“This home economics,” he said with a show of confidence—“really cooking and general housework gone to college, I’d say. We’ve just installed an outfit for it in our home school that cost a lot of money. I’ll have to see what you have here.” [Illustration: _Home Economics—A Booth in the Christmas Bazaar_] At the other end of the long corridor he found the laboratories of the Home Economics department, complete and modern in their equipment. There was a fragrance in the air like baking-day at home, and a group of white-aproned young women were bustling about, very much intent on their work. [Illustration: _Plenty of Opportunities to Enjoy Themselves_] The instructor introduced Father to the Dean of Women and to the mother of one of the girls, who was also making a visit to the University and being escorted about the buildings. “I am certainly glad we decided to send our daughter here,” she assured Father. “The work is just what she needs and the teachers have her more interested than she ever was before. She has so many good friends here, too.” “Meaning girls or boys?” asked Father with a little smile. “Well, both,” she replied. “The whole social atmosphere is very wholesome. The young people have plenty of opportunities to enjoy themselves, but they are always carefully directed and chaperoned. They have all the rules they need, but I don’t think there are too many, and there is a Women’s League of the girls to enforce the ones they have.” [Illustration: _A Tense Moment on the Gridiron_] “I like to see young folks have a good time,” Father informed her, “but it does seem that somebody has to look after them. I suppose that’s where you come in,” he added to the Dean of Women. She was able to explain in more detail the wide variety of recreation available on the campus. Father was particularly pleased when she said: “The spirit of the University is generally democratic. Everybody knows everybody else and there is no distinction of rich or poor. Hundreds of boys and girls are earning all or part of their expenses and are respected all the more for doing so. Fraternities and sororities may have intense rivalry among themselves but they are not snobbish.” “Do the girls get any of this physical culture, or whatever you call it?” asked Father. “They certainly do, and we give them more and better opportunities every year. They have a very competent woman to direct their classes and give corrective exercises to those who need them. They now have a chance at inter-class sports just as the men have.” The ladies excused themselves, explaining that they were due to visit the Music Building. “Are you acquainted with the work in music here?” the other visitor asked of Father. He confessed that he was not. “I did hear the University Glee Club in our town last winter,” he explained, “and all the boys at the house where we’re staying can sing like birds. I didn’t know they had any regular department.”