1950-1959

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Zombie, 1947.

Class of 1950: Zombie the Elephant

After an almost twenty-year gap, the elephant returned to Simmons as a mascot when the Class of 1950 elected Zombie the pink elephant to serve as their representative.

Zombie provided much-needed support for the Class of 1950 as they endeavored on their paths to adulthood. As the 1947 Microcosm declared:

The Class of 1950 is in the pink! The phrase refers not only to their mental and physical condition… but also to their mascot, Zombie the Pink Elephant, and to their class flower, the camellia. According to Zombie, his colorful class was always on the go this year.

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Penguin, 1951.

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Students and Penguin Step Singing, c. 1951.

Class of 1951: Penguin

The Class of 1951 elected a penguin to serve as their mascot.

The penguin was present at a variety of college events, such as Step Singing. As the 1953 Microcosm recalls:

The Class Mascots… are present at class meetings, and are in the class processions at Step Singing. Each mascot shares his class’s hour of glory when the Juniors take over the Colonnade at the end of May.

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Joshua, 1949.

Class of 1952: Joshua

The Class of 1952 elected Joshua, a fawn, as their mascot.

He has been the only deer to serve as a Simmons mascot and is present throughout Class of 1952 materials.

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Dorothea Hesse ('52), Alice Larkin ('51), Norma Belle Singer ('51), and Carolyn Sonniksen ('52) with Whiff 'n Poof Step Singing, 1950.

Class of 1953: Whiff 'n Poof

The Class of 1953 elected Whiff 'n Poof the kangaroo to serve as their mascot.

The large stuffed animal was present at campus events and in dormitories alike, acting as a friendly face for students. 

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Betts Parker ('54), Sylvia Gould ('54), Jean Armknecht ('54), and Petunia, 1954. 

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Petunia, c. 1954. 

Class of 1954: Petunia the Elephant

Petunia was the fourth elephant elected to serve as a Simmons College mascot. 

Much like the elephants who came before her, Petunia was carried around campus adoringly by her Class and could be found throughout Class materials. 

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Barbara Meaney ('55), Esther Baum ('55), Meredythe Schober ('55), Ruth Copeland, and Ray Dodkin ('55) with Penelope, 1955.

Class of 1955: Penelope

Penelope, a large stuffed panda, was chosen as the Class of 1955's mascot. 

Like many of her contemporaries, Penelope was a central feature of undergraduate student life at Simmons. She attended dances, sporting events, and teas alongside the human members of her class. 

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Poodles, c. 1956.

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Poodle, 1956. 

Class of 1956: Poodle

While not the first dog to serve in the role, the Class of 1956's mascot was the first and only poodle selected to represent a Simmons class. 

Class memorabilia was covered with cartoon poodles and a real poodle was present at college events to cheer on students. 

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Heinz, 1957.

Class of 1957: Heinz

Heinz the penguin was elected to serve as the Class of 1957's mascot. 

Heinz was present in numerous arenas of student life and a part of many college traditions. As the 1957 Microcosm remembered:

Heinz led the Class of 1957 in the first Step Sing of the year and found it a change to be looking down from the steps.

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Carol Berenson Silverston ('58) and two others with Hefelump, c. 1958.

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Hefelump, 1957.

Class of 1958: Hefelump

Hefelump was the fifth and final elephant to be elected Class Mascot at Simmons. 

The large stuffed elephant supported the Class of 1958 throughout their undergraduate years and in their many endeavors. 

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Deb, 1959.

Class of 1959: Deb

The Class of 1959 elected Deb, a white teddy bear, to serve as their mascot. However, she was not the Class' first choice. In fact, Deb became a mascot in 1957 when the Class' initial selection, a skunk, was replaced. As the 1957 Microcosm recalled:

Finding skunks hard to come by, the class mascot was changed…

Deb was the final class-specific mascot. With her retirement came the end of the golden years of Simmons mascots. The next mascot of note would come forth in the early 1990s, as Simmons selected the Shark to serve indefinitely as the college-wide mascot. 

1950-1959