Traditions
Haverford's history is steeped in traditions, some still practiced and some were left behind when the College became co-ed in 1980. But the most important traditions at Haverford are the ones still alive today.
The oldest, and probably the most pervasive influence at Haverford, is the College's Quaker roots. Many of us will explore concepts of consensus, community, human service and collaboration in our time at Haverford, while others might dig deeper into understanding the Quaker tradition by taking a course, attending Meeting, or spending time doing research in the Quaker Collection.
Each year, 'Fords look forward to the myriad traditional events such the Collection speaker series; Screw Your Roommate, Snowball and Sun Dances; frequent a cappella concerts; pinwheel day; the annual weekend throwdown at the end of the year called Haverfest ; and, most importantly, Fall and Spring Plenary.
Plenary provides a forum for student opinion and action for all members of the Students' Association. In this forum, the Honor Code, the Alcohol Policy and the Students' Association Constitution are all evaluated and improved upon. Campus initiatives such as the ExCo program and the Committee for Environmental Responsibility found their roots in a Plenary session.
Another Haverford tradition still alive and well today is service with and in the community. Years ago, when the College had an academic curriculum focused on the seven dimensions of a Haverford education, an Eighth Dimension was added: service learning. Though the seven dimensions of a Haverford education no longer exist as the guiding core curriculum, Eighth Dimension (better known today as 8D) is still the office on campus responsible for coordinating student-lead service initiatives, project, and programs.
Duck pond customs week antics, c. 1948. Courtesy of the Haverford Archives.
Still, many of the College traditions are packed into Customs Week. Over time, the many traditions associated with Customs Week have changed (first-year students are no longer flung head-first into the Duck Pond), but the core principles and nature of the week remain the same. For instance, each class at Haverford has a tree planted in the Arboretum that will grow with them over the years. First-year students also enjoy the traditional Quaker Meeting House Collection in which they are formally introduced to the Honor Code. And, during Custom Week, there are a number of social activities that will surely never be forgotten: Dorm Olympics, the SupaFun Dance, and the first a cappella concert of the academic year that hosts all nine groups! (Did we mention that a cappella is a tradition at Haverford?!).
Lastly, in addition to the typical graduation requirements of most higher education institutions, Haverford's student body also has a few 'unofficial' graduation requirements. Although there are many divergent opinions of the exact number and the degree of daring, the commonly agreed upon activities include swimming in the Duck Pond, running the "Naked Mile" and spending one full night in Magill Library (ask your Customs Person for the other unofficial graduation requirements that s/he may know).