News Release
November 2003
(Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)—After a 40-year
hiatus, Moravian College has resumed a long-held tradition of hosting
an afternoon tea each
semester. The tea provides an occasion for female students, faculty,
administrators, and alumnae to gather for an afternoon of interaction
and conversation, designed to stimulate mentoring opportunities for
students.
Moravian College, recognized as America’s
sixth-oldest, will hold an afternoon tea on Friday, November 21,
from 3:30-5:00 in the
Atrium of the Priscilla Payne Hurd Academic Complex. The College has
officially reinstated the tea as a once-a-semester event.
Last spring, a trial afternoon tea was held to
assess the level of interest in reviving the long dormant tradition.
The tea was hosted
by Pamela Rokke, the first lady of Moravian College, in the President’s
Reception Room in Main Hall, a women’s dorm on the Hurd Campus
of the College, in the historic district of Bethlehem. It was a success,
with more than 90 women representing three generations of the College.
They enjoyed tea, crumpets, and petite sandwiches in Main Hall’s
Victorian parlors, furnished with rare antiques that are normally closed
to the public and to the college. Surrounding Main Hall are buildings
dating back to 1748, in which the women’s college was formerly
housed.
Prior to 1954, when the men’s and women’s colleges merged
into Moravian College, afternoon tea was a regular occurrence. The
Young Women’s Christian Association of Moravian College for Women
held weekly teas to “brighten up the darker days” of winter;
the “Y” also sponsored two formal teas a year, one at the
beginning and one near the close of the school year. In those days,
the dean of the women’s college held the position of honor at
the event, pouring tea for the young ladies in attendance. Although
most attendees were female alumnae, students, or faculty at the college,
one famous tea in December 1940 was graced by the presence of Archduke
Otto of Hapsburg.
The Moravian Academic Women (MAW), who sponsors
the teas, agreed that now is a good time to revive the tradition. “This generation
of college students is acutely aware of the importance of community
and of creating and maintaining traditions. College life, indeed, often
revolves around traditions. Why shouldn’t we restart afternoon
tea now?” says Carol Traupman-Carr, ’86, and associate
dean for academic affairs at Moravian. “Afternoon tea gives MAW
the chance to engage the students out of the classroom, and to create
more mentoring possibilities between female students and women on the
faculty and in the administration. Our tea also helps us prepare our
graduates to engage in the kinds of social functions, like gallery
openings, receptions, and a formal dinner, that graduates from prestigious
institutions like Moravian College will undoubtedly attend in their
professional lives.”
“It was delightful to see Moravian women in a setting so very
different from the others in which we usually interact,” said
Beverly Kochard, ’73, vice president for student affairs. “Conversations
seemed more personal—sincere questions producing answers of substance
about each others' lives. The location was a perfect choice. How many
other venues have a history dating back 200-plus years, chock-full
of stories about students from past eras and reputed ghost sightings?
Here and there around the room, I heard women talking of looking into
possible research opportunities and internships having to do with the
building and the Hurd Campus in general.
Jaime Marks, ’04, and a student member of the College’s
board of trustees, offered this thought, “This may sound strange,
but for some reason being in a room with so many intelligent and engaging
women was empowering. Despite the fact that we are moving toward an
equal society in terms of education and careers, there is a need to
further strengthen female contribution to academics and the workplace.
There is still such merit to recognizing the talented group of women
that characterize Moravian and this tea was a great opportunity for
that. It was nice to hear such excitement in the room as everyone shared
their interests and involvement on campus.”
Moravian College is a private, coeducational, selective liberal arts
college located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Tracing its founding to
1742, it is recognized as America's sixth-oldest college. For more
information, visit the web site at www.moravian.edu.
