Richmond Womans College - Puffs and Patches Yearbook (Richmond, VA)

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be in College life. lily these our claims were kindly received, and properly ratified-with few amendments and no vetoes. llaving organized ourselves as a class. and our Declaration of lndependence being ratilied. we then felt entitled to give some outward visible signs of our inward sentiments. feelings and individual tastes. So our next meeting of importance was held November lgtll to decide upon our class l-lower, our class colors. our class emblem, and our class motto. Then indeed the fun waxed fast and furious for a woman's voice was ever stronger than a womans vote: and she had much rather have a becoming color. or a sentimental flower, or a ring that the gods might envy, than to be President, or exempt from taxation without representation. lfinally we decided upon the Sunburst rose. as our class flower: green and gold. as the class colors-the former selected lest we forget our lfreshmen days, the latter chosen in contrast, as an emblem of our present worth. Thus far the meeting progressed smoothly 'and with no interruptiong but when the subject of an emblem was discussed our suffragette spirit again became manifest. Some were strong for pins, and others were equally keen for rings. So rings or pins, pins or rings seemed for a time to be the slogan of the class. l-lowever the rings won. which you may see proudly worn by each Senior as the insignia of our class. Our motto is. in classic phrase, Corz- flflllllla' llf l'llt'ff7I'tllllllS.'H and in plain English, We finish to begin. ln other words, this class claims that in scholastic achievements, in high desire, it is never linisheclg a word which as Doctor Yandyke says. has a mortuary soundf' The next event of importance in the history of the College. as well as in the history of the class, was the lirst College Stunt Night. Wie decided that we could best do that which was characteristic of usg so the Senior class gave for its stunt a reception to Nlrs. llankhurst. However, as the judges were mere men they showed themselves incapable of appreciating the true view of XVoman's Rights. by giving precedence to the -lunior's conception of llroad Street day. A short while after this eventful occasion we returned home for the tiliristmas holidays. The time spent there, however, seemed only too shorty and soon we wended our way back to College-our minds already burdened with thoughts of what was to come. For who is there that likes an exam., especially a Senior exam.? However. we endured this ordeal bravely: and then rejoicing that few of us were weighed in the balance and found wanting, we became our care-free, joyous selves once more. The lirst public official recognition of our class was a proud one for us. lt was on the occasion of the reception given by the Alumnae Association of the College, at the home of Miss Blillheiser, in Ginter l-lark, February 6th, The class attended in a body and was delightfully entertained, feeling their double importance as guests of honor, and as possible alumnae of the same Alma Mater. The beautiful reception given by the luniors was the second recognition 6 . , 5 of us as a class. The spirit of St. Valentine presided over that evening, and 41

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1 I it Class H1SfOTY lf the difficulty of writing a history-history itself is snthcicut proof. To write a history of girlhood-all mystery and all promise-one should combine the diverse talents of Keats and Darwin. Une should be able to put the fragrance of white and rosy cherry blooms into the terms of mathematical progressionsg to reduce the witchery of the lllOOlllS silver curve. ere deliciously she bows herself into the waiting heavens on a pale green April twilight, to an algebraic equationg one must be able to harden the dainty tracery of bloom willow boughs and a bubbling brook into geometrical formg one must be able to translate the unimaginable beauty of the morning star. in that mystic hour before the dawn, into terms of commonplace and prosaic everyday living. The historian must take all this into account because this transmutation of feeling into power is the XVOlll21I1lS part in the world and she who fails to turn beauty into truth or to make the truth beautiful has failed in womanhood. lt is with hesitation that one, knowing the immensity of the task, would undertake a history of a class of girlsg nevertheless, 'twere as well done quickly. since it must be done. On October 27, 1913. the Senior class of the year IQI4 was formally called together for its lirst meeting, having for its chief object the election of officers. The modern spirit of the class was shown by the manner in which the election was heldg even the most militant suffragette could not wish for greater freedom of speech. or greater liberty in voting, for that privilege was given to all with no distinction made between race, color, sex nor state of previous condition of servitude. As each girl out of all the forty-live that composed our number thought secretly she would make the best president. we wondered for awhile what the result might beg but soon. being convinced by the one who seemed to feel this more strongly than the rest, we accordingly elected Camille Northcutt President. Nor have we ever had cause to rue this election, for she has, in truth, proven herself fitted, to warn. to comfort and to command. After this all-important election the remaining offices were filled as follows: Marguerite Stoltz. Yice-l'residentg Ruth Collier. Secretary: Ruth llell, 'l'reasurer. So with everyone feeling perfectly satisfied with herself and the class in general-V-tlms ended our Hrst meeting of the Senior class. Soon after this. glorying in the knowledge that we were a properly organized body. our thoughts began to turn in the direction of Senior privileges. So having drawn up our Declaration of Independence we presented it to the powers that 40

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r- I hearts not only heat in unison of love anal truth. hut hung in festoons through the rooms, swaying lightly to warn the unwary that hearts worn carelessly are likely to be damaged. Again we turned our attention to more serious alifairsg and on lfehruary 120th helcl our final important meeting, for the election of class mlay oflicers. XX itl1 lioxie Martin. as valeclictoriang Camille Northcntt, salutatoriang Katherine Harney. oratorg Grace Oakes, poetg Lena XVinn, prophetg Lillian Savage, lawyerg Violet Daughtrey, tree oratorg Louise Langley. honlire oratorg and AiZl1'QL1C1'llIC Stoltz, as sponsor. we began to imagine that our goal was in sight, and as we each realized more fully that soon we must begin li'fe's work, there claxvneml upon us that in truth. we are only about to finish to beginf' Xthen the Senior Class of LQI4, under gorgeous banners, green and gold, all clacl in cap and gown, shall convene for the last time in their helovetl college hall. lllother Nature will also he gay in her 'Favorite colors of green aurl golmlg and it must be with them as with many others who lay clown one work to take up another- ln the hustle of the work time greet the unseen with a cheer lf: If ii. Strive and thrive -cry Speed-light on. fare ever. there as here! Hts'ro1n.xN 1914. 1 X qfillhtk Awflii Xb-rf -4-ufe ,. . N 42