Payne correspondence

[written] 9

[typed] Roble Hall Sunday - Jan.3-'97

My dearest Nannie -

Last evening I came back from a very pleasant New Year with the Mynicks and now that dear little Lolie has gone to take her bath, I will have time to write. She tells me she forgot to tell you about Christmas day. I don't know whether that included a little impromptu card party the night before or not. But I believe I told you about that in my last letter. At any rate Mrs. Baker who has lived at the Zet Psi fraternity house ever since her son entered asked us to take Christmas dinner with her together with the Haskel girls and their mother, Marylyn Main and Alice Colt. The things did taste so good and it was such a pretty dinner, afterward we danced--three of the boys were home, and the evening went in a twinkling. The Monday afterwards Theodora went to San Jose and I suppose has told you all about that. Thursday I put on my green skirt and waist and went to the city on the noon train, and spent a couple of hours shopping before I went out on Broadway to the Mynicks. I found at Sammuels a blue English serge suit - close fitting- double breasted, small sleeves, velvet collar & tailor finish all exactly what I wanted & made to wear shirt waists with too like this [sketch of a dress as described] all for 23.50 reduced from twenty-seven. I shall like it because it is different from the half-fitted jackets so common and like my last winter black serge. It is very stylish too & has quite a distinguished air I flatter myself. I also invested in four pairs of excellent stockings at Drane & Hueshil woods for a dollar and a black merino petticoat. And in a trice did all my little errands and went up to Mrs. Mynics by five-thirty. We had a very delicious turkey dinner, lighted candalabrae with red berries. Judge Mynick had asked Mr. Pomeroy to dine and is he all enthusiastic about Stanford where he taught law last year, we had a very congenial time. His father is of the law text book fame. In spite of an engagement he had to watch the old year out he stayed to help extole Prof. Anderson with me and before he knew it he stayed the evening too. After he went about eleven o'clock we went to a Presbyterian watch meeting and issued in the New Year singing hymns. The next day I didn't wake up till nearly two O'clock in the afternoon when Couisin Emma called me and then we went out to the Cliff House for a ride. The day was about the most perfect I ever saw in San Francisco so clear that we could see the Farolon Islands. That evening we met Miss Brewer and Mr. Wilcos at the theatre where we saw the Trauley Co. in "The Great Unknown" - a pretty little society comedy with Frank Worthing the most attractive player. The next day Mrs. Mynick went with me while I did some more odds & ends of shopping - getting my dress which I left to be refitted & which I found most satisfactory and then we had such a delicious little luncheon at the University Club. I came home on the four-thirty train finding Marylyn Main and also Prof. Allardice. He is the brilliant Edinburgh professor in Mathematics and exceedingly entertaining. At the Hall had the happiness of finding Mrs. Baker installed as mistress of the Hall. Dr. Jordan had told me that Mrs. Clements was going to go and then Mrs. Baker would be our temporary house-mother--most delightful news and the dear precious man took such pleasure in telling it. It is so good to see him walking past the hall again, when

[typed] Sunday - Jan.3-'97 [written] 10

[typed] When I told him how glad I was to see him, he said in his dogged monotone "I am glad you exaggerate the case so", and I wanted to hug him. Mrs. Baker is just the kind of dignified, helpful, loving mother-spirit we need, and I know she will do the Hall a world of good; she does not need the money and will exert all her Christian efforts to make it an attractive home. Had such a pleasant call at the Jordan's before I went to town. Mrs. Jordan is looking very well & pretty & Dr. Jordan is positively handsome. Yesterday evening Mrs. Baker, Theodora, Alice Colt and I spent in planning and discussing the possibilities & future of the Hall and I feel that the New Year gives promise of a richer more unselfish and therefore happier one than any of the preceding three years. Tomorrow I spend in making calls, and Tuesday is registration day. I am wild to hear youu comments on the pictures and hope they are a pleasure to you. The vacation on the whole has been very satisfactory, two more days of sleeping will fit me for another term - thank fortune not my last quite yet. A thousand wishes for all joy & peace and comfort for your New Year.

Your loving Toodles

Forgot to tell you that I went to church this morning & had a delightful service & good service. Have Barries Little Minister this vacation.

[written] 11

[typed] Saturday evening [written] Feb '97

[typed] My dearest Nannie

Last night was such fun, we girls had a perfectly spendid time and the dance was such a pretty one. The floor was not too crowded and the figures in the German were wonderfully prettyone where the electric lights were turned off and the men carried chinese langerns forming double lines and crossing the lanterns for the girls to walk under two by two - the effect was beautiful like willow the wisps; when it was time for the lights to come on it was found that the Freshmen had cut the wires so that for almost half an hour the illumination depended upon chinese lanterns and lamps. We girls had good partners and programs and it was so joplly to go together and I assure you the Zetes made lovely hosts even if they did lose the wager.

When we reached the Hall we talked it over in Helen's room which was as much fun as the dance. I send a Palo Alto that contains an article which ............... I am afraid will very much astonish you but you no less than the campus people. You see we girls have been feeling the whole year a lack of unity and a whole hearted feeling and generosity each for the other; beside that we have been and such a set always has been a very decided clique in the university holding itself aloof from the other fraternities and attracting people to it simply its non-fraternity spirit. The result has been a great deal of hard feeling and the gratituous appelation of the combination to boot. My reason for settling the Kappa question a year ago was a belief of the narrrowing tendency of fraternities; but our attitude toward each other and in the university seemed no much more generous if in par we put ourselves in the same level with the other girls that we began to consider the question very seriously. The immediate impulse that brought the thought into prominence was a wish to organize so as to work together as a body to promote a high moral standard, bothe in the building up of character and in our college work among the so called leader in the Hall and on the campus. As we were - simply a set - we felt the necessity of breaking down a spirit of petty criticism and likes and dislike among ourselves and toward people outside, a strong tendency to gossip and the added reputation of snobbishness. Individual effort, whenever there has been any, has not amounted to much and we have thought it not worth while to financially work to-gether to work toward this end. Helen and I talked the fraternity question over with Dr. Jordan and we have his strong encouragement in the organization , and his voluntary offering of assistance. We did this before any definite step was taken. He said that he had found that in any congregation of people their were bound to be sets, and that when they set themselves to working for some good end, it was better than to have no strong bonds and be called by an undignified name.

Of course, I can't go into detail about our constitution but no one is eligible whose work is in any way of secondary importance and who is not of high principle.

There is not half the red tape and formality that there is in other fraternities and not being national, we do not incur the everlasting obligations of national societies. There is to be no such thing as annual dues, "rushing" for freshmen, financial obligations after you leave the university, and rivalry with other fraternities.

The announcement was made in the paper last night just before we went to the cotilion and it was such fun to receive congratulations and see the astonishment of the people on account of our marked reputation as non-fraternity people.

[written] Feb '97 12

[typed] We are having the most delicious kind of cold weather - snow way down in the foothills within an hours ride from the campus. The clouds are beautiful and the air so invigorating - it is impossible to get nearer Mt Hamilton than Smith's creek.

The Glee Club is giving to give a concert in San Jose next Friday night and there is to be quite a swell dance afterwards. I and Theodora had invitations from Bell Clark who is one of the patronesses as is also Mrs. W.K. Beans, Mrs. Frank Wright, Mrs. Maclaren, Mrs. Schneider Mrs. Liet, Park, Pann and Phillips.

I don't know whether I shall go or not. Stanford Glee Club is very popular in San Jose - much more so than Berkeley - that reminds me I believe you inquired about Howard Veeder. I have not heard of seen him for over a year. He was graduated last May and I believe is at Angel's camp in the Jupiter mine where Mr. Thompson and Augusta live.

Theodora and I had the wedding cards of Kate McGrew and She is to marry a Dr. Bryant Cooper very soon. Tom you know is in New York at the Columbia medical college

Goodnight- your very loving Toodles

There is a financial red tape about our fraternity - all expenses are to betmet by assessments as they are incurred.

[written] 13

[typed] March 2, '97 Tuesday afternoon

My dearest Nannie

Am ever and ever so sorry I have been so long about getting this letter off; but this Friday and Saturday have been so full I didn't have time - with an examination today in Art History.

I did not go tto San Jose to the Glee Club concert and party as Helen and I had an invitation from Prof. Allardice to an informal little evening at the bachelor professor's house. We felt ourselves so honored that we wouldn't have refused for worlds. Only a few of the girls were asked, with Dr. and Mrs. Fairclough and Mr. and Mrs. Hodges as chaperones. Prof. Allardice, Prof. Campbell, Prof. Kellog and Prof. Young are ther four bachelors and the evening was in honor of a brother bachelor from San Francisco and a Mr. Snow who has just joined the faculty in the botany department. It was about the loveliest time I ever had on the campus. At first we played cards - hearts - and later foot-ball with an empty egg in the dining room table to be blown from one goal to the other - the most laughable thing in the world to see the professors blowing in the excited intervals when they were not roaring with laughter. The guest Mr. Stadweller was a very finelooking young man with very polished manners. The house was delightful with its bohemian collections from all parts of the world and its great roaring fires. I tell you it takes a lot of men to entertain well.

Saturday Theodora wanted me to into the city with her so I did and such a good time as we had. Mr. Stadweller went down in the bus with me to the train and there I found Mr. Pitcher - Sigma Rho Eta who was very anxious that I go to the baseball game in the city played by Stanford and some northern players but of course I didn't care to. He made a very pleasant escort however as far as Burlingame where Theodora got on. We looked at spring tings till we were tired to death - and I took my organdies for Miss Strander to make the high necked waist and Theodora got here some peach alpaca for an everyday skirt which she also took to Miss S. We saw some very pretty plaid greens silk at .50 a yard that Theodora got for me fo a shirt waist; and we bothe of us got 8 yds of linen for skirts instead of duch skirts. The silk shirt and the skirt makes a lovely combination. We waited till the 6:30 train so as to have dinner at the Palace Grill - I never enjoyed anything so much - such a delisious steak and coffee! It made me realize what poor stuff we lived on here.

Theodora came back here with me and went Sunday afternoon. Sunday morning weAlice Colt and I went to church and there I so Helen Lathrop and Eidith Cullen with Mrs. Gilman. I went home with them for dinner and a plum pudding and Helen drove me back in the little dog cart in time to see Theodora before she went.

Helen and Edith are coming to stay Wednesday night with me. Possibly we will have an invitation initiations at Miriam's house next Friday night and I shall take my new shirt waist and skirt down to Miss Smead(Ithink) to make up.

The summer things are so pretty, such lovely plaid linen skirt waists and dresses and beautiful organdies but not one so pretty as mine.

Yesterday I had to study for this art history examination which passed off easily this morning - by way of letting you know what we have been doing I'll enclose the questions. So far I have not been able to get ahold of the desired Sequoia but still have hopes - I never can catch the editor. The rain has begun against but we cant complain after this beautiful winter. I am so sorry my Nannie has the ...(I can't spell it but you know what I mean. Helen Lathrop sent ever so much love to my sweet aunt.

Very loving Toodles

We have hopes of having the dining room in entire charge of a very excellent lady who will make it dainty and pretty beside furnishing good things to eat...at present it is very poor.