Wesleyan College - Veterropt Yearbook (Macon, GA)

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“Two military companies were formed by the girls called the Bonncli Blues for the president, and the Freeman Guards. The president ' s son, William, was captain of the Bonneil Blues, my company. We had dress parades, all arrayed in our paper hats with tassels and paper epaulets and did a wonderful amount of march¬ ing and drum heating. The teachers seemed to encourage our military 55 fervor in drills. Excit¬ ing war-like speeches were made and if in ridicule we never suspected it. Our uniforms were certainly works of art. Some ingenious person furnished us with hand¬ made wooden guns. We couldn ' t aspire to special dresses —we just wore the ones we had—mostly homespun and homemade—not much for looks, but great for wear. The uniforms consisted of heavy sashes, blue for the Bonneil Blues, and green for the Free¬ man Guards. Hats were made of paper, very showy styles, and fluff epaulets and stripes for the officers to set them apart from us m the ranks. “The little drum beater was quite a character, a little neigh¬ borhood boy having accepted this commission as his most serious duty in life. He looked like a little Chinese boy in his costume and he would beat early and late. “Up and down the rocky hills we would tramp in our homemade cowhide shoes. And twas well they were, for the experience ivould have spelled destruction to any other kind. At the least provocation they would an¬ nounce, ' Dress Parade! ' O “One special occasion in the spring-time near the time of the siege of Vicks¬ burg, we had what we called a ' Strawberry Festi¬ val, ' consisting of an after¬ noon of drilling and speech-making followed by serving strawberries. The day came and we were all arrayed in our finery awaiting nervously the command. Finally we were summoned, and what drills they gave us that day! Our serious countenances bespoke the fact that we were lighting for the right as well as to make a good impression on the guests watching us. We had so many manoeuverings and turnings and twistings, it seemed that they must have consulted a book for ways and meanings of exhibitions. “At last we were brought to a halt, red-faced and per¬ spiring, and heard the speaker of the occasion. His voice—I can hear ringing now: ' Surrender? Never! While these stern faces animate my soul, their formid¬ able weapons bring cheer to my heart! ' “I clutched my helpless wooden gun as I listened! “Even the teachers took it seriously. Following the speech we all assembled around a long table arranged under the trees upon which was an abundant spread of delicious strawberries. I started to say cake, but I do not recall cake on this occasion, as white flour was very scarce during the war, and we were only allowed it once a week—biscuit on Sunday morning. “When we had finished we received the com¬ mand to get in forma¬ tion, heard the orders, ' Shoulder Arms!— March! ' And as cere¬ moniously as we had come out, we marched back to the dormitory and the gala day was brought to a fitting close. Letter received by alumna secretary from Sallie Love Banks, class of 1866.

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HIGHLIGHTS — IH..| ■■■■ SOME ORICA fl L J ' k • - 15 - + c. w ' gS ' • k t 1 34 xm ■ Before Wesleyan opened, many intelligent people be¬ lieved that woman was incapable of learning. Even those wbo thought her capable felt it was foolish to educate a woman beyond the ability to read her Bible, to spin and weave for her family, to paint a daisy in water colors. On one occasion when Dr. Pierce was urging the claims of the college, a gentleman of large means and liberal views as to the education of his sons said: “No, I will not give you a penny for such a project! I would not have a wife from your female college. I could not so much as build a pig pen without her saying it was not done along mathematical lines! • The only time Wesleyan girls ever wore uniforms was in the very earliest years of the college. An old circular says of the uni¬ forms : For winter —a purple Cir¬ cassian or merino dress. with plain linen collar or dim¬ ity band; leghorn or straw bonnet, trimmed with dark striped ribbon. For summer a dress of white, with cape of the same material, or plain collar; bonnet trimmed with «ky blue. This uniform was required to lessen expenses and to prevent a desire for display. An alumna of the class of 1873 tells of how the girls were allowed twice a week to sit on the gallery in front of the college for a while after supper and watch the crowds pass. But before going out one must count how many girls were already out, and if there were as many as twenty-five, she had to wait until one came in because no more than that could go at one time. She tells also of the trains that were fashionable for graduation dresses. In order to learn how to walk on the stage in a train, the seniors practiced before the pres¬ ident, Dr. Myers, pinning newspapers to their school dresses. At least one Wesleyan girl brought her maid to school with her. It was said that President Bonnell objected strenuously at first, saying, It has never been done in the history of the college! But the young lady ' s father persuaded him to let colored Nellie stay with her mis¬ tress, sleeping on a cot in the dressing room. The little maid ' s duties after she came to college, however, consisted not so much in combing her m.stress s hair as ir. slipping out to buy pickles and candy for the four roommates. € One of Wesleyan s most famous traditions is that Sidney Lanier, the Southern poet, courted h is bride, Mary Day, in the Wesleyan parlors during the 1860 ' s when che and her family were refugees at the college. Lanier often entertained the college girls with his flute and once took part on a program, an Adelphean Exhibition in 1868. At that time he played a flute solo. Sacred Memories. Lanier s desk is now in the Georgia room of the college library, and several personal relics have been obtained for the historical collection.

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During Sherman 5 march through Georgia, so many of the girls made a snoot, as they called making faces, that the president of the college had to place a guard around the walls to prevent their insults to the Yankees. • The girls were not allowed to have company during the school year which, of course, encouraged flirting from their windows. One girl waved a sheet from her window at what she thought was a Mercer boy, and later found out that it was a faculty member. There w as one girl in the class of 1878 who had flam- ing red hair, so all the girls tied their heads up in towels when they flirted from the window ' so that she would not be identified by some passing faculty member. Another Wesleyan girl once let a biscuit down on a string from her window which was over the side¬ walk, to a Mercer boy. When the faculty saw her and later ques¬ tioned her about it, she said that she w as only being hospitable, as she had been taught to be. From the time Wes¬ leyan opened until about 1898 there was a high wall around the college, and the young ladies went outside only for brief walks in the after¬ noons or to church, al¬ ways heavily chaper¬ oned. “We were almost forced to flirt in those one letter of an an alumna .ay., “I was a meek and retiring girl and yet even I jumped up on the brick wall one day and called to a man I had never seen be- fore, ‘Hello John! ' The dormitory rooms at Wesleyan in the early days w ' ere heated by open grates. One member of the class of 1862 recalled that the janitor walked dow ' n the halls each morning leaving a little bundle of light-wood at each door. The four roommates took turns building Ares. The janitor also pumped water into a wooden container on each floor and from this the girls drew water for bathing. If hot water was desired, it was heated over the open fire in the bedroom. Each room had its own boiler. If she w ' ere in a hurry. Miss Wesleyanne borrowed her neighbor ' s boiler. There were no bathrooms. For every bath a tin tub had to be brought from a closet in the hall into the room. Catherine Brew ' er Benson, the first graduate, in writ¬ ing reminiscences of her college days, tells of a class in Euclid, wh ich was sent to one of the dormitory room, to atudy the hour before their recita¬ tion. Some other girl, were heating pipe stems in the open fire-place to curl their front hair, so the Euclid students spent the hour curling their hair, too. When they went to clas.. Dr. Ellison, after calling on .everal girl, who were unprepared, remarked, “Young ladies, if you had spent the hour in .tudying instead of making cork .crews, it would have been more profitable.” Old Aunt Cindy was a well- known character in the college for many years. She was ginger- cake color, and lived in the back (fl yard of the college in a little room where .he kept apples, pea¬ nut., and c andy for sale to the girls. (Fore-runner of “The Pharm.”)