The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

HIGH SCHOOL TRADITION

EVERY SPRING AT MY HIGH SCHOOL (LUMEN CORDIUM IN BEDFORD, OHIO) WE
HELD STUDENT COUNCIL OFFICER ELECTIONS. AFTER THE VOTES WERE
TALLIED THE GIRLS CONCERNED WERE CALLED TO THE CHAPEL. THE GIRLS SAT
IN THE PEWS SEPARATED INTO CLASSES AND THE OFFICES THEY WERE RUNNING
FOR, LEAVING THE FIRST PEW EMPTY. THE PRESENT STUDENT COUNCIL
OFFICERS READ APPROPRIATE POETRY OR PROSE SELECTIONS AND THE GIRLS
PRAYED TOGETHER. INSTEAD OF ANNOUNCING WHO WON THE ELECTION THE
TEACHER-MODERATOR AND THE STUDENT COUNCIL PRESIDENT PLACED THEIR
HANDS ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE GIRLS WHO WON. THESE GIRLS THEN SAT
TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PEW. LATER THE RESULTS OF THE VOTE WERE
ANNOUNCED TO THE STUDENT BODY AS A WHOLE.

Submitter comment: I LEARNED OF THIS TRADITION AS A JUNIOR OR SENIOR FROM OTHER GIRLS
WHO HAD RUN FOR OFFICES ON STUDENT COUNCIL. ALSO I WITNESSED PART
OF ONE SUCH CEREMONY FROM THE SECOND FLOOR BALCONIES WHICH OPENED
ONTO THE CHAPEL. THIS TRADITION WAS FOLLOWED FOR THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
NOT FOR HOMEROOM REPRESENTATIVES. I'M NOT SURE WHEN THIS BEGAN BUT
THINK IT EXISTED AT LEAST SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE I WENT THERE. LUMEN
CORDIUM IS A PRIVATE, CATHOLIC GIRLS' SCHOOL RUN BY THE VINCENTIAN
SISTERS OF CHARITY

Where learned: OHIO ; SOLON

Date learned: 00-00-1975