Photo caption: Members of the class of 2022 start their Hooprolling race, 2022. Photo by Shannon O’Brien. Courtesy of Office of Communications & Public Affairs.

Hundreds of seniors roll wooden hoops in a mad dash down Tupelo Lane. The first to cross the finish line is carried into Lake Waban! Juniors throw coursework into a bonfire deep in the woods, trying to avoid being caught by sophomores. Students from all classes crowd Houghton Chapel’s steps and sing College songs—including “The Wellesley Composite,” with the line, “Wellesley, Wellesley, only to be there; drives away each melancholy care.” 

These are just a few of Wellesley College’s traditions from the past 150 years. Students still embrace many, while others are long forgotten. Only To Be There highlights a wide range of Wellesley traditions with objects and photographs from the Wellesley College Archives. From afternoon tea to Float Night, these community rituals weave together generations of graduates and evolve over time, revealing much about the eras in which they occur. 

For Wellesley College’s 150th Anniversary,  the Davis honors an extraordinary history, looks forward to an exciting future, and celebrates the College’s enduring commitment to providing an excellent education to women who will make a difference in the world.