The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-27
COLLEGE CADS?
Lawyer McShsTry and the Pretty
New Brunswick Girls Seem
;. to Think So.

terress rankles In the hearts OF many
residents OF New Brunswick. ". j.. re-
gardfng the manner I'm which their
courtesies have been met by the stu
dents at Rutgers college. and the ag-
grieved persons look with equal disfa-
vor upon that small coterie OF old fami-
lies in the city who make mp society"
there. When the students gather for
the next term there is likely 20 be war
between 'town and gown"
Howard McSherry, a well known New
Jersey lawyer. has sounded the key
note OF the towns attack upon the stu
dents and their abettors Of the old
families in articles printed In local
newspaper.
Mr.. McSherry, In his article, which
might we'll bear the little, "A Counter
blast to New Brunswick Society" Of
fers reward of 500 to any student
who has accepted the hospitality OF
New Brunswick young women and not
shown his appreciation by sneering at
them lie also offers $50 for any stu
dent who has accepted invitations and
has I'm any way shown his appreciation
by dispensing hospitality in return.
1T Is very easy TO understand why
Mr.. McSherry should make such an at
tack" said young man In striped
tennis nannels whom l found exercis-
ing I'm the broiling sun. Mr.. McSher-
ry does not belong TO society here.
The society here Is composed or a rev
of the old families and of the students
xuhp hau ha ma 4
for the cultivation OF the social graces.
Society Ia, therefore. necessarily exclu-
sive. The students invite the members
OF the old 6amilies to the dances given
by the fraternities and 10 the junior
and senior hops. 1t cannot be said that
the students do not reciprocate."
This, indeed, l found from talking
with some OF the townspeople was not
far from being the exact social condi-
ton. But there is a host OF pretty girls
in New Brunswick who do not belong
to the old families, but are TO be found
at the church sociables. The students
are received by the churches and they
go to the sociables. They make the ac-
quaintance OF the young women. They
call and sometimes take them 10
church. They are invited to dinner and
to- tea.
In diploma time, however. the stu
dents forget to invite the young wo-
men of the church sociables to the
dances, and the commencement and
class day exercises. They invite only
the young women from the families
whose ancestors fought and bled for
Amer lean independence.
1t is said that the students even
speak slightingly OF college widows"
In the opinion of the townspeople who
are not OF the Jersey aristocracy this
has gone too far, and therefore Mr..
Howard McSherry has, In their estimas
tion. struck .he keynote.
The selccs society Mr.. McSherry criti-
cises severely, and finally dismisses
with the following verbal castigation:
The fact Is, there Ia no such thing
as society in New Brunswick. "A So
called social circle, whose members
walk around IN the middle OF the day
in dress suits and Rough Rider hats. at
tend teas In football clothes and colo
nisl teas in Tuxedo coasts, is a fit SUBJ
ject for eartoonist."
Now. AZ q matter OF fact, the New
Brunswick four hundred do not always
wear dress suits when the sun is at the
highest altitude. 1t is admitted that
young men who have come from dis
tance have appeared in full dress by
daylight, and there have been occasions
when afternoon teas and dances have
come so close together that swallow
tails have served for both.
AS TO the social leaders going to af-
terhoon teas in football togs, ] am au-
thorized to make a correction. The teas
given at the chapter houses Of the fra
ternities may at times have been lack
ing i'm long coats and polished patent
leather. but nobody ever thought Of GO
ing to them in anything less conven-
tional than pepper and salt business
suit.
There was colonial ball last spring.
which many of the students persisted
in attending in evening dress, although
the Jersey Blue chapter of the Daugh-
ters OF the American Revolution had
earnestly requested that all the men
should wear the continental uniform of
buff and blue. The younger daughters
vehemently voted that the young men
lacked patriotism as we'll as savoir
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