Traditions at Dana Hall

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Revels, 1934-1935
Photo credit: Cosmas V. Cosmades

Traditions have always played an important role at Dana. A bridge connecting the past with the present, traditions bring the community together to celebrate and unite the common spirit of students and alumnae of all ages.

Cabaret

Cabaret is one of Dana's newest traditions. It evolved from the Class of 1992's desire to have a tradition of their own. Prior to that time, the freshman did not have their own tradition because the Upper School originally began with the sophomore class. Come every January the freshman class begins practicing their talents -- singing, dancing, acting, comedy, art, music. Cabaret is the perfect venue for showcasing the varied talents, personalities, and skills of the class giving them a unique opportunity to perform and share these gifts with their fellow classmates, faculty, and family.

Photo credit: Cabaret, 2008-09 - Isabel Farrington 2010

Dana Hall Ring

Class pins were an early Dana tradition beginning in the late 1800s. They were worn to show class unity. Elizabeth Byington, the historian for the Class of 1885, wrote on January 10, 1885, "I will quote a few suggestions for our pins -- owls, little girls, geese sitting on a fence, seven leaved clovers, olive sprays, hammer and tacks... We did not decide on one star and crescent until later on in the year." At least by 1911, the class pin was replaced by a ring but the style varied until 1924. The Class of 1923 standardized the style and the design of the ring and the Class of 1924 was the first to wear it. The ring is made of gold and bears the numerals of the year on the shank. The square stones are made of sardonyx (red quartz), black onyx or green onyx, depending on the year, and the letters DH are engraved in the stone. The ring is worn with the DH facing in until graduation when it is turned around.

Dorothy Waldo, Assistant Principal from 1925-32 and Principal from 1932-38, was famous for her Traditions Book. The class of 1927, knowing how dear to Miss Waldo's heart was the trust embodied in wearing the Dana ring, gave Miss Waldo a ring with a blue stone as a token of their love and appreciation. The members of the class of 1981 were also given blue class rings to celebrate Dana's Centennial.

Photographs: Class of 1905 Pin
Rings of Ann Hayes 1948 and Helen Murdock 1921
Ring of Holly Mitchell Burleson 1981

Revels

With the snowflakes of winter comes Revels, one of Dana's most festive and anticipated traditions. First performed on December 10, 1921, this pageant featured a medieval play with English and Italian influences. Saint Francis Keeps Christmas at Greccio 1223 was written by Constance Grosvenor Alexander, an inspired teacher of English literature who came to Dana Hall in 1908 and remained at Pine Manor until 1941. She wrote in celebration of the 600th anniversary of DanteÕs death and told the story of how St. Francis celebrated Christmas in 1223. The play was originally performed with faculty, friends, and students from all of Helen Temple Cooke's schools -- Pine Manor, Dana Hall, and Tenacre.

The original play was performed for many years and today's version takes place in a medieval setting with many of the same characters and events. The junior class presents their interpretation of the traditional Revels play with peasants, lame and well children, Sir John and his royal children, the Lord of Misrule, the jester, minstrels, the surly Lord Seneschal, the foresters who bring the Yule log with a child upon it, a procession of cooks carrying a pheasant, a boar's head, a bowl of greens and a meat pastry, all as in the 1921 version. St. George and a dragon were added more recently.

Today Revels celebrates the winter Solstice and the merriment of medieval life. In ancient times, there were many festivals at this time of year to scare away the darkness, lengthen the days, and bring the return of spring, growth, food, and warmth. Our Revels festival is meant to be joyous, fun, and mischievous and to celebrate Dana's community spirit. It is full of singing, dancing and laughter, and is a time to come together in anticipation of the New Year and the return of spring. "So another link...[is] wrought in the chain of memories that binds our hearts to Dana for all time." (Christmas Revels, Focus 1925)

Photographs: Revels, 1921-22
Revels, 2007-08

Senior-Sophomore

The tradition of Senior-Sophomore grew out of the "Old Girl-New Girl" custom. The exact date this custom started is unknown but it is documented in the 1902 yearbook. Until 1961, the Upper School started in grade 10, so this tradition was a way to make the "New Girls," the sophomores, feel welcome in the Upper School. Sister relationships were formed between the younger and older classmates. "Each sophomore would find herself in the protective custody of an ancient and wise senior for the banquet, as the sophomore class officially became part of the school" (Focus, 1962).

Today the seniors, called snitzels (the origin of this word is unknown but first appeared in the 1963 Focus), randomly select a sophomore but keep their identity secret. The festivities begin when sophomores are greeted with personalized posters a few days preceding the tradition. These posters often laden with candy and are left somewhere in the Classroom Building, usually in front of Waldo. The snitzel also decorates her sophomore's bedroom either at home or at school. The actual tradition begins when the sophomores arrive in Beveridge and find their costumes, which have been designed and created by their unidentified seniors. With help from the seniors, they dress seniors and are given small fun tasks to perform like singing a song or asking for a senior's or faculty member's signature.

At the end of the day the sophomores and the seniors meet on the soccer field and the sophomores learn the identity of their snitzel when they are given a decorated beanie. The event ends with a festive banquet. Within a few days there is an Upper School Step-Sing where the sophomores share their Snitzel Song.

Photograph: Senior-Sophomore, 2007-08
Step-Sing, Class of 2009

Step-Sing

The origins of Step-Sing are not clear although it was probably modeled after Wellesley College, which celebrated its first Step-Sing in 1899. This tradition has been documented at Dana since 1903. In the early 1900s, the seniors assembled on the left hand steps going up to the Living Room of Dana Main in the Court*, with the juniors on the right hand steps and the sophomores in front of the oak bench in the Court itself. Each class proudly sang its class song for all the school to hear and the Court resounded with those songs and the Alma Mater. Today Step-Sing is held after every school tradition on the Common Ground steps in the Dining Center.

*Dana Main was the original Dana building where students lived and attended classes. The Court was the large two-sided stairwell that linked the formal Dining Room on the basement level to the Living Room on the first floor. Dana Main was torn down in 1972. You can see a model of Dana Main in the Beveridge Hall.

Photographs: Step-Sing, Class of 1947
Step-Sing, Class of 2010

The Spade

The Spade was traditionally passed down from the outgoing class president to the incoming class president on Class Night. As a way of being remembered, the senior class tied a ribbon around the Spade indicating its class year and colors before passing it on. At dinner that night, a secret ballot was taken to elect the girl to tie the ribbon. Generally, this student was the senior who had done the most for her class but had not held a school office during her senior year. The ribbon was tied onto the Spade during the last Step- Sing and then the graduating senior president relinquished it to the incoming senior class president.

The Spade has been used for a variety of activities during Dana's history. It was used during Tree Night, a tradition that seldom occurs today, to plant a tree commemorating the senior class. Today, it is used primarily for groundbreaking ceremonies. There are more than 100 years of ribbons on the Spade!

Photograph: Lucille Tinnin 1924, Senior Class President
Edith Phelps, Principal of Dana Hall 1963-73, with Alnah James Johnston, Principal of Dana Hall 1938-1962, breaking ground for the Alnah James Johnston Residence Hall in 1964

Spread

Spread is a secret tradition passed down from the senior class to the juniors. All that is known is that the juniors receive their Dana Hall rings on this special occasion. The first reference to Spread appeared in the class history of the Class of 1885 written by Elizabeth Byington. On January 10, 1885 she wrote, "We met again. This time to discuss colors, motto, spread, pins..."

Originally there were two Spreads. Margaret French 1899 wrote in the June 1899 issue of Our Town, "More important to the seniors and juniors (more important than the Glee Club concerts) are the Spreads. There are two each year; one given by the Juniors, the other by the Seniors. ...I do not think it possible for the girls to have much better times than we do on these important occasions when the two classes are brought together... But at the Junior Spread, in spite of all the fun and gaiety deep down in each Senior's heart there is the consciousness that this is the last time the two classes will be together and that her four happy years will soon end." Since 1929 there has been only one Spread.

Photo credit: Spread, 2007-08 - Pam Kaplan

The Sword Dance

The Sword Dance was originally part of the May Day tradition. The May Day tradition began in 1942 and ended in 1964. The May queen and her court were selected by the members of the senior class. This was a festive celebration with gymnasts dressed as clowns, an intricate Maypole dance, and classes competing in sports, marching drills and the sword dance. Each class had a sword dance team. The swords were painted with their class colors. The first team to complete a star pattern with their swords was the winner. The losing teams broke their swords. After the mid-1960s, the sword dance was performed at Class Day. Today, the junior class performs a sword dance during Revels.

Photo credit: Sword Dance, May 1958 - Lenscraft Photos, Inc.
Sword Dance, Revels 2007-08