The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-03-10
An l. Ann A,RBOR IDEA
The Woman's League Which Looks
After the Girl in
School,.
Rev. Florence K. Croker Tells How
Successful Plan Has Been
at Michigan "U'

The plan Of a woman's league to foster
social culture and good fellowship origi-
mated at the University of Michigan. Rev.
Florence Kollock Croker. who has just
been IN Minneapolis on visit in the inter-
est Of the Woman's. Missionary Society of
the Un1versalist church, makes her home
at Ann Arbor, where her husband is pastor
OF the Unitarian church. She is deeply
interested in young people and mothers,
not only those belonging to her husbands
flock, but all those with whom she comes
IN contact who seem in need Of mothering.
Mrs. Croker isSone Of the league chape-
rones and is one of the few acting in that
relation Who are not faculty, ladies. She
approves strongly Of the league idea and
reports 1t to be a SUCCESS in Ann Arbor.
The plan is similar toFthe one adopted in
the University of Minnesota, the, girls be-
ing divided into small. mana geable groups
of twenty, with a chaperone who is at
once an adviser, friend and hostess to her
group. Half of the group are always up
per class students. At least once q year
the groups meet by themselves, usually
as the guests Of the chaperones. Once a
month all of the groups are entertained
Jointly at the woman's gymnasium sew
eral groups joining to perform the duties
OF hostesses. The entertainment varies,
but nearly always includes an informal
reception and dancing, besides some. fea
| lures introduced from time to time as the
taste and ingenuity of the hostesses sug-
gest. t, t:......, $50 >- - .
In Mrs. Crooker's view, the league per-
forms a very important service to the
girls In giving them opportunities for
pleasure in social life and In promoting ac-
quaintance, but it has. not yet solved the
problem of giving them attractive home
surroundings during the long period when
they are away from home. : Mrs Croker
regards this fact as factor that must
be taken into cOnS6ara tion w we ine
the merits and shortcomings of coeduca-
| ton. No other agency has provided gen.
orally the kind Of homes needed at Ann
Arbor, and the same lack !: of homes is
found IN a large number, Of coeducational
| At one time, Mrs. Croker said, she did
not approve fraternities, but since living
IN Ann Arbor she had changed her mind,
at least so far as the girls fraternities
were concerned. for they and they alone
We're furnishing to the girls the pleasant,
protected homes that they needed and
giving them the social advantages which
are. their right under conditions above
criticism. 3 l..-
In her experience Mrs Croker has
| found that many of the houses in which
the girls lodged have no parlosaopen to
the use of the students. and 1t these
girls are cut, off wholly from entertaining
their men friends, or meeting them social
y, unless, they commit the serious breach
7 of spropriety of, Receiving them in their
bedrooms. According to Mrs, Crooker's
view, there would be. less occasion to crit
1cize coeducation If the proper, healthy
bent, of the life Of young people was con
sidered and proper1Yt provided for in homes
where social life could develop normally
While Mrs. Croker thinks that the col
Ilege girls have much to contend with in
thesAway ssof deprivations, she has beer
urging upon the Michigan goods the dut,
Of unusual 5 ci II ton Just now, wher
coeducdtion is spr1dsr fire., s;.% IT., ~.
The Uniy ersfty I'll M iefiigan has a new
4 woman 50 NJ fe saaM Mrs crooke,
Myra Jordan, wifeSof one, Of, the p1ofes-
sors. She was notEtrained as a teacher
although highly educated woman sant
her duties are not pedagogical. She is the
official mother of the 700 women students
and is performing her duties with con
spicuous success. She was the persona
choice of President Angel and has specu.
liar social qualifications She is at ,f1ome
one afternoon a week to all of the girls
and has her office hours for consultation
! with any in need of advice 80 20: