COLLEGE EXPENSES SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO
[The items given below are taken from ''Exeter in 1830. Notes and Occasional Papers of William Gilman Perry." .Dr. Perry graduated from Dartmouth in 1842, received the degree of M.D. from the College" of Physicians and Surgeons in New York and died in Exeter in 1910, aged 87 years. Editor]
The following extracts from the accounts of William G. Perry refer to his expenses at Dartmouth College during his senior year, 1841-1842. The items represent the expenditures of a wellto-student. While they illustrate the simplicity of college life in the 40 s, they may also afford some slight suggestion toward the study of comparative cost of living. Oil at 37 cents a quart is costly compared with kerosene at 12 cents a gallon, but it was evidently sparingly used. Board at the most expensive boarding-house in Hanover cost the student Perry $2.25 per week. An important feature of his wardrobe was a green broadcloth cloak with silver clasps. The item referring to Moose Mountain would seem to indicate that the Outing Club spirit was alive in the early days of the College.
* Expenses at D. C. beginning Aug. 30th Fare up here and expenses $6.00 *Paid Mr. Freeman For furniture 4.73 Cleaning Room and moving .78 Ticket for Lecture .25 Hair cutting .11 Society tax 1.40 Pears and Plums .06¼ A Peck of Apples .12½ A Quart of Oil .37½ Hoarhound Candy for cold .05 Tax in Class Society .06¼ Wood sawing and bringing up 1.21 Cord .03 Blank Book .30 Repairing Pants .20 Liquorice .02 Tuition bill 11.44 Catalogues 1.00 Expenses at training 1.72½ Refreshment for myself and two fr. .25 Wrapping paper .09 To the Temperance Society 1.00 Concert .25 Matches .03
*Oct. 2nd, 1841 2 lbs. raisins .25 Post Office Bill 1.01½ Mr. Condit's address .19 Oris Root .06¼ Class Tax .13 1 Qt. Peanuts .08 Wood .87½ Court Plaster .06¼ 1 Peck of Apples .12½ Butler's Analogy .62½ Paid the Barber .62½ Quart of Oil .37½ Entry tax .18¾ Gloves and sundries .90 *Paid Mr. Freeman 3.27 *Wash bill 1.75
January 1, 1842 Fare up and expenses 4.16 A sheet iron Fireboard .61 Wood 3.50 A qt. of Oil .31 Wafers and a bottle Ink .12½ Hair Cutting .12 Board Bill 25.40 Post Office Bill 1.26 1 Pound Raisins .12½ Summer Term, May 29th, 1842 Fare up and expenses 5.82 Term Bill 16.14 Board Bill 32.00 Mending Pin .12½ Ice creams .25 Horseback ride 37½ Monthly Concert .18 Scarf .37½ Edwards on the Will .92 Ice creams .25 ½ doz.. Buttons .06¼ Gold Pin 4.25 At Moose Mountain .25 A Doz. Lemons .33 Society tax and Diploma 1.87½ Concert .25 For mending Boots .50 1 Pair Gloves .33 Filling Diploma and Case .75 A Pen Knife 1.50 A Tooth Brush .20 Post Office Bill 1.32 Coleridge's Works 1.80 *Term Bill 21.33 *Washing Bill 1.50 1 Ride 1.00 Expenses at Haverhill 2.37½ 1 book out of the Library .12½ Tax 1.50
N. B.—The items marked with an (*) are not included in the list as printed in "Exeter in 1830", but are supplied from the original account sheet by Mrs. A. T. Dudley of Exeter. The list as given above is a complete transcript of the original. Mrs. Dudley writes: "We found only the one sheet, the account carried over, but not added. There is nothing for the other years . . . It is evident that Dr. Perry carried with him all clothing and schoolbooks, and must have had furniture and other belongings from the preceding years. .. . The items concerning washing were not printed as they were apparently too insignificant to be complete. Perhaps washing was included in the charge for board. Clothes seem not to have been accounted for unless 'Paid Mr. Freeman' covers some such expenditure."
