DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Adelia M. Hoyt memoir and photographs

Transcribe
Translate

Page 20

20 UNFOLDING YEARS
Mother remained over Sunday, then departed for home. So long as she was there we occupied a guest room on the second floor, but after her departure I was assigned to a room on the fourth floor with three other girls, all older than myself. In those days little provision was made for young children and the little girl's department where Kitty roomed was full. Probably I had a more grown-up demeanor and that may have influenced the matron in placing me with older girls. Of my first three roommates little more need be said since after that first year we were no longer together. 
I took easily to the school routine. We rose at six with the rising bell, had breakfast at six-thirty, chapel at seven, and went immediately to classes. A bell rang every period and we had five minutes between classes, with a longer recess in the middle of the forenoon. In this way we covered the subjects of arithmetic, geography, history, reading and spelling, and were through in time for dinner at twelve. The afternoon was given over to handwork, music and physical training. At four-thirty we were free to amuse ourselves until supper at five-thirty. In the evening we had chapel at seven, after which we were divided into groups according to age and one of the sighted teachers read aloud for an hour. The rest of the evening we studied or practised the piano, if a practise period had been assigned to us for that time. At nine the retiring bell sounded and at nine-thirty the silence bell, and woe to anyone heard talking after that time. Teachers patroled the halls to see that all was quiet. 
This regular schedule proved most beneficial to me in many ways. I formed the habit of living by a definite plan, which is sometimes monotonous and often irksome has stayed with me all my life. Being considered a frail child I had been rather inactive. While I learned to do many things, and enjoyed helping mother in the house and father out-of-doors. I was not "required" to do anything. I slept poorly and never in the daytime as other children; often I lay awake all night, falling asleep near morning, and for this reason I was allowed to sleep late. The first

Saving...

20 UNFOLDING YEARS Mother remained over Sunday, then departed for home. So long as she was there we occupied a guest room on the second floor, but after her departure I was assigned to a room on the fourth floor with three other girls, all older than myself. In those days little provision was made for young children and the little girl's department where Kitty roomed was full. Probably I had a more grown-up demeanor and that may have influenced the matron in placing me with older girls. Of my first three roommates little more need be said since after that first year we were no longer together. I took easily to the school routine. We rose at six with the rising bell, had breakfast at six-thirty, chapel at seven, and went immediately to classes. A bell rang every period and we had five minutes between classes, with a longer recess in the middle of the forenoon. In this way we covered the subjects of arithmetic, geography, history, reading and spelling, and were through in time for dinner at twelve. The afternoon was given over to handwork, music and physical training. At four-thirty we were free to amuse ourselves until supper at five-thirty. In the evening we had chapel at seven, after which we were divided into groups according to age and one of the sighted teachers read aloud for an hour. The rest of the evening we studied or practised the piano, if a practise period had been assigned to us for that time. At nine the retiring bell sounded and at nine-thirty the silence bell, and woe to anyone heard talking after that time. Teachers patroled the halls to see that all was quiet. This regular schedule proved most beneficial to me in many ways. I formed the habit of living by a definite plan, which is sometimes monotonous and often irksome has stayed with me all my life. Being considered a frail child I had been rather inactive. While I learned to do many things, and enjoyed helping mother in the house and father out-of-doors. I was not "required" to do anything. I slept poorly and never in the daytime as other children; often I lay awake all night, falling asleep near morning, and for this reason I was allowed to sleep late. The first