Mountain Day is almost here—that special time of year when Berry comes alive with memories and tradition. Both former and current students know there's nothing quite like the energy and excitement that fills the campus during that weekend in October. It's our way of honoring Martha Berry (1866-1942) and celebrating our Berry community.
From humble beginnings
Did you know that the
first Mountain Day was a simple birthday picnic for Martha Berry?
On October 7, 1914, Martha invited students to join her on Lavender Mountain for her first birthday celebration since she was 16.
Imagine the scene: a 32-pound cake with 17 candles (one for each birthday she hadn't celebrated) and students playing leapfrog and competing in sack and relay races.
The first picnic was such a hit that it quickly became an annual tradition. By 1915, it was officially dubbed "Mountain Day." It wasn't until 1931 that it was declared an official school holiday.
Little pennies, big meaning
For the tenth anniversary of their first mountain picnic, students colluded to get Martha a special birthday gift. Realizing she wanted nothing material, each student donated a number of pennies corresponding to their age to the school's Student Endowment Fund.
As the years went by, Mountain Day grew to be bigger and better. In the 1920s, with the addition of new gymnasiums on campus, an annual field day was introduced, complete with friendly athletic competitions between residence houses. Even though it didn't originally occur on Mountain Day, it still sounds familiar, doesn't it?
The Mountain Day Olympics were officially given their name in 1973.
In 1926, the first college class participated in the Mountain Day festivities!
Marches and matches
Once again, in 1927, Berry's students wanted to celebrate and honor their founder, and once again, instead of a regular birthday present, gifted her a spectacle of a march that would follow a 2-4-8-16 formation.
This march evolved with Mountain Day over the years, shaped by the creativity and enthusiasm of Berry's students.
In 1945, the Grand March and the gift of pennies became intertwined. Then in the 1950s, the student body voted to wear pink and blue instead of the traditional overalls and gingham.
Students played all sorts of sports on Mountain Day, from baseball to basketball to—yes, even football. While football didn't become an annual tradition until the 1940s (with a brief intermission in the 1970s), the yearly game between the literary societies, the Georgians and the Syrrebs, was a staple for many years.
Continued traditions and timeless fun
The 1970s brought significant changes thanks to a committee of alumni, staff, and students. They ensured Mountain Day retained its traditions while staying relevant for future generations of Berry students. Mountain Day expanded from the Saturday of Martha's birthday week to an entire three-day weekend, with Friday activities like a talent show and Olympics, and Saturday reserved for classic Mountain Day events we all know and love.
And who could forget the hot air balloon rides in 1981! (Why did we ever stop that?)
Though it's no hot air balloon ride, Berry introduced Marthapalooza to Mountain Day weekend in 2005, exciting students with classic carnival rides and games.
Now Berry boasts a Mountain Day weekend filled with festivities old and new. Students now look forward to Marthapalooza, the market and Mountain Day Olympics. Alongside these new traditions, students and alumni still hold the tried-and-true Grand March and picnic on Lavender Mountain close to their hearts.
As we gear up for another Mountain Day, let's remember the traditions that have brought us together for more than a century and the memories we will continue to make at Berry!
We
can't wait to see you there!
