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Simmons College Traditions . . .
Then and Now

IVY EXERCISES

Ivy Exercises, the planting of ivy by the Senior Class on Class Day, was a relatively brief ceremony scheduled in the late afternoon. The ivy was traditionally planted at a designated point along the foundation of a dormitory or the Refectory, with the class year carved in stone. A walk through the quad reveals where each year's class planted "their" ivy.

The earliest record of Ivy Exercises can be found in the 1908 booklet, "Class Day" and in the 1908 Microcosm. Details of the ceremony first appear in The Simmons Quarterly of June 1910. The Exercises were scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Class Day, June 21. An Ivy Speech was to be delivered by Marjorie Elmes, president of the Senior Class. Margaret Armsby, Junior Class president, was also to deliver a speech upon receiving the spade from the Senior Class. No mention was made of an "Ivy Song," but publication of the words to an "Ivy Song," attributed to Theodora Kimball, appear in the 1908 Microcosm. Thus, we might assume that a special song was perhaps sung by those also participating in the 1910 planting of the ivy. And indeed, in the 1912 issue of The Simmons Quarterly, the description of Class Day includes this sentence: "The planting of the ivy followed, while the Seniors sang the Ivy Song, and Miss Turner recited the Ivy Ode." The words to the "Ivy Ode" are not included in the description.

Further information on the Class Day Ivy Exercises turns up in the July 1914 issue of The Simmons Quarterly: "After the prophecy, the Seniors formed a line and marched, singing their Ivy Song, written by Miss Frances M. Dunning, and set to 'Narcissus,' across the yard to the place where Miss Ava S. Bassett, Senior Class president, planted the ivy and gave the trowel to the Junior Class president, Miss Alice C. Livingston." It is not clear from the available records whether or not a new Ivy Song was composed by each year's Senior Class.

In 1915, the planting of the ivy ceremony appears to have had a slight change in presentation. In this year, the ceremony followed the Senior Promenade, held in the Refectory the day before Class Day: "The seniors in their caps and gowns gathered at the corner of South Hall where the 1915 was carved [in stone], and, following the brief address of the class president, planted the ivy close to the college we love.' " Further, the program for the next day, Class Day, indicates that an "Ivy Dance" was performed by Genevieve Crawley following the Peace Pageant. These Class Day events took place indoors due to weather.

It is believed that Ivy Exercises, the cherished ivy planting Class Day ceremony, continued until ca. 1968, when many colleges became aware that the mortar in their beautiful "walls of ivy" was actually being destroyed by the climbing ivy.

 

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Page updated: June 27, 2006