The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1904-07-18

present entrance from the street is
on one side which was designed to be
the back of the building-was the
last unoccupied piece of land in the
neart OF Cambridge near Radcliffe, and
as purchased by the College at a time
When 1t could i'll afford the expense to
provide for inevitable future REQUIRE
ments. AS fast the funds are forth
coming-Bertram Hall cost $7O,O0O-it
is proposed to add one building on
the street front and to erect three more
on either side of the big quadrangle
leaving one end of 1t OPEN
The household economy of Bertram
Hall is interesting. All thu expenses
of furnishing service, heating and
light. except open fires and laundry
work-and even then the linen is all
provided-are included in the rental
charges. Yet by skillful management
1t has been possible to reduce these to
minimum below that of the ordinary
city lodging: from SO a week for the
single rooms to a little more than Sc
week apiece for each of the girls
sharing the larger suites during the
36 weeks from the last Wednesday in
September when Radcliffe opens, to
the day before Glass Day, which comes
the second or third Tuesday in June
year to year.
Just at present the dining room in
Bertram Hall is the nearest approach
Radcliffe has to commons" though
the College probably never will have
common dining hall for all it's build
ings but will maintain separate pro-
visions in each dormitory in order that
certain degree of home life may be
maintained. Board here costs Sc a
week for the college year, exclusive of
the Christmas and spring recesses when
most of the residents in the building
are away and when those who stay
are called upon, of course, to meet the
extra expense of a small number. So
that the total cost of living in Bert
ram can be, at the outside, but little
over $500 for the college year and may
be as low as 1916.
One of the novel features of this
unique house-one of the clubhouse
features--is an extra suite on the
fourth floor used most frequently for
guests--it may be relative or friend
of one of the resident girls or a re-
turned graduate who is spending a
day or two in Cambridge-but where
student who is i'll can be completely
isolated with assurance of absolute
quiet; though so good is the health
of the house that never but twice have
the rooms been used in this way At
Class Day and Commencement time
the house extends it's hospitality to
the extent of its capacity and never a
night passes that it is not crowded
with alumanae who have returned to
renew their student days.
The Radcliffe theory is that apart
from any special knowledge girl may
gain from books and Rotations and
lectures Ch
knowledge of life as she will find it
when she goes out into the world
diploma in hand. This is part and par
eel of the university training idea.
Especially important among it's ele-
ments is the social freedom the stu
dents are allowed. Instead of clois-
tertng themselves in the company of
none but the girls of their own age
they meet men and women, and en-
counter the influence of younger peo-
pie and older just as they must in their
later lives.
SO the girls who room at Bertram
come and go as they please Miss E.
NJ Hoppin, the resident mistress
STANDS IN the place of mentor only as
their mothers do when they are at
| nome. There are no fixed rules other
| imam those of a well ordered and re-
| Ilned family; no questions are asked
| Va nv" VI WHeH OF Where, save Ihat
when they go out in the evening they
are required to consult Miss Hoppin
| and to take with them a chaperon of
whom she will approve. The society of
university city like Cambridge is
peculiar, but Its popularity is of a
sort particularly desirable for young
women.
This year there are ass students at
Radcliffe and of these the 25 at Bert
ram constitute but small group, of
course The others whose homes are
not near enough to Cambridge to make
1t convenient for them to go back and
forth every day are housed with pri-
vate families and in a few boarding
| houses approved by the college author
| tiles. The great interest that has al
ways been taken locally in the "wo-
mans Harvard has, fortunately. OMEN
ed the doors of many of the best homes
in Cambridge where the accommoda-
lions have been offered for one or ner-
\ haps two Radcliffe girls, and several
such opportunities are in the families
| of professors, all of whom are mem
bers of Harvard's distinguished teach
ing force. But so popular has the hall
of residence become and so valuable