Evening star., 1909-06-22
A GIFTED VASSAR GIRL
Miss MiIhoIIand's Adoption of
Socialism Causes Sensation.
TALKS ON STREET CORNERS
Has Striking Presence, With the
Poise of Maturity.
BELOVED BY HER CLASSMATES
Possesses Large Following in the
College, Which, However. Has Not
Disturbed the Institution.
BELOVED BY HER CLASSMATES
BY WILLIAM f.. CURTIS.

tnIfagn rorG-fcral1.
POUGHkEEPSIE. y. Y. June II. 1.n?.
During the past year there has been a
good deal OF sensational talk in the news
papers about a craze among the young
women at Vassar College for woman
suffrage. socialism and other advanced
ideas which are repugnant to the con-
servative families who have sent their
daughters there and contrary to the old
fashioned, common-sense policies which
have always prevailed in that institution.
The advanced views and conspicuous be-
havior of a few OF the young women
have given some ground for the published
reports, although | am told that they
have been very much exaggerated. 1t is
true that at least one OF the members
of the class which graduated the other
day has taken a prominent part in wom-
an suffrage agitatons and is a pro-
nounced socialist. She has been down in
the slums of New York talking to the
Workingmen and attending sociaEstic
meetings, and with several of her class
mates. has taken part in socialistic dem
onstrations here in Poughkeepsie. But
she is the only undergraduate who has
made herself notorious and got her name
in the newspapers by participating in
such demonstrations.
The young lady alluded to is Miss Inez
Milholland, a member of the class OF
1909. and daughter of John f. Mihol-
land, prominent politician of the re-
publican machine in New York and
manager of the conduit system in use in
that and other cities for the transporta-
ton of the mails Miss Milholland is a
striking-looking young woman twenty
four years of age, of large stature and
considerable beauty of the Irish type.
She has large blue eyes. a brilliant COM
plexion and crown of lustrous black
hair, which she wears low. in the Grecian
style. She affects the ancient Greek cos
tunes, which, of course. are becoming to
her style of beauty. She has brilliant
mind, quick perceptions, a keen under
standing, a remarkable memory and a
fluent tongue. She carries herself with
the poise of a woman OF forty and has
no fear or false modesty Her audacity
in appearing in public places, her un
conventional habits and manners and &C.
centric style of dress have naturally ex
cited the admiration of many college
girls, and winning personality has made
her a leader of greater influence than
perhaps any person, either among the
students or the faculty. She would be
a conspicuous individual anywhere and
under any circumstances and / am told
that she intends to follow O. public ca
reer.
Endeared to Her Classmates.
Many lovable qualities have endeared
her to her classmates. and even those
who do not approve of her views or con-
duct are loyal in their friendship and re-
sent any criticism of her motives. AS
one of her classmates remarked:
''Inez IL all right: she is up in the air a
good deal Of the time. and people who
don't understand her think she is freak;
but she's nothing of that kind. She is a
dear, lovely girl, and we all adore her
notwithstanding her peculiarities, and one
Of these days she will settle down and be
a good wife and mother; but her feet
haven't touched the ground for several
years.
In addition to her talents as scholar,
an orator and organizer Miss Milholland
enjoys the reputation of being the best
dancer, the best whistler and best singer
in naughty-nine, and she has always
taken an active part in the minor well
as the major affairs of her class and the
college. Wherever she goes or whatever
she does, even at he solemn vesper serv
ices at chapel every afternoon, is attend
ed with a flourish Everybody knows sh
Is there. The younger girls stand back
and admire her as she enters and as she
leaves the building.
Naturally a girl OF such force of Char
acter would be likely to stir up agita-
ton anywhere. and here, where she has
had thousand young women material
to work with, it is not surprising that she
has attracted a considerable body of ad-
herents; indeed, the number of her dis
ciples is much smaller than might be
expected.
When handsome girl in stunning
costume and merry widow hat loaded
with long plumes Of brilliant colors stands
at street corner and makes a public
speech to a crowd of workingmen as
Miss Milholland has done both in Pough-
keepsie and New York city, advocat ting
the most advanced theories of socialism
and demanding the ballot for her sex
in eloquent and persuasive language, it
Is very likely to create a sensation, and
the faculty has been very considerate In
permitting her to do that sort or thing and
have as much liberty as she has desired
This Is according to the traditions of the
institution, however. which forbid inter
ference with the personal opinions or ut
terances Of the students or with their be-
havior SO long as they observe the rules
and conduct themselves with propriety
Perhaps there has been a little policy
also in the forbearance of the faculty
because it would have made matters much
worse and created much greater sensa-
tion Ii this ambitious and audacious
young woman had been made martyr
of. Therefore she has been allowed to go
her own way and advocate radical ideas
without reproof restraint from the
officials of the college.
Not an Ordinary Advanced Thinker.
At all colleges for women there are
groups of girls who f1atter themselves
tndt tney are advanced in their views
They read ToIstoi and German socialistic
Writer'S; they insist upon wearing clothes
that are out of fashion and display their
independence of spirit and their freedom
from conventions In various ways, but
most of them get over it soon after they
get out into the world. especially If they
are fortunate enough to receive offers of
marriage. But Miss MilholIand is not an
ordinary advanced thinker She is a
genuine revolutiOnist, and her views are
extremely radical upon all subjects af-
fecting Womankind.
Her greatest achievement during her
college course was stopping the repub-
lican parade In New York city on the
Saturday before the presidential cleo
ton last November society known as
the Equality League of Self-Supporting
Women of which Mrs. Harriet Stanton
Balch Is president. hired a room on 5th
avenue and appealed to the republican
voters as they passed to grant suffrage
to their mothers, wives, daughters and
sisters They used megaphones to make
their voices audible and as the repub-
they were Immensely amused by, seeing
this group Of handsomely dressed women
seated upon a balcony with megaphones
in their hands shouting woman suffrage
arguments loud that they could be
heard up and down the entire block.
When it came Miss Milholland's turn she
| furnished such a striking and attractive
| picture that the parade was disorganiZed
| and the marchers broke ranks and gath
| cred in front of the balcony to admire
| her. This was an opportunity that could