Quasquicentennial Events
Celebrating our History and Making New Memories
Join us for our 125th festivities and programs. Please note that new, 125th-specific events are noted with the 125th crest.
Convocation, August 25, 2023
The school year formally opens with a Convocation service. This tradition began in 1966 and is held on the first Friday of the school year. The entire school community is invited to join the students in welcoming a new year and listen to messages from the Head of School, Student Council Presidents, and an esteemed guest speaker. In formal Assembly style, complete with flags, service, and dress uniforms, the opening exercises are an inspiring and distinctive tradition.
Founders' Day Weekend, September 22-23, 2023
On September 22, 1898, Mary Bole Scott and Florence Kelley established Columbus School for Girls, the first all-girl college preparatory school in Franklin County that is still in operation. To celebrate 125 years of academic excellence at CSG, we are commemorating our Founders' Day with a Founders' Day reception, a tailgate, and homecoming.
On September 22, 2023, CSG students recognizes our beloved School’s history with Big Sis/Lil Sis festivities during the school day. That evening, CSG parents, alumnae, and friends were invited to campus for the first-ever Founders' Day reception.
The following morning on September 23, CSG hosted a homecoming tailgate on Kirk Campus for all of our community members to come together and rally behind our fall sports teams. That night, Upper School students enjoyed CSG’s inaugural homecoming celebration.
Thanksgiving Program, November 21, 2023
The Thanksgiving program stands as a testimony to a century of tradition. A favorite program of many, this service celebrates the ever-changing expressions of thanks behind this American holiday. Songs that have endured for more than 100 years provide the framework around which unique contributions from students and faculty create a memorable program for the entire school. Many alumnae look forward to a reunion with friends at the program.
The Thanksgiving program culminates with selections from CSG musicians. The choirs have been joined by the band and orchestra to present music that, for many, encompasses the essence of Thanksgiving and sets the tone for the upcoming holiday season. A highlight of the program each year is the presentation of “Over the River and Through the Woods” by the students from the Program for Young Children. This unpredictable and irresistible rendition by the youngest members of the CSG community is usually rewarded with a standing ovation from audience members and their schoolmates.
Holiday Dinner, December 14, 2023
In the earliest days of the school, the two founding headmistresses, Mary Bole Scott and Florence Kelley, gave a Christmas party for the Junior and Senior girls. In 1906, Bryden Hall was the scene of the first Christmas party hosted by headmistresses Alice Gladden and Grace Latimer Jones for the Upper School students, faculty members, and many returning alumnae. Over the years, the dinner has become a major event held in honor of the seniors. As the Holiday Dinner evolved from its simple beginning, Trustees and parents of seniors were invited to join in the formal occasion. The evening includes the class flags, an address by a faculty member (whose identity is kept secret until that evening), a program by members of the graduating class, and candelabras that have been used at every Holiday Dinner.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Program, January 12, 2024
In 1997, students initiated the first Martin Luther King, Jr. Program to honor and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work and legacy. Each year, students, parents, alums, faculty and staff, and friends gather to observe the holiday. Today, the program is led by the Beauty of African American Culture Club, which organizes and presents the assembly to our community.
Scholarship Walk, April 19, 2024
Each year since 1972, the school has held a Scholarship Walk to support CSG’s tuition assistance program. While the location and distance walked may have changed over the years, the commitment remains to ensure that every girl who could flourish and thrive at CSG has the opportunity to do so. Support of the CSG Scholarship Walk allows us to remain committed to continuing to foster a vibrant school community and ensuring that a CSG education is accessible to families all over central Ohio.
Alumnae Weekend, April 26-27, 2024
In 1928, Eleanor Kurtz Beaton, class of 1899, and Marion Smith Stoneman, class of 1915, started the CSG Alumnae Association. One of CSG’s most enduring traditions was initiated by these women in 1929 with the creation of the Alumnae Supper. In about 1980, the supper was changed to a brunch, which is now held during Alumnae Weekend annually at the end of April. A highlight of Alumnae Weekend is the presentation of the Alumna of the Year Award, given to an alum whose contributions to her community or area of endeavor demonstrate the value of a CSG education and, coupled with her loyalty to the school, distinguish her as a true role model to the newest alumnae.
125th Jubilee Celebration, April 27, 2024
Founded by Nancy Jeffrey and Anne Pizzuti in 1992, Jubilee was an event that offered community festivities centered around a unique shopping experience from national and international vendors, which benefitted CSG’s tuition assistance program. Jubilee was an annual event for over 20 years, and this year we plan to bring back the spirit of Jubilee in the form of a celebration. This celebration will pay tribute to our 125 years of history and will feature music, food, and a live auction.
Commencement, June 3, 2024
The first school graduation in 1899 was the culmination of the founders’ dreams. Two girls received diplomas in a ceremony conducted in the schoolhouse on East Town Street. Dressed in white frocks and carrying field daisies, the graduates set the pattern for future celebrations. The daisies were replaced by red roses in 1905, but the long white gowns and many of the elements that contributed to the pomp and circumstance have remained.
Faculty, processing in order of seniority and adorned with hoods appropriate to their advanced degrees, have always participated in the event. After the school was incorporated in 1927, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees joined the ceremonies and since that time has presented the graduates with their diplomas.
In 1996, Commencement returned to its original location, the school campus. Today, the Seniors, in white and carrying red roses, process to William Walton’s Orb and Sceptre. They receive their diplomas on the stately portico facing Broad Street. Form VI Little Sisters honor their Big Sisters as they form a line for the recessional and hold a laurel garland on either side of the aisle.