It’s incredible to think we are celebrating our 18th Founder’s Day… Ms. Welch’s 98th birthday
Every April 27th (her birthday) since her passing, the ritual has become its own school holiday and tradition.
This year, students added to their collection of skills by weaving their own wreaths from strands of campus willow trees – which, in fact, are donations from another of our GHS community ancestors, Errol Fraser, who passed in 2023. The wreaths will be adorned with the famous forsythia flower, which has a long tradition in campus folklore as noted below.
Here is Mr. Danny’s first published recognition of the new holiday from the first birthday after her passing:
by Daniel Patrick Welch | April 27, 2009 – 5:42pm
School officials decided that her birthday, April 27, will be celebrated as Founder’s Day from now on. “It’s the right way to honor a wonderful life and legacy,” says her son and current Director Dan Welch. “In a way, we consider her our Fallen Leader.”
The event will be a low-key affair, at least this year. “Even the memory of the funeral is still quite raw–it was less than two months ago,” says Welch. “We consider this a sort of initial thing, something that will grow in the future. This year we’ll just see if we can make it through without crying too much.”
Still, the children will participate in a special ceremony involving forsythias and Ms. Welch’s memory. Students will walk down to gather forsythia stalks down by the marsh; when they are bundled, a smaller contingent will bring them to place at Ms. Welch’s grave with Mr. Danny. Later, new forsythia bushes will be planted on the school campus.
Forsythias, it turns out, had a special symbolic meaning for Jennings-Welch. “She always said they were her birthday flower,” Welch explains. “Apparently, her mother had gone into labor suddenly, and my grandfather didn’t have time to buy flowers. He snatched some forsythias–which was one of the only flowers in bloom– from a garden on the way to the hospital and arrived, breathless and beaming, to the birth of his first child–or so the story goes.” It’s a great story, and whichever parts are apochryphal, Welch allows, it’s still a potent symbol of hope and renewal. “She told it a million times; I love it for the story, but also for the symbolism: the coming of spring, the promise offered by an early bloom…it’s a great thing.”
Aside from the flower ceremony and singing, which Ms. Welch loved, the kids will spend the day doing a lot of reading. “It was her true passion,” says her daughter-in-law and Assistant Director Julia Nambalirwa-Lugudde. “She developed a truly amazing reading program, and we’re thrilled to be carrying the torch.” Special attention will be paid to poet Shel Silverstein and Dr. Seuss, two of her favorites. “They were a bit wacky,” Welch says, “so naturally my mother loved them.” One poem that will be front and center was chosen by Welch’s wife, “If the World Were Crazy” by Silverstein. “It is such a great tribute to Pat. I don’t think either of us had much respect for anyone who wasn’t just a little bit crazy,” says Nambalirwa-Lugudde. “She must be smiling at the rest of us she left in this crazy world. Reading, working, always reaching for the stars–but following your own path. She would have liked that.
Photos from the first Founder’s Day in 2009
Salem School Celebrates Founder’s 90th Birthday
Photos and clips of all Founder’s Day celebrations since
Who among you still does the old school thing of actually *mailing* cards to family, friends, clients and others at Christmas and New Year’s. Everyone is familiar with the famous Christmas Letter tradition. And there have been so many digital and online “cards” that many people forget how we all used to revel in the annual fun of trading our holiday greetings.
