The morning times., 1896-10-30
A COLLEGE LEAGUE,
Inauguration of Helpful and Friendly
Work Among Students.

A quiet little movement is on foot among
the wives of the professors Of Columbia
cole ge and a few Interested friends to
add to tie practical workings Of that in.
stItuilon as organization similar in plan
and scope to one which originated in Ann
Arbor, Mich. a few years ago, ana which
has proved SO productive of coed results
that 1t ought TO bc adopted in every college
in the country where co-education exists.
One afternoon in that charming West
crn city, two or three professors wives
Glanced to be together. when their attcn-
tion became aroused to tie uncheercd lives
of numbers Of young women in college
who seem to have no social ties or fricntS Y
relations OF whatever sort; who were per-
hapS poor, had come to town without intro
ductionS, were shy and diffidcnt, or may
be incliend to take themselves and their
studies too seriously; often indeed over
workincfromSh Shcerlack ofthat social relaXa-
ton which dust the cobwehs from the brain.
lifts the weight of Sclf-imposcd Responsible
ity. and impar,s new enthusiasm and fresh
ness to Tagging energies They recognize
the fact, too. that while many such do no.
fail To go through the college curriculum
with honor, they afterward go out int o the
world obviously uncquipped with that broad
cr, better culture which comes from contaC.
with older, more experienced minds in the
atmosphere of refined and cultivated homes
THE outcome OF this afternoons cOnvcr-
Sation was the voluntary association OF
the young women of the college under the
name OF the "Woman'S League of the Uni
rcTsity of Michigan" with u large asso-
ciatc membership of the wives of the pro-
| fcSsors and other social leaders Of the city.
The general aim of the society crystal
iiZed itself into n few specified objects:
To cultivate friendly and helpful inter-
| course among the college women ire
| spective Of department, Of courses of study,
| or Of any church or society affiiiations;
| to further the spirit of unity anu loyalty
TO the university; 10 give practical aid
| to Young women entering college: to af-
| ford opportunities for social enjoyment in
| the homes, and to bring before its mem
| hers subjects which are OF especial interest
| 10 college women.
In its practical working, however, the
| association has found the last clause 10
| rmbody perhaps the least essential of The
several aims, while the laid to young
| Women entering college anu the social
| cnjoIuehl nave proven tutHiStiNcs VI Hi-
| told value.
| II is the duty of the. e.recepiion committee
! OF The league to, he present in the main
| building during the e EXAMINATIONS and open
| ing day of each year. Indeed, the young
| Women OF this comhmttee return to college
| several days before the opening, that they
| may better look after the stranger within
| the gates, often going to the station to
meet and direct them. To each newcomer
| they give reliable information upon all
| possible points, supplying lists OF de-
sirable rooms. boarding places, ,laundresses,
| and other practical necessities They then
| introduce them to the professors and 10
| each other, and in general initiate them
happily into the college life. FRIENDLY
1 calls are also early made upon these new
recruits. and they are accompanied to
| the churches of their choice and at once
introduced to the pastor and the Leading
ladies of the congregation.
The delightful homes of the mcmters
! of the faculty are then thrown open to
these young women. Not only are ''at
| homes" regularly given to members oi
| the league. and their friends, but the
| city is accurately divided into sections
| SO that NO one mag DC overlooked, and
| every. week, at Some OF the homes. Tea
is given TO twenty-five young women stu
| dents. These :hrc perfectly informal faac
| tions after the manner Of the usual high tea,