Pennsylvania School of Horticulture for Women - Wise Acres Yearbook (Ambler, PA)

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Tuesday morning began the awful agony. After the first two hours, they came forth like haunted wolves, gaunt with lack of knowledge. Thus did the whole week progress and at the end only skeletons of the former band of hearty maidens remained to grace the school’s once unequaled ranks. So be thankful, patient reader, Let nothing you dismay, But triumph in your freedom When exams don’t come your way. Harrif.tte E. Brown. ALUMNAE NOTES. The annual meeting of the Alumnae Association of the Pennsylvania School of Horticulture was held December 14, 1917, at Miss Emily Exley’s studio, 235 S. Eleventh Street, Philadelphia. For various reasons the attendance was very poor. In the absence of the secretary, Miss Katharine Cloud, Miss Emily David was appointed secretary pro tempore by the president. The business was then presented to the meeting. The constitution of the Association was revised and made more complete. Nominations were then open for the offices of president, vice-president, and secretary-treasurer. In view of the fact that so few members attended the meeting, it was voted that the officers be eleced by mail. Plans for the ensuing year were then discussed but no definite end was reached. The meeting then adjourned. The secretary of the Alumnae Association, Miss Emily David, reports the result of the election of officers as follows: President—Miss Jane Righter, Mount Carmel, Pa. Vice-President—Miss Emily David, Magnolia Avenue, Germantown, Pa. Secretary-Treasurer—Miss Amy L. Woodruff, Bryn Mawr, Pa. The Misses Katharine and Dorothy Cloud are giving a series of lectures on gardening, under the auspices of the “Women's League for National Service.” We are glad to report that Miss Lois Goss is rapidly recovering from her recent operation for appendicitis. She has given up her position on Dr. E. P. Davis’ farm at New Town and is now resting at her home in Taunton, Mass. 17

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Speaking of exams reminds me of that dreaded week at the School of Horticulture. Queer, isn’t it, how such trials affect one? The strongest of the crew shake as if with palsy, and the faint hearted quietly pass away. You see, at the school the exam schedule was given out a few weeks ahead. Upper and lower classmen scanned feverishly the page that sealed their doom. Here and there loud ejaculations from the terrorized mob gave evidence that the week-end previous to the time appointed was to be spent in hard, thoughtful, earnest boning, that there might be no necessity for late hours during those harassing five days. Three-thirty Saturday afternoon found the students, who previously started home to spend Sunday and Monday with fond parents, huddled in a miserable heap with the regular “stop overs, bewailing the swift approach of their last day on earth. Only seven-thirty Saturday evening and so quiet? You could hear a pin drop and the old clock ticked patiently on in the awful stillness. What, had the dormitory been deserted ? Ah, no! A peep into the different rooms showed every wretched beggar of the bunch sleeping that sweet dreamless sleep from which one wakes to find she can conquer any task set before her. Could it be possible that these were members of the heretofore-mentioned fear-stricken student body? Weird, what things can happen to a person under these strenuous mental strains. Sunday, a truly perfect day, found many absentees from church on account of the coming week, busily engaged in cleaning up already spotless room. Fly specks that had never been, appeared in enormous numbers on mirror and woodwork, a tremendous task for a lone soul to tackle, but a few minutes’ notice, with plenty of elbow grease, found things beautiful, entire, and clean. Stockings that had awaited the darn of their owner’s hands for weeks, became so vain after receiving countless patches that they fell head over heels into the whole stocking bag. Endless pairs of shabby boots became models of perfection as a result of their zealous wearer’s efforts. Sunday afternoon you could hear the resounding echo of the tick, tock of the faithful old sitting room timepiece, a thing unheard of before this date. In the various rooms of students the atmosphere was such that it coaxed the occupant to stretch herself comfortably upon her bed and cuddle snugly in her steamer rug and with lecture notes in hand, fall fast asleep to dream of better, wiser, things. Monday dawned a glorious day and enticed each and every hoary headed sage to enjoy its refreshing breezes and its beautiful coloring in the form of a long walk. Monday evening, what a change. Conscience-stricken mortals raced through page after page of notes and not until the wee small hours did their cozy nests claim them. 16

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JsMjcol ctes October 31. A Hallowe’en Party—a crew of witches and ghostly figures, which would have done credit to Tam O’Shanter, assembled on the first floor of the dormitory and were reviewed by the Faculty, who later in the evening distinguished themselves in plays,—one showing the adventures of an owl and a pussy cat, assisted by a turkey and bong tree, and the other a kangaroo and a duck. The latter certainly could “hop.” December 12. Mrs. Peeler’s Party—a bright oasis in exam week. January 22, 1918. School opened, much excitement over the new Juniors and the change of schedule. Both are now ‘‘old stories.” January 24. Faculty Sleigh Ride—moonlight, frosty night, hot chocolate and cake at Spring House, hoarse voices, jolly time. Much thanks to the Faculty! January 30. Mrs. Denser, of Chicago, told of her interesting experience in growing belladonna. Her delightfully informal manner of describing it made it sound most alluring. RED CROSS NOTES. During the months of December, January, and part of February, the Red Cross Auxiliary has not been active. This has been due to the examinations coming before the Christmas holidays, the latter being unusually long this year. On February 12 a business meeting was held at which plans for the future were discussed, ft was decided to specialize in the making of 4-inch sponges. The Juniors present showed interest and enthusiasm. Thanks were extended to several kind friends who have helped to knit sweaters and helmets. It was voted to contribute $20.00 to the Ambler Wool Fund. A contribution of $16. was made for comfort kits. On March 6th it was decided to discontinue the making of surgical dressings and to devote our entire energy to knitting. The meetings of the Book Club and Red Cross are to be combined. B. L. Williams. 18