When I gave evening lectures at Mrs. Terhune’s while at Smith College, I was accustomed to spend the night there.  She always insisted upon rising early to see that the table was set properly for me, and she often would bring in something specially tempting of her own cooking.  A picture I can never forget is that of Doctor Terhune who, before offering grace at meals, used to stretch out a hand to each of his daughters, and so more closely include them in his petition.

I used no special text-book while at Smith College, and requested my class to question me ten minutes at the close of every recitation.  Each girl brought a commonplace book to the recitation room to take notes as I talked.  Some of them showed great power of expression while writing on the themes provided.  There was a monthly examination, often largely attended by friends out of town.  I still keep up my interest in my pupils of that day.  One of them told me that they thought at first I was currying popularity, I was so cordial and even affectionate, but they confessed they were mistaken.

Under President Seelye’s wise management, Smith College has taken a high position, and is constantly growing better.  The tributes to his thirty-seven years in service when he resigned prove how thoroughly he was appreciated.  I give a few extracts: 

We wish to record the fact that this has been, in a unique degree, your personal work.  If you had given the original sum which called the College into being, and had left its administration to others, you would have been less truly the creator of the institution than you have been through your executive efficiency.  Your plans have seldom been revised by the Board of Trustees, and your selection of teachers has brought together a faculty which is at least equal to the best of those engaged in the education of women.  You have secured for the teachers a freedom of instruction which has inspired them to high attainment and fruitful work.  You, with them, have given to the College a commanding position in the country, and have secured for it and for its graduates universal respect.  The deep foundations for its success have been intellectual and spiritual, and its abiding work has been the building up of character by contact with character.

Fortunate in her location, fortunate in her large minded trustees, fortunate in the loyal devotedness of her faculty and supremely fortunate has our College been in the consecrated creative genius of her illustrious president.  Bringing to his task a noble ideal, with rare sagacity as an administrator; with financial and economic skill rarely found in a scholar and idealist, but necessary to foster into fullest fruitfulness the slender pecuniary resources then at hand; with tact and suavity which made President Seelye’s “no,” if no were needed, more gracious than “yes” from others; with the force which grasps difficulties fearlessly; with dignified