The Portland daily press., 1898-02-09
SMITH COLLEGE GIRLS.
How the Rich STUDENTS Live in New Ply
mouth Hall at Northampton.
(From the NORTHAMPTON Gazette. J

(From the Northampton Gazette.)
Plymouth Hall the beautiful home for
college girls, is one of the sights of our
town. Ornate without, it is even more
pleasing within, but the manner in
which it allows students to live is the
subject of core thought, 1t is run on
grand scale, to be compared with no
place outside of New York. The cost OF
maintaining the hall is over $1,000
month, or about $40, 600 in year Of nine
months, most of which is divided among
our wage earners, grocerymen, meat
men, coal men, farmers, etc. 1t is one
to be looked upon with no small favor.
Two hundred dollars for groceries; $40C
for meat; $40 for butter and eggs; $50
for coal; $3.50 for gas and electricity, SAC
for milk, $50 for ice; $l00 for fruits, nuts,
etc., and $50 for laundering are some OF
the monthly expenses.
Withsvery few exceptions the girls who
live in Plymouth Hall come from wealthy
homes, and if there were no Plymouth
Hall they would, SO far as they were able,
find private families, where they could
have all the comforts an6 luxuries OF
their homes. To pay the big prices for
board that the girls OF Plymouth Hall
do is nothing new or fabulous for girls
attending Smith College. In years past
students have paid as high as $l5 and
more week for board in private families
on Ely and contiguous streets. The
price of board at Plymouth Hall is SIS a
week each, where two girls share suite
of rooms II a girl wants to occupy a
suite alone she has to pay $25. There are
about half dozen girls who pay this
price.
All that ingenuity, refined and dis
eliminating feminine taste can conceive,
is shown in the beautifully furnished
rooms. The artistic arrangement of the
multi-colored and various kinds of sofa
pillows and chair cushions, the welI-nigh
uncomfortable ways In which pictures of
father and mother, sisters and brothers
or sweethearts, countless numbers of
elegant bric-a- brac and thousand and
one pretty, dainty articles are hastily
combined, make the rooms exquisiteiy
beautiful places. Many Of the girls have
had their rooms decorated, even from the
paper on the walls, to correspond with
the colors of the college that is their ia
vorite. There is the purple for Amherst,
the blue for Yale, crimson for Harvard,
orange for Princeton, etc. And that
their loyalty may not be questioned q
college flag must hang in very eonspicu-
GUS place.
in the culinary art and table service
the place is the peer of Delmonioo's. The
best chefs, the best cooks of Tastry, mrat,
vegetables, etc., all are secured from New
York, and manner and materials used for
table garnishings are similar to those
used in the highest priced New York res
taurants. In number of courses, varie-
ties of meats, vegetables salads, fancy
imported delioaeies, fruit. ices, every
thing almost that can be had, both in
season and out Of season, are served. and
to enumerate everything, would require
a big vocabulary. Tea, coffee and choco-
late are served, but chocolate ts the ia
vorite. "Blaok coffee, which is occa,
sionally served, is likewise favorite.
Tbs hours Of meals are: Breakfast,
7.3o to 8. 80; lunch, to @; and dinner at
6. Except at dinner on Saturday and
Sunday the girlss are. rarelyH all at the
table at once. At dinner On thase days
and 1t is an occasion for pleasant social
time. They make beautiful sight, es-
pecially when the dining room Is brilliant
7y lighted, seated in groups of seveas
about the round tables. One table Is al
ways reserved for guests. On Sundays
the girls are allowed tossfll vacancies by
inviting friends, and this is privilege
which is greatly appreciated. The menu
on these days is more elaborate, particu-
larly in the way of salads. fruit and ICES.
Only intelligent and attractive walters
are selected, and while serving they wear
black dresses, white aprons, white collars
and cuffs. The attempt to have them
wear caps proved failure. the young
ladies rebelling again st 1t. The New
1t was too much Of badge of seryituae,
and the independent New England girl
will not submit to it. The students at
Christmas and Easter time and when
going home for the long vacation have
made it custom to remember the wait
ers generously in the way of gifts. On
special occasions the dining room is
made very beautiful and attractive
place by the employment Of flowers and
potted plants artistically arranged with
most charming effect, and guests are en-
tertained in sumptuous style, an e1abor-
ate menu being provided for the event.
The girls are not even troubled with
having to go to the dressmaker, as she
comes to them, one having room in the
hall and devoting three days in week
to the girls. The girls are well drilled in
extinguisihng inoipient fires In the build
ing. A powder kept in long tin cases
and hung at convenient places in the
house is ready for any emergency and
there have been q number of instances
where fires have started from some little
carelessness on the part of the girls, a
waste basket or curtain when they have
proved themselves quite adept in putting
out fires.