, 1890-12-21
- ANp Gown Ir g.

y ASAAAAAhe AAe1lChl StuoenEa.
Grim visaged war has stalked rampant
at the Women's Medical college for some
weeks past. The contention was ovel
the all absorbing question as to whether
or uot caps and gowns shall be used az
the graduating costumes of the fair ones
turned loose from the institution to deal
with the ills to which human flesh is
heir.
For years past this question has been
annually mooted, but until the present
session there has always been a majority
who thought that the costume looked
too 'mannish."
This year the factions began their
fighting early and the fight has been a
close one. Some of the arguments used
by those opposed to the ''rig" are in
many cases unique. One Of the gadu-
Rting class was heard to say:
why, what shall l do if the gowns
are adopted? I am to have a white silk
dress for graduation, and / want 1t, too.
Oh, no, l shall not vote for gowns"
Another Of the students, who has
passed the girlish age, entered her plea
against the gowns. When asked by a
younger classmate what she thought of
the question she said:
"lf l were as young and rs pretty as
you are / should say wear them but l
am too old. / would look like nothing
but an owl"
The argument which seemed to have
the most weight was that the college
had no right to the CAPS and gowns, be-
for ages it has been a university
costume. a few insisted that the cos
tune was mannish and their delicate
tastes could not endure that thought.
The college bulletin board has been
an important instrument in the fight.
One side would paste a notice, and i'm
indefinitely it would be covered with one
by the opposing faction. Notices of
meetings to protest were replaced with
notices for adoption. At lastthe friends
Of the gowns adopted an argument
which did much for their side. The
photograph of a very handsome woman
dressed in cap and gown was framed
and hung up on the board. 1t was, in
deed, a picture, for instead of being
mAnnish it showed n womanly woman,
with features well defined, and even the
most bitter could find no objection to
her appearance.
The fight has been productive Of much
i'll feeling, for each faction has been re-
l%entiess in its persecution of the other.
College chums have separated, and the
erstwhile warm friendships have been
supplanted by a GOODNESS which borders
close on to enmity.
A meeting Of the College association
was finally called for Friday night, at
which the much debated question was
to be argued. All the classes had al
ready taken their stands. The fresh
les were almost unanimous in their de-
sire for the costume. The second year
students were by n large majority on
the same side. It was In the senior class
that the fight was most bitter. The
-four years course is in the curriculum
OF the college, so that of thirty-seven
students but nineteen expect to graduate
at h end of the present collegiate year.
All are, however, senior, and in the class
vote it was found that the nineteen
were, with but one exception, against
caps and gowns. The one boiling mem
Der turned the scales in favor of the cos
tune, and for a while much feeling was
displayed by the young women.
1T is mean. " said one young lady, ''for
eighteen four year girls to try to make
nineteen of this years class wear n mon
key dress"
And so the fight continued until Friday
evening. Promptly at 0 o'clock the pres
ident, Miss Potter, called the association
TO order, and Immediately the motion
was carried to dispense with all regular
business and deal only in caps and
gowns. A lively debate followed the
motion for the appointment of a com
mittee Of three to ask the faculty for
yneir approval Of the cap and gown cos
tune.
Those opposed Immediately saw where
this would place them, for if carried it
meant caps and gowns Feminine as
pensions and sarcastic speeches were
offered rs arguments. In the midst of
the uproar a living argument for the
costume was most aptly put.
Two of the colleges prettiest students,
Misses Jones and Griscom, entered the
gowned and capped in the regular
university costume. Their appearance
caused a perfect silence, followed by a
round of applause such as seldom greets
the new found star. They were well
calculated to convert the unbelievers.
A prettier picture it's certain meier was
seen.
The fight was now almost won, for
the opposition had become very weak.
The committee was appointed and the
question decided by the students. Caps
and gowns had won the day, and at the
future commandments the white silk
dress will not appear. Philadelphia
Times.