The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1889-09-26
LIFE AT VASSAR COLLEGE.
Incidents In Girl Students Life at vassar
College.

The life in any woman's college, of
which Vassar is chosen AS the type, is
abnormal and unique. The girls live
in a world of their own. as distinctly
set apart as if removed to another
planet. Floods may devastate and
dynasties decay, marriage be con-
and fashions rise and fall, it concerns
visit 70 the college, at the time of the
great Pennsylvania flood, the subject
was not mentioned, and only after
emerging from this Utopia was the
disaster brought to my attention. The
affairs of the college are so vitality i'm
portant, so paramount in interest, that
there is no time to consider the terres-
trial and mundane occurrences.
When the girl freshman enters
Vassar, instead of receiving the hazing
that awaits her brother on entering
college, and being obliged to stand on
a table in her robe dc mutt to receive
bucketsful of ice-water on her devoted
head, with an accompaniment of de-
moniacal howls and groans, she is well
coined with the prettiest courtesy one
girl knows how to bestow upon an
other, says writer in the New York
Sun. The 'told girls" Chose who
have been one or more years in the
college) Immediately find ont where
the new girls are to room and call very
promptly, Introducing themselves and
leaving their cards. The new girl is
presumably little frightened and very
homesick, but the old girl doesn't ap-
pear to notice it or sympathize lest it
precipitate flood of tears, but en-
deavors to interest her in the customs
and incidents of college life, of which
she is now an element. There are no
conditional students accepted at
Vassar, but every examination must be
satisfactorily passed before student
becomes member of any class. This
done, and the class organized and
officered, its colors, flower and motto
chosen, the sophomores give to the
freshmen party of welcome, at which
each soph invites personally a fresh
man to be her guest. To this lady she
sends a bouquet, either of the class
flower or of her favorite blossoms, and
she attends her with all the gallantry
and courtesy to the festivities, where she
introduces her to her intimate friends
and is as devoted as the average young
man would be under the same circum-
stances. The members of the faculty
are also invited. and the party is held
in the gymnasium, which has been
handsomely decorated for the occasion
with ornaments contributed from the
parlors of the pretty hostesses. There
are music and dancing, songs of well
come from one class and responses
from the other, and the new girls have
been fairly launched on the tempestu-
Gus sea of college life. Then the two
classes swear eternal and traditional
enmity at each other, which culmi-
mates when the suphonores are seniors
and the freshmen are juniors.
When these important matters have
received the consideration their dignity
demands the new girl sets about es-
tablishing little home for her four
years sojourn, and the woman's strong
est instinct is betrayed. Put woman
lv woman in the midst of an open field,
with the sky for a roof-tree, and she
will at once begin arranging and Great
ing a home out of the very grass and
stones about her. There are few sim
gle rooms for the students and these
nave always Deeu dSSlS ueu lo tne more
delicate girls. There is usually small
parlor occupied by three or four girls,
and into this parlor open three or four
bedrooms, Of one of which each girl is
proprietor. The parlors are most
artistic, cosy little snuggeries. essen
italy feminine and dainty in their ar
rangement. The broad high window
seats are cushioned with some bright,
soft material and piled with gay
pillows, handsome hangings conceal
the doors opening into the bed
rooms, rugs, pictures, otchings, bits of
decorative work and comfortable little
rockers complete the furnishing of the
rooms, to which small writing desks
and well-tilled bookcases give the air
of student life. All this if the girls are
friends, but if through any mischance
the roommates cannot or will not
affiliate, how all the pretty treasures
disappear. each girl taking her own
articles into her tiny little sleeping
room and resolutely shutting the door
upon them, leaving the parlor as
dreary as a country way station.