The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-30
SUICIDE WAVE
CAUSES ALARM
Self-Destruction Peril at Vassar Seen
In 0verstudy-Many Fresh
men Collapse.

POUGHKEEPSIE April S0.-The
spicide or Miss Ada Brooks. Vassar
junior, in her home at Andover Mass,
has aroused critical interest among the
authorities OF the Poughkeepsie insti-
tuition and educators generally, be-
cause ii was the third suicide OF =
Nassar girl within five years and the
second within few months.
Her death was the result Of over
study and il has opened a controversy
as 10 the mental and physical makeup
OF college girls and the strain forced
upon young women in the cause OF
modern education. Statistics show that
large percentage OF young women
who try 10 enter the leading colleges
fail 10 pass the preliminary examina-
lions. Physical and mental break
downs are not uncommon through
Cverwork, but colleges are frequently
blamed for the troubles.
Many Quit First Year.
II is estimated that about 90 per
cent OF the girls successful In entering
a Vassar freshman class are forced 70
retire during their frs1 year, and that
10 per cent OF the sophomores drop out
because OF failure IN examinations dur
ING the second year OF college life.
When a girl becomes senior she
seldom fails to graduate. Her course
In this year Of her college work is per-
haps the easiest of the four years, and
IL she fails IN her inal examinations
she is given two weeks 10 prepare for
q second trial
The first supposed victim OF over
study al Nassar was Miss Emily En-
sign, 10, Of Youngstown, o. She threw
herself into the Nassar lake on the
night of Nov. s. 1905. The college au-
thorities have maintained that her
death was accidental She had com
planned OF headaches and had been
taking powders TO alleviate the pain
The college authorities theory was
that the girl hal taken an overdose OF
the potion and wandered on 20 the LAKE
and fell in.
Broods over Her Failures.
Miss Ensign was a freshman and
had been in college but few weeks.
She had been homesick and her friends
say she feared that she would not be
able 10 stay at the college because OF
Ter UOOi olAON lliE III lfl oANNiN9s AAti
friends said that she had studied hard
for several weeks and had taken much
black coffee TO keep her awake nights
that she might be able to longer work
over her books. Miss Ensign boarded
at the Putnam Schools for Girls, a
preparatory institution.
The second supposed victim OF over
study was Miss Marguerite Dough
erty, a freshman. OF 90. daughter of a
Methodist minister at Hughsonville,
near Matteawan. She drowned herself
In a clsteTn at her fathers home last
fall. In this case IL was admitted
Miss Dougherty had slain herself be-
cause she was unable 10 keep pace
with her classmates.
One Sunday afternoon a few weeks
after college opened Miss DoughCrty
disappeared Bloodhounds were set
upon her trail. When hope was about
abandoned a detective asked if tie
well had been looked into. The girls
aged father and mother stood by as
the officer pushed q rake down into
the dark recess The rake touched an
object. and moment later Miss
Doughertys body was brought to the
surface.
Miss Brooks, who shot herself in An
dover, was q junior. Because of her
beauty she was chosen one OF the "a,
the prettiest In her class. TO carry the
time-honored daisy chain last year.
She was compelled TO leave college
end go home because OF illness sew
eral weeks ago At home she worried
because she was falling behind her
classmates. Friends say her mind
gave way under the strain and she
ended her life by shooting while In
a 1T OF temporary insanity.
Vassar Principals Denial.
Mrs. Kendrick, principal OF the Vas
sar college. said that overwork at col
lege brought on by being hard pressed
by her duties. had nothing whatever