New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-31
A FAMOUS GIRLS SCHOOL.
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE EMMA WILL
LARD SEMINARY SIXTY YEARS AGO.
THE INFLUENTIAL PERSONALITY or ITS HEAD
AND HER MODERN METHODIST VISIT
FROM HENRY CLAY.

one of the earliest pupils of that famous school
now living says:
There were about two hundred of u.s. incud-
Ing boarders and day pupils friendly. merry
set of girls quite interested | fear. in the
Saturday afternoon cookery practice when. duly
arrayed in caps and big aprons rolled out
piecFust for Sundays dinner. in the Latin and
higher mathematics which Mrs. Willard the
pioneer in womans education. insisted that We
should study.
Indeed. there is impression more vivid
after sixty-four years than Sunday dinner. which
invariably consisted Of cold boiled ham cut in
thin slices. with delicious mashed potatoes and
pie-our pies. Somehow. was never able later
on in my own housekeeping to realize again the
schoolgirl memory of just that pnky thinness in
ham the melt-in- your mouth consistency of
that mashed potato. while as for the apple pies
Mrs. Wizards digestion may have suffered
from these first culinary efforts OF ours, but we
knew flaw in them.
"AmOng the sensible and homelike customs of
the seminary was bit of luncheon at IL a. m.
and at o D. m At II o'clock old housemaid
sat in the hall with a tray Of rusks which she
distributed to the crowd of hungry girls who
focked from the classrooms and just before
bedtime we had a like frugal bte-wise precau-
tiOn against seepessness from an empty stom-
ach. Frequently number Of us would CLUB TO-
eether and buy a barrel of apples. Then it was
a banquet rather than a lunch. with our one
rusk and a rosy-cheeked apple.
"There was old Nanny Thompson nice
motherly person. who presided over the infrm-
AIRY. or nursery pleasant room where we went
when ans. Mammy's welcome 10 every SUI
ferer no matter what the location or character
OF her pain was: Well honey. why don't you
take salts?
MY roommate was Jane Lincoln. favorite
niece Of Mrs. Willard Jane was then about
eighteen. a lovely. talented girl. who played
beautifully upon the harp. and who later on De-
came her aunts mainstay and helper in the sem
inary Her tragic death in the Camden Tairoad
accident "A few years ago was great shock 10
all who had known Jane Lincoln Those OF us
with a weakness for an extra morning nap viii
remember the Hook and Eye Brigade. which
formed in the third hail. a line of girls hooking
each others frocks as they marched down to the
dining-room (all waists. in 1889; fastened in the
back Woe TO the unlucky one whose nap was
longest and whose place was last in the llne'
with no friendly aid in hooking her iock Dig
black mark was inevitable if one were not inside
the dining room door before grace was SAID ~
dining room in the basement. ana. IKE all
the rooms in the house was large and we'll yenti-
lated.
Mrs Willard was a majestic-loo woman
carving herself with the air and dignity or
queen. Her dress was always handsome. OF black
silk or black wool. with hchu-Ike effect OF
white null or lace. l never remember to have
/ seen her without her turban. a large, imposing
affair built of soft white stuff. which added
greatly to the regal effect she produced with her
high brow side curls and strongly marked feat
ures Her expression vas one of kindly shrewd- |
mess. no one could see her and not recognize at |
bnce that she was a remarkable woman pos |
sessed of great mental and executive force.
"She was kind. but somewhat hasty in her |
judgments. and like all persons of imperious
temper and despotic rule. not always just Some
! Of ibe more shy and easily frightened of her
! pupils could have testified to this. But IL reared
by some Of the girls. she was heartily admired
by all Of them. while the influence oil her VIVID |
magnetic personality was undoubtedly the in
SEPARATION of the school
"On Wednesdays and Saturdays. which were |
boh half bodays instead Of the present full |
Saturday holiday. always assembled in chapel
at the noon closing Of school to listen to Mrs
WIZARDS talks on ethical subjects truth hon
estv manners the Christian virtues generally. |
She laid great stress upon manners. and was
VERY particular about our personal appearance
Injecting girl in the hail. she would stop to ar
range the drapery of what was at that time IN |
variably a low-neckcd gown. saying. as she pat
ted the bare girsh shoulder: There, my dear
l think that is more becoming
..She encouraged the visits of distinguished |
people to the seminary, always presenting them
TO us Sometimes this was rather to the en-
barrassinent Of the person presented. as in the |
case OF the renowned Henry Clay. who, being |
unexpectedly ushered into chapel full or girls |
and urged by Mrs. willard to speak to US.