October 2016

First held in October of 1921, Mountain Day was an annual holiday sponsored by the Athletic Association that gave students and faculty an opportunity to enjoy sports, games, and a picnic outside of the city. The event was described as follows in the October 23, 1923 edition of The Arrow, the college newspaper: “It was a clear, cold day, and everyone there was in fine spirits. As soon as the picnickers reached the orchard, games of prisoners base, baseball and leap frog were started, and lasted amid much merriment, until lunch time. Lunch was served cafeteria style, and large quantities of wieners, sandwiches, pickles, gingerbread, and all the things that go with a picnic, were consumed by the hungry mob. After lunch a field meet was held, the events were carried off in a most business like manner, under the direction of Marian Frank [‘25]. A standing broad grin, discus throw (a paper plate serving as the discus), a three legged race, blind race and a shoe race, and a tug of war made up the list of events. The tug of war was brought to an untimely end when the rope broke. The Juniors won the meet and received a silver cup, (from Woolworths) with a blue ribbon triumphantly floating from the handle. The Sophomores received a dumbbell from the Gym, as a token of the fifth place in the event. Then came the event of the day—the Hare and Hounds chase. The Seniors and the Sophomores were the Hares, and proved most elusive; as the Hounds, Juniors and Freshman, had great difficulty in tracking them. After the weary racers had collected their belongings, they started for the car, feeling that Mountain Day was one of the college’s pleasantest traditions, and a most successful holiday for everyone.” The last Mountain Day was held at PCW in the 1950s, but similar events continued to take place at college campuses throughout the country, including women’s colleges Smith and Mount Holyoke.