One of the oldest and loveliest of Salem’s traditions is the annual event of Senior Hat-Burning, which precedes the donning of the stately caps and gowns. It is an event to which everybody looks forward with the most pleasurable anticipation, and which is remembered long afterward, as one of the most beautiful and most impressive occasions of the school year.
The invitation to Hat-Burning was extended in chapel on the morning of November 5 by Helen Griffin, President of the senior class. The date had been kept secret until that time, so when it was announced that the ceremony was to take place that same evening, almost everybody was taken by surprise.
The exercises took place at 7 o’clock on the campus outside of the President’s home. No more effective setting could have been chosen for the charming pageant which was to be enacted than the green, softly-lighted spot, with its dark background of hedge and trees, and the gently sloping terrace in the foreground for the spectators. The weather, which in the morning had threatened to be rainy, had cleared in the afternoon and seemed almost made for the occasion. At the appointed hour a large number of college and academy girls with many parents and friends were seated on the terrace in a spirit of great expectation. As the last stroke of 7 came from the church clock, there was a sound of singing voices in the distance, and the long line of seniors approached, attended by the pages, and lighted by tall, flaming torches. The white-clad figures moved forward with slow, measured steps, singing as they came, the beautiful song: “Honored in Song and Story.” As the last notes died away, the seniors and their pages formed a large semicircle, facing the audience.
Then the first senior stepped forward to explain the purpose of this hat-burning ceremony.
“We are both sad and glad this fateful night.
The time has come to bid a fond farewell
To all our childhood’s careless happiness,
To burn the emblems of our foolish youth
To don the soberer symbols of the wise.”
She spoke to her sister seniors of the sacrifice which must be made, before the solemn rite of donning caps and gowns could be accomplished. Each senior must first burn the emblems of her childhood, the freshmen green, the sword of the bold, bad sophomore, the love-sick junior’s heart and, last of all, the gay-colored hat of her first senior days. As she spoke, she was interrupted by a despairing sign from one of her sister maidens. The terrible fact was revealed that every senior had lost her heart and that, until every lost heart symbol was found, they could not throw off the bonds of childhood and wear the robes of wisdom and of knowledge. Great consternation prevailed and very sadly they sang the son of “The Lost Hearts.”
The first senior then bade the herald summon Fond Recollections to their aid. When she appeared, the sorrowing maidens besought her to help them find the lost hearts. She promised to do her best, and first of all, suggested that they call on all of their childhood’s friends to help look for them. First Boy Blue and Bo Peep are called, but they know nothing of the lost hearts. Next, the herald summons Jack Horner and Little Miss Muffet; but Jack could find no hearts in his Christmas pie, and neither could Miss Muffet find them in her curds and whey. Miss Muffet suggested Contrary Mary, who when called, entered with all her flower garden. The flowers performed a light, graceful dance.
Then Mary told how she had looked and looked for the missing hearts, but alas, she could not find them either. As Mary retired, the herald called forth Old King Cole, and indeed he was a “merry old soul.” He called for his pipe and he called for how bowl, and even for the Fiddlers Three, but nowhere were there any traces of the lost hearts. However Old King Cole thought he knew of someone who might be able to help. This was none other than Simple Simon, who, it seemed, was making great progress in the study of the science of Sherlock Holmes. Fond Recollections then bade the herald called Simple Simon with all hast, and the young detective arrived in a great hurry. His first move was to examine the ground closely, for tracks and fingerprints; and there the tell-tale story lay revealed. Clearly defines on the ground were the track of the Knave of Hearts. When that rascal appeared upon the scene, he met the angry reproaches which greeted him with easy assurance. He admitted that he had stolen many maidens’ hearts, but found the missing symbols, nevertheless, for with unerring finger he pointed out each maiden’s heart, hanging upon her sleeve.
The seniors were highly indignant at the trick which the mischievous knave had played upon them and demanded that he be slain and an end put to his foolishness. Simple Simon tried to plead for the knave, but it was of no use. “Off with his head,” cried Fond Recollections, and the herald summoned Robin Hood for the execution. He appeared, bow in hand, dressed in hunter’s green. Swiftly he shot the deceitful knave, who fell with an arrow through his heart. Then the avenging maidens sang a song to the memory of the merry Knave of Hearts.
Having found their precious symbols, the seniors were now ready to sacrifice the emblems of their childhood, and take the robes of wisdom and of knowledge. A great fire blazed up from behind them, and catching each other’s hands, they formed a large circle around the fire, and for the last dance of childhood, singing as they danced and casting the emblems into the flames.
As the slow measures of the last verse ended, the seniors formed in line to receive their caps and gowns. As each senior stepped forward from one side, her page came out to meet her, dressed in white knee-breeches and yellow caps, with a high white ruff at the neck, and carrying the black cap and gown. They met before the platform, placed in the center of the green, where Dr. Rondthaler stood waiting to present the senior with her black tassled cap. As each senior was robed, she passed before the platform and the page walked in the opposite direction to that again a line was formed on either side of the platform. When every senior had received her cap and grown, Dr. Rondthaler spoke a few words. He voiced the feelings of the entire audience as he congratulated the seniors on the dignity and beauty of the pageant. He said that he thought he had never seen a Senior Hat-Burning carried out in a more fitting manner. He reminded the seniors that, with the caps and gorns, they must try to make themselves worthy of their new dignity. The exercises ended with the singing of the Alma Mater.
Dramatis Personae
First Senior—Helen Griffin
Fond Recollections—Elizabeth Dowling
Herald—Martha Dortch
Boy Blue—Dorothy Frazier
Bo Peep—Margaret Brooks
Jack Horner—Rachel Phillips
Miss Muffet—Jean Carson
Mistress Mary—Patty Brawley
Old King Cole—Lardner McCarty
Simple Simon—Dorothy Schallert
Knave of Hearts—Althea Backenstoe
Robin Hood—Sara Dowling
Flowers_-Margaret Perry, Virginia Welsh, Julia Bullock, Margaret Burgin, Rosa Steele, Virginia Griffin
From the front page of The Salemite, Winston-Salem, N.C., student newspaper of Salem College, Nov. 14, 1925
newspapers.digitalnc.org/lccn/2015236777/1925-11-14/ed-1/seq-1/
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