In 1908, while attending Syracuse University, Alice Mabel Allen (1886-1976) kept a diary which is being published each week. In this week’s entries Mabel and her friends play college pranks on each other. She also remarks on the laying of the cornerstone of the Archibold Gymnasium and the impending execution of Chester Gillette for murder.
Monday, March 23
Had examples in equalities and I only did one and did not even finish that. I have not been able to do any of them and will probably get about a zero on the work. Helen came down to study but we both felt too tired. After dinner sewed lace on corset cover and finished it to-night. Lu and I went downstreet at 4:30; did some errands and went to Vespers. Bought chocolates for Jean and ate some of them on way home. Paid tuition to-day. Lu in drawing library plan. Learned Shakespeare passages to-day.
Tuesday, March 24
A letter from Edna, so I wrote to her this afternoon. After English I went over to the library and studied Trig with Helen Beattie. During that period the corner stone to the new gym was laid. Elocution to-day. Studied Latin this afternoon. Pressed my black skirt. Studied Shakespeare and went down to the castle with Miss Minch. Dr. Hearst spoke on the relation of morality to religion, saying that religion must be moral. After supper we danced and I walked around the block with Cassie. I have not been able to study at all to-night.
Wednesday, March 25
Staid after math for conference. Did not get up early this morning. Have not had any letters this week but the Journal comes to-morrow. After dinner Lu and I had a light hand to hand contest. At 4:30 she and I walked downstreet. Went to Vespers at St. Paul’s. After supper we danced and Cassie and I stacked Christine and Fuzzie’s room. We hid in Leta’s room and listened thru the register. They all mistrusted me at once. We went for a walk and then met the girls and went up to the mass meeting for baseball. It was not particularly inspiring. I bought some peanuts and Lu came in while we ate them.
Thursday, March 26
Letters from Mary Wick, Rollin, one from mother this afternoon, and the paper [Jefferson County Journal]. Did not feel well–achy all over. Wrote up Roman History notes, studied Latin. Lu came in and we lay down together. Dressed for dinner and while eating Fuzzie stacked the room. Pulled everything out of the closet, the clothes off the bed and emptied some of my drawers. I cleaned it up and have not said a word about it. After supper Grace, Harriet, Cassie, Lu and I went walking. Was faint when I came back and could not study.
Friday, March 27
Did not do math until after Eng. III. After Latin went over to the library and studied Hamlet. Lost track of the time and was late for supper. Danced. Went in Jean’s room to study Shakespeare but did not accomplish much. Took a warm bath and tried to finish studying in here but the girls came in and piled onto the bed. Fuzzie had some fudge and we all fooled around in the hall until late. For some reason, I was wide awake.
Saturday, March 28
Quiz in Shakespeare which I thot was fair but I found out afterwards most people thot it was stiff. Had a dandy letter from [older sister] Dora, the first in a long time. She told about the battle between [Stanford] students and town [?] over carousing, Cleaned the room and changed furniture about. After dinner washed and went with Leta Osgoodby over to West Genesee hospital. She took me into Schrafft’s and then we walked home. After supper I walked with Fuzzie and Lillian. Lillian bought caramels and so I ate and studied Latin. Went to sleep, however. Slept alone.
Sunday, March 29
Harriet came in and we read the Ladies’ Home Journal in bed. Sang in parlor after breakfast. At the table we had quite a discussion about the Shaw and Gillette cases. Wrote letters home, to Alma and Dora. Harriet in here to make bulletins. Read this afternoon and went down to Vespers with Lu and Harry. The usher took us way up front and we had a funny time. After lunch Lu and I went for a long walk. Now I am going to bed and Lillian will hear me say poems. My eyes are getting bad again.
[The Gillette case refers to the highly publicized execution of Chester Gillette who was convicted of murdering his pregnant girlfriend Grace Brown at Big Moose Lake in 1906.]Illustrations, from above: Archibold Gymnasium in 1916; and Schrafft’s store in Syracuse.
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