Traditions at Sage: Banner Night 2009

Photo Credit: Veronica Nunes

Shanta Hamilton with the FCC's Meaghan Cote and Jillian Beecher

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Written by Veronica Nunes, Writer- The Quill

On Wednesday, September 2nd, all four classes gathered in McKinstry Court to witness the freshmen earn their banner. The Freshman Class Coordinators (Meaghan Cote and Jillian Beecher) organized the event. More than 60 freshmen showed up to Banner Night.

Banner Night is one of Russell Sage’s many traditions. The banners, which are handmade by the sister class, are hung up in the Student Center, and when the time comes, brought out during reunion.

The traditional Banner Night begins with each class standing at their posts. The freshmen have to be silent- the noisier they are, the longer they have to wait to get their banner. Once each class is called down, they have to run down to the courtyard singing their class song. The seniors are already there, sitting on the wall, and of course, taunting the freshman (in a friendly, sisterly way, of course).  After the freshman earn their banners (though singing, dancing, telling jokes etc), there is a symbolic candlelight ceremony where the junior class passes the “light” to their sister class, as a sign of passing wisdom and sisterhood. After, the banner is hung up in the student center as a sign of officially welcoming in the freshman. The Alumni Representative from the classes that graduated has their class banner, and come reunion, the alumni walk around with their banners.