Anthony, Constance E. Diary, 1915

Vassar College

Detailed daily entries, beginning in the spring of 1915 and ending in winter 1915, addressing Anthony's sophomore and junior years at Vassar College. Anthony describes her semester schedules, January and June exams, the dismissals of several classmates from school for failure (Feb 3-5), lectures, labs, and a variety of readings in literature. She frequently mentions going to movies, plays, and musical performances. Anthony provides details of social events, such as sharing "cheese dreams" snacks with her classmates, shopping, coasting, dances, summer correspondence with Vassar friends, and summer vacations with friends. Vassar events described by Anthony include Henry Noble MacCracken leading chapel for first time (Feb 1), the sporting events and varsity basketball team selections, a visit to the Catskills (May 14-15), the sophomore tree ceremonies picture sale (May 21), a students' meeting requesting policy reforms (May 22), senior essays and prom (May 27-29), alumnae reunions and events festivities (June, Oct 11), the petition for Vassar to purchase pianos (Jun 18), campus renovations (Sep 16), and the inauguration of Vassar president Henry Noble MacCracken. Anthony discusses and provides newspaper clippings related to US and world news. In regards to WWI, Anthony mentions an anti-war lecture by the Hungarian activist Rosika Schwimmer (Mar 10), the sinking of the Lusitania (May 7), the Austro-German offensive on Serbia (Oct 8), Serbia joining the Allies against Bulgaria (aided by Germany) and Greece breaking a treaty by refusing to join Bulgaria (Oct 19), the showing of "Fighting in France" war documentaries (Nov 27), and Vassar College's rejection of Henry Ford's invitation for Vassar president Henry Noble MacCracken and "several prominent Vassar students" to join his peace mission in Europe (Nov 29-Dec 2). US news cited by Anthony includes a scarlet fever epidemic in Poughkeepsie during which Vassar students were forbidden to go to town (May 1-2, May 18), a votes for women poll (May 22), President Wilson's engagement (Oct 6), the defeat of women's suffrage in New Jersey (Oct 19), a suffrage parade in New York (Oct 26), and the Chicago case of a surgeon refusing life-saving surgery to a child [Baby John Bollinger] born with disabilities (Nov 18). Anthony's entries are interspersed with many letters, postcards, envelopes, photographs, musical programs, calling cards, and other memorabilia.

Student Diaries

Women's colleges--New York (State)--Poughkeepsie

Women college students--New York (State)--Poughkeepsie

Women--Diaries

Vassar College--Students

Vassar College. Class of 1917

Student Life

Academics

Political and Social Activism

Home and Family

Special Events

Alum Activities

Anthony, Constance E.

1915

Diaries

Bound volume; approx 447p; 8 x 5.25 inches; Iron gall ink on aged paper

For more information about rights and reproduction, visit http://specialcollections.vassar.edu/policies/permissionto.html