New-York tribune., 1921-06-19
Modern, Girl
i Best OF All.
Vassar Finds
xurpasses Belle az Former
Days in poiae al Ability
TO Face Life Problems.
Alunsnae Body Declares
Smile at Old Haradicaps
College Women of Old Had
Dress Problem, Too. and
Had 70 Pass Inspection

The modern SRI was given The
ssasup Of compiote approval at the If
sieth celebration cg tie vassar Co!iege
Alumna Association last week.
Mere than that, she is declared a
great advancement over her predeces-
sors and deserving pedestal far above
the reach Of the alleged diatribes that
have been hurled at her in recent fic-
ton and drama. In short, the girl OF
to-day is nearer perfection than ever
before. according to the opinions ex-
pressed and approved.
The findings arrived at by faculty
and alurina at the various conference
sessions are that to-day's young lady
is:
/. More democratic; 2, n.ore appre-
ciative of social possibilities; 8.
harding working: 4, better poised; 5.
more logical; and s, more honest with
herself.
among those who rose TO the defense
OF this awful generation" were DR..
Elizabeth B. TheIberg, head resident
physician of Yassar College; Miss Jean
c. Palmer, head warden, and Mrs. Flora
L. Hughes. the Oldest living graduate
member of the class of 1870.
Better Than Former Girls
It was during a discussion Of "The
Problems Of Warden" or the per-
sonal guardianship of the students.
when some one made q reference TO
their "difficulties, that DR.. Thelberg
rose to praise Of the girl of college
age She told how valiantly they as
sisted through the wars great strain
and crisis. Miss Palmer's sentiments
were even more emphatic. She said:
u firmly believe in this generation.
| believe that to-day's girls are finer
than We were at their age. I find them
mere straightforward, logical and rea-
sonable, and therefore harder to
satisfy"
That the Vassar girl is not behind in
her contribution TO woman's position
in the world Of affairs to-day was told
by President MacCracken. who spoke
TO the alumna of the favorable re-
ports made to him by the leaders Of
professions which Vassar girls had
entered.
These indicated, he said, that Vassar
Is sending girls into the world with
minds trained to work accurately and
quickly. The men for whom they are
working have told me, he went on
that they preferred this to special vo-
cational training on the part of others
who come TO them for positions.
But it remained for Mrs Hughes. the
Oldest graduate, to Illustrate from her
own experiences the extent to which
iberalizing conditions have Influenced
the present. Mrs. Hughes spoke in
terestingly of the early years of the
Oldest women's college in America
when there were many more prejudices
and restrictions than to-day.
Afraid of Comment
In the year 1870, she said, the lady
principal Of Vassar refused to allow
the pupils to go down to West Point
10 attend a social function, for fear
the newspapers would talk about them.
At that time the two subjects, 'Educa-
tion for Women" and Marriage" main
tanned a sort of cat and dog attitude
toward each other and so to mention
the word marriage" within college
grounds was dangerous proposition.
Mrs. Hughes said a1so that the Vas
sar woman Of 1870 had her dress prob
lens the same as to-day. When pre-
pairing for social function, she said,