Traditions

Spirit Week

Spirit Week is hard to describe unless you are a McGehee girl. Yet all McGehee girls, young and old, as well as McGehee faculty look forward to this annual event. Spirit Day is the culmination of a week of activities planned by the senior class and designed to bring girls from all divisions together in “family” groups for a day of very spirited competition! Activities range from the classic sack race, to tug-a-war, to the multi-talented Spirit Day cheer competition. Amid all the cheers and squeals of enthusiasm of just sheer fun, the grand finale is the release of the much anticipated school yearbook—The Spectator!

McGehee girls have enjoyed this event that began in 1917 as the All School Picnic.

Father Daughter Luncheon

Since 1961 McGehee's Father Daughter luncheon has remained a beloved tradition and a time for father daughter bonding. Each year's luncheon brings a wonderful crowd who joins together across campus for a fried chicken picnic lunch for girls, fathers and special friends. A traditional highlight of this special event is the girls serenading their guests from the steps of the Main Building.

May Day

A wonderful tradition at McGehee since the 1920s, May Day continues to the present day as a celebration of the senior class. It involves the seniors, their little sisters, the sophomores who perform a skit, and the third graders who dance around the maypole. The maypole signifies spring and new beginnings, especially for our seniors whose journeys at McGehee are coming to a close. Skits written and practiced over months of time are performed for the entire school, parents and guests. Each May Day has its own unique invitation, theme and skit. The highlight is the revelation of the May Day queen and her maids. One of McGehee’s highest honors, the May Day court is elected by the entire Upper School student body based on characteristics of kindness and school spirit. The May Day court represents the finest qualities of a “McGehee Girl.”

Graduation

From the time a young girl is admitted and dons a crisp plaid jumper to the final graduation ceremony in a pale pink dress under the shade of the oak trees on campus, traditions are woven throughout the McGehee experience. The inheritance of formal ceremonies emphasizing academics, honor, and service is balanced by the culture of fellowship, friendship, and playfulness of young women fortunate enough to be educated inside the gates. These traditions are a tie that binds students and alumnae of every age to their McGehee foundation. In 1926, McGehee girls chose to graduate in pink, setting themselves apart from all the other graduates around town. In a spirited burst of independence, the Class of 1936 decided to graduate in yellow, but were the only class to do so. It’s been pink ever since!