"You could not receive a young man in your room; you might be permitted to have him to tea in one of the public reception rooms, but you could accept no invitation from young men to tea or other entertainment without a chaperone from the College"

This quote by Dora Russell is referring to the social conventions of the time, which determined that young women need to not be alone with young men secretive. It was taken into consideration improper for a young woman to receive a young man in her area, as well as she was expected to have a chaperone present if she approved an invitation from a young man to tea or various other enjoyment. This was a way of shielding girls from any kind of potential damage or detraction. It was likewise a method of ensuring that young women were not seen as also ahead or promiscuous. The quote is a suggestion of the rigorous social conventions of the time, as well as exactly how they were applied to shield young women.