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May Weekend

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Written by Hannah Mosher, Class of 2026

Originating in Europe over a thousand years ago, the purpose of the May Day celebrations has historically been to welcome the changing of the seasons.1 Willamette’s version of this tradition, May Weekend, began at the university in the early years of the twentieth century and carried on until the mid-1960s. The purpose of this tradition was multifaceted, functioning as an event for prospective students, a celebration of the May Queen and her court, and as a weekend of “music, frolic, knowledge, sports [and,] fun.”2 Over the years the May Weekend program slowly developed, including several different events and activities which would take place on the first weekend in May. Despite the variation in featured activities, the celebrations always included the election and coronation of the May Queen, various sporting events, ceremonial dances, and a student production most often in the form of a junior class play.

The first May Queen, freshman Phoebe Olson, was crowned in 1907. Four years later in 1911, a senior girl was crowned, establishing the longstanding tradition of honoring seniors with the crown.3 The May Queen and her attendants or princesses as they began to be called in 1937, were elected by the student body each year based on the criteria of “most beautiful.”4 The position of May Day Manager, responsible for coordination of the weekend’s events, was also an elected position which required nomination from the student body.5 In 1930, controversy arose over the voting system and an amendment was subsequently proposed to the Associated Students of Willamette University that would limit the vote for May Queen to men only. This amendment stemmed from the popular attitude on campus that the election of the queen was influenced by politics and sorority connections rather than true beauty and grace.6 The amendment failed to pass and the selection of the May queen remain unchanged.7 Three women would be nominated for queen in primary elections and a final election would determine the queen with the highest number of votes, the other two women attending her as princesses and members of her court.8 Every May Weekend featured the ceremonial crowning of the queen which took place in front of the four white columns (no longer standing) behind the University Library.9 In the earlier iterations of May Weekend, a king had been crowned alongside the queen but this tradition ended by the 1950s.10

Traditionally in the May Weekend program, the crowning of the queen was followed by the Maypole dance, a ceremonial folk dance popularized in Europe in which the participants dance around a tall pole hung with ribbons.11 In addition to the Maypole dance, students would participate in other folk and theatrical dances to honor the queen and her court. In 1931 Willamette students presented a dance adaption of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in addition to the Maypole.12 Sporting events were also a mainstay of May Weekend programs as baseball games or track meets were often scheduled for students to attend. Perhaps one of the most popular May Weekend events was the freshmen versus sophomore tug of war.13 Later in the evening, the junior class would present a play, two examples of which included Mrs. Moonlight in 1937 and Our Town in 1940.14

Although it wasn’t held every year, the May Parade proved to be an exciting addition to the program. The queen and her court would appear in the parade which featured floats entered into competition by each of the classes.15 These class floats were judged in categories including floral class floats, non-floral living organization floats, and bicycles. Additionally, all floats in the parade were meant to convey a central theme related to Willamette. The May Court was accompanied by state dignitaries such as the mayor of Salem, the state treasurer, and other figures. The typical route of the parade began at Lausanne Hall, moved through downtown Salem, and eventually returned to campus.16

The last official May Weekend was celebrated in 1965 but transitioned into Spring Weekend, an event which focused more intently on acquainting prospective students with campus life. This change was meant to be more accommodating to the schedules of high school seniors, the event now taking place in April as opposed to the first weekend in May.17 Despite the demise of the May Weekend tradition in the 1960s, it reappeared briefly in 1970 when Willamette held a similar celebration to “revive a diminishing atmosphere of bliss, celebrate the end of school, completion of registration” and to “take minds off the loss of draft deferments.” These May Weekend festivities included a twilight Maypole dance, folk singers, and a Feast of Friends.18 After this one brief revival, the May Weekend celebration disappeared and this particular Willamette tradition ended.

Written Fall 2024

Endnotes

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  1. ˆ History.com Editors. “May Day.”
  2. ˆ 1921 May Weekend Poster, May Weekend Programs, 1921-1930, “The W Continuing the services of the Student Handbook and Rook Bible,” 25.
  3. ˆ “Former May Day Customs Unique,” 1.
  4. ˆ “Thirty-First Annual May Weekend” May Weekend Programs, 1931-1940, Ellen Jean Moody “As the Time for Final Vote Approches Queen Ammendement Gives Rise to Further Comments,” 1-2.
  5. ˆ “Important Student Body Meeting Thursday,” 2.
  6. ˆ  Ellen Jean Moody “As the Time for Final Vote Approches Queen Ammendement Gives Rise to Further Comments,” 1-2.
  7. ˆ March 14, 1930 meeting minutes, Minutes of the Student Body of Willamette University, 1907-1936, Volume: 2. Willamette University Office of Student Activities records, WUA054. Willamette University Archives and Special Collections.
  8. ˆ “Final Vote Scheduled Wednesday,” 1.
  9. ˆ “Final Vote Scheduled Wednesday,” 1.
  10. ˆ Hodge, Flossy “The Social Scoop,” 6.
  11. ˆ Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Maypole dance.”
  12. ˆ “Twenty-fith Annual Festival of May Willamette University May 1-2, 1931” May Weekend Programs.
  13. ˆ “Willamette University Student Handbook Annual Publication of The Associated Students of Willamette University 1939,” 28.
  14. ˆ “May Weekend, May 3rd to 5th 1940,” “Thirty-First Annual May Weekend.”
  15. ˆ “Picnic to Open May Weekend,” 1
  16. ˆ “Picnic to Open May Weekend,” 11.
  17. ˆ “High School Seniors Arrive for Preview,” 1.
  18. ˆ [Untitled,] 6.

Works Referenced

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Image Citations

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  • “May Queen and Court” Willamette University Digital Collections, Campus Photograph Collection, 1937, https://hdl.handle.net/10177/27106.
  • “May Queen and Court,” 1918, Willamette University Student Life – Campus Events Collection, WUA9999. Willamette University Archives and Special Collections. https://hdl.handle.net/10177/27055
  • “Maypole Dance Outside Eaton Hall,” 1920, Willamette University Student Life – Campus Events Collection, WUA9999. Willamette University Archives and Special Collections. https://hdl.handle.net/10177/40654
  • “Twenty-fifth Annual Festival of May Willamette University May 1-2, 1931” May Weekend Programs, 1931-1940, Series II, Box: 1, Folder: 5. Willamette University May Weekend collection, WUA087. Willamette University Archives and Special Collections. https://hdl.handle.net/10177/40656
  • “Queen Evelyn,” 1920, Willamette University Student Life – Campus Events Collection, WUA9999. Willamette University Archives and Special Collections. https://hdl.handle.net/10177/40655

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