A blustery snowstorm arrived in Northampton on the heels of Thanksgiving Break, covering the Smith campus in a blanket of white. The appearance of snow people on Chapin Lawn and the Grecourt Gates adorned with lights shows that Smith is getting into the spirit of the season. To find out what Smithies of the past did to celebrate this wonderful time of year, I took a dive into the Smith Archives. Some of the traditions we celebrate today — events like Winter Weekend and Vespers — have deep roots in Smith history, going back more than one hundred years.
Posts tagged as “smith archives”
The ’Big Chop’. The ‘Buzz’. The ‘Young Leo’. The “I’m so tired of my wet hair freezing to my head in the dead of winter.” Whatever the motivation or inspiration, the ‘Smith chop’ — when Smithies dramatically change their hair sometime after enrolling — is a phenomenon that rests near and dear to the hearts of several generations of Smithies. Its possible origins are as fascinating and numerous as the reasons people get it. Even if it’s not listed in the glossy brochures next to Mountain Day, the chop serves as a memorable event for many who pass through our ivy-laced campus.