Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-11
MT. HOLYOKE'S Ways
Considerable Change Since the
Days of Mary Lyon.
MORE LIBERAL POLICY
Chief Traditions Generally OBJ
served.
SINGING ON THE COLLEGE STEPS
Chapel Choir Famed - Beautiful
Campus of Two Hundred Acres.
Handsome Buildings.
ON THE COLLEGE STEPS
BY WILLIAM F. CURTIS
Special Correspondence Of The Star aud the Chicago
Record Herald.

Special Correspondence OF The Star aud the Chicago
Record Herald.
SOUTH HADLEY. Mass.
September 1. 1907.
The customs at Mount Holyoke have
changed considerably since the days of
Mary Lyon to conform to those OF other
institutions and the country at large. But
the chief traditions generally observed
The domestic work system which Mary
Lyon thought SO important In character
building and in the training of young wom-
en- to make good wives and houseke epers
is still observed, and every girl is required
to do something in the way of sweeping
washing dishes. making up the beds. setting
the table and putting the reception rooms
to rights for at least half an hour every
morning. But the students do not go into
the kitchen or the laundry any longer, I'M
less they choose TO 60 their OWE washing
and ironing to save the bills There are a
number OF dormi:ories. accommodating
from fifty to one hundred girls each. who
constitute great family under the chap
eronage and instruction in dome site sciences
OF motherly matron. and she assigns each
girl her duties about the house. They may
bake cakes or make fancy dishes or assist
In the kitchen work If they desire practical
experience. but are not compelled to do so.
Acting and Dancing.
Dramatic performances are allowed. There
Is an amateur theatrical club which gives
performances for the benefit of the other
students and the villagers. and the Ben
Greet company has rendered LAS You Like
1t and other comedies upon the campus
The girls are allowed to dance among them
selves and with the students from Amherst
and other young gentlemen who drop in
Saturday night informally to pay their re-
spects to their sisters and cousins Once
year at the junior prom a regular ball
Is given at VIII CHI each girl may invite one
gentleman friend. The young ladies are
also allowed to attend SINH ar entertain
ments at Amherst and when properly chan
eroned. They can go to Holyoke village
alone with permission. but if they wish to
go farther they have to take a teacher with
them. These are all modern innovations.
particularly the dancing and amateur the
atricalS. and are not approved by some of
the alumnae. But the criticisms have been
fewer and less severe than one might ex-
pect. There has been no evidence of dlsap-
proval from the church authorities Nor
has the ghost of Mary Lyon appeared at
any of the balls or informal dances The
change took place when Mount Holyoke
ceased to be a seminary and became col
lege.
Former Standards of Right.
The significance of all this is very great,
At the time Mary Lyon was principal of
performances were considered almost as
wicked as stealing and murder. and mem
bers of the church were accommodated
for indulging In such sinful amusements
Judge John H. Rice of Chicago a noble old
nonagenarian. the father of Willis Rice
who lived at Augusta, Me. fifty years ago
and represented that district in Congress
for several terms before James G. Blaine
became prominent. told me interesting
story the other day about the mother Of
{.f I..a LS.,Il4 h.
Gated from the Congregational Church of
Augusta as an awful example to those who
were guilty Of worldly diversions
Her name was Catherine Weston. and she
was the daughter Of Judge Weston. one of
the most eminent and prominent citizens
of Maine in those days. Miss Weston had
a music class Of little girls from eight to
fifteen years old from the families of the
ne;ghborhood She taught them to sing
and to play the piano. Sometimes. after
their lessons were over. she used to play
lively music and the little ones danced
around the parlor, not according to any
form or rule but In a merry. childish way
they let their feet keep time to the music
Somebody heard Of 1t and made a terrible
ado. Miss Weston was accused OF leading
her pupils into sinful amusements: formal
charges were filed against her: she was
brought before the deaconS of the Congre-
gational Church. and after a trial which
lasted two weeks. with arguments and evil
dence submitted on both Sides she was
found guilty and accommodated from the
First Congregational Church of Augusta.
The verdict created such Indignation that
nearly one-half the congregation seeded
and formed a new church which was IA
miliarly called The Dancing Orthodox" l
suppose that many such cases occurred In
early days that We know nothing about.
for the discipline of church members in
volved what they believed and what they
said and what they did contrary to the
prevailing public opinion.
Trial for Heresy.
1 was reading the other day a report of
the celebrated heresy trial of the Rev.
Robert Breck of Springfield. Mass, who in
a sermon once used these words:
What will become of the heather who
never heard of the Gospel, | do not pre-
tend to say. 1 cannot but indulge in the
hope that God, in His bOundless benevo-
lence will find out a way whereby those
who act UP to the light they have may
be saved"
For this bold and reckless repudiation
of the Calvinistic creed the Rev Robert
Brock was accused of heresy and brought
to trial. the local chronicles say, before
other colony and the charges were pre-
sented by Rev. Mr. Cap. afterward presi-
dent of Yale College. Mr.. Breck was a
mere boy. twenty-four years old. and a
great faVo-ite among his congregation and
townSmen. There was such Indignation
among the people that when he was ar
rested and taken before the council he
was followed by a mob which threatened
violence to the seven wigged judges. The
latter promptly decided to postpone the
proceedings and the scene of the trial
was transferred to New London to escape
from popular indignation. That evening
Mr.. Brock addressed his fellow citizens
from the steps of the parsonage and
planned to them his confession of faith.
They accepted it honest and ,thodoX
and agreed to stand by him.
When Mr. Brock went to his trial in New
London he was accompanied by a large
number of his congregation. and their DEM
onstrations were so violent that several
were threatened with arrest for treason.
Mr.. Brock was acquitted. but admonished
not to give utterance to any further senti
ments that conticted with the creed of his
church. So far We can learn, he con-
tinued to preach the gospel of love and
peace for forty-nine years and lies
among his flock in the Springfield ceme-
terry.
More Liberal Policy.
They were stern people in those days and
Mary Lyon was born and educated among
the striCtest of the sect. Her successors
have been more liberal. but have endeav
o-ed to carry out her purposes and realize
her ideals in the spiritual as we'll as the