Yesterday members of the Class of 1993 drank a toast in clay mugs personalized with the letter D and the class year and then ceremoniously smashed them at the base of the Lone Pine, located on a hillock between the Bema and Bartlett Tower.
For more than 100 years, seniors had traditionally smashed clay pipes on Class Day. But after a committee of students, faculty and administrators voted unanimously in April to formally end all College support of the clay pipes ceremony, this ceremony was created.
The clay pipes ceremony became controversial after Native American students at Dartmouth explained that the pipes were considered sacred objects in their culture, and the smashing of the pipes is sacrilegious.
The new ceremony was announced May 25, by the Committee on Class Day.
Because it was decided so late in the term, there was no opportunity to examine the mugs and to make design requests, Senior Class President Doug Chia '93 said.
Before Class Day, students said they were concerned the heavy, solid mugs would not shatter and therefore put a damper on the ceremony. Administrators were encouraging the seniors not to smash the mugs and to keep them as memorabilia instead.
Other recommendations for the Class day event included laying a wreath around the Lone Pine stump or smashing clay medallions. But the Class Day committee decided on the smashing of clay pipes after speaking with various students and student groups.
Chia, also a member of the Class Day committee, said the toasting ceremony signifies the breaking of ties with the College and wishing the best for the future of our classmates.
The Senior Executive Committee also endorsed the clay mugs ceremony.
"The overwhelming consensus was to have this new toasting ceremony," Eng said.
Last year, seniors performed a candlelight ceremony on Class Day after voluntarily choosing to forgo the clay pipes ceremony. This year, the candlelight vigil was also continued on the night of Class Day, June 12.
The 1,100 clay mug ordered was filled by Williamsburg Pottery in Virginia and the logistics were arranged by Dean of Student Life Holly Sateia.
The Class Day Committee was formed earlier this winter to decide the future of the clay pipes tradition. All four class presidents and vice presidents were members of the committee, which also included administrators.
