Mount Holyoke College

from Where the Girls Are, 1965

Mount Holyoke is situated in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Unfortunately. The town boasts two movie theaters, three or four restaurants reeking of "atmosphere," and a varied and exciting assortment of stop lights and street signs. Even on party weekendslike Llamie or Snowball, the place is deadly. A car is pretty essential, so you can get to Rahar's or the Satire Room in Northhampton [sic] and pretend that you're out with a Smithie. That's the great hang-up for Holyoke girls: they all want to be Smithies. The Holyoke inferiority complex is difficult to comprehend, considering that Smith is best known as the home of the world's first women's basketball team, but the neurosis is there.

All this may be changing, however, because of Holyoke's seeming victory over the Smithies in the war for the favor of the men of Amherst. The proximity of Amherst - only seven miles away - can be bane or boon to the wandering male from outside the "four colleges" area. He might be shut out by the local talent monopoly. But Holyokers claim to be enthusiastic about invasion from the great beyond. More likely, the voyager can make Amherst work for him. A friend or quickly-made acquaintance is sufficient to assure him of a place to sleep and, very likely, a lace to party.

Finding a woman to transport out of South Hadley is not terribly difficult. Most fertile hunting grounds are likely to be Wilbur Hall at the southern end of the campus, or the College Inn on (you guessed it) College Street. Another possibility is a colonial dorm called "The Sycamores." Every year, so they say, this small building is the residence of many more than its share of stunning girls. Most of the suites are for seven or eight, thus assuring, if nothing else, the sociable type of young lady who can survive such bee-hive living conditions.

Other than Amherst, off-campus parties in South Hadley are worth wangling an invitation to. In the Spring, these are the only Holyoke social life, oten sponsored by an entire class. Many of the local bars ask for two pieces of identification concerning your birth. So to avoid that "well, maybe we could go see the movie again" feeling, come prepared, either with adequate proof, or with a car to escape to Northampton, where alcohol flows inexplicably easily.

DRIVING TIME from NYC - 4 hours. From the south, Garden State Parkway to Route 287 (Cross Westchester Expressway) to Merritt Parkway; exit 38 to Wilbur Cross Parkway; exit at Berlin Turnpike; then Route 91 to Springfield, Mass. Pick up Route 5 to 116 which leads directly to the campus.
FROM BOSTON - driving time about 2 hours. Mass Turnpike to exit 5 (Chicopee, Westover Field); then Route 33 to Route 116, which leads right to Mount Holyoke.
TRAINS AND BUSES from New York, New Haven and Boston to Springfield. Change here for Holyoke, and at Holyoke change for South Hadley.

Early Nov. - LLAMIE WEEKEND: Semi-formal; rock androll and society bands; not really a big weekend; usually poorly attended.
Middle Dec. - HOLLY HOP: Parties in residential houses; move from one house to another; usually well attended and a good time; very casual attire.
Late Jan to early Feb. - STUDY AND EXAM PERIOD: Three days of study and a week of exams, with rather little dating.
Early Feb. - SNOWBALL: Big and well attended weekend: jazz band Friday night; big-name folksingers Saturday afternoon; rock 'n' roll band Saturday night.
Early May - FATHER'S WEEKEND: Almost universally attended; Dads are dates.
Late May and early June - STUDY AND EXAM PERIOD: Another ten days of mostly work.

THE COLLEGE INN in South Hadley can sleep 30 to 40, and is immediately adjoining the campus. On big weekends getting a room there without a reservation is impossible. $3 or $4 a night.
BOARDING HOUSES within walking distance average $3 or $4 a night.
MOTELS within a 15-miles radius are numerous, most of them averaging about $6 a night.
AMHERST is only 10 miles away and Amherst students are usually willing to put up total strangers free for a night or two. Go to any fraternity or dorm and look sleepy.

The main number is 536-4000 and is open until 11 p.m. The main operator will connect you with the pay phones in the dorms, but won't tell you their numbers. Holyoke information or your girl will.
Girls are likely to be in dorms during meal hours, 12:20-12:45 and from 6:20-6:45. After 11 p.m. is also good, if you have the girl's number.

CURFEW is 11 p.m. on weekdays, midnight on Friday and Sunday, and 1 a.m. on Saturday. Depending on seniority, girls have a certain number of extra late hours they can take any night of the week.
OVERNIGHTS are permitted only 6 times for freshmen the first semester; 8 the second; and unlimited thereafter.
PENALTIES for coming in late vary from restricted hours to being campused altogether. For having liquor on campus or falsifying her sign-out form, a girl comes before the Judicial Board (of students) which either lets her go free, or suspends or expels her. As usual, the administration has the last word.
DORMS are open for men until curfew, but only fathers are permitted in girls' rooms - and then only their daughter's.
CARS are a privilege accorded only to girls with a B- or better average for two semesters running or seniors after spring vacation. Freshmen and sophomores can have part-time car permission for special reasons. Dates' cars are legal vehicles. Hitchhiking is illegal but popular.
LIQUOR is not permitted anywhere on campus. Massachusetts sets the legal drinking age at 21 off-campus.

SOUTH HADLEY has virtually no good restaurants. The College Inn is adequate for dinner, but is not much for entertainment.
MEN WITH CARS can try the following places:
Friendly's - (Route 116 about 5 minutes from campus) Good food; no atmosphere; no music; no beer; no coziness; ok for snacks; can be reached by bus.
Eddie's - Cozy; small wooden booths; beer and wine; fussy about ID's; good pizza and sandwiches.
Pine Rest - (116 toward Amherst) Not too tough on ID's; liquor and beer; also food, but is better for drinking and dancing; many college kids; juke box.
IN NORTHAMPTON, try:
North Hatfield Club - Nice; quiet.
Rahar's - Crowded; usuallly has band; little atmosphere; very popular.
Satire Room - Crowded; usually band; better than Rahar's; also juke box; very popular.

Other Things to Do MIXERS come once a week for freshmen during the first three weeks of the term and then Holyoke sends its youngest daughters to various men's colleges for mixers there. Sophomores arrange their own mixers, but occasionally drop into freshman mixers. Dorms also hold their own mixers; the residence invite by postcard any male they've met. OFF CAMPUS PARTIES are frequently arranged by Holyoke girls to bypass Massachusetts liquor laws. The off-campus parties are better than those on campus, but dinner and entertainment costsa bout $10 versus $5 at the college itself. In the spring, the junior and senior classes sponsor off-campus dances, nearly the only college social life of the season. DURING THE FALL, Kendall Gymnasium tries to pass as Kafe Kendall by serving food to the accompaniment of a rock 'n roll band. The Kafe doubles as a mixer. MOVIES are often shown at the campus on Friday nights; they're inexpensive but hardly worth mentioning. South Hadley has two movie theaters in the same category. ELIOT HOUSE, the center for the Fellowship of Faiths, has two rooms for study dates if you have an academic bent. IF NOT, the 1904 Gardens, the lake (by the gym), the ice skating field and Prospect Hill are good parking places with or without a car. IF SO, Glessie's is a drugstore that plays classical music all day and all night. You can not only study here, you can eat. CLIMB Mt. Holyoke, if you can find it.