Bryn Mawr College - Bryn Mawr Yearbook (Bryn Mawr, PA)

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Ciie 2Dean ' fl? iaeception It was with fast beating hearts, that we donned our best frocks, pinned on our most ornate bonnets, and took our way to the Deanery. Of course we had met Miss Thomas before, but in an unsatisfactory interview, where we lurked in the shadow of a parent, while a howling mob of mothers stormed the door. Now we were to go on our own responsibility, take tea with Miss Thomas and tell her our views on college Hfe. Those of us who had acquired Junior friends so early in the game, were buttoned and pinned by them and sent forth with their maternal blessing, and many directions as to how we were to greet the Dean. We gathered round the Deanery door in trembling groups, no one being bold enough to be the first to venture in, we rehearsed the remarks that we had prepared, our best wit for Miss Thomas, our second best for Miss Gwinn, shut our eyes and made the plunge. I believe we sat down at once and heard Miss Thomas ' remarks about college tradition. For the first time we heard the magic tale of the single case of two roommates, no engage- ments with the faculty, etc., stories that were to be such good friends to us in after Hfe. In spite of the thunderbolt Miss Thomas launched the next minute, in her talk on tradition she unwittingly laid the cornerstone of our future dramatic literature. Then, sandwiched in between the interesting origin of the daily bath habit and the statistics on Harvard graduates, came the mild statement as to the advisability of omitting the Freshman Play this year. In a very few words she convinced us of the thorough wisdom of this plan, we began to behevethe Play was a traditional myth, that its only appear- ance during the year was at this function, when wise Freshmen, such as we were, rejected it in scorn. Academicity for us, down with the drama! In this frame of mind we shook hands with Miss Thomas, swallowed our chocolate and ice cream and conversed in subdued whispers about the newly-learned traditions. A few of us who had heard of former college plays had a vague feeling that all was not well, but we were resolved to make a firm stand for the purely academic life, and, strong in this purpose, we bade Miss 1 homas good-bye. With most of us, the modest ambition of reforming the college vanished on the Deanery steps, a few clung to the thought until they were almost past Taylor, but when we reached our respective halls, with one accord we fell weeping into the arms of 1905, to sob out our •childish woes upon their sympathizing shoulders. Is it heresy to say that 1905 hailed this opportunity for scrap with something akin to joy ? No, it was their love and affection for 1907 that made them plunge into the matter heart and soul. Of the struggle that went on among the higher powers we knew little, we were merely informed of the happy result when thesystemof ten hours of rehearsal and something like Keith ' s became established as a new tradition. Cornelia Lynde Meigs.

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recognized, and took a place about halfway down. Soon a pair of hea vy hands were drop- ped upon her shoulders and a cheery voice said Good evening, I don ' t believe you remem- ber who I am. The tall beauty gasped wildly — this girl sat at her table where every one was awful and had such table-manners, and finally ejaculated Oh, yes it ' s Miss Shenk. A spasm of rage contorted the visage of Miss Shenk then she smiled sourly and said: No, Skenk— I think that ' s a little better, don ' t you ? What a question to ask a pathetic freshman! Soon the line started, and then began the work of revenge. Instead of lightly allowing her hands to rest, like fluttering butterflies, on the shoulders of the girl in front, Eunice put all her weight into them, and dragged comfortably. This was hard enough on the bean- pole, but when they came to the stairs — oh, it ' s hard to portray the pathos of that picture! Then Eunice took a tighter hold, tucked up her feet, and hung! Harriot is about two feet taller than Eunice at any time, and when she was one step higher up on the stair-case, the diflPerence was terrible — Her breath was absolutely gone, but she managed to gasp; Can ' t you put your hands on my waist instead of my shoulders ? but that did no good — Eunice was evidently paying back for being called Shenk . But even this was not the worst — On the way to Denbigh, Eunice slipped off the grass to the path — an imperceptible difference— and sprained her ankle! But why tell of the agonies then? Her fair roommate feebly murmured Fm afraid that Eunice has sprained her ankle. Had I better take her home ? Then the beast-of-burden ahead nobly answered, between sobs of breathlessness, Oh, no, if she ' d really sprained it, she couldn ' t walk. She ' ll be all right in a minute, and took up her task again— But Miss Shenk was forced to drop back and then the clarion shout of 1907, march along. Hurrah, rah. Hurrah rah, was increased by the silvery accents of our melodious Harriot. But such bliss could not last long. Soon the iron hand within the velvet glove fell with a sick- ening thud on her heaving shoulders, and the pack-animal with a groan, realized that flights of song were no more for her. Such was her task that the derisive shouts of 1906, and the encouraging cheers of 1905 could not penetrate to her brain, rapidly becoming lethargic, and it was with a weak, half-dazed smile of relief that she stood under the arch, and with fascinated eyes, watched Ethel de Koven cheering madly, a strange jargon end- ing, la, la, la, de K— Bryn Mawr, Bryn Mawr, Bryn Mawr. This isn ' t a very clear account of rush night, but it is all that lingers in the memory of Harriot P. Houghteling.

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2D ;arcj of tl)e 5mxhs Early on the evening of the 30th of October, 1907, breathless and for the most part dinnerless, gathered unceremoniously at the back door of the gym. It was a great occasion — our first college theatrical; and we made the most of it in enthusiasm. In our youth and unsophistication we felt it no hardship to be jammed into the narrow stairway till it seemed as though the railing must give way. Indeed, there was pure contentment in our voices as, each girl in her favorite key, we went over and over our repertoire, which at that time con- sisted mainly of 1907 march along. And our delight only increased thoughout the play itself, from the moment when the curtain first rose on the Garden of the Townshend House, till it fell on The Same, five weeks later. Unfamiliar as we were with the actors, the gaily uniformed officers and the two pretty heroines gave an impression of reality which since then we have seldom felt in college theatricals. The play was unambitious, being light and not deeply emotional. But it carried us in imagination to those daring stirring days of the Revolution, with their gallant men and charming, high-spirited women. The vivid scenes with their song and jest and laughter, remained in our minds and on our tongues long after we had left the gym and scattered over the dark campus. Eleanor Ecob. Hantern il5tgl)t In the general confusion of recollection which we have for the first semester of Fresh- man year, in the confused agony of tea after tea and flunked quiz after flunked quiz, our Lantern Night makes a few hours of collected realization in the minds of the Class of Nine- teen Hundred and Seven, and even in the Clark-free peace of Senior year we turn back to the blessed oasis of Lantern Night. We had hoped for much from college, and we had gotten in those two months a blur of uncomprehended note books and misunderstood lectures. There was a considerable portion of the desert to be crossed yet before we reached an understanding of the place and of ourselves — but that night we were torn out of our commonplace selves and saw our aims and our surroundings in a light of transfiguration. We were not unprepared for the mysteries. Weeks before we had been measured for our caps and gowns in Denbigh Parlor — an event that to my mind is warm and golden with the afternoon sun on the carpet. That very afternoon we had carried home, amid the sym- pathetic grins of the college at large and of 1905 in particular, the little brown packages