Letters home, October 1916

The first folder of the Natalie Gookin papers consists of letters written almost every day between Natalie Gookin and her family, most notably her mother and father and aunt, during her freshman year at Bryn Mawr College in 1916. These letters are arranged chronologically according to the date that they were written. Her homesickness is most evident in her letters to her mother, as she always sends lots of love and wishes that she were back home. Most of her letters describe student life at Bryn Mawr College and how she is adjusting to being so far from home. She writes about her classes, professors, friends, and student activities such as parties thrown in Rock or club meetings. She most enjoys writing about how much she hates English, how much she hates the rules of the Hockey team, and she introduces her crush on Helen Harris. These letters would be of interest to anyone studying women’s colleges or student life.