Seniors, juniors, 8th and 4th graders gathered on Lilly’s Field on May 4 for the annual May Day Celebration. Mary Institute began celebrating May Day in 1912, when the first May Queen was crowned at a Maypole dance held in the School gymnasium. Over the years, annual fetes were held at various locations around St. Louis, including the Washington University Chancellor’s Garden and Forest Park’s Municipal (Muny) Opera Stage. In 2000, the children and grandchildren of alumna Lilly Busch Hermann ’41 arranged for the renovation of the May Field on the MICDS campus and it was rechristened “Lilly’s Field” in her memory.
Thankfully, this year’s May Day was able to be held outside. The weather cleared after a week of rain, and guests assembled early to be ready for the event.
Fourth graders performed to Mock Morris by Percy Grainger, and 8th graders twirled ribbons to Dance of the Tumblers by Rimsky-Korsakov. The junior girls presented the Daisy Chain accompanied by Carillon from L’Arlesienne Suite No. 1 by Georges Bizet. Seniors wove the May Pole to the music of Fantasia on Greensleeves by Vaughn Williams.
After the Maypole Dance, Coronation Pages Hope Pohlman ’20 and Renee Stanec ’20 began their journey around the circle of seniors, bearing flowers and a flowered crown to Grand Walkaround from Cakewalk by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, while the Co-President of Student Council Jamerson Durrill ’19 waited to crown the class’ new queen. This year, the Class of 2019 chose Megan Smith `19 as its May Queen. In keeping with the MICDS Mission, the girls requested that gifts be made in their honor to a charitable organization, and this year, they chose Children’s Miracle Network.
Here’s a video recap of the festive day, and below is a photo gallery.
Congratulations to the girls of the Class of 2019!
