Simmons Traditions

Class Day was one of the last social events of the year and included a variety of traditions and events to celebrate the graduating seniors. The festivities included the Daisy Chain Procession, the Ivy Exercises, the Class Day Dance, the Senior Luncheon, Stepsinging, and the Senior-Faculty Supper.

The Freshman-Junior Wedding was one of the many events that comprised the traditional sister class activities designed to bring the freshman and junior class members closer together during the fall semester. As with most traditions, the Freshman-Junior Wedding underwent some minor changes in detail from year to year, with the basic structure staying the same. The President of the Junior Class took the part of the groom, while the President of the Freshman Class took the part of the bride. Each party was dressed as realistically as possible, with the groom’s party of the best man and ushers wearing tuxedos and the occasional false mustache.

Starting with the Class of 1907, mascots played an important role in student life at Simmons. For over forty years, freshmen chose a class mascot to follow them through their four years at the College. During the first meeting of the school year, the students submitted suggestions for class colors and mascot. After voting on their favorites, the freshmen would eargerly await the announcement of their mascot on the Freshman Bulletin Board. Beginning in earnest in the 1920s, mascots maintained a continual presence at College events and were considered good luck to many of the students. Toys, pins, banners, posters, and bags often depicted the chosen mascot, differentiating the classes on invitations and during College traditions. To learn more about class mascots, visit the Mascots @ Simmons digital exhibit: https://beatleyweb.simmons.edu/mascots.

The first May Day was celebrated in May of 1912. The sophomores, who orchestrated the festivities, began the day by getting up early in the morning and hanging “May baskets” on the seniors’ doors. Later the same morning, the sophomores would parade through the halls of the dormitories singing various traditional college songs to wake the seniors. The senior class president was crowned the “Queen of May” and she and her court would be entertained by the sophomore class dancing around the maypole. The festivities concluded with a breakfast of strawberry shortcake served out on the lawn.

The first Olde English Dinner was held in December 1914. The Refectory, now Alumnae Hall, was decked out with wreaths and lit only with candles. Students, faculty, and even Corporation members dressed up in medieval costumes and ate a dinner, using only knives, that included a roast pig and a flaming Christmas pudding.

Simmons students historically participated in a variety of traditions throughout the years. This photoset is a sampling of such traditions, including Class Proms, the Hobo Party, and more.

The original Father-Daughter Weekend of the 1960s began with the fathers attending classes on Friday morning and early afternoon, followed by an afternoon tea at 4:00 PM. Later, the fathers and daughters went out to dinner, which was followed by an evening at the theater. On Saturday, the fathers and their daughters attended coffee hours held by each of the departments, which was followed by a welcome from the President, the Dean, and the representatives from the Alumnae Association and students. Saturday evening was spent at the Hotel Beaconsfield where everyone had dinner, followed by a formal dance. In later years, a Mother-Daughter Weekend was introduced in addition to this event, and today Simmons students celebrate Friends and Family Weekend with the whole family. Now a fall tradition at the beginning of the academic year, Friends and Family Weekend brings friends and families of Simmons students to campus to experience Simmons for themselves.