Right now, notwithstanding the ever present pursuit of the academic, the whole college is having the most glorious time hiking over the countryside on snowshoes, risking its dignity and perhaps its neck in attempting the ski jump on Pageant Field, and “hooking” rides with the small village boys on their bob sleds down the long hill on College Street. South Hadley is such a tiny town, anyway, that it is just like living in the country with lovely mountains all around.
By now Mount Tom and Mount Holyoke are quite like old friends, for most of us had a personal interview with one or the other of them when we hiked one of the ranges last fall on Mountain Day. Mountain Day, by the way, was a red letter day, for the Freshmen particularly. It was one of those gorgeous blue October days when we could hardly stand the thought of having to be inside, and, almost like a gift from Heaven, Miss Woolley unexpectedly announced in morning chapel that she would leave it to the students to vote whether they would have their holiday then, with its incomplete arrangements, or two days later when it was scheduled, with beautifully laid plans but with possible showers. The girls were simply bursting with excitement by that time, and the vote was carried unanimously. Not one class in prospect for that day, but just a chance to start out with a lunch on your back to “parts unknown”—oh, it was wonderful!
Another big part of our college social life here in the fall and spring is college songs and class serenades. During September and October we had one out by the “College Steps” once a week. I shall never forget the first time we gathered under a full moon, about nine o’clock, and our senior song leader started us off by having us sing all the songs we knew about the moon, with the singing of parts much encouraged! Even if the harmony was a little doubtful in spots, taken as a whole the result was “perfectly heavenly”—to one enthusiastic Freshman. Then a few weeks later the Freshmen were called to their windows one evening to hear “Sisters, sisters, we sing to you,” and looking down, we saw the whole Junior class assembled underneath the dormitory windows. Then in due time our turn came to “surprise them,” but it wasn’t, evidently, kept a “deep and dark” secret as we had hoped, for at the end of the first song we were literally showered with candy kisses hurled down from above.
These are just a few of the kinds of things we do outside our academic work; not to mention the picnic breakfasts at “Paradise” in the warm weather, sleigh rides or hikes to Old Hadley, a quaint old town near here, Winter Carnival, or all the excitement that comes with Junior Prom time. Then, you may be sure, the “little sisters” are pressed into service!
What I think, however, makes Mount Holyoke mean what it does to us is something that is almost impossible to describe, but something that is just as real as any phase of our life here—and that is the college atmosphere. It is created, in part, by Miss Woolley’s wonderful chapel services, in part by the sheer beauty of the country in which we live, and, lastly, by the fine spirit of the girls themselves, the college community.
Very sincerely,
Doris Douglas, ’25.
To the Editor of the 1926 Tatler:
We who once formed a goodly part of Northrop’s illustrious student body, but who now attend Vassar College, send our heartiest and most affectionate greetings, to the pupils, the faculty, the trustees, and Miss Carse!
In the first part of the year, when those of us who are Freshmen were busying ourselves with getting adjusted to our new environment, new studies, and new acquaintances, we had no time to reflect on our past activities. But now that we have become acclimated, we take great joy in remembering our years spent at Northrop, and realize, more and more, all that she did for us. We owe our present life and opportunities to Northrop’s splendid teaching and background. The Northrop League gave us a moral background which we shall never lose. Our companionship with each other gave us friendships which can never be lost, even though we may be separated.