Letter from Mary Elizabeth Garrett to M. Carey Thomas, August 01, 1885

Dear Girls, First I will give the advertisement as you propose and then make our comments. You will get this by Monday morning and we could get the answer by Wednesday morning if by letter or Tuesday afternoon if by telegram, so that there would be only a day or twoGÇÖs delay in the insertion. The Bryn Mawr School for Girls First Year opens September 21st 193 North Eutaw Street, near Monument. Circulars at Cushings & BaileyGÇÖs and MurphyGÇÖs. No extras. The prescribed course will be so arranged as to include the highest requirements for entrance made by any college. Drawing and elocution obligatory. Open fires. Miss Eleanor Andrews, the Secretary of the School, will be at the schoolhouse from 9 to 2 on and after the 25th of August to receive applications and answer enquiries. First, this would make an adv about 12 lines in length, judging by the average no. of words to a line in the Sun, and no schools have one of more than five or six lines. Second, Why mention GÇ£no extrasGÇ¥ when terms are not given? Third, As an adv should be short and to the point, in order to attract a hasty readerGÇÖs attention, and many points can not consequently be embraced in it, does it not see rather unwise to make the point about preparation for college which needs more wily presentation than all else put together, on account of the prejudice in the community the most salient? Fourth, Open pres seems a little doubtful. The Bonds have open fires, I was told, and do not mention it. Lily Williams also has always had them and possibly others may have. I very decidedly prefer adding nothing to our present adv except the fact about Miss Andrews, which is of course a very desirable point, and Julia agrees with me. I think it is much more dignified, and do not like the idea of our being the single exception among the nice schools in being wordy or putting ourselves at all and the collegiate preparation part seems to both of us decidedly unwise. The Bryn Mawr School for Girls First Year opens September 21st. 193 North Eutaw Street, near Monument. On and after August 25th, applications can be made at the schoolhouse to Miss Eleanor Andrews, Secretary. Circulars at Cushings & BaileyGÇÖs and at MurphyGÇÖs. This is the form in which we should like to see it. At any rate, please weigh our objections. Do not let us frighten people so that they will not even read our circulars. About Mme. Cayron de Queyla, we have heard not a word, and consequently of course have not written her. This morning Julia went to the Telegraph office to enquire; they said the telegram had been delivered in Newport but no answer had ever been received. If however, Mamie has had a letter, by all means arrange for her to come on the 10th if possible. If she has not, it probably means that Madame does not care to consider the matter, and does [the rest of the letter is missing].