Wellesley College - Legenda Yearbook (Wellesley, MA)

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frequently furnished a most ' 90, with its tendency toward originality, added the touch which modernized the day, by celebrating it a month later in the year. Up to this time it had been celebrated in May — much to the discomfort of those Class Beauties who insisted upon appearing in the gauzy effect of fairyland or in the tissue paper attire of the flower. The weather, never too accommodating, frigid front, so that the con- fusion occa- sioned by col- lecting news- papers for fac- ulty feet, shawls i— «- V for the shoul- ■Vi nei iwf S d e r s , to say nothing of the generally de- moralizing ap- pearance of a few hundred red noses, made the change in date a matter of public rejoicing. But ' 90, feeling that this was not enough in the way of philanthropy, took a deep breath, and laid upon the shelf forever the model of the program, which up to this date had presented the calm and serene emblem of the day, in all its glory of youth and spring. The advance she made in this line we here represent, adding, with apologies to her artist, that the best thing about it was the precedent of change it estab- lished, which ' 91 followed with no hesitation. Since then the form of both program and ceremony has been subject to little alteration. The Senior exercises, varying with the character of the class, are intellectual, or artistically symbolic, as the case may be — rarely both. (Is this another height to climb, ' 98 ?) Fresh- man exercises grow yearly more effective in both color and action ; ' 99 bravely en- deavoring last year to maintain the stand- ard set by ' 98, the year before; and though infancy and its amusements of hoops, rattles and babes in the swinging chair, can hardly be compared to the great drama, at once an intellectual masterpiece and a marvel of grace and beauty — worked out through the game of whist — one must take into account the exceptional character of those who took part in the latter event and deal gently with their followers. Juniors and Sophomores, though still subordinate in action, are by no means inconspicuous, and are in danger of be- coming a rival attraction of the other classes. Last year, when the masterpiece of conception by ' 98 appeared upon the scene, no eye was for leaving it, no ear was open to aught but its occasional bursts of wit. The color effect, so harmonious in its radiance, so daring in its brilliancy, fascinated all beholders, while the grace and originality of the cos- tumes practically blighted all future Tree Days. We are public spirited. We do not want it ' said that the ascent of Tree Day will have found its highest and most beautiful expression in ' 98. For the

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iS9i In ' 79 the two years ' experience in writing programs for an increasing number of co-operators brought forth the triumph of art which adorns the preceding page. Its com- bination of simplicity and symbolic grandeur is re- markable for a specimen of early art. The repre- sentative tree, appropri- ately aged and scrawny, has still vigor enough in its sapless boughs to re- spond to the May breath, and shake from its only limb the bending, bud- ding, blossoming Tree Day characterizations — almost hidden by the ex- uberance of their foliage. The chapel tower rises suggestively in the dis- tance. The cover opened, and still the wonder grew. Freshmen, Soph- omores, Juniors and Se- niors spout and sing to their respective tree, each rivalling the last, till ' 82 ends in a lyric burst which would have been impossible under the present Credit System. ' 79 is evidently tinged with thoughts of the coming days, as it invokes and bids adieu to the marvelous plant, pruned to the growth of any blossom by the gardening hand of ' 80. The evident popularity of this performance resulted in a pruning of under- graduate parts the following year, and ' 80, set off by the modest exercises of the awed and inofficious Freshmen, appeared, the unrivaled mistress of the scene; kindly, but firmly, allowing Juniors and Sophomores to act as a back- ground. And thus is the memory of ' 80 kept alive with us. To this very day Juniors and Sophomores add to the beauty — or otherwise, oh, ' 98! — of the occasion, by their presence only. But ' 81, not to be ex- celled in making history, be- held on its great Day a fur- ther step in the evolution process. ' 82, aggrieved ' at the humble part forced up- on it, took unto itself the liberty of attracting atten- tion in other ways than speech, and decided upon a costume prophetic of that day when the flood tide of Art and Beauty reached its height in the representation of Domestic work by ' 98. They appeared in cotton garb as the Calico girls, of whom Mr. Durant so often spoke, and may, with honor, look upon themselves as the originators of a custom which forms one of the brightest and most beautiful spots in Wellesley days.

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glory of Tree Day, for the honor of our Alma Mater, we long to see an even more transcendent expression of the Beautiful than has been given to the world through ' 98. And however vain may be the longing, it is for this we strive — to inculcate, by teaching and example, that spirit which we possess, of ability to recognize, appreciate and absorb the highest forms of Beauty, so that its repre- sentation will be but the natural expression of — the Soul.