New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-09


bent and the sense Of personal responsibility
that seems the inevitable accompaniment OF
such a change is one Of the most encouraging
characteristics of the present HolyOke girl
There is therefore rapidly developing college
spirit and though the collegiate charter has
been in working force only four years the
seminary has amply justified the wisdom OF the
change by readily adapting itself to its more
mature environment
There is probably no greater innovation al
Mount Holy okc than the present bulletin board
and the consequent abandonment OF that dstnc-
tive Uolyokelan institution OF Hall" This in the
former days-and not so very long aSo-was
the daily dread OF the seminary girls life. II
was at Hall that all important and unimportan'
announcements were made; that the various de-
linqucncies Of the students were rehearsed and
condemned ard that the advice OF the faculty
was miscellaneously distributed. 1t was here
that the girl detected in the act Of abstracting
stray pie from the kitchen. communicating
across the Threshold" speaking above whis
per after the retiring bell falling to extinguisf
her light after 10 o'clock. and hundred Other
in fractions Of n formidable list Of rules. was
publicly called to account and received the fl
punishment for the crime. The front row al
Saturdays Hall was occupied 10y the crestfaller
students whose disobedicnccs had not been con-
doned-the urcxcused exceptions, as they were
called-who were compelled to rise TO show that
they were still under the faculty's ban. The
Grst day at Hall. the students initiation int
the ways Of the college, was occupied in copy
ing this long list Of rules.
These regulations. II course, have been aban
ioncd to the vast Improvement in the disc
plipc and morale of the place. The present asi-
tation is for the establishment Of the honor
system. which is favorabIy regarded by the
students and faculty. but has not yet been def
nitcly decided upon Now all announcement
are made upon this bulietin-board. and the
girls are no longer informed from the rOstruT
as to the Holyoke ideal Of table manners the
proper way of packing ones trunk and how a
young lady should conduct herself on the train
DOMESTIC WORK"
There Is one distinctive institution, however
which has suffered little change, and to which
the new college is apparently as indissolubly
welded as the old This is the traditional do
nestle work." which has probably contributed
more to the fame Of Mount Ilolycke than her
more important claims to distir ction This do
nestle work. however has always been vastly
misunderstood The idea Of Mary Lyon in
obliging the girls to take charge OF the duties
of the household not to teach them house
Keeping though such impression has gen.
orally prevailed She decided upon this plan be-
cause Of the difficulty # procuring servants,
the expense involved. and as n valuable stimuli
lus to the democratic ideal she proposed. The
tuition at the school is low. and it would be
impossible to furnish accommodations ana u
corps Of trained servants at the same time.
More than this. the training IL a disciplinary
way has proved invaluable adjunct to the
regular curriculum and il is doubtful whether
the richest endowments would persuade the col
lege to abandon this feature Of its system
The domestic work at Mount Holyoke Is D
beautiful example u cooperation. and teach
ing the girls the necessity Of regularity and
method has made its influence felt upon their
after lives The fact that the housework for
a family Of four hundred is done by its mem
bers each working thirty minutes a day. and
that the work is so distributed that it is equally
shared by all. gives some indication Of what
the training must be- The present system is
the product of sixty years. and has naturally
undergone many notifications in that time
The heaviest work. such as scruhhing the floors
washing and ironing, was done by the earliest
pupils but has long since been performed by
others than students. The food is all pre-
pared by the girls, though the actual cooking
is done by more experienced hands; the tables
arranged and the dishes washed by the stu
dents. and the multitudinous other duties at
tendant upon the management Of extensive
a concern are performed under the direction OF
competent matrons. Each girl has an allotted
task and her responsibility there ends. The
cottage system. Of course. has added somewhat
to the intricacy of the arrangement. inasmuch
as there are several smaller buildings to be
cared for instead Of one. each with its own
matron and dining roOm but the general idea