In this section

• About the Simmons College Archives
• Collections and Resources
• Simmons College History
• Records Management

Simmons College Archives

Simmons College Traditions . . .
Then and Now

MOTHER-DAUGHTER WEEKEND/ WOMEN'S LEGACY WEEKEND

The program for what might be the first Mother-Daughter Weekend for seniors and their mothers was summarized in the Weekly Calendar for December 2, 1977: an International Coffee Hour in the Simmons Hall living room on Saturday evening, and Sunday brunch for mothers and daughters at the Boston Sheraton Hotel. This was a quiet start to one of Simmons' wonderful traditions!

No mention is made of a Mother-Daughter Weekend in the 1978 Weekly Calendars, but in 1979, the program of events for Mother-Daughter Weekend described a by now developing tradition. On Friday evening, a wine and cheese party was scheduled in the Faculty Dining Room, with a Saturday luncheon buffet at Faneuil Hall and Sunday brunch at the Brookline home of President and Mrs. Holmes.

Mother-Daughter Weekend was held again two years later. In 1981, the event was planned as a weekend for seniors and their mothers or guardians to spend a special time together. The scheduled events began with a wine reception for seniors, their mothers, and faculty in the Faculty Dining Room late Friday afternoon. On Saturday, a luncheon buffet was held at Boston's 57 Restaurant, and the rest of the day was left unscheduled, giving mothers and daughters time to sightsee, shop, or just spend time catching up with one another. On Sunday, mothers and daughters enjoyed a festive brunch at the Brookline home of President and Mrs. Holmes. The 1982 MICROCOSM published eight pages of photographs from the Weekend's well-attended events, in what was on the way to becoming another grand tradition for Simmons students.

By 1985, the Weekend's scheduled events had expanded. Mothers were provided opportunities to attend Friday classes with their daughters, and the evening's champagne reception was held in the Trustman Gallery, with administration and faculty invited to attend. The Saturday luncheon was held at one of Boston's hotels and included a guest speaker, and the Sunday brunch was again held at the home of President and Mrs. Holmes.

Themes for the Weekend added more special meaning: for the 1993 Mother-Daughter gathering, the event was coordinated by a committee of ten seniors, and they selected one of their classmates to be the Saturday luncheon speaker. After the festive lunch, the seniors staged a slide show, for which many compiled photos of themselves and their families. A generational theme was selected for the 1994 Saturday luncheon, with guest speakers representing three generations of Simmons women, from the 1940s, 1970s, and 1990s. In 1997, Mother-Daughter Weekend became Women's Legacy Weekend.

This fairly new tradition is still going strong for Simmons seniors, with relatively few modifications to the structure of the Weekend's events. Attending classes with their mothers on Friday and meeting faculty, a festive Saturday luncheon at a swank Boston hotel, lots of time for sightseeing, shopping, or chatting, and Sunday brunch at the home of the President continue to be the highlights of this special senior event.

 

Back to Traditions Exhibit main page

Next Tradition . . .Valentine's Day Ball /Winter Weekend

 

Please Note: The images and text on the Simmons College Archives web site are made available for study purposes only. They may not be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the Simmons College Archives. For further information, please call 617-521-2440.

Page updated: June 27, 2006