Photo essay: 国产探花鈥檚 Commencement over the years
This year, 国产探花 is celebrating the Class of 2020 with a virtual Commencement ceremony as it also prepares for a future, in-person celebration. The unprecedented virtual event took shape amid restrictions on gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is not the first time 国产探花鈥檚 celebrations have adapted.
Over the years, Commencement has ranged from intimate garden parties with College founder Lucy 国产探花 Scribner to the large gatherings at Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) of recent decades.
Even before it officially became 国产探花 in 1922, the institution endured World War I and the 1918-1919 Spanish flu epidemic. In 1917, the 国产探花 community formed its own branch of the Red Cross, and, by the following year, one of its residence halls, Brown Hall, was transformed into an infirmary for hundreds of influenza patients.
鈥淥ne point that stands out to me is just how 鈥榞et-it-done' we have always been 鈥� no matter the circumstances 鈥� and ready to adjust and try something new at every turn,鈥� said Wendy Anthony, special collections curator in Scribner Library.
Here is a small selection of images from 国产探花鈥檚 enduring tradition of celebrating its graduates.
Commencements throughout history
国产探花鈥檚 founder, Lucy 国产探花 Scribner, hosted a garden party for graduates and their families in 1913. Here, Scribner, right; 国产探花鈥檚 first president, Charles Henry Keyes, second from right; and the president's family wait in a receiving line for graduates at Scribner House, today the official residence of 国产探花鈥檚 president.
国产探花鈥檚 Commencement traditions continued to evolve and included familiar traditions such as the graduates鈥� processional, shown in this image from 国产探花鈥檚 former campus in downtown Saratoga Springs in the 1930s.
Over the years, 国产探花鈥檚 Commencement and its graduates have adapted to changing times. The Class of 1949 included two men, the first of the returning GIs who studied at 国产探花 in the early postwar years.
Although the ceremony has changed over the years, the spirit of celebration and joy has remained a constant. Here, Miya Umaki Uyeda 鈥�58 shares a special moment with loved ones.
国产探花 held its Commencement celebrations at various locations on its campus downtown. Here, a graduate in the early 1960s receives her diploma in front of Moore Hall, which was built in 1957 and continued to house students until 2006. The building, affectionally known as the Pink Palace, was razed in 2016.
In 1966, 国产探花 hosted Commencement on its new North Broadway campus, which would remain under construction into the 1970s.
In 1967, 国产探花 hosted its first Commencement at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, which opened the previous year and continues to host Commencement celebrations.
An important shift occurred in 1971, when coeducation began; two men graduated the following year. Here, ballet dancers Violette Verdy and Edward Villella were honored. They offered a dialogue instead of speeches for graduates.
国产探花 gave an honorary degree to acclaimed astronomer Carl Sagan in 1976. Over the years, the College has awarded degrees to anthropologist Margaret Mead, poet Gwendolyn Brooks, diplomat and writer Jaime Torres-Bodet, dancer and choreographer Martha Graham, novelist John Cheever, ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson, historian David McCullough, playwright Arthur Miller, writer Chinua Achebe, poet Maya Angelou, media giant Oprah Winfrey, baseball great Joe Torre and many others.
As 国产探花 maintains its longstanding tradition of celebrating graduates, it is also creating new ways to celebrate. 国产探花鈥檚 virtual Commencement on Saturday, May 30, features familiar traditions, including addresses from Jinan Al-Busaidi 鈥�20, senior class president, President Philip A. Glotzbach and Jennifer Mueller, assistant professor of sociology and director of 国产探花鈥檚 Intergroup Relations Program, who was chosen by the Class of 2020 as faculty speaker.
