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April 27, 2016
A Farewell From the Editor: New Beginnings
Over this past semester as
Editor-in-Chief, I’ve realized that in order
tor the paper’s reach on campus to
grow, The Herald staff must also grow.
We need to draw in all the talent our
community has to offer. So, Meredith
students: no matter your major, we need
you next semester. Also, note that it’s
possible to work with your advisor to
earn internship or experiential credit for
your work with us. Here’s what we need:
Advertising Manager(s):
Pursue new advertisers from the local
area (think Jasmine, across the street),
coordinate design and publication of
advertisements, follow up on
payments.
Photographer(s):
Attend events and take photos for
print issues and online.
Social Media Manager(s):
Update and maintain The Herald’s
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Copy Editor(s):
Proofread articles for print and
online articles.
Photo Credits: Abigail Wilson
Last Friday, April 22, the senior
class gathered in dressy casual
outfits in celebration of being only 16
nights away from being graduates of
Meredith College. This event included
writing letters to themselves to read at
•their five-year reunion, a slideshow of
pictures and videos from the last four
years, and also trivia questions that
only Meredith’s Sweet Sixteens would
know the answers to.
The Final Tradition
Brooke Mayo, Staff Writer
An excerpt from “Class Day to
Feature Monday Program” from May
28, 1932: “The friends and relatives
of the graduating class will assemble
in the grove, where the exercises will
take place. The Sophomore class
will carry the daisy-chain, singing the
traditional class-day song of the even
classes and the Seniors will march
down to their places.
The program will consist of
songs by the Sophomore class... and
the Senior class; the reading of the
class history, poem, and prophecy,
and the presentation of the gift to the
college... the president of the incoming
Senior class will receive the cap and
gown from the Senior president... and
also the traditional shepherd’s crook,
which will this year still be wearing the
Senior colors.
As a conclusion to the
program the Seniors will march back
through the daisy-chain aisle, while
their little sisters sing the Alma Mater.
The Sophomores will them form a
huge ’34 with the daisy-chain on the
steps of Johnson Hall, signifying that
they as a class have taken fully over
the customs and traditions of the even
classes.”
Ask any average student here
at Meredith, and she’ll tell you that our
traditions stand out and set us apart
from any other college. However,
the traditions have changed over the
years, and many have either stopped
completely or has recently evolved.
For instance, did you know that we
used to celebrate May Day and that we
used to have a May Queen? (She was
comparable to a Homecoming Queen
from our high school years.) And of
course 16th Night (and 15th Night and
14th Night and etc.) is new. I’m curious
as to how long this tradition is going to
last. Will there be a 50th Night? I doubt
it, and, if we do, then it definitely won’t
have the same effect as it currently
does for the seniors. And yet. Class
Day has stayed.
Class Day is undeniably one
of our most important and memorable
traditions at Meredith College. How
often does any other college have
half of their student body dress up in
beautiful white dresses to represent
unity and love? As one of this year’s
senior Class Day co-chairs, I, along
with my other co-chair Sarah Haseeb,
have made it my mission to make this
event one of the best memories that
the Classes of 2016 and 2018 will
have of their years at this school, in
doing so, we recognize the importance
of keeping tradition, but we are also
comfortable with switching things up a
little bit.
Eighty-four years ago, in 1932,
one of 2016’s very own grand-sister
classes was in the same shoes as we
are in now: about to step away from
the comfortable bubble that Meredith
allows us to grow in and also trying to
figure out where we fit into this world.
It’s a nerve-racking experience, but it’s
also reassuring to know that we will
always have our Meredith community
to support us. The Class of 1932’s
Class Day was very different than what
this year’s will look like, especidliy in
regards to the fact that the sophomore
class spelled out their own year - not
the graduating class’s year!
Sophomores no longer need
to go to daisy fields to pick daisies, but
the picking of ivy in the wee hours of
the morning has remained the same.
The classes do sing to each other,
but we have incorporated the Bathtub
Ring into the events since the early
‘30s. We now hold the whole event in
the amphitheater, and the poem and
prophecy is no longer a part of the
program. However, we still talk about
our history, present our Class Gift, give
the junior class president a cap and
gown from the senior class president,
and - yes - this year’s crook will also
be looking extravagant with our class
colors adorning it! As much as we’re
slightly dreading it, we know that the
formation of “16” in the amphitheater
will be a stunning (and tear-jerking)
sight.
The Classes of 2016 and
2018 are in for a treat: Sarah Hasseb
and I have been working tirelessly all
year with Cheryl Jenkins in SLS to
make this event the best that it can be.
We’ve had a lot of help, too! The 2018
Class Day co-chairs, Emily Chilton
and Katelyn Espenship, have worked
hard to represent the sophomore
class, and they’ve made being in
charge of one of Meredith College’s
biggest annual traditions a lot easier!
We’ve also recruited seniors Langley
Kelly, Caitlyn Corbett, and Tess
Coleman to coordinate the Class Day
picnic details, which has divided the
responsibilities out that this event has
built up over the years.
Class Day has gotten a lot
bigger since 1932, and it usually only
involves the classes and families of
those that have a part in the event.
Nevertheless, the whole Meredith
community is a family, and Class Day
is an open invite for anybody that
wishes to attend and say farewell to
the graduating seniors the day before
commencement.
STAFF
Rachel Pratl, Editor in Chief. Emily Chilton, Assistant /A&E Editor. Cheyenne Williams, Op-Ed Editor. Laura Douglass, News Editor. Faith Rogers, Layout Designer.
Olivia McElvaney, Online Editor. Instagram Manager, Sarah Kiser. Twitter Manager, Valerie Bobola. Sarah Haseeb, Website Designer.
Staff Writers: Katrina Thomas, Brooke Mayo, Caroline Garrett, Niki Bell, Kat Bonner, Kayla Kushner, Alexa lanuale, Sarah Kiser, M’Beyanna Robinson, Katie Murphy, Baileigh Jones