Happy May Day! Today’s post is a simple image to mark the first of May.
We don’t know much about this photograph, other than what is in the record for the online collection (click the image to see.).
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Processing the Hugh Morton Photographs and Films
Our daughter, Judy, graduated from Hollins. She said she could not remember any May Pole kind of ceremony at Hollins and she did not recognize the buildings. So you have a mystery. It is a very unlikely photograph for Hugh to have made.without a good reason.
Regards, Julia
Anybody up for unraveling the mystery? I did a quick Google check for Hollins University and found two small photographs on the “about” page for the Roanoke Fiddlefest (http://www.roanokefiddlefest.org/?page=about) that look like similar architecture . . . Maybe Tinker Hall?
I haven’t been able to find digital Hollins University Yearbooks online…thought they might show May Day festivities.
I did find a “Hollins Area Plan,”…part of “A Componant of the Roanoke County Comprehensive Plan” from November 11, 2008,
http://www.roanokecountyva.gov/DocumentCenter/Home/View/2442
with this paragraph on page 11:
“The sulphur springhouse was originally built
in 1856 and it was later rebuilt in 1960. The sulphur
springhouse has been a focal point on the Hollins
campus and served as the scene of May Day activities
from 1903 to 1966. The spring was eventually
relocated in 1985 for the purpose of constructing the
Northern Swimming Center. The original limestone
spring was piped to its current location in the grassed
area near Botetourt Hall (see Graphic 2.09,
Springhouse.) The springhouse remains a landmark
on the Hollins University campus.”
So according to this, there was some kind of May Day activity at Hollins from 1903 to 1966; however, the Morton image is dated 1967 and I don’t see the springhouse in the picture.
The window arrangement in the Morton image looks a lot like the arrangement atTinker Hall, which was built in 1966.
http://www.hollins.edu/campustour/tour.html
Also, the people visible in the bottom row, second from the left, window, appear to be wearing some kind of robe..
I think this is behind the Tinker dorms at Hollins (I stayed there freshman and sophomore year). What a beautiful picture!! So colorful. The grounds near Tinker weren’t used so much while I was a student here but this photo makes great use of the space. I love the old pictures of the May Day celebrations, and wonder if the maypole will come back into use. 🌸