Father-Daughter Weekend

Program from Father-Daughter Weekend, c. 1967

Spring semester brought with it numerous activities and traditions for students to participate in before summer break, starting with Father-Daughter Weekend, the first of which took pace on February 15, 1963. The event lasted for three days, beginning on Friday and ending on Sunday. The event was a sister class tradition held for Seniors and Sophomores and their fathers.

The original Father-Daughter Weekend began with the fathers attending classes on Friday morning and early afternoon, followed by an afternoon tea at 4:00 PM. Later, the fathers and daughters went out to dinner, which was followed by an evening at the theater. On Saturday, the fathers and their daughters attended coffee hours held by each of the departments, which was followed by a welcome from the President, the Dean, and the representatives from the Alumnae Association and students. Saturday evening was spent at the Hotel Beaconsfield where everyone had dinner, followed by a formal dance. Prizes were awarded to the father who did the best “Twist” and for the “Handsomest Dad.” Sunday morning was dedicated to a leisurely breakfast, church, and a roast beef lunch.

In the late 1960s, alternatives to an evening at the theater, such as the “Ice Follies,” start to appear, and the event became less structured, with fathers and daughters being allowed to choose from a small array of entertainment. By the mid and late 1970s, the day of classes became an informal discussion with members of the faculty, and cocktails are prominently mentioned as part of the Saturday evening of dancing.

In later years, a Mother-Daughter Weekend was introduced in addition to this event, and today Simmons students celebrate Friends and Family Weekend with the whole family. Now a fall tradition at the beginning of the academic year, Friends and Family Weekend brings friends and families of Simmons students to campus to experience Simmons for themselves.