CHAPTER
XVIII
STRUGGLES AND CONFLICTS One of the greatest difficulties encountered by the "Centro Escolar" and its founder shortly after its foundation was caused by the very success of the institution itself. From the school year 19091910 to the school year 1912-1913, according to Ada in one of her annual reports, "many applications for intern students had to be rejected for lack of room." Many girls, she added, had to avail themselves even of the influence of some prominent persons in their efforts to get in. During several school years there we e between thirty and forty students who could not be accommodated in beds, and who had to content themselves with sleeping at night on the aisles. The beds were placed so near each other as not to leave even sufficient room for people to pass in between. Ada no longer wanted to admit a greater number of students than the av路a ilable space permitted, but finally she had to admit double the number that could properly be accommodated, because of the insistent requests from many. In her report to the Board of Directors, she l'elated the embarrassing situation she was placed in before the pressure brought to bear upon her by certain girls who even exclaimed: "Put me under the bed. Put me in the bodega, in the kitchen,-anywhere." The enlargement of the college became imperative. Aside from the house originally occupied, the one adjacent to it had to be rented. Later on, with better economic resources, Ada and her associates 127