The sun., 1894-12-30
LIFE IN A GIRLS COLLEGE.
PLBNrT or HARD WORK As WELL
As GArETr AT BRFN MAWR.

TIE stuaents Govern themselves sua Arr
U-ssr Few Rsstr,ctio-s-Roups n th'
Dorruitories - The Hsuntea Proctor :
| Chaperors Have an Essy Ti-e-Hnsinr
| i- Mild Ferr-visitors Made weIeouse
Rules and regulations are reduced TO mini
| mum at Bryn Mawr College. So far as the dlsci
pllne OF the institution is concerned, the girls
are as free MS the undergraduates OF any mems
college In the country; more so, indeed. for theJ
are not Obliged to attend lectures, and no regular
| accounting is made of absences. Practicallythe
only restrictions on the fair colegians are those
embodied In tho laws Of august and some
| what mysterious body known as tho Self-gov-
crnment Association. As n result OF this free
dom from discipline there has grown up al
Bryn Mawr q certain college spirit notwith-
standing the youth Of the institution, as dis
tinetive and rs pronounced as the Yale or the
Harvard spirit.
College life ut Bryn Mawr ls full ofhard work,
for the requirements a. to scholarship are
rigid. But It s also full Of gayety as is TO be
pected. Wherever 400 girls are gathered to-
gether and left to live In their own way there Is
bound TO be fun, and great deal Of IL. SO Bryn
Mawr has its clubs and its societies and its
athletics and its romps, and even, In a very mild
form, It's hazings Just like its brother institu-
couldn't give the Bryn Mawr girl any more
freedom than she has now. Even in the matter
Of apparel the Bryn Mawrites do pretty much rs
they please, and an exhibition OF basket ball
costumes would rather discount bicycle bloom
er procession. The ordinary dress Of tho UNDER
graduate, however, Ia plain black gown and n
mortar board hat Almost every girl seen on the
campus wears these.
The college stands about ten miles from Phil
adelphia, In the suburb of Bryn Mawr. 1t Ia
about ten minutes walk from the railroad sta
tion, or, IL one prefers to ride, jolly vehicle,
looking like an abbreviated hearsc. will deposit
him at the college grounds for the modest sum
Of ten cents The grounds themselves are not
picturesque. They consist In large rolling
lawn, and all the trees thereon would not fur
nish small family with flrewood for one month.
At the entrance to the grounds is comfortable
looking house, where the dean used to live. This
has been dubbed by the girls the "Deanery."
Some rods further along Is another college
house hidden in clump Of trees. This is called
the "Scenery." because, as the girls carefully
explain to every visitor, It can't be seen from
the entrance. In the middle is a third ediHce.
which brilliant alumna christened tho
Betweenery." Beyond stretches the campus,
on which the college buildings proper stand.
This lawn is marked Off into tennis courts.
played In which the champions from tho Har-
ward Annex fall upon their Bryn Mawr rivals
and snow them under. Tennis Is not Bryn
Mawrs strong point; but basket ball Is. The
ground Is just beyond the tennis courts. This
game has been described at length In THE SUN.
In brief, 1t Is an attempt the part Of one side
to throw large ball into q basket set on high
pole. while the other side defends this goal and
strives to land the ball In tho basket of their
opponents. There are certain rules In the game.
although the average spectator would never
suspect II. The players arc not allowed TO kick
either tho ball or one another. They may punch
the ball or catch and throw II, but they must
not run with it. The reckless manner in which
hands fly about in q game OF basket ball
is q revelation. Jabbing with the elbow
with view of discouraging a too perniciou. &C.
tivity on the part Of an opponent is one of the
upon by the Sclf-governmcnt Association.
Naturally, the bigger the player the greater ad-
photographs in lho college collection is a scene
IN game of basket ball whore girl six feet
three G stands % on tiptoo reaching for descend.
wildly upward in the hope of inttrcepting tic
catch. The small girl reminds one of fox
above It's head. Black eyes and bruised faces
are not at all uncommon in this game. but such
Injuries are always taken good naturedly us part
At the further side of the campus stand the
time BY the big Clock in the toysr Thafn nso ts cons
and the ofices Of the college officials. 4 death,
"Sh! Don't talk so loud. Quiet is always
preserved here" is the warning that the unwary
visitor receives upon venturing aremark in an
Il is the influence Of the self-government As
IN tho dormtores These are sSe
Radnor, Denbigh. and Merton. A college saying, |
attributed to 2 high ofriciai, runs
bigh for money. and Penn broke for sport"
just exactly what spooks are in Bryn Mawr
sral way spook is person who wanders about |
% the night hours. Perhaps tho term originated |
Who. on on moonlight summer nights % used to sally sally
'orth from the building and have "spook |
parties" in the little graveyard just beyond tho |
here no self-sovernment command which
nto the turret and thence climb into the hail."
md by this means the spook parties used to re-
o eat il, Probably It is this case OF access that
makes Rsdnor so popular with the more lively
In point OF comfort Merton is one OF the most
desirable OF The buildings. The rooms arc well
cry decnrous, almost painfully 30, in fact. Ii Is
aunted BY the fear of the proctor. Like nearly
rodutt OF self-goVernment She Is one OF tho
tudents, usually an upper-class woman, and her
uty - 70 rush manly ABOUT the halls and shrek
HushV' In stentorian tones of warning when
ver the least noise Is heard in "quict hours"
crtnin specified period set by tne ubiquitous
AT MeriUn the lot OF the proc
pr would be an easy one " all the Merton proc
Drs weren't superconscientious, There is a su-
erstition In the college that any girl appointed
rector in Merton becomes endued with super
atural powers OF hearing, and that she can
iahatma-like, project her astral ears into
ny part OF ths building. legend is
urrent Of two blithe and merry Chicago mnid- |
Ms who once occupied q suite OF ruoms-fOr the |
ierion rooms are arranged In small suites Just
cruss from the proctor's room. and who M Ell To
eguile the tedinm OF quiet hours, not being Hd-
icted to study, by twanging a pair OF banius. !
vain did the proctor rush forth, crying |
Hush" They would hush for two minutes
nd then go right ON again. IL got 20 thar tho |
rector had To spend all her time running into
he hall to subduo the musical attempts OF the |
hieagoans. She couldn't hnd time To study.
were near at hand, and sho !
as in danger OF being plucked. The necessity !
I hushing the baniOlsts became an incubus.
a her dreams II haunted her. and she would get
p Ia her sleep. rush out Into the hall, and emit
sibllant hush that would arouse fierce protests |
'om awakened sleepers, including tho original |
iusefs al the trouble. One day the climax |
ame when the unfortunate proctor, hearing the
atrd banjo tones In tho hours dedicated To- |