College Survival Kits

It seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating high school graduations across the region and in only a few weeks, many of those graduates will be on their way to college.

For some, it will be their first time away from home. It can be a big adjustment for both students and parents. With cell phones and e-mail staying in touch today is easier than ever before. So parents, make it a point to contact your student regularly, at least for the first few weeks while they get adjusted.

Another great way to stay in touch is with care packages. At Laurel Mountain Basket Company we offer a full line of care packages especially designed for students, including our Off To College Kits. Sending a package filled with not so gourmet treats is a fun way to let your student know that you are thinking of them. For a limited time, to help offset the cost of higher education, we are offering FREE SHIPPING of our Off To College Kits to colleges and universities within the continental United States.
For more information, check out our website at http://www.laurelmtbasket.com/ or you can call us at 413-527-1243.

Back To School

It's back to school time. We live in an area where there are dozens of colleges and universities, including Smith College, one of the oldest and most prestigious women's colleges in the country.

I grew up in the town where Sophia Smith, the founder, lived and I attended another school she founded, Smith Academy (photo is of the original Smith Academy building). Although I had the opportunity to attend Smith College, I didn't want to go to college close to home so I went all the way up to New Hampshire and attended Franklin Pierce College instead.

Sophia Smith was the daughter of a farmer. She was the last of her immediately family, and upon her death at age 65, her inheritance was close to $400,000, a huge sum for 1870. She took the responsibility of her position very seriously and consulted with her pastor and advisers.

Sophia was very interested in education and education for women in particular. By the time she was 40, she was deaf and considered establishing a deaf-mute institution in Hatfield. However, when the Clarke School for the Deaf opened in Northampton in 1868 she put all of her energy into planning for a college for women.

She died in 1870 and Smith College admitted its first students, fourteen women, in 1875. Today, Smith has an endowment of approximately $800 million and the student body has grown to approximately 2,500 students per year.

Quite an accomplishment for the daughter of a farmer.

If you have a student attending Smith College, Mt. Holyoke, Hampshire or any of the other fine area schools, let me know. My company, Laurel Mountain Basket Company, has a line of gifts especially designed for students.

Marie