🔨 CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Blanche Robertson Bacon Performing Arts Center Anticipation is reaching a peak as we enter the final countdown to the completion of the Blanche Center with renovations and additions to the Eliza Battle Pittman Auditorium. The new HVAC system is now 75% complete, along with 75% of the fire alarm and sprinkler system, and 70% of the plumbing system. The new theatrical lighting and sound system is 60% finished. Within the Blanche Center, the walls are 100% framed, and drywall will be installed within the next couple of weeks. Pittman Auditorium interior renovations are moving quickly toward their final phase, with plaster walls and ceilings being repaired and restored. Exterior hardscapes and grading are starting soon! It's an exciting time on campus! (fb)

Our commencement includes many traditions unique to Saint Mary's, a favorite being the giving of the iris. The blue iris has long been an iconic symbol of Saint Mary’s rich commencement tradition. Graduates have carried the irises in our commencement procession for many decades. Irises bloom each spring all around campus, most notably, in the Class of 1904 sundial garden in front of East Rock. The blue iris is a symbol of faith, hope, and wisdom, which makes it a perfect representation of all that a Saint Mary’s commencement embodies – the faith a student has nurtured in her four years in Chapel and in our community; the hopes and dreams of a graduate on commencement day; and the wisdom gained through a Saint Mary’s education. Through the years, the iris tradition has evolved and grown into a most beloved part of a Saint Mary’s commencement. The High School Class of 1987 gave the brass urn still used today, as the marshals collect the irises from graduates as they step up to the stage to receive their diplomas. In 2007, the tradition began of underclasswomen giving an iris to a graduating senior just prior to the commencement procession through the Grove. Today, Saint Mary’s iris tradition is stronger than ever, a beautiful symbol of a Saint Mary’s School commencement day. (fb)