Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-08
The SEMINARY GIRL.
Observation-Disclosures

e x
@N@8 rs IN IN se@ ~ ny ss ~ ~
A WILL-O-THE-WISP in the back
= ground of life of the National capital
is a type of grhood-the seminary girl
notable in that it is distinct yet reiterative
of the cosmopolitan character of Washing
ton. She is for the most part representa-
tive of the prevailing type of comeliness
in her community. Out from the folds
of circle where she haD shown with
more or less effulgence she steps with
homemade graces. bulgins trunks and
more or less education. She comes to
complete her education and to acquire
those subtle graces which lend immeas-
urably to charm of personality and to de-
velop latent managerial ability so indis-
pensable to the socially ambitious.
Is the seminary girl here in full force
this year? Ask the girls at the various
candy stores. Deed they are!' they
reply with knowing smiles She in COM
mon with others of her sex. SO they say.
Is possessed of a sweet tooth, and when
ever the opportune occasion presents itself
is prone to go on candy debaach.
l decided to interview the megaphone
man of one of the large "rubberneck"
wagons in the hope of his being able to
throw a few sidelights on my seminary
girl. l picked out chap who had that
certain quizzical expression about the
eyes that generally betokens the student
of human nature. both casual and pro-
found. | sided up to him and after
passing cigar and sizing up the weather
BADLY put my question
Had any loads of seminary girls late
1y? You know-these girls from out of
town who are here at boarding schools"
HUM said he between puffs. "Oh!
you mean squads. Squads is what we
call 'em. Sure! Had load yesterday.
Their voice teacher was chaperonin'
en-"
Good looking, were they?'' I asked.
He nodded his head slowly as he blew
smoke at fly on his sleeve.
What did they have to say?" 1 que
ried.
'.Nothin' at all, 1 thought they were
dumb until l asked one little GIRL and
she told me why it was they kept SO
quiet She said that this sight-seein' trip
was the same as a lesson. This teacher
had a notebook and pencil and was goin'
to try and find out how much good her
work on them had done. She claimed
that when they talked without bein' self
conscious as they would among them
selves on a sight-seein' trip she could
tell how much the practice of throat
tones and meditation had helped them.
They was all sore on her. the girl said.
and was bound they wouldn't say word
on the trip. They never chirped neither
not once. And say. the old 'un looked
He spoke the last sentence as he climbed
aboard the machine, for the seats had
filled as We talked.
The environment of these schools and
the outside experiences. such as sight
seeing and theater-gOing, tends to weave
the girls into a type which is distinct,
and yet individuality is directed and en-
couraged rather than Slapped.
The seminary girl is hedged about by
teachers who. for the most part, have
naught but her ultimate happiness at
heart. Their aims, restated. are to de-
velop poise to give her as high polish
as she will take; make her worthy OF the
position she is to occupy and to broaden
her horizon.
The physical side is not neglected These
schools have their gymnasiums and their
teachers of physical culture. In some of
them the girls are taught fencing. Basket
ball fs,popular and interclass games. I'm
told, are weekly occurrences Feminine
cohorts and men over eighty are the onIy
spectators admitted to these games 1t
seems to be the general rule that girls
shall spend as much time In the open as
possible. Never have / seen a healthier
girl than the seminary girl.
There Is the social side to the school
life. They have their dances (no men,
their plays Outsiders occasionally and
their fraternities-yes the dear ..frats,''
e..
and weird and WOODY traditions
Under the guidance of trained intel
lects they rake over the soul-stufY of the
principle characters of the classics. This
Is calculated to agtate the thought
channels of the veriest dulard They
read now with a fuller understanding of
motive and action. They go to the best
plays under the chaperonage of teach
ers schooled in the fundamentals of the
drama. They are taught to look and lis
10
the bearing of each sentence and it's ac-
companying action upon the plot and its
relation to some problem OF law of life.
She sees the part that woman plays on
the stage OF life. Gradually she becomes
conscious of her powers.
/ passed a number of them on their way
to church the other Sunday morning
They came tripping along two by two,
their fresh young faces glowing in the
morning sun. On the whole, they i'm
pressed one as being dressed more quietly
and in better taste than the general run
OF well dressed girls one meets on the
streets in Washington. All! But 1t was
their eyes that held me for the heeting
second. After they passed l walked on
for a square. then whirled about and
followed them. had covered but a
short distance before they turned cor
ner and entered one of the large churches
in the northwest section of the city
also entered and took the aisle seat in a
pew directly opposite them.
dropped prayer book in the aisle.
As | leaned over to pick II up. five heads
turned slightly and gazed at me. Again
il was their eyes that impressed me.
These eyes are the keynote of the semi
nary type. They speak various Lam
guage
You look awfully nice this morning. l
like YOU. flashed via the eye route
You're quite presuming." was the an
swer ! read in five pairs of eyes
At this moment two elderly ladies pre-
scented themselves at the entrance of the
pew l occupied. and I was compelled to
move over. Thus rudely were my opera
tons sQuelched.
The eye tete-a-tete is one of the semi
gary girls favorite pastimes. A super
abundance of spirits, her comparative iso-
lation from the world at large. the sup
preston she practices to gain poise. and q
very natural craving for the companio~
ship of young men have led her to take