Remnants of a Storied Past Here are some of Mercyhurst’s more memorable older traditions, as catalogued by university archivist Bryan Colvin: BIG-LITTLE SISTER PROGRAM In Mercyhurst’s early decades before going co-ed in 1969, the Big-Little Sister Program paired incoming freshmen with students in their junior year. The juniors acted as mentors and guides for the new students. The following year, the sophomores hosted the Sophonade formal dance, a Christmas pageant, and an end-of-year Lantern Night to say farewell to their senior Big Sisters. FATHER-DAUGHTER WEEKEND Th e f rst Father-Daughter Weekend was held in March 1966, the last in 1985. Mercyhurst’s female students welcomed their fathers to campus for a weekend of father-daughter bondin g f lled with activities that included a dinner dance, guest speaker, and sports event. MAY DAY Th e f rst May Crowning at Mercyhurst was held in 1929. Originally held in the Grotto, the annual spring event later moved to the front of campus. Students chose a May Day Queen and court, and everyone dressed in full-length white gowns. The last May Crowning was held in the late 1960s. OLD-FASHIONED FOURTH OF JULY Beginning in 1984, Mercyhurst’s Erie campus hosted an Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration, complete wit h f reworks. It became a well-known summer event in Erie, drawing a crowd of 50,000 in 1996 for the Erie Bicentennial. That year, Mercyhurst welcomed the John Philip Sousa Band to perform. The tradition ceased in 2006, as the crowds became larger than the campus could safely accommodate. Mercyhurst has continued to be the main sponsor of the City of Erie’ s f reworks display. ORPHANS CHRISTMAS PARTY In keeping with the college’s mission of service, Mercyhurst students hosted an annual Christmas Party for children from the local St. Joseph’s Orphanage. The children received gifts, treats, and visited with Santa. The tradition spanned decades and spread Christmas cheer throughout the community.
4
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online