The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-28
vAssAR's DAINTY BEAsrs.
How the Girls Made Merry Under
1 ificulties.
(C0pnrfoht 1917

How the Girls Made Merry Under
difficulties.
Copyright 1917
NEW York, June FL as much puz-
zIed to understand why any editor should
wish me to write an article alb out midnight
feasts at Vassar. In fact, 1t is rather dis
enchanting, just as one leaves college for
good, with her mind full Of great ideas
about work IN the big, serious world, to be
questioned about school girl pranks, which
she would almost wish forgotten in her new
dignity of bachelorhood. Now. little essay
on "The Higher Education of Women" or
1.-THE Influence Of College Bred Women on
Affairs" would seem to me much better
worth while, If were an editor.
However, If / can't be serious I will be
reminiscent, which is the next best thing,
and remind you that the best of the good
times are all over at Vassar, since the COR
ridor teachers-the police-were done away
with For the last year the students have
done pretty much as they liked, and, Of
course, they have behaved better than ever
before, as there was no reason to do other
wise. When the school was first founded,
In the old bootjack days, the rules were
uery strict
You don't know what the bootjack days
we're Why, they say that Mr.. Vassar was
80 ignorant of the requirements of young
women that he included bootJack in the
furniture Of each room in fitting up the
college, don't know whether this is really
true or not, but | think it must be, for
have seen several Of the bootjacks. which
are valued very highly as decorations.
As was saying, in the old days, the rules
lxrr. x-nI
Even as late as my coming, in 1887, the spy
system was kept up, and of course we had
great sport in eluding the watchers. Whom
ever any girl got box of good things from
home she at once planned "spreed. "
Spreads were of two kinds. One was de-
corous, respectable and dull. under the pro-
lection and with the approval of the police.
The other kind was secret, mysterious and
much more alluring, without their knowl-
edge. An invitation might be in the form
of q card with rude drawing on the one
side and menu on the other. or little
note like this:
Miss requests the pleasure OF your COM
pany for evening.
To which the invariable answer was:
Miss accepts with pleasure Miss -'s'in
vitation for - evening, loe-.
The goodies were usually concealed be-
hind DOCKS IN Lue DOOkCdSeS Ut olndWB0T6
about the room. Extra supplies were
brought up from the store in the building
surreptitiously, one at time, jar Of
olives to-day, a bag of sweet crackers to-
morrow, until all had been secured.
When the evening came, endless vigilance
was exercised by the visitors in reaching
the room, aud then cloaks we're hung over
transoms and keyholes to hide the light, and
voices were subdued to whispers.
Oysters we're favorite dish. One OF my
Invitations was on q card, at the top OF
which was sketchsd an oyster she'll. The
Invitation said "to eat these" There were
two favored ways of cooking oysters. One
was to straighten out hairpin and thrust
it through the nlollusk and fry 1t by the
gas Jet, the other was TO make a stew. This
was muca more difficult as 1t involved q
saucepan, milk, spoons and plates. One
girl kept saucepan for long time by hav-
ing iI made with g handle to fold over IN
side. Then, after using it, she would wrap
it I'D in paper and put it in the bonnet rack
in her trunk It was tiny one, about the
right size and shape. The plates could be
used well enough during the day to put
under the flower plant pats instead OF the
usual brown saucers, which could easily
get broken. That gave them an excuse for
being gone.
The store in the building was established
for the legitimate purposes OF the faculty
and students. The latter bought usually
candy. crackers, olives. chow-chow, pickles,
oysters or fruit. Hers Il another bill Of