Initial Instruction for Infants or The Babies' Botany Book, A Grind Book from Smith College

Class of 1917

Published by Smith College, Northampton, MA, 1914

About this Item

8 pg., staple booklet. A humor filled book, which appears on first glance to be a baby book on botany. However upon closer inspection, one realize that the book has noting to do with botany. It is actually a 'Grinds' Book from Smith College, a women's college in Northampton, MA. These 'Grind Book's, also called Freshman Grinds, were created as a result of a long-standing competition that has existed between the First Year (Freshman) students and the Second Year (Sophomore) students, and were printed and placed either on the doorsteps or in the mailboxes of incoming Freshman. These books were often full of humor, poking fun at the incoming class, such as when the Class of 1908 produced a take-off of modern baby books, entitled "Babies Own Journal", which offered instructions on how to keep the baby member of the Class of 1909 happy, health, and clean. The Freshman class was often referred to as 'babies' as they knew nothing about campus or college life, and the Grinds often reflected that idea. "The Babies Botany Book", die cut to be shaped like a baby sucking a bottle and holding a doll, also reflects this idea, and includes five poems instructing the 'baby' reader on the various times of 'specimens' found. In this case they are referring to five of the stereotypical personalities of young incoming Freshmen. The poems are titled Grind-ia Greasi-ma (a Book Worm), Athlet-a Long Legorum (the athlete with long legs), Fusser Blushiorum (a flirty girl), Freshman-a Weepiosa (a homesick freshman), and Rusher Constant-a (an overachiever). Along with each poem is a black and white lined drawing. These drawings are also humorous in nature, for example the poem about the Athlete, depicts a girl's head with a long braid acting as the center of a flower and its stem, surrounding by basketballs representing the flower petals. Below is one of the poems found within this book. "This 'red-eyed-Susan' does not grow Where 'black-eyed-Susans' do, Nor is its color --A melancholy 'blue'; You'll find that early in the Fall It's everywhere about; 'Tis watered most by tears. But Time Can always Weed it out And for this flower to droop its head Is natural, must be granted: 'Tis torn from its own native soil, And is, of course, transplanted." - Freshman-a Weepiosa Another funny bit to this book is the inscription which reads: "A collection of typical specimens weeded from the abundant growth of the year 1918, by 17 Botanists." Measures 8" x 4 3/4" Minor toning and soiling due to age. Baby's head has been bent, and there is missing surface litho on the back cover on the head. Seller Inventory # 29012102

Bibliographic Details

Title: Initial Instruction for Infants or The ...

Publisher: Smith College, Northampton, MA

Publication Date: 1914