You're absolutely right about the strange power of Smith reunions.I know they must be affecting me deeply, since I sometimes have "reunion dreams"(yes,I was a psych major).The Ivy Day parade never fails to induce some tears. Smithie class of '82,MEd '84
Oh wow! Reunion dreams. I love that. It is such a wonderful tradition, definitely a way to keep Smith alive in our psyches. Thanks so much for reading and sharing this Kate!
Hi Maggie, Congratulations on your book! Just a note about Smith's tradition of grads and alums
wearing white in the Ivy Day parade -- "(yes, weird, bridal/virginal vibes, I’m sure intentional),." I believe the tradition is rooted in the suffragette parades and that the wearing of white is a political statement abotu women's rights that persists to this day. (You may have noticed that a number of Congresswomen wore white to the most recent State of the Union address.)
That’s a great point! I’m not entirely sure it’s the reason for Smith originally choosing white for Ivy Day though. I believe white didn’t become associated with the suffrage movement until the 1908 “Women’s Sunday” suffrage event in London, and Smith was already using white as the school color and Ivy Day color before that. But I love embracing it as a nod to suffrage now! Thank you for reading and sharing this Elaine!
When I was reading the piece, I was also thinking about the wearing of white as being emblematic of the suffragists.
Like Kate, I'm a member of the class of '82. It had also been traditional at Smith for the Glee Club to wear white when they performed. That changed the following year, abandoning decades of tradition, making I and my classmates the last Glee Club members to perform in white.
Also, Smith's college color is white, sometimes trimmed with gold. Classes then each have a color which is featured with sashes at Ivy Day. More about school colors at Smith here: https://www.smith.edu/sites/default/files/media/Class%20Colors%201940-2025_1.pdf. Interestingly, class colors started in the 1880s so that athletic teams could have uniforms in their class color for intramural competitions.
Wow, I had no idea that women couldn't get credit cards without a father's/husband's/brother's approval until the 1970s. I guess it's not surprising, but I'm thinking about how my mom was already in her mid-20's and probably couldn't get a credit card at all. So strange to think about.
That's why knowing history is so important. It's IN OUR ADULT LIFETIMES that women couldn't get credit cards, a full range of health care (yes, I mean abortions included), received job applications on pink paper, were ogled up and down by co-workers, received 30%-50% less pay for equivalent work, and were denied career mobility because "everyone knows that women just get married, have babies and follow their husband's careers" - (Jack Welch to new high potential GE employees, April 1984) - and wore high heels and pantyhose to work (after we graduated form garters and stockings). Some of us are still working, still contributing, still paving the way for the women who come after us - and, unfortunately, still plowing ahead for ourselves.
I loved reading this. I worked at an all-girl (now girl and non-binary) summer camp through my 20s, and it was a revelation. Women running everything! Women femme and brash and quiet and farty and delicate and pissed and loving! Girls chopping trees! Girls talking about politics! Girls doing skits about Reese Witherspoon and Leo DiCaprio (it was the late 90s early 2000s)! It’s no wonder I stayed longer than it made sense to work at a summer camp.
OH i love this!!! Yes, it's such a special experience. Actually, when I went to my tour at Smith, I remember thinking "This place is just like Girl Scout Camp!!!"
I, class of '84, am fortunate enough for my kiddo to have attended Smith ('15). Of course I went to my own graduation and participated in all the rituals, and had also attended my 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th reunions before attending kiddo's commencement in 2015. There were many feels involved in that, very complex and wonderful. However, one of the oddest qualities to the experience was participating in the rituals as a full-blown adult, with my other kiddo, my partner, my parents, and several of Kiddo's non-Smith friends, one of whom had flown in from New Zealand for the occasion. At that point, I understood truly the cult-like qualities, seeing them through others' eyes: Last Chapel, Ivy Day, Illumination, and commencement itself, with the bagpipe parade and the Mayor of Northampton banging a staff to open the ceremony.
You're absolutely right about the strange power of Smith reunions.I know they must be affecting me deeply, since I sometimes have "reunion dreams"(yes,I was a psych major).The Ivy Day parade never fails to induce some tears. Smithie class of '82,MEd '84
Oh wow! Reunion dreams. I love that. It is such a wonderful tradition, definitely a way to keep Smith alive in our psyches. Thanks so much for reading and sharing this Kate!
Hi Maggie, Congratulations on your book! Just a note about Smith's tradition of grads and alums
wearing white in the Ivy Day parade -- "(yes, weird, bridal/virginal vibes, I’m sure intentional),." I believe the tradition is rooted in the suffragette parades and that the wearing of white is a political statement abotu women's rights that persists to this day. (You may have noticed that a number of Congresswomen wore white to the most recent State of the Union address.)
That’s a great point! I’m not entirely sure it’s the reason for Smith originally choosing white for Ivy Day though. I believe white didn’t become associated with the suffrage movement until the 1908 “Women’s Sunday” suffrage event in London, and Smith was already using white as the school color and Ivy Day color before that. But I love embracing it as a nod to suffrage now! Thank you for reading and sharing this Elaine!
When I was reading the piece, I was also thinking about the wearing of white as being emblematic of the suffragists.
Like Kate, I'm a member of the class of '82. It had also been traditional at Smith for the Glee Club to wear white when they performed. That changed the following year, abandoning decades of tradition, making I and my classmates the last Glee Club members to perform in white.
Also, Smith's college color is white, sometimes trimmed with gold. Classes then each have a color which is featured with sashes at Ivy Day. More about school colors at Smith here: https://www.smith.edu/sites/default/files/media/Class%20Colors%201940-2025_1.pdf. Interestingly, class colors started in the 1880s so that athletic teams could have uniforms in their class color for intramural competitions.
Yes!! This was a large part of the white and wear the colored sash for different classes tradition comes from I believe. Very exciting.
Had no idea about the Glee Club, that’s fascinating/ thank you for reading, Joanne!
Wow, I had no idea that women couldn't get credit cards without a father's/husband's/brother's approval until the 1970s. I guess it's not surprising, but I'm thinking about how my mom was already in her mid-20's and probably couldn't get a credit card at all. So strange to think about.
Pretty wild right? I had a conversation with my mom recently about when she got her first credit card. Very weird.
That's why knowing history is so important. It's IN OUR ADULT LIFETIMES that women couldn't get credit cards, a full range of health care (yes, I mean abortions included), received job applications on pink paper, were ogled up and down by co-workers, received 30%-50% less pay for equivalent work, and were denied career mobility because "everyone knows that women just get married, have babies and follow their husband's careers" - (Jack Welch to new high potential GE employees, April 1984) - and wore high heels and pantyhose to work (after we graduated form garters and stockings). Some of us are still working, still contributing, still paving the way for the women who come after us - and, unfortunately, still plowing ahead for ourselves.
Absolutely!! I think many of us are, part of why seeing the procession is so moving. Thank you so much for reading, Deborah.
Also, congratulations on your book!
So cool about your reunion, and so exciting about your book!!!!
Thank you Kelcey!!
I loved reading this. I worked at an all-girl (now girl and non-binary) summer camp through my 20s, and it was a revelation. Women running everything! Women femme and brash and quiet and farty and delicate and pissed and loving! Girls chopping trees! Girls talking about politics! Girls doing skits about Reese Witherspoon and Leo DiCaprio (it was the late 90s early 2000s)! It’s no wonder I stayed longer than it made sense to work at a summer camp.
OH i love this!!! Yes, it's such a special experience. Actually, when I went to my tour at Smith, I remember thinking "This place is just like Girl Scout Camp!!!"
I, class of '84, am fortunate enough for my kiddo to have attended Smith ('15). Of course I went to my own graduation and participated in all the rituals, and had also attended my 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th reunions before attending kiddo's commencement in 2015. There were many feels involved in that, very complex and wonderful. However, one of the oddest qualities to the experience was participating in the rituals as a full-blown adult, with my other kiddo, my partner, my parents, and several of Kiddo's non-Smith friends, one of whom had flown in from New Zealand for the occasion. At that point, I understood truly the cult-like qualities, seeing them through others' eyes: Last Chapel, Ivy Day, Illumination, and commencement itself, with the bagpipe parade and the Mayor of Northampton banging a staff to open the ceremony.