I found a letter recently, while processing President Henry Nelson
Snyder’s papers, in which he declined a speaking invitation because of the
pressures of “commencement season.” I
thought it was an interesting expression, because today, we think of commencement
as being simply the two days of events, or even simply the graduation ceremony
itself.
However, Commencement in the 19th and early 20th
century was a multi-day affair. A series
of elaborate programs staged over 3 or 4 days, the festivities included
debates, speeches, receptions, and the traditional baccalaureate and graduation
exercises themselves.
The 1889 ceremonies saw sixteen students graduate – many of
whom went on to achieve prominence in their careers. One became a long-serving United States
Senator, another a Methodist bishop, and one was the president of Duke
University. Theirs was the largest class
in thirteen years. The program lists all
of their speeches, which I suspect were actually quite short since they were
delivered at the graduation ceremony. 
Before they graduated, they would have heard a Baccalaureate sermon on
Sunday morning, an address before the literary societies on Monday morning, a
debate between members of the Calhoun and Preston societies on the question, “That
the organization of a Prohibition Party would be detrimental to the Nation” on
Monday night, and a reception following the debate from 10 PM to 1 AM. I’m surprised they stayed up that late! Tuesday was the day of graduation, and was
followed by the annual alumni address at 8:30, given by the Honorable Richard
W. Simpson of Pendleton, and finally by an alumni banquet. Goodness only knows how long that
lasted.
Even as late as the 1920s, the time of which Snyder spoke,
Commencement season could go for 5 days, again beginning with an assortment of
debates and speeches before the literary societies. By the 1920s, Class Day had become an
institution at Commencement, usually happening on the Saturday before
graduation. This consisted of the annual
meeting of the alumni association, a banquet with the alumni, seniors, and
faculty in attendance, and class reunions. 
Sunday was reserved for Baccalaureate in the morning and the annual
address by President Snyder in the evening. Graduation itself was on Monday. This pattern – of class day, baccalaureate day, and commencement
generally continued up into the 1960s.
Of course, I guess you could call the series of events that
happen today at Wofford leading up to the actual Commencement ceremony a season
of sorts. Between class receptions,
Honors Day, Phi Beta Kappa day, sports banquets and fraternity and sorority
events, students and faculty members are quite busy in late April and early
May.
Next week, I hope to share a word from Henry Nelson Snyder
about the American College Commencement.
Images: the invitation from 1893 Commencement, a program, including the senior speeches, from 1889, and the cover of the program and the toasts from the 1889 alumni banquet.