ABSTRACT
Shortly after arriving, a representative from the well-known New Haven department store J. Press called on us in our rooms to offer a “Pressing Contract.” I did not think I had enough money for this, and regardless, the idea of freshly pressed pants for each day did not seem necessary to me. I did, however, follow the common practice of packing up my dirty laundry every week and mailing it home to my mother to be washed. As for money, my Uncle John provided me with $1,200 each of my four college years to cover my tuition and other expenses. This amount sufficed, but I am struck by how ridiculously small it seems today.
