The first 100 Nights Dinner was celebrated in 1998. The theme was “Writing Our History, Writing Our Future.” Hosted by the Alumnae Association, this tradition was started as a way to celebrate 100 nights until graduation and to introduce the senior class to some of Oldfields’ most distinguished alumnae. Each year, an alumna speaker talks to the senior class about her experiences at Oldfields and beyond. Members of the Alumnae Association attend to meet the up and coming alumnae, and the seniors vote on a class historian. The girls are given Oldfields laundry bags for college, and traditionally they all sign each other’s bags. The evening concludes with a special surprise from the junior class, which cannot be mentioned here—as with many Oldfields traditions, a sense of secrecy must be kept in order to perpetuate the spirit of the tradition!

It’s no wonder that some of the most coveted positions in the School are held in the student-run singing groups, Dubious Dozen, Gross Notes, and Images. Each group is very unique in mission and style, but they all fill the halls with music—some good and some bad, of course.

According to Miss Harriet, an alumna and former faculty member, the school motto dates from about 1908. She wrote, “You ask about the origin of the school motto…I read to the girls through Lent from a book by Miss Soulsby. One of the chapter headings was this quotation in Italian, ‘Fortezza, Ed Umilitade E Largo Core.’ It was Dante’s first description of his beloved lady when he saw her in Paradise. The girls liked the explanation of it so much that one of them suggested it as the school motto, and I believe it was unanimously voted upon. Certainly the ring of that year’s graduating class included the motto around the Roman lamp.”

Since the adoption of this school motto, the translation, “Courage, Humility, and Largeness of Heart,” has inspired students and faculty to always act in a manner that would support these values. The words appear in Latin in the school seal, which is used in most major Oldfields publications, as well as on the school ring. With this simple credo, Oldfields is able to project the qualities the School aims to instill in each girl who passes through its doors.

Today, it’s hard to imagine Green and White Night without the singing of the school song. Dubious Dozen might not have existed at all if it wasn’t for “The Sheep on the Hill.” However, what most of the younger alumnae might not know is that this wasn’t adopted as the official school song until 1988. In fact, in the past 137 years of Oldfields history, there have been six documented school songs and even more that might have gone undocumented. Why so many? Oldfields Archivist Meg Gallucci says, “Oldfields did a good job keeping their Alma Mater contemporary through the changing times. The lyrics to some of the songs simply became outdated, and the decision was made in many cases to write songs that reflected the time and feeling of the School.”

Miss Kitty, the Recording Secretary of the Oldfields Association from 1915-1968 recounts the time when the School first divided into two teams, Gentleness and Courtesy. She wrote in the Centennial Diary, “Towards the end of the decade, two teams were formed which developed such intense rivalry that heated arguments often arose and incriminations were loudly voiced back and forth. In the midst of one of those noisy disputes came a quiet voice from an onlooker: ‘Gentleness and Courtesy are expected of all.’” Banners and colors were given to each team--the Courtesy banner had a green background with white lettering, and Gentleness waved a banner with a white background and green lettering. Later, the teams became Green and White.

Despite the new names, the teams still engaged in a yearlong rivalry. Old records show that in addition to athletic competitions against other schools, each sport was played by the Green and White teams. Special sporting events also took place, and, while the girls knew that each point counted, their sense of fun was never lost. One alumna remembers, “Green and White teams were pretty low-key until the week of some game or event. Then it was time to band together and dress all in green or white with tiger whiskers or green polka dots on your face. I do not think people realized that whenever you were put in study hall or campused that that counted points against your team.”

It was in the early 1960’s that the team mascots were first adopted. Mary McPherson explains, “The Green’s dinosaur, a mascot of the Sinclair Oil Company, came as a gift to Susie Hadden Lawrence ’65 from her brother and was immediately taken over by Booboo Fitzhugh Jack ’64, the team captain.” She continues, “Not to be outdone, the Whites adopted the Exxon Tiger as their mascot.” It is uncertain when other traditions arose, but today, the spirit of the Green and White competition would not be the same without hisses and meows, the Thing-a-ma-bob, and Spirit Week. Green Team Captain, Ashley Brant ’03, comments, “Green and White is not just about the competition on the fields, on the courts, or at Green and White Night. It’s about holding your breath right up until Banquet Night, wanting so badly for your team to win the Green and White Cup. It’s about being a Green or a White for the rest of your life.”

According to Oldfields history guru Joe Hordubay, there was held a Christmas program where Singers, Dubious and the Chorus sang holiday songs for the community. After the assembly there was a gathering where everyone enjoyed holiday treats prepared by the Home Economics classes, which were taught by Mrs. Hordubay. One year, around 1970 when the cookies were brought out, there was a disorderly, mad rush by the student body to get to the cookies and in the process, several small children were nearly injured. Mrs. Hordubay decided upon the idea of a Sugar Plum Fairy as a means of crowd control. The Sugar Plum Fairy was equipped with a “magic wand” with a mercury switch that would turn on the light at the end of the wand by merely tipping it at an angle. In this way, the Sugar Plum Fairy could choose someone to select a cookie from her cart, which was loaded with all of the goodies, by holding the wand over their head and magically turning on the light. One could not take a cookie until selected by the Sugar Plum Fairy. This allowed her to select the little children first and thus avoid the crush of bigger, stronger girls.

Free Days were a tradition started in New England boarding schools, which George Nevens brought with him from the Berkshire School. These days are built into the academic calendar and their dates are kept a closely guarded secret. At the discretion of the Head, classes are cancelled and a day of rest and relaxation is declared for all. Just when homework and tests are piling up and stress levels are high, there is no better phrase in the Oldfields vocabulary than “Free Day!” The surprise itself is half the fun. This year, Interim Head of School Sean Murphy was leading Morning Meeting when suddenly his cell phone rang. Murphy cowered in embarrassment and apologized dramatically as he took the call. “President Bush, is that you? What’s that you say? You say we need a Free Day?” Needless to say, the skit was over quickly as the girls whooped and hollered in celebration.

Oldfields girls have made it a tradition to return to their alma mater from the earliest days of the School when Anna Austen McCulloch still resided as Headmistress. After they left Oldfields, McCulloch continued to look out for her former students as if they were her own daughters, sending them letters of love and encouragement. The first formal meeting of alumnae didn’t take place, however, until 1907. The inaugural Alumnae Association publication reports a meeting of former pupils in response to an invitation from Miss Nan McCulloch on May 17, 1907. The meeting notes were recorded by Marion Pellow and read, “It was a beautiful day, and the old place looked charming to the school friends who enjoyed meeting again.” Lunch was served on the lawn in front of Old House, after which the group proceeded to Immanuel Episcopal Church to take part in a brief service. A meeting in the old Sunday School building followed. The alumnae discussed their plans for beginning an organization to unite graduates and help Miss Nan and the School. The second article of the 1907 Oldfields Association Constitution reads, “The purpose of the Association is to enable any and every girl who has been admitted to the Oldfields School to show her continued interest and affection in the welfare of the school, and her desire for mutual friendly intercourse.” Nan was thrilled at the idea and invited the women to meet at Oldfields each year. A Constitution was prepared, and, with some input and changes from the group, it was unanimously adopted. The women decided upon “The Oldfields Association” for their name, and positions were voted upon and put into place.

Since 1907, the Association has made it a tradition to meet every year. By 1908, 80 alumnae had returned to the School, and 173 women had joined the Association. In 1909, alumnae officers decided it would be a good idea to create some local branches of the Association. Volunteers offered to host teas at their homes in some of the major cities, including Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Boston, and New York. This tradition continues today.

Another Alumnae Association tradition that began early on is that of the senior induction ceremony. The 1913 Oldfields Association publication documents the push for “Oldfields School girls to meet the members of the Association and have a luncheon with them in the future.” Back then, there must have been some sort of friendly bantering between the alumnae and the current students because the recording secretary that year wrote, “By this time we seem to have grown quite human hearted and sisterly to the girls attending Oldfields School, for at this 7th meeting, we voted them the privilege of meeting the members of the Oldfields Association on Alumnae Day, and in spite of any little implied lack of polish in their undergraduate manners, eating luncheon with us!” Today, the seniors are welcomed to the David Niven Theatre for their induction into the Alumnae Association, where they are given roses and an Alumnae Association pin. After the ceremony is completed, they are official Oldfields alumnae. Awards are also given at the ceremony. This tradition began in 1920 when it was decided that student awards would be given for the best story or essay, the best poem, the best athlete, and the winning basketball team (Green or White). Today, the spirit of award giving continues with the Poetry and Prose Awards, as well as the Martinet Art Award and the Witherbee Sportsmanship Award. Prizes are also given to distinguished alumnae for their loyalty and service to Oldfields.

Certainly, Alumnae Weekend wouldn’t create the same anticipation without the opening of the ten-year prediction letters. Each year, the senior class gathers at the Head of School’s home to have dinner and write letters to themselves, which they will read at their ten-year reunion. George Nevens began this tradition, and according to Hawley Rogers, he carried it on with the proviso that no girls could read other girls' letters unless specific permission was written on the outside of the envelope. It was during the Rogers era that Mrs. Rogers’ famous Chess Pie was served after dinner. A girl never learned its secret ingredients until the day she graduated from Oldfields. Rich and sugary, Chess Pie made writing the ten-year prediction letters even more fun. One can imagine the buzz about the room when 18-year olds imagine their futures. Ten years later, as the letters are read, a similar energy is felt and lots of laughs are shared. Hawley Rogers recounts one year when an alumna read her letter aloud, only to discover that she had predicted she would marry the man who turned out to be her friend’s husband, and he also happened to be a guest at Alumnae Weekend! Needless to say, everyone got a good laugh out of that scenario.

Junior/Senior Picnic is one tradition that, though loved and always eagerly anticipated, is a hard one to trace. Its origin is uncertain, although many alumnae and faculty have speculated. Since it occurs in the Spring, this event is not covered in Rarebit, but rather in its supplements. The Archives has not kept many of the yearbook supplements, and so we rely on alumnae to tell us their stories. Deetzie Walker ’71 remembers having the picnic at her father’s home. The girls swam and paddled around the family’s pond, and then enjoyed a picnic together. Win Lewis ’94 says her class captured the seniors for a day, which began with an all-you-can-eat breakfast, followed by a trip to the Baltimore Zoo, where the girls had their picnic. She enjoyed the picnic even more her senior year, when the juniors took the girls to the Inner Harbor for an all day boat cruise. “I was really good friends with a lot of the juniors, so it was fun to spend that time together.”

Despite the unique events at each year’s picnic, there are some elements that remain true to tradition. The juniors always make the day a surprise for the seniors. Nobody else in the School knows when the day will fall, and the juniors honor that secret and keep it under wraps. Then suddenly, a perfect spring day arrives, and the juniors capture the seniors and give them t-shirts that they have decorated by hand. It’s a Free Day for everyone! Underclassmen take time to study or catch up on some sleep, and the juniors and seniors celebrate their final days together. There is always a picnic lunch, and the girls usually stay out for dinner in order to really make the most of their day together.

Garden Party began in Miss Allie’s garden, which sat between the infirmary (now McCulloch Commons) and Garden House. At the end of the term, Miss Allie would invite the seniors to her garden for punch and cookies. Soon, it became a Garden Party for the whole school. Traditionally, students and faculty alike arrive in spring dresses and sun hats. Like a family, groups lay picnic blankets on the lawn, and the girls spend time with their friends and teachers signing their yearbooks. The meal Miss Allie traditionally prepared is still served—cucumber sandwiches, asparagus rolls, and strawberries and cream. Originally held on the afternoon of baccalaureate, the party has since been moved a few days earlier so that the awards ceremony may follow baccalaureate. In recent years, the seniors have dedicated a song of their choosing to the community. This is always a very sentimental moment, as the girls are so close to graduating. Dubious Dozen sings their final song, as next year’s leader is announced, and the Tidbit staff passes out the completed literary magazine for everyone to take home. It’s an event that ends all too quickly. Even as the sky turns to dusk, girls linger on the lawn. If one were to take a photograph of the scene today, it might still be reminiscent of the Garden Party in its early days, as Oldfields remains true to one of its most honored traditions.

Since 1914, Green and White Night has been one of the most memorable traditions at Oldfields. While some of the rituals surrounding Green and White Night have changed over the years, the evening has always remained the official welcoming of the new girls to the Oldfields family.

The girls dress up for a family style dinner, where their Big Sisters feed them Oldfields Pudding. The new girls are convinced that this is going to be the most nerve-racking night of their lives! Running over the words of the school song in their minds, they have no idea what to expect. The actual ceremony takes place in the gym after dinner, and while it is a well-guarded secret that may not be revealed here so that the surprise will not be ruined for future generations of Oldfields girls, we can tell you that one by one, the new girls are given their colors and welcomed to their teams with hugs and cheers. When every girl has been initiated, it’s the new faculty’s turn.

In the early 1900s, it is recorded that one of the most anticipated pleasures of spring was receiving one’s Oldfields ring, although it is uncertain in exactly what year this tradition began. According to Miss Harriet, the school motto dates from about that time. She said, “Certainly the ring of that year’s graduating class included the motto around the Roman lamp.”

The delivery date of the rings is a surprise that only the seniors are privileged to know, and each year, the seniors create a special way of presenting the juniors with their rings. Once the juniors receive their rings, each girl must begin the process of having her ring turned on her finger a certain number of times according to her graduating year. For instance, the class of 1999 had to ask 99 people to turn their rings! While a student, a girl wears the school seal facing inward, but once she graduates from Oldfields, she turns the ring so that the school seal is facing outward for people to see. The origins of this part of the tradition are also unclear. What we do know is how much meaning this symbol of Oldfields carries.

A brand new tradition started in 2002, Founder’s Day was created to celebrate the life of Anna Austen McCulloh, our founding mother, who first welcomed local children to learn in her home in 1867. Each year, the day is dedicated to Anna Austen, who led the School until her death in 1904, and her family. Members of Anna’s family join us as stories from the history of the School are shared with the community during Assembly, after which we walk the path that Anna created from Oldfields to Immanuel Episcopal Church, where she is buried. There, a small service of commemoration is followed by the placing of a floral wreath at the foot of Mrs. McCulloh’s grave. A moment of appreciation for Anna Austen and the School she founded for us is shared by all before we return to our classes.

Barefoot Graduation started in the late 60s as a rebellious stand. All shoes were checked before walking down the hill and then they were all kicked off and left at the top of the hill. Ms. Marsman who taught Home Ec was in charge of checking shoes, stockings, slips and general condition of dresses. Her name is Hanny and the garden outside center was affectionately dedicated to her.