Throwback Thursday: Valentine’s Day by: Delani Bauer
Hardin-Simmons University has always gone above and beyond making each holiday special for its students.The celebration of Valentine’s Day has been no less commemorated on the Forty Acres.
On Feb. 8,1945, Hardin-Simmons hosted a Valentine's Day Banquet. The event took place at the First Baptist Church. The celebration entertained over 200 HSU students. (The Brand (Abilene, Texas.), Vol. 29, No. 17, Ed. 1, Saturday, Feb. 10, 1945)
The banquet’s theme was “school daze.” The students participated in singing, readings, and music led by faculty and community members. Continuing the “school” theme, an “English lesson” in the form of a spelling bee took place. The students were given a “history lesson” through the readings of letters from servicemen. (The Brand (Abilene, Texas.), Vol. 29, No. 17, Ed. 1, Saturday, Feb. 10, 1945)
On the contrary, as Valentine's Day approaches, we must remember all of the singles this year. In 2008, The Brand reported on Singles Awareness Day (SAD). The SAD Party took place on February 14. The point of the celebration was to embrace being single and have a fun night of community with fun, food and games. The event even included t-shirts and prize raffles. (The Brand (Abilene, Texas.), Vol. 96, No. 9, Ed. 1, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008)
In 1951, The Brand reported on their sponsored event, Beauty and the Beast. This Valentine's Day tradition at HSU took place every February beginning in the 1930s. A “campus beauty” and a “beastly boy” were selected annually. (1950). (The Brand (Abilene, Texas.), Vol. 35, No. 18, Ed. 1, Saturday, Feb. 10, 1951)
The campus widely favored blondes as their beauty. Only three brunettes have been chosen as Beauty as of 1951. These brunettes were: Tomi Williamsin (1951), Joyce Canon (1945), and Carolyn Hannah (1950). (The Brand (Abilene, Texas.), Vol. 35, No. 18, Ed. 1, Saturday, Feb. 10, 1951)
These celebrations remind us of the true purpose of Valentine's Day, ”have fun being exactly where you are, even if it means consuming a box of chocolate to remind you that everything is ok.” (The Brand (Abilene, Texas.), Vol. 96, No. 9, Ed. 1, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008)