Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-02-04
Examinations at Womcn's College
ny An old rimei

Newark. Feb. 4s--The news item to
the effect that examinations at the
Women's College. University Of Dsla-
ware, closed yesterday afternoon
moves AN Old Timer TO recall aofne
of her experiences during similar
times Of atofm and stress at her Alma
Mater
II was always q matter of princi-
plo for us 10 go around with wan
faces and haunted eyes during exam
week." Even II we knew In our heart
Of hearts that we could not possibly
funk course. we did not tempt
the fates with beaming snilea. We
were usually in state Of chronic dis !,
satisfaction during finals AS soon as
the echedule Of examinations wac
posted. we began complaining that our
exams came two q day and allowed
ua no time for study; that they were
spread over. tho week, giving US no
free days to go home; that the hard
ones came first; that the easy ones
came fret, leaving us worried all week
until we met our threatening Water
loo. II was all pose. except for the
ly frightened
Exam week" was ushered in with
portentoIs quiet. No melodies were
ragged" on the piano after break
fast. The clatter and chatter which
would disturb tho halls even in
quiet hour" were promptly silence,'
BY an irate student, text book III
hand, and pencil stuck in her rum
pied hair. Doors blossomed with signs
BUSY" do not Disturb" NO adj
mittance." and the abrupt Keep Out"
No one disobeyed the signs although
IN normaicy room 80 placqrded
would have been assaulted by Curl.
ous passers-by.
Even so. some OF the happies'
memories OF college cluster around ex-
animation tlmes. I recall tho fishins
I expedition to the creek. when -four
I Sophomores sought TO forget tn
/ nightmare Of zoology classifcations
in angling for minnows with cak.
crumbs batting n bent pin. There were
/ the skating parties on free afternoons
I during midyears and the spring morn.
I ings when we lounged under the plum
/ tree on tho back campus and mem
/ Orizod "Remember now thy Creator
( for the examination I'm The Bibl,
/ as Literature" and the nights wheu w
knew We should be reviewing chem.
/ lstry and psychology, but we sauan
dered the evening telling fortunes q
receiving inane messages from th'
Ouija board. We had that zest I'm If,
/ that wo always feel when we froli,
( In the face OF danger.
We remember, too those Jun,
nights when little group OF Senior
sat on the steps, wistfui and eager
/ planning careers and already sign
ing Ph. ID. behind our Names.
The days then were as fever1sh a
tho nights OF intense study. Break
fast conversation was n garble o
French verbs, chemistry formulas
lives OF poets, and economic laws. II
vain did the Dean urge us not to tall
shop.
Az the nine o'clock bell rang. we ri
cd into our rooms, clutching our pen.
and those note books which we ha,
completed the night before for the in
structor's perusal. The little blu
books were solemnly distributed. IN
/ Est Of questions handed out, a brle
word Oh explanation given. and tn,
+ professor vanished. We had the Homo
/ System then, as now. Everyone shift
ed her position, sighed, remarked or
tho weather, sroaned again, and start
I ed. Silence. Presently AZ with one 40
cord. everyone moved again, made (
Jestng or bitter remark TO her neigh
4 hnr r.,
Those who could not stand the mo
mentary confusion departed with thei
paraphernalia to the library, an cmpt-
I room, or even TO the shady steps. S,
long as We kept the Honor System WI
might come and go as we pleased.
Some Of the professors came an,
went. Others chuckled over them.
they We're correcting and inferrupte,
US as we compared Ihsen and Euripi
I des TO read us a choice morsel from
( . Freshman effusion.
Z When we had finished we rushe,
/ out, save those classes where ru7no
/ declared that he" would not pass yo,
unless you stayed the fun two hours
! That period was q source OF eterna
4 puzzle 10 US, for we never could Sc.
why We, the weaker vessels, We're onll
allowed two hours for an examination
while our neighbors on the north ha,
three hours to do little more work.
I When we had finiShed. we eathere,
outside on the boardwalk and revll-.
or praised the examination. A few wis
1 Virgins Immediately looked UP tho an
swers 70 NOTED questions, but III
majority preferred to remain in bliss
ful doubt. and swapped tales OF hoy
he had said, INC questions? Pleas
/ ant dreams." as he left the room
( While she" had never left her desl
but had glared at US as II we wer.
criminals. But eternaIly the plain
arose, II had studied that and h.
never asked it. Far more grseyou
than the questions asked which "
could not answer was the carefull-
boarded information that had gone
begging.