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MG 1 VOL 2124 number 227

HALIFAX DISASTER RECORD OFFICE
CHRONICLE BUILDING

HALIFAX, N.S.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE

Miss Laura Smith, student at Dalhousie College, second year.
very clear complexion, quiet voice and manner. Dark hair, boards H.L.C.
Was in her room with her room-mate, Jean Munro, at the time of explosion.
The children of the school were at prayers, and singing a hymn. The two girls were guessing what the hymn was from the snatches that they heard. Miss Smith thought it a very heavy blast and then "how strange to fire on the Ladies' College!" Glass of the window was driven into the door on the opposite side of the room, some pieces two inches long. Miss Smith's hair was filled with small pieces of glass. She and her room-mate were sitting at one side of the window, and so escaped. They found themselves at the end of the corridor, and saw the children coming down in a quiet and orderly way, from the gymnasium where the prayers were held.
All were standing in line at the time, in the middle of the room and so escaped injury. A few rushed to the door, but the majority behaved well. Mrs. Trueman came down. Mr. Laing and Mr. Dean were there, quite calm and were questioned as to what had occurred. Some of the younger girls got brooms and dust-pans and began to brush up the broken glass. Miss Smith went to find her sister, who was employed at the Workmen's Compensation Bureau and to get messages to her home at Merigomish. Could not get message through telegraph office. In the meantime her sister, "Clara" had gone to the H.L.C. to find her. They met on Barrington St. She had gone with her room-mate, Jean Munro, and had met the Madden girls.
About ten a.m. they were together in Spring Garden Road, when they were warned of a second explosion by a man standing up on a truck, and saying "Run for your lives, go south!" They were then on their way to Professor Finlayson's house. They went up Spring Garden Road and through to South. They say people coming to the doors of their houses, and warned them as