dual personalities

Yesterday was Mountain Day at my Alma Mater Smith College. Every year the President of the college announces Mountain Day without prior notice, and the student body heads to the mountains or a park when the bells are rung early in the morning signaling no classes. Students are supposed to enjoy the beautiful fall day out and about appreciating the foliage. It has been a Smith tradition since 1877.

Here is the sophomore me circa 1975 doing just that with some fellow nerds who took the call seriously. The cool kids were still in bed.

I am in the middle row on the left in the pink sweater.

We rode our bicycles out to Look Park with a picnic lunch. Of course we did.

And it really was wonderful.

Today I spoke to a fellow alum who is 15 years older than I, and she said that when the Mountain Day bells chimed she hopped on the train to New Haven. Well, she would.

In the spirit of Mountain Day, here are the lyrics to “The Mountains”, the Alma Mater of Williams College, which I hope is still sung lustily and with feeling by the gallant and the free.

The Mountains

O, proudly rise the monarchs of our mountain land,
With their kingly forest robes, to the sky,
Where Alma Mater dwelleth with her chosen band,
And the peaceful river floweth gently by.

CHORUS
The mountains! the mountains! we greet them with a song,
Whose echoes rebounding their woodland heights along,
Shall mingle with anthems that winds and fountains sing.
Till hill and valley gaily, gaily ring.

Beneath their peaceful shadows may old Williams stand,
Till suns and mountains nevermore shall be,
The glory and the honor of our mountain land,
And the dwelling of the gallant and the free.

–Written by Washington Gladden, class of 1859