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The official color
of Smith College is white -- hence the white dresses worn
on Ivy Day and in the Alumnae Parade.
Traditionally, white is trimmed with gold. In the 1970s,
the athletic teams, who needed a dark color for their away
uniforms, chose to compete in blue and white; and the college's
official stationery carries the college logo in blue and
yellow.
In addition, each class
has its own color, and the colors repeat every four years.
The class of 2002's color
is red;
'03 green; '04 blue; and '05 yellow. This system began in
the 1880s when all sports competitions were class oriented
and each class had team uniforms in its own color.
White,
with its poetic overtones of purity, is linked to the official
seal of the college, which features the motto "To
Virtue, Knowledge."
Smith's
athletic teams have been known as the Pioneers since 1986.
The name expresses the spirit of Smith's students
and our leadership role in women's athletics (the first
women's basketball game was played at Smith in 1893).
Until the
1970s, dinners in campus houses were served family-style
every night. These dinners became impractical
as students
lobbied for wider menu choices, but Thursday Candlelight
Dinner continues the tradition of elegant family-style
dining, and many students invite their house fellows
or faculty guests
to join them.
The tradition of Friday afternoon
tea, where students mark the end of a busy week with snacks
and
tea, stretches
back
more than 100 years.
Convocation, the formal beginning
of the college year, is the entering student's first chance
to experience Smith College's
tradition and spirit. The evening before classes begin,
all members of the Smith community (including the faculty,
dressed
in caps and gowns) gather in John M. Greene Hall to listen
to an opening address and a performance by the Glee Club.
Mountain Day is a welcome surprise
break from classes. The president chooses a beautiful fall
day and announces the
holiday by ringing the college bells. The first Mountain
Day was held in 1877.
Otelia Cromwell Day is an annual
slate of workshops, lectures, films and entertainment designed
to honor Smith's first known
African-American graduate. Afternoon and evening classes
are canceled so students may attend the events. The symposium
continues the college's efforts to combat racism and to
create
a diverse and multicultural community.
Rally Day is highlighted by an all-college
gathering in Sweeney Concert Hall at which distinguished alumnae are awarded Smith
College Medals by the president, non-tenured and tenured faculty awards are presented
by the SGA Curriculum Committee, and the Elizabeth B. Wyandt Gavel Award is presented
to outstanding staff members by the SGA. A carnival for students is held in the
Campus Center the evening before Rally Day.
Ivy Day and Illumination
Night are traditional parts
of Commencement Weekend. On the day before commencement,
alumnae escort the
seniors in a parade around campus. Then the seniors plant
ivy to symbolize the connection between the college and
its graduates. On Illumination Night, the campus is lit only
by colored paper lanterns. The college basks in a soft
glow,
perfect for reminiscing on four years of Smith education
and escapades.
Commencement Weekend culminates
on Sunday when parents,
friends and seniors gather in the Quad to hear a distinguished
speaker
and observe the awarding of diplomas.
Reports of a ghost in Sessions
House predate its history as a campus house. Built in 1751
by the Hunt family,
the house has a secret staircase where, according
to legend,
the Hunt's eldest daughter Lucy would rendezvous
with her lover, General Burgoyne. The two were ultimately
driven
apart, and in the 1880s it was believed that the
ghost
of a heartbroken
Burgoyne haunted the staircase. Since Sessions
House became part of college housing in the 1900s, the
specter has taken
on a decidedly feminine identity, and some former
residents of Sessions claim to have seen Lucy's ghost
in the stairwell. |
