ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



my task lighter by her appreciative acceptance of my 

 efforts." 



The story has often been told of Mrs. Agassiz that 

 one year when the Commencement exercises were held in 

 her own drawing-room, and there was only one candidate 

 for a diploma, as she handed her the parchment adorned as 

 usual with a rose thrust through the ribbon that bound it, 

 she put both arms around the astonished girl's neck and ex- 

 claimed, "We're proud of you, my dear!" And in the same 

 spirit years later in Sanders Theatre when she conferred 

 the first degree of doctor of philosophy given by Radcliffe 

 College, she increased its value many fold to the recipient 

 by her whispered, "So glad you have it, dear." 



Her relation with the students, it should be said, was 

 not one of daily intercourse, for she had no office hours 

 and seldom met them except on public occasions and at 

 social gatherings. After the Annex was installed in Fay 

 House she saw them most frequently at the Wednesday 

 afternoon teas which she established and which became a 

 recognized college institution that she attended as long 

 as it was possible for her to do so. These were held in 

 the attractive, elliptical-shaped drawing-room, pleasantly 

 shaded in spring and summer, and cheerful in winter with a 

 blazing fire, fragrant with the delicate aroma of tea and 

 lemon, and inviting with a special type of gay little Swed- 

 ish cakes arrayed upon the tea-table. Here girls with scant 

 experience of the world could meet pleasantly the friends of 

 Mrs. Agassiz, attracted by her presence to the occasion; 

 here an unfailing welcome was ready, given in tones that 

 conveyed the very essence of kindliness even when the 

 personality of the student was unknown; and here, best of 



