body. there is no region that know
| OF for many miles heroabouts TO which the tour
| ist could conscientousy pay more ardent
| court. But 10 come up from among the willows
| and the cattle. the bobolinkS and the humble
! bees, ana 10 be- set down 10 table with seven
| small drummers who have como 10 Northamp-
| ton 20 sell needles and spool cotton. Is an
| unpleasant contrast to be sure. The stu
down from exaltation by tho vulgar cha'tei
| OF tradc. and they need not be soured when they
| arc hungry by being served with parody on
| dinner in microscopic dishes. which. in def
| erence. perhaps. 10 a prevailing taste, carry
| with them the suggestion of samples" The
| enclosure about the college building is ample
| and lifting from II under Ihe trees are four cot.
| tag"s. built OF brick, with gable roofs AID fdl o
| pleasant angles These places standing one
here and another there in Just the most appro
| priate spots, look utterly charming and com
| Portable. Towering bushes grow under theiI
| windows. and ivy twnes about their porches
revealing. glimpses OF cool places and wicker
! chairs. These are the homes Of the Smith stu
| dents. In them they live in little families. un-
| der tho charge Of the ladies Of the house." and
| have room and social recreation a-plenty. Thu.
with good care the girls preserve their health
| and 70 through work which i was declared they
| never could accomplish. They have library
| Of 1000 volumes aud an art gallery, Theil
| college building contains fine philosophical a p-
| paratus and an excellent laboratory. They hav,
| riding. rowing, archery. and croquet. and will
| all their unusual mental labor they preserve
good looks and perfectly feminine manners
| and 10 all outward appearances are very much
| like other young women OF their age who have
not ventured 10 penetrate tho awful mysteries
| OF knowledge to SO profound depth.
THE GLORIOUS FOURTH