The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-06-19
THE WOMAN'S COLLEGE.
As Viewed From the Standpoint of
One Of the Young Women.
To THE EDITOR OF THE NEWS:

SIR-Three years ago next September
the first Daughters OF Brown stood at the
doors OF the old college knocking for ad-
mission. however much their brothers
on the Hill may have frowned on them at
first, they soon found that they were in
desperate earnest in the quiet but
enthusiastic way in which they set
about their work. And tomorrow morn
ing two young women who entered then
and have with wonderful perseverance,
accomplished the junior and senior
work in one year, will go up
'04, and prove TO the citizens of Rhode
Island that Brown University can equip
women as well as men with q splendid
collegiate education.
BY this time not only the Brown boys,
but outsidersi themselves have begun to
realize that an organization which has
numbered 13 members in the first year, 80
in the second and 73 in the third, has
come to stay. With such rate of
increase each year we might well hope
soon to rival Vassar and Wellesley, but we
are handicapped at the start by the lack
OF sufficient accommodation for the new
comers. The pleasant little school build
ing at 235 Benefit street is SO crowded
that the Freshmen declare they are al
ways being crowded out and what shall
we do when the numbers are in the hun
dreds? There seems to be an
imperative demand for larger, better
quarters for this healthy young
so that girls may be able to come from
afar off TO old Brown. We must bave
gymnasium to give that physical training
which Is so greatly needed to counteract
the nervous, strained condition which
is the worst enemy of the work
OF college girls. We must have
room to grow or we cannot live.
The fine site which has been promised
us on Meeting street and the beautiful
building which exists on paper alone are
but cold comfort without the money to
accomplish the plans. In these days when
all educational institutions are in such
crying need OF pecuniary help, we feel
that u is no audacity Tor us to declare
that almost no institution has more claim
on the purses OF generous men and wo-
men than this brave effort for the higher
education of women in Rhode Island.
Not only by its growth, but by its high
standard Of scholarship has the Women's
College proved its right to live. The
MoTs S;sh ardS, aons has Tb. been GIRLS OF very eGy
afraid of good hard work, and they
are most ambitious to outdo their
brothers. Special honors have been won
more than once by the girls, and in every
class there is SO large q number of girls
with record of straight ex"as to win
lne cnNY Oh tnt DONb anu CHuSt tutfn 10
cry that "the co-eds are only digs after
In the work done the girls seem to
specialize in the branches of History,
Literature and Language. A few are
taking scientific courses and there one or
two mathematicians. OF tho two who
graduate, Miss Woolley has made q spec
Language.
In the past year the young ladies were
allowed their first active share i'm any of
the college organizations in the election of
Miss M. T.. Wooley as editor of the Brown
Magazine. Through her fine editorial
young ladies her department OF Etch-
ings has become one OF the leading
features OF the magazine. Miss /. w.
Bliss has Just been elected as an editor for
the coming year, and II Is hoped that i'm
future the young ladies will take still
more active part In the work OF the col,
lege press.
The college girls prove themselves true
American girls OF the period In the active
interest which they take in athletics. Go
into the little building on Bene-
fit street on the eve of an
importsnt baseball contest and let
the excitement OF those who nre going to
OF the gymnasium meets and see tho eager,
wise faces of the girls as they discuss
the merits OF their favorito athletes.
At the gymnasium you will see the hand
some silk banner presented by the girls 10
the Brown University Athletic Associa-
ton. This was won at Worcester last
May by the class of '96 to be held as their
trophy during the coming year.
Whatever the mon may say, college girls
life is by no means all grinds to those at
Brown. Besides the good times which
must come from outside to distract
the college girl who lives at home,
there are many class parties and sup-