Thestruggleforadmissiontocollegewasended,andIcoulderRadcliffewheneverIpleased.BeforeIenteredcollege,however,itwasthoughtbestthatIshouldstudyanotheryearunderMr.Keith.Itwasnot,therefore,untilthefallof1900thatmydreamofgoingtocollegewasrealized.

    IremembermyfirstdayatRadcliffe.Itwasadayfullofiforme.Ihadlookedforwardtoitforyears.

    Apotentforcewithirohanthepersuasionofmyfriends,strohanthepleadingsofmyheart,hadimpelledmetotrymystrengthbythestandardsofthosewhoseeandhear.Ikhattherewereobstaclesintheway;butIwaseagertooverethem.IhadtakehewordsofthewiseRomanwhosaid,"TobebanishedfromRomeisbuttoliveoutsideofRome."Debarredfromthegreathighwaysofknowledge,Iwaspelledtomakethejourneyacrosstrybyunfrequentedroads--thatwasall;andIkhatincollegethereweremanybypathswhereIcouldtoudswithgirlswhowerethinking,lovingandstrugglinglikeme.

    Ibeganmystudieswitheagerness.BeforemeIsaorldopeningiyandlight,awithihecapacitytoknowallthings.InthewonderlandofMindIshouldbeasfreeasaspeople,sery,manners,joys,tragediesshouldbeliving,tangibleinterpretersoftherealworld.Thelecture-hallsseemedfilledwiththespiritofthegreatandthewise,andIthoughttheprofessorsweretheembodimentofwisdom.IfIhavesincelearneddifferently,Iamnotgoingtotellanybody.

    ButIsoondiscoveredthatcollegewasnotquitetheromanticlyceumIhadimagined.Manyofthedreamsthathaddelightedmyyounginexperiencebecamebeautifullylessand"fadedintothelightofonday.”

    GraduallyIbegantofindthatthereweredisadvantagesingoingtocollege.