miss agnes r. wright, b.a.
the university of wyoming situated at laramie, wyoming, on the broad plains which roll away to the hills and blue mountains capped with snowy peaks, is surrounded by an air of freeness and democracy characteristic of this great equal-suffrage state.
after finishing the preparatory course of the university, i was determined to complete the fours years of college; and, thus in the fall of 1909, i found myself a freshman in the college of liberal arts of the university of wyoming.
my home was on a ranch some twenty-five miles out of laramie. i therefore accepted gratefully the opportunity of staying with my aunts in town in order that i might go to school.
dr. grace raymond hebard, professor of political economy and librarian at the university, made me her assistant in the library. through the fours years of my college course dr. hebard, who is a noble woman, was my guide, philosopher, and friend, helping me in every way possible. i remained assistant librarian through my entire course with a raise in salary each year. since my salary 190 from this source was not sufficient to meet all my expenses, and believing thoroughly in grasping every opportunity, dr. hebard urged me to try for some of the literary prizes in the university.
the first one i tried for was an essay on the “overland trail in wyoming.” i worked on this essay during one of my summer vacations and in the fall received the prize of $50. other prizes which i was successful enough to win were: “a place in wyoming worthy of a monument,” $10; “opportunities wyoming offers to technically trained men and women,” $25, two times, (different years) making $50; “principles of free government,” (two times) making $50; a short story contest at the state fair, second prize, $50.
this essay work not only gave me experience in writing and some valuable information, but also meant a great deal in a financial way.
it was necessary in connection with the library work that i take typewriting. with the practice gained in the library, together with the work in class, i was able to typewrite fairly well at the end of the first year. many times i made a little extra money doing typewriting. on one occasion i made $2.50 for four hours of such work. typewriting has been one of the most useful subjects which i took in college.
in the last half of my freshman year my sister and i economized by keeping house in two rooms rented in a private home. the next three years 191 we were able to live at the girls’ dormitory. my sister, too, is earning her way through college, and we will never regret doing so.
in my sophomore year i decided to take up drafting, and was allowed to elect sixteen hours in the college of engineering. in the spring of both my junior and senior years i was offered the position as temporary draftsman at $100 a month by the united states surveyor general in cheyenne, but i refused, as i wished to graduate. this merely illustrates how college people may receive good positions.
in my junior year i was elected editor-in-chief of the college paper, for which i received $10 a month and credits in english. during my senior year i was also editor and received $15 a month, the paper having been changed to a weekly.
one might think that, with being editor of the paper and assistant librarian, the remainder of my time would have to be devoted entirely to my studies; but far from it. the fact that i was devoting a portion of my time to earning my way gave me the best of training. i had my work down to a system, and when i studied, knowing just how much time i had, i learned to concentrate to such an extent that it was no trouble to study in a room when four or five people were carrying on a conversation. i did not take the minimum amount of work either, for at the beginning of my senior year i had just twenty-two credits to make and upon graduation had eleven credits too many. 192
i engaged in athletics heartily. i played on the basketball team, being captain one year and manager the next. for four years i was a member of the young women’s christian association cabinet, the mandolin and glee clubs, and took part in dramatics and other social activities. besides, i devoted some of my time to pi beta phi, of which i am a member.
i did not take library work with the intention of making it my vocation, but merely as a means of going through college, but there was an opening in the state library and on july 1, 1913, i accepted the position of assistant state librarian in the state law library at cheyenne, wyoming.
on june 12, 1913, i received the degree of b.a. i was nineteen years old, but i came out of college with developed ideas of how to go about making my own living in a manner which i could have gained in no other way.
to work my way had not injured my health, as i always took plenty of outdoor exercise, walking, skating, etc., and each summer was spent at home on the ranch, fishing, riding and camping in the mountains, besides working at home.
with parents and relatives making sacrifices and determined to give my sister and me the opportunity to gain a higher education, and with the encouragement of friends, i have attained, and my sister will attain next june, a college education.
it is worth the effort a thousand times. the spirit 193 of the university of wyoming is greatly in favor of students helping themselves. the leaders in social life, athletics, and in every phase of the life of the university are wide-awake young men and women who are willing to help themselves.
the men or women with a good education are being sought after in the business world to-day. to know that you have gained this education by yourself, makes you independent and places you on the road to success.
(since writing the above miss wright stood a civil service examination for clerk-draftsman and passed fourth highest in the united states.—compiler.)
cheyenne, wyo.
