06/03/2026
Exactly 115 years ago today, on June 3, 1911, the Junior-Senior Banquet took place. The evening began with a reception in the library, where the reading room was decorated in the colors and pennants of the class of 1911. A special orchestra provided music throughout the event.
For the first time in the history of the Junior-Senior Banquet, a farce written by members of the junior class was performed. A farce is a lighthearted comedic play that relies on exaggerated situations, humor and unlikely events. Following the performance, a banquet was served in the women's gymnasium. Approximately 400 guests attended and enjoyed a five-course meal.
The evening concluded with the presentation of the Shepherd's Crook, a traditional symbol of class leadership, from Clif Stratton of the Class of 1911 to Lee Gould of the Class of 1912.
While Junior-Senior Banquets are now a thing of the past, the tradition continued well beyond 1911 and appears in later Royal Purple yearbooks and student records throughout the 1910s and 1920s.
