Wonderful Wednesdays

Revival of Wonderful Wednesdays

Students took a break from studying for midterms on Wednesday afternoon to gather in the center of campus, bask in the warm sunshine and relax.

In the spring of 1982, more than two thousand Emory students gathered on the Upper Field to "Toast Away Wonderful Wednesday." Photo by University Photography

But the occasion was not a holiday or even the day before one. It was the first Wonderful Wednesday since 1982.

Two weeks after rain forced the postponement of their plans, the Emory secret society Ducemus brought back Wonderful Wednesday in the hope of evoking school spirit among students.

The day began with an informal talk by University President James W. Wagner and an All-Row round-robin kickball tournament. The festivities continued with step dance performances by BAM and Ngambika and a performance by the Emory Pep Band.

A highlight was the sight of grown Emory students screaming like babies as tufts of hair were ripped from their backs and chests in a Waxathon to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.

College senior Chris Jayne, a Wonderful Wednesdays moderator, said Ducemus decided to revive Wonderful Wednesdays to "bring more spirit back to Emory."

When asked if he knows who Ducemus is, Jayne chuckled and said he has had no personal contact with the organization - he merely receives e-mails telling him what to do.

On Wednesday, Jayne's job was to attract a crowd by shouting through a megaphone.

"Look at the crowd we've drawn just playing some loud music," he said.

College senior Kristen Hays, head modertor, estimated that 400 or even 500 people attended the events throughout the day.

Wonderful Wednesdays was a tradition begun in 1967 in which no classes were held on that day of the week. Dean of the College John C. Stephens instituted the mid-week break because he thought it would allow students to spend more time on assignments.

To the dismay of many, the break was discontinued when the College shifted from a quarter to a semester calendar.

Ducemus plans to hold a Wonderful Wednesday every two weeks, with the next falling on March 29.

Hays said funding for Wonderful Wednesdays comes mainly from donations, including from the administration and local businesses.

College senior Devin Murphy, who was at a booth raising money for the Senior Tribute Fund, said he wished the tradition had been reintroduced earlier in his time at Emory.

Hays said she was pleased with the event, which she said was "absolutely a success."

When Wednesdays were Wonderful

When I was in high school in the early 1980s and considering where to attend college, every time I mentioned Emory, my father got a faraway look in his eyes. "That's the school where they don't have classes on Wednesdays," he would say, staring out into space. My dad had graduated from the United States Naval Academy, a rather regimented institution, and the idea of taking a vacation every hump day seemed deliciously decadent to him.

The idea appealed to me, too. And when it came time to choose a college, I decided against Tulane and Vanderbilt and went with Emory, not entirely because of Wonderful Wednesday, as it was known, but that was certainly a bonus.

My dreams of mid-week R&R, however, were only that--dreams. The quarter system that had supported Wonderful Wednesday came to an end at the close of the 1981-82 academic year, and when I showed up on campus as a freshman in the fall, Wednesdays were just like any other school day.

The now-defunct tradition began years ago in the winter quarter of the 1967-68 academic year and was the brainchild of then-Dean of Emory College John C. Stephens '37C-'38G. The mid-week break, he reasoned, would encourage students to engage in independent study and give them an opportunity to spend more time on their assignments. By doing so, students would come to class better prepared, and the quality of in-class discussions and research papers would increase.

According to a 1969 survey, "Wonderful Wednesday: An Approach to Independent Study," the plan was a success. "Some students have indicated that for the first time they have been able to complete all the reading assignments," the report stated. "This would tie in with the observations of about one-third of the faculty, who have reported more careful preparation of class assignments, greater independent thinking with regard to course material, increased interest in subject, and increased class attendance."

A number of unusually candid students who were interviewed stated that it also afforded them "a chance to sleep later than usual." Wonderful Wednesday was thus a win-win situation, and one year after the program was instituted, 83 percent of the faculty who cast a ballot voted to continue the practice.

Wonderful Wednesday became one of the University's most beloved traditions, and students were upset when it was discontinued upon Emory's conversion to the semester system. On June 2, 1982, the final Wonderful Wednesday, 2,283 Emory students gathered on the Upper Field to "Toast Away Wonderful Wednesday." In the process, a world record was set for the largest non-alcoholic toast (naturally, Coca-Cola was the celebratory beverage).

According to an article in Emory's yearbook, The Campus, "Never before in recent years had Emory seen such total participation in a University event." William H. Fox '79PhD, then-vice president and dean for Campus Life ... led one of the toasts. "I thought it was one of the greatest events I've ever seen at Emory," he said. "One of the greatest community experiences."--John D. Thomas

Source: Emory Magazine, Autumn 2000