Washington's Birthday

Abstract Washington's Birthday was celebrated at Wesleyan University from about 1863 through the 1920s. At first a patriotic event, it eventually became more of a homecoming event for Wesleyan alumni. Grand banquets, toasts, and speeches were a frequent element during the weekend festivities, along with hotly contested "cannon scraps" between the freshmen and sophomore classes. The tradition phased out during the 1920s, and was briefly revitalized in 1941 by a group of New York alumni, complete with...