Dorothy Foster papers, Folder 6

Bryn Mawr College

Folder 6 of the Dorothy Foster papers contains letters from November 1st 1903 to December 20th 1903, written by Dorothy Foster to her mother on life at Bryn Mawr. Dorothy discusses life on campus during her first semester as a Senior, with Bryn Mawr traditions such as Lantern Night and student-run activities such as Halloween masquerades. W. B. Yeats visits campus during this time period, an event that Dorothy writes much about. Dorothy balances both her intellectual extracurricular pursuits and her academic career, with some difficulty, as she attempts to pursue not only what work she must for classes, but also what she enjoys. Dorothy goes into Philadelphia often, both to enjoy art and theater and to spend time with friends, while still trying to balance this against her academics. She speaks of missing home greatly, and her discussions of home life with her mother shine a light onto her motivations in studying English. Her mother is just as avid of a reader as Dorothy, with closets packed with books and literary journals. This common passion between Dorothy and her mother adds a new dimension to her home life away from Bryn Mawr and erases the perceived dichotomy of intellect versus domesticity, instead replacing it with the idea that intellectual pursuits do not necessarily end once one exists the classroom or campus.

Dorothy Foster papers

Class of 1904

Academic achievement

Traditions

Family life

Yeats, W. B. (William Butler), 1865-1939

Academics

Arts, Theater and Music

Faculty, Staff and Administrators

Home and Family

Tradition and Ritual

Foster, Dorothy, 1883-1972

1903

Bryn Mawr

Correspondence

For information about copyright status and permission to publish, please contact the Bryn Mawr College Special Collections Department.