Jamestown Brides - Chapter 8 (part 8)
Once the dance games were over, Anna went over to the far end of the ship away from the crowd to sit alone for a bit and write in her diary. About half an hour pasted before Captain Drake and Joan came looking for her, walking arm in arm. Captain Drake spoke. “Anna what are you doing sitting over here in this corner by yourself, while we are all over there having the time of our life.” Then he looked at Joan. “I would also like to thank you for pairing me up with such a lovely lady too.” He commended, with a tinge of joy in his voice.
“You look nice together.” She said smiling sweetly at both Joan and Captain Drake.
“Now, you still didn’t tell us what you’re doing over here in this corner by yourself.” He persisted, studying her face.
“I can still hear the music from where I’m sitting and I’m writing my notes for today.” Anna said simply.
“This is silly, you organized this whole thing, so you get yourself back over there with the rest of us. We’re fixing to play a new game called musical chairs. I’m sure to beat you at this game.” Captain Drake teased as he squeezed Joan’s hand.
It was Joan that had mentioned that Anna had disappeared. Captain Drake was too busy enjoying Joan’s company at the time to notice anything except for her. She had even suggested the game, knowing how competitive Anna was and thinking it might lure her back over.
Questions:
The nine brick and stone buildings of the Elmira College Old Campus represent an important milestone in the history of women’s struggle for equality. Before the rise of female-centered institutions such as Elmira and Vassar, seminaries were the standard-and only-access women had to higher education. Lack of resources and an emphasis on male educational facilities weakened the quality of a seminarian education, with esteemed facilities such as Mt. Holyoke still below the standards of men’s schools.
Evolving out of the Elmira Female Seminary, the Elmira Female College was granted its charter in April 1855 and became the first educational institution in the United States to have admission and degree requirements for women that were equal to those of men’s colleges. Clarissa Thurston was one of New York’s leading advocates of higher education for women and her Elmira Female Seminary was an important precursor to Elmira College. Elmira College-the word “female” was removed from the school’s name in 1856 after being deemed vulgar-occupies the site of the seminary and was a manifestation of the reformist zeal begun by Thurston and accepted by the citizens of Elmira. The College also houses Mark Twain’s personal study, designed to resemble a Mississippi steamboat’s pilot house and moved to the campus in 1952. Twain produced several of his most famous works here, including the Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Life on the Mississippi.