University of Mary Washington Then & Now

A Photography Exhibition

Posts in the Events category

Homecoming

The college’s first homecoming was a student-led event held in November of 1972. This event was designed as a parody of the “big weekends” that many of the female students attended at other universities. The theme of Mary Washington College’s first homecoming was “Bring the Boys Home,” an effort to make the girls’ dates come to their home school instead of the other way around. 1

In more recent times, Homecoming has become an event centering around school spirit. A whole weekend is dedicated to sports games, concerts, and activities. Commonly, students and alumni will gather in the parking lots at the Battlegrounds to tailgate before the games are held.

2013 Tailgate

Homecoming Tailgate 2013
"Homecoming Tailgate," October 25, 2013, University of Mary Washington Alumni Association, University of Mary Washington.

Show 1 footnote

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 161. ↩

Dedications & Groundbreakings

From its beginnings, Mary Washington has grown, constructing and incorporating numerous buildings across its campus. These expansions are important celebrations, recognizing the continued evolution of UMW. New buildings both remind us of our past and encourage us to look to the future. As can be seen below, the dedication of the Fine Arts Center in 1953 was a truly significant occasion, drawing large crowds.1 The same was true for the groundbreaking for the new Information and Technology Convergence Center in 2012, which was led by President Hurley and the UMW Board of Visitors.2

Dedication Then Resized

Fine Arts Center dedication, 1953
“Fine Arts Center dedication,” 1953, The Centennial Collection, UMW Digital Archives, University of Mary Washington.

Dedication Now Resized

Convergence Center Groundbreaking, 2012
"Convergence Center Groundbreaking," September 20 2012, UMW Media and Public Relations, University of Mary Washington.

Show 2 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 57. ↩
  2. University of Mary Washington Media and Public Relations, “UMW Celebrates Construction of Convergence Center,” University of Mary Washington, http://www.umw.edu/news/2012/09/20/umw-celebrates-construction-of-technology-convergence-center/ (Accessed April 18, 2014). ↩

Eagles Mascot

Until the 1970s, Mary Washington had no mascot, “so when the choice of a mascot was put before the student body in 1978, Blue Tide was the winner” 1 because the swim team had used the phrase for several years. However, “in 1981, the president of the Student Association, Leath Burdeshaw, called for a change, noting that ‘many feel that the College still needs a more concrete mascot–an animal or character that can literally be at the games and put on posters and banners to help spice things up.'” 2  During the 1985-86 academic year, the student body and faculty were presented the options for the MWC mascot: the Devil-Goats, the Eagles, the Militia, the Bayonets, and the Cannons.  “The results of the poll indicated preferences for the mascot name of Eagles.” 3

Today, the University is still represented by the Eagles; however, today the UMW Eagle has a name: Sammy D. Eagle.

Students with Sammy D. Eagle, 2013 Photo courtesy of Katie Koth

UMW students with Sammy D. Eagle, 2013
Katie Koth, September 22, 2013, Mobile Uploads, Personal Collection of Katie Koth, University of Mary Washington.

Show 3 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley, Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 358 ↩
  2. Ibid., 359. ↩
  3. Ibid., 360-361. ↩

Formal Functions

There have been a variety of formal events at UMW throughout the years. Some of the more iconic formal events have included the Junior Ring Dance, the Senior Ball, and the Spring Formal, all of which today are put on by the Class Council. The Junior Ring dance, however, another notable formal function, began in the 1950s as a part of the Junior Ring Ceremony where juniors are presented with their college rings.1 The Junior Ring Dance “developed in the course of a quarter century to become the biggest campus social event of the spring semester” and is still put on today, but with much less of an emphasis as a major school event, and more as an opportunity for juniors to receive their junior glasses.2 The Grad Ball, a dance for graduating seniors held during “Dead Week,” (the week between the last day of classes and Commencement) is more popular today since it is the last time the seniors can dress up and go to a University event with their friends as students at the school. The Grad Ball is also where seniors can get their senior glasses. Lastly, Spring Formal, known for its off-campus venues, started in the 1990s.3 Spring Formal today is the only Class Council event that costs money for a ticket since the venue is always off-campus. The venue is kept a secret in order to keep the event safe and without drunk driving since those students who are over 21 can consume alcohol at the formal.

Formal Function at Dodd Auditorium, 1940

Formal Function at Dodd Auditorium, 1940
From left to right: Winnie Hudson, Leighton Stevens, Mary Wilcox, Katherine Roberts, Lee Keith, and Harold Weiss
"Formal Function at Dodd Auditorium," 1940, The Centennial Collection, UMW Digital Archives, University of Mary Washington.

Junior Ring Dance, March 13, 2014

Junior Ring Dance at the Jepson Alumni Center, March 13, 2014
From left to right: Gibran Parvez, Jessica Reingold, Elizabeth Henry, Catherine LeBouton, Lauren Johnson
Ethan Lane, "Junior Ring Dance at the Jepson Alumni Center," Junior Ring Dance, March 13, 2014, UMW Class Council Facebook, University of Mary Washington.

Show 3 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 450. ↩
  2. Ibid. ↩
  3. Ibid., 719. ↩

Move-In Day

Move-In Day signifies the beginning of the academic school year for students. For freshman, it is the day where they say goodbye to living solely under their parents’ or guardians’ roof, and learn to live with people their own age. Move-In Day is typically in late August and is the first day of Freshman Orientation, which is the week before courses begin. Upperclassmen tend to move in either a few days or the day before the first day of courses.

Move-In Day, August 17, 2010

Move-In Day, August 17, 2010
Norm Shafer, UMW Photographer, "Move-In Day," August 17, 2010, University of Mary Washington.

Celebrations

The May Day celebration used to be one of the grandest events at UMW, especially when it was still an all-girls school. The first May Day was held in conjunction with the Field Day games in the Spring of 1914 on the lawn in front of Monroe Hall. In 1923, the event was moved to the amphitheater located behind Trinkle Hall and next to Marye Hall. The celebration would begin with a processional led by the May Queen and her attendants, Senior Maypole dancers, and then the classes followed in order wearing their color. 1 After the May song, the Queen was crowned and the seniors performed the Maypole dance. In the late 1960s, the tradition fell out of favor, as an antiquated event. By 1968, with “the war, divisive camp politics, and rabble-rousing, Bullet editorials, our attention was obviously directed elsewhere…May Court was trivial in comparison.” 2 1968 was the last year to see a May Day at the University. In January 2001, several clubs, led by the Inter-Club association and French Club tried to revive the tradition but with marked changes. The revival never really caught on however, and the May Day tradition still remains an event of the past.
Today, other celebrations have taken the place of May Day. One such celebration is Holi, the Indian celebration of the arrival of spring and the passing of winter.3 The celebration is traditionally held on Ball Circle and hosted by the UMW International Living Community. Participants wear white and dried paint is passed out to be thrown into the air for a simultaneous burst of color.

Show 3 footnotes

  1. As quoted in The Bullet William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008),16. ↩
  2. Ibid.,125. ↩
  3. BBC Schools, “Holi,” March 17, 2014, BBC News Network, http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/hinduism/holi.shtml (Accessed April 18, 2014). ↩

Orchestra Concerts

During the 1930s when President Combs and Dean Alvey were running the College, Ronald W. Faulkner was hired in 1937 for music and arts.1 His job was to create an “academic program in instrumental music,” but he surpassed this expectation and also created a concert orchestra, a dance orchestra, and a marching band.2 In 1971, James Baker,” (who joined the music faculty in 1965,)3 created a new orchestra that by combining local musicians with the student musicians in order to “established close ties to the area.” It was called the Mary Washington College-Community Symphony Orchestra.” 4 Later in 1976, Dominion Bank provided funds for the College-Community Orchestra “to underwrite an additional performance” to their three annual performances, and thus was born the Pops Concert.5

Today, the College-Community Orchestra is known as the University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra. Continuing on into its 43rd year, the University of Mary Washington Philharmonic Orchestra has 90 members and “is one of the most successful organizations on campus.” 6 The orchestra has about six concerts annually, and also performs annually for the UMW Commencement exercises in May.7

Show 7 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 35. ↩
  2. Ibid. ↩
  3. Ibid. ↩
  4. Ibid., 627. ↩
  5. Ibid., 225. ↩
  6. UMW Philharmonic Orchestra,“About the Philharmonic,” University of Mary Washington, http://philharmonic.umw.edu/about-the-orchestra/(Accessed April 6, 2014). ↩
  7. Ibid. ↩

Contests

According to University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908–2008, “Among the new campus activities that appeared during the 1970s, the most extraordinary (and inexplicable) was something called the Wo-Man Contest.  The event was conceived in the fall of 1977 by the Afro-American Association, whose only male member, freshman Cedric Rucker, took the lead in the contest’s development and promotion.” 1  The event was immediately popular, and the popularity of the Wo-Man contest continued into the early 1990s, but was eventually phased out; however, in October 1999, the Mr. MWC contest appeared.  “Though Mr. MWC obviously shared certain farcical elements with the late Wo-Man contest, according to the Free Lance-Star it was ‘nothing like the controversial’ predecessor. ‘The new, feel-good Mr. MWC contest,’ it asserted, ‘is far kinder and gentler than Wo-Man.” 2

Today, the Mr. MWC tradition continues, simply under a different name: Mr. UMW.

Mr UMW

Mr. UMW Contest, 2013
Contestants include: Mr. Alvey: Tyler Gimple; Mr. Apartments: Rob Jarvis; Mr. Arrington: John Rowley; Mr. Bushnell: Frank Kear; Mr. Custis: Drew Kalasky; Mr. Eagle Landing: Ethan Lane; Mr. Framar: Sam Relken; Mr. Jefferson: Brandon Smith; Mr. Mason: Kyle Phalen; Mr. Marshall: Nathan Bradley; Mr. Randolph: Ben Cunningham; Mr. Russell: Josh Mwandu
Alyssa Lieurance, "Mr. UMW," November 4, 2013, Personal Collection of Alyssa Lieurance, University of Mary Washington.

Show 2 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley, Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 252. ↩
  2. Ibid., 721. ↩

Commencement

A tradition since Mary Washington’s inception, the annual commencement ceremonies have always been an important and special time for graduating seniors.  Today commencement occurs annually on Ball Circle. 

Modern Grads

UMW Graduates, 2011
Featured left to right: Caitrin Smith, Christine Melchione, Erin Lombard, Melissa Evich, and Kelly Reeder
Kelly Reeder, "Class of 2011," 2011, Personal Collection of Kelly Reeder, University of Mary Washington.
Class of 2013 Commencement (1)

The University of Mary Washington's 2013 commencement ceremony, 2013
"The University of Mary Washington's 2013 commencement ceremony," May 11, 2013, University of Mary Washington, UMW's Undergraduate Commencement 2013, University of Mary Washington Facebook page.

Devil Goat Day

Devil Goat Day is UMW’s oldest tradition that still occurs today. Devil-Goat Day began in 1926 when Eileen Kramer Dodd joined the faculty and became the sponsor of the junior class.1 She and the junior class “decided to have a goat as [their] symbol.”2 One morning, all of the juniors and Dodd “appeared in the dining hall wearing white skirts and white sweatshirts decorated with a felt green goat.”3 This sparked the seniors to pick “a distinctive symbol, and they adopted a red devil as an emblem. So began the Devil-Goat rivalry.”4  Alternating classes were designated as either Devils or Goats, as events creating competition between Senior and Sophomores, and Juniors and Freshman occurred annually, which developed into Devil-Goat Day.5 However, in the 1990s students were becoming indifferent to the school’s traditions.6 In 1992, “sponsorship of the event was taken over by the freshman class officers, who tried to rejuvenate it” by adding music and more daring activities such as a climbing wall, a velcro wall, jousting and human bungees.7

The freshman must have succeeded in rejuvenating Devil-Goat Day, because the event still occurs today in 2014, and is still planned by the freshman class officers on Class Council. The tradition of having freshman and juniors versus sophomores and seniors continues as well as having the odd numbered graduation classes as Devils and even numbered graduation classes as Goats. Currently, at freshman orientation, Dean Rucker always announces to the new class of students whether they are Devils or Goats. (Dean Rucker himself is a Devil.) Devil-Goat Day continues to take place on Ball Circle, and has had a great turn out within the last few years. One newer tradition that is a part of Devil-Goat Day is trying to collect the free Devil or Goat t-shirts handed out by Class Council every year. Students will line up sometimes an hour or more before in order to make sure they can get one out of the limited supply of t-shirts. This year, in 2014, the t-shirts were handed out by Lee Hall and the Devil t-shirt line extended down campus walk towards Trinkle Hall, while the Goat t-shirt line extended down past Virginia Hall.

President Hurley on Devil Goat Day, April 25, 2013

President Hurley on Devil Goat Day, April 25, 2013
Elizabeth Henry, "President Hurley on Devil Goat Day," April 25, 2013, Personal Collection of Elizabeth Henry, University of Mary Washington.

Show 7 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 26. ↩
  2. Ibid. ↩
  3. Ibid. ↩
  4. Ibid. ↩
  5. Ibid., 27. ↩
  6. Ibid., 719. ↩
  7. Ibid. ↩
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