Ethel Walker School
Through recent work in our archives, we have discovered that October 3 was the date that The Ethel Walker School first opened, and have decided to establish a new tradition of Founder’s Day beginning in this, our 110th year. In recognition of this newly found piece of the school’s history, this year on October 3, alumnae gathered via Zoom in various regions of the country to visit with each other and to celebrate our school and its founder. In celebration of this new Walker’s tradition, students were given Friday off from classes and in honor of the event our archivist Kim Thacker P’24, ’27 created this wonderful video to share with the Walker’s community.
Susie Jensen Rawles ’82 hosted a Virginia-area Zoom gathering. She shared, “While I recognize that each of us had a different experience at Walker’s, we all share in a common sisterhood. There are Walker’s women all around the globe who know the same chapel, the same barn, the same Beaver Brook, and that common history binds us. When we reach out — even if our experiences were different — we are empowered by the connection, because we are reminded how smart, how thoughtful, how generous, and how kind a Walkers’ woman can be.”
Katharine Swibold ’78 hosted a New York area Zoom gathering and had this to share. “I hosted a Founder’s Day zoom gathering because I enjoy spending time with Walker’s alums. While I love spending time with my classmates, my current friends, it is also great to expand my Walker’s circle by meeting alums from other decades — younger and older than I. Katharine also shared her thoughts on connecting alumnae with what’s happening on campus. “It is great to see how our experiences as Walker’s students are similar and how they are different. I like sharing with fellow alums all the amazing things the students, teachers, and staff are doing in Simsbury as well as hearing about the lives those alums are living. I love staying connected to my alma mater, and I hope that gatherings like these will help others enjoy that same pleasure and encourage them to get even more connected to the school and their fellow alums in their own way.”
Plans are already underway to organize in-person gatherings of alumnae around the world for October 3, 2021. If you are interested in hosting an event in your area, please contact Director of Alumnae Relations Marion Paterson P’17, ’19 at mpaterson@ethelwalker.org or +1-860-408-4257.
