The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-14
HOW THE GIRLS OF ALABAMA PUSHED
 OPEN THE DOORS OF THE STATE UNIVERSITY

What Let our refined girls live any, where near those students.) How can you make such a proposition?'' It seemed never to occur to the oblectors that these students were the sons and brothers of neighboring families with whom Alabama girls are associated freely and frankly in the friendliest manner from their cradles and that the walls of the university could not exert such a malign influence that the boy who was a delightful and safe friend before entering there should at once become dangerous enemy as inn possible for friendship as the toughest cowboy. l was told that I was trying to uproot the most cherished tradition of the southern people, but at last my little band was ready; money was very scarce in Alabam in those days. Some of the number had to borrow the means from relatives and other friends
 Household Management
 Then came another difficulty; the trustees had provided no chaperon to mother the band of pioneers. A dear, self sacrificing friend, who was as anxious as I, that the scheme should not fail, but should be the entering wedge for great blessings for the girls of Alabama, consented for very small remuneration to assume this duty, and with what loving tenderness and wis dom she fulfilled it,
 We had to do some very careful call culation There were 10 girls: they were divided into five sections-two in each: A, B, C. D and F. The work was divided into five sections: No. was the cooking of breakfast; No 2, preparation of lunch, which was pre- pared before classes began, and left in the safe where each could find it lat the most convenient time, according to the arrangement of her classes: No. , was the care of thd lamps, for we had neither electric lights nor gas; No. 1, the keeping in order of the little sittitg room and the passages; No 5 was the biggest job of all, the preparation of the evening meal, to be called dinner or supper as one preferred. The first fortnight section A took job No. l, B taking No. 2, and so on, but the next fortnight, took job No. 1, c No. 2 D No. 3, B No. and A No. 5, and this change was made every fortnight, so at the end of 10 weeks each section had had experience in every one of the tasks All worked in joyous co-opera- tion. The house expenses were di- vided at the end of each school month; i; they never exceeded s5 for each in mate, so $45 covered the nine months board of each for the term of the year. As was frequent visitor, I can bear witness to the fact that the fare and it's preparation were both excellent
 Treatment Accorded By Students
 Some fears had been expressed that the fact of the little band doing all their work would lessen their social standing in the eyes of their fellow students and the citizens of Tuscaloosa. A most unworthy doubt! Never were girls treated with greater courtesy and kindness. Professors, fellow students and citizens of Tuscaloosa admired the young women, not less for their cour- ago and industry than for their intelli- gence and refinement. When the close of the session came there were only six honors given by the university. The 200 young men received two of these and my dear band of 10 had taken the highest stand in their studies. No fa- voritism was shown. No one hinted at such suspicion.
 I must not forget today that the household duties and the earnest study had not prevented social intercourse. Wefelt quite blank when we saw that there was nothing in our sitting room but three or four stick chairs, not even enough for the inmates; but necessity is the mother of invention. We found an extra cot in one of the rooms; we bought few yards of cretonne baby blue with pink wild roses on it. Oh, then, with busy fingers, we made adrapery and cushions and To! our cot was transformed to a divan quite pie turesque. How we rejoiced over 1t, and I assure you that just as many charm ing speeches were spoken on that divan as on the handsomest sofa in Wander bi1t mansion.
 We'll, that was in the dark ages. It seems incredible now that it was such labor to drive the entering wedge, and give to the young women of the state their just dues so long withheld from them May they ever use them nobly and worthily for the glory of God, and the good of their beloved Alabama.