“Walker’s is a place with which I hope to always be connected.”
Centennial
The Ethel Walker School celebrated its Centennial from September 30 through October 2 with a three-day series of exciting events on campus. That Saturday, October 1, was exactly 100 years since the School opened its doors in 1911! This is why we coordinated the Reunions for the 1s & 6s and 2s & 7s to coincide with this important date.
Our year-long celebration, which began in Fall 2010, recognized a century of excellence, women and scholarship. Alumnae, parents, students, faculty, staff and the surrounding community came together throughout the Centennial year to celebrate this historic event in not only the school's history, but the history of women's education as well. Take a look at who attended Centennial Weekend.
Read more about the Centennial Year Events and Centennial Weekend Program. Below, read the Centennial State of the School including remarks from Head of School Bessie Speers, excerpts from keynote speaker Sigourney Weaver '67, and selected student remarks on ten decades of Walker's history.
Centennial State of the School
A Changing World — A Changing Walker's
Throughout its 100 years, the Ethel Walker School has evolved in response to the needs and desires of women as well as our changing world. Our boarding population is the now largest it has ever been in the School's history, and we have a committed faculty who give their time both inside and outside the classroom — teaching, advising, coaching, guiding community service efforts, and much more.
If you were a student at Walker’s today, you could choose to take Mandarin, Russian Studies, AP Economics, or Environmental Science; all courses that have been created in response to the need for an ever-changing curriculum. Athletics also continue to expand, with skiing, swimming, golf, and squash, as well as additions to our staples of riding, field hockey, lacrosse, etc. The arts are and have always been a rich part of the curriculum, whether it be digital design and moviemaking, 3D and 2D, or music and dance. Campus life is as warm and vibrant as ever, and the sense of community that Miss Walker envisioned and created 100 years ago is pervasive throughout campus today.
There is so much history to be recognized, and our alumnae community is a vital part of this history. A year of travel, celebration, connection and commemoration brought all of Walker's constituencies and friends together in memorable ways.
Reunions During Centennial
We understand that with all of the exciting events surrounding Centennial, our alumnae may have been unable to make the trip back for both their reunion and the Centennial weekend in the same year.
As such, we combined those reunions that would traditionally happen in May 2011 and May 2012 into one amazing reunion during Centennial Weekend, September 30 through October 2, 2011. This enabled our alumnae to see those friends and classmates who do not celebrate the same graduation year. This truly was a weekend for all!
Combining these three extraordinary events into one remarkable weekend allowed classes that don't normally connect at reunion a chance to celebrate the place that changed their lives — Walker's — together.
Please feel free to contact the alumnae office at alumnae [at] ethelwalker [dot] org. We always love hearing from you!
Please contact our Centennial Coordinator, leeann_harris [at] ethelwalker [dot] org (LeeAnn Harris), with your questions or to share your Walker's experiences. Your input is important and appreciated!
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Reunion 2013
– Windy, '03