“Come around by Randolph,” said Eloise, “If you want to see the rest. The Music Hall is only a frame building and they are trying to raise money for a better one. But we have a fine pipe organ in Randolph. The studios are all prettily furnished and they have good pianos. I’m practicing on a fright, though. And a girl right over my head, with the same practice hour, keeps time with her foot—or did last year. I’m going to speak for a different piano this time. Look over to your left now. That’s the Pest House.”
“Pest House!” exclaimed Cathalina, “do you often have contagious diseases?”
“That is our name for the hospital We have two nurses and one of them isn’t much older than some of the girls.”
“That makes me think,” said Cathalina, “I notice that some of the girls seem so grown up, like college girls.”
“Why, you know there are two years of college work here. We call them Junior and Senior Collegiate, or Junior and Senior C. I’m Junior Academy, what are you?”
“Father said Junior Academy, I think, but I’m not sure. I didn’t read the catalogue; it was too much trouble.”
“So am I Junior Academy!” cried Hilary, and turned inquiringly to Grace.
“Me, too,” said she laughing, “how jolly!”
“You can usually tell the Collegiate girls, Cathalina, by their looks and ways and the way they do their hair. Sometimes they try to be smart with us. As soon as there is enough money there is going to be a Collegiate Cottage, and a building for art, too. All the girls have for a studio now is a room on the upper floor of Greycliff Hall.”
Cathalina looked interested. “That is one thing I just adore! But my father knows if I get started in that I will just stick around and draw and paint half the time. He wants to have me get outdoors as much as possible.”