Vibrantly colored ribbons cascaded down into the spring season as the Archer community honored the age-old tradition of the Maypole. Seniors and their families were invited to the annual Maypole setup Sunday, April 30.

The seniors learned about the history of the Maypole from the Maypole man, who prefers to remain anonymous. He then dropped ribbons from the top of the pole, and one by one, seniors caught their ribbons and tied them to stakes, which they had hammered into the ground to create the canopy of ribbon.

Dean of Student Life, Equity and Inclusion Samantha Hazell-O’Brien coordinated the event with the business office and worked behind the scenes with the facilities team to properly install the Maypole before the event.

“I’ll be there watching. What I’m most looking forward to, and it’s with love, but when seniors have to catch the ribbons. Seeing some of the hand-eye coordination will be funny,” Hazell-O’Brien said prior to the celebration. “I am looking forward to getting to meet the parents because I’ve only been here two years. These seniors were just juniors last year, and we didn’t have a ton of interfacing because of the pandemic and not having visitors on campus, so getting to meet the parents is what’s most important.” 

Each senior and their family prepared the Maypole for another Archer tradition: the Maypole dance, where sixth graders dance around the Maypole and weave each ribbon to create a braided pattern on the last day of school. Senior Lexie Horizon came to Archer in sixth grade and reflected on her feelings being a senior preparing the Maypole for current sixth graders.

“I remember doing the Maypole dance in sixth grade,” Horizon said. “The fact that my journey at Archer is coming to an end and I am able to set up the Maypole for the younger sixth graders is really exciting and cute.”

Hazell-O’Brien said she appreciates watching the seniors make their mark with the setup.

“Many seniors who started their sixth grade year remember doing the Maypole dance and weaving it,” Hazell-O’Brien said. “It’s this full, cyclical moment where the seniors are laying the foundation of the Maypole and then the sixth graders are going through and adding that element. I love that reciprocity.”

Senior Zoe Griffin also attended Archer in sixth grade and said the event has felt bittersweet due to its tie between a new beginning for the sixth graders and the departure of the graduating class.

“Most of us did the Maypole in sixth grade, and now it’s the culmination of our Archer career in the sense that we setup the Maypole, but we’re not going to be there to watch the Maypole,” Griffin said. “It’s really sad that we’re not going to see the finished Maypole, but that’s part of the beauty of setting it up because it’s something we are making for the future generations.”