RADCLIFFE COLLEGE 351 



our old school. So it has always seemed to me. But 

 for the school, the college (so far as I am concerned) 

 would never have existed. The training of the school 

 prepared me for the later work and has always been 

 associated with it in my thought. Mr. Ropes brought 

 this out (associating with it the influence of Agassiz 

 as a teacher) in the most delightful way. The giving 

 of degrees followed in the usual way, but I did not 

 make my address. 



When all the official ceremony was over, Miss 

 Irwin, Mrs. Whitman and I drove in together to the 

 Vendome where the Alumnae dinner took place 

 170 women, I think, Dean Briggs, the only man! 

 After dinner I opened the speaking with a short 

 address ; others followed, but I must tell you that our 

 ceremonies were interrupted by a very pretty inci- 

 dent. We received a message from the Harvard class 

 of '83; they were having their annual dinner in an 

 adjoining hall and would like to send us greeting. 

 Of course this was accepted with great pleasure. 

 Presently half a dozen of these gentlemen (some of 

 whom I knew) came in, bringing three or four of the 

 most superb baskets of roses (Jacqueminots) that I 

 have ever seen. The first was presented to me, the 

 others at other parts of the company. They then in- 

 troduced themselves as the class of '83, wished us 

 everything for the future fortunes of Radcliffe and 

 a pleasant evening on this our graduating day, and 

 bade us good-bye. Nothing could be more friendly 

 or more dignified and respectful; it struck me as a 

 new note never sounded before, a sort of frater- 



