You'll notice that the letter (attached) mentions my blog as where you can go for further information. Hurray! Welcome Pomona students!
As for banning the song, well, to Hail with that!
Oxtoby's letter says,
To: The Pomona College community
From: David Oxtoby, President
As may of you recall, a number of flyers posted around campus in February called our attention to the fact that the Pomona College alma mater, "Hail, Pomona, Hail" was first performed as the concluding number of a blackface minstrel show in 1909-10. This fact, which has been part of the college's written history for many years but not widely noted or discussed, has raised the question of whether we should continue to sing the alma mater at official College events such as Commencement and Convocation. There are thoughtful views on both sides of the is question, and the Pomona community needs to take some time to consider the issue, without prejudging in any way what the ultimate outcome will be. In fact, it seems appropriate to broaden the discussion to look at all of our traditional College songs. In view of this, I am taking three steps at this time:
(1) After conversations with many members of our community, I have decided that the alma mater will not be sung at this year's Commencement and Opening Convocation ceremonies.
(2) With the cooperation of the Hart Institute of American History, we have invited students to apply for two summer research positions to study college songs at Pomona and other colleges, in the context of the history of the United states in the first half of the last century.
(3) I am appointing a committee to discuss the issue of college songs, including the alma mater, to lead a campus conversation on the subject in the fall semester, and to make recommendations on how we should proceed in the future..
The members will be:
Committee co-chairs: Jeanne Buckley '65, Trustee
Kim Bruce, "70, Professor of Computer Science
Committee members: Frank Albinder, '80, alumnus
Alix Coupet '09, student
Jacqueline DuBose '04, Admissions Officer, Office of Admissions
Sid Lemelle, Professor of History and Black Studies
Terry Hodel '64, Trustee
Sarah Miller '09, student
Tania Pantoja '95, Executive Assistant to Dean of the College
Julie Tate '09, student
Nancy Treser-Osgood '80, Director of Alumni Relations
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2 comments:
as someone who turned down an acceptance to Pomona College, the "hail, pomona, hail" and trayless tuesdays just serve my piece of mind i chose the better in CMC. And while CMC is not immune either to such juvenile silliness, I would have stood for no such thing as a consortium member during my time at claremont.
why does this always have to turn into a Pomona bashing session? Don't you have better things to do, Jonathan?
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