In A Class Of Their Own
The Class Dolls

As part of the College's centennial celebration in 1938, Miss Elba Henninger, professor of speech and dramatic art, conceived the idea for a pageant that would depict what life at the College had been like during its first one hundred years. A great deal of research was necessary in order to ensure the authenticity of the costumes for the centennial pageant.

At the Alumnae Association's annual meeting the following year, "the alumnae decided to undertake a project which they thought would eliminate much of that research when our college stages its bicentennial pageant in 2038." A letter was sent to each class of which there was a living member requesting them to dress a doll ten to twelve inches tall in costume representative of the year of their graduation.

The response to the Alumnae Association's request was overwhelming, and by Alumnae Day, 1940, thirty-one class dolls had been donated, seventeen of which represented classes before 1901. Later classes followed the pattern that had been set in place, and a tradition was born.

To date, over 130 dolls, representing more than 100 classes, have been donated. Since men were admitted as residents in 1956, some classes have chosen to donate more than one doll. Other classes have chosen to donate dolls representative of something other than clothing styles. Some dolls record trends within a class, others represent the attitudes and perspectives of a class.

Class Dolls digitally photographed by Elizabeth Lawrence.
Class Doll page also created by Elizabeth Lawrence.
Fall 2004