Haverford College continues cherished tradition, despite coronavirus

It magically happens one day every April: Staff and students at Haverford College awaken to find the campus green covered with thousands of pinwheels — the handiwork of a secret group of students who once called themselves “the Society for the Preservation of Pinwheels.”

Stuck in the ground, the colorful spinners look like spring flowers, gently turning in the breeze, and seeming to herald the arrival of spring.

This year, with the campus all but shuttered and fewer students still living there, college officials decided to let Pinwheel Day live on virtually.

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The college mailed thousands of do-it-yourself pinwheel kits to current students and alumni from the last 15 years living all over the world. Recipients were instructed to create their wheel, display it, and post photos on social media. The school gathered the images, from as far away as Brazil, and shared them.

“We’re hoping that it makes the Haverford community feel and stay connected in an otherwise somewhat chaotic and challenging time for a lot of people,” said Mike Elias, dean of student engagement.

Other area colleges are finding ways to keep traditions alive, too. Bryn Mawr College, which holds an annual May Day celebration that typically includes a parade and dancing, will feature on a Facebook page appearances by “mainstays, professors, clubs and students alike," said student Liz Marchini.

“We wanted to focus on spreading love and support for our entire Mawrtyr community across the globe and attempt to lift spirits during these trying times,” she said.

It’s also a way to make empty college campuses feel a little more full.

With just 125 students still living at Haverford, the campus isn’t the same, Elias said.

“There’s a sense of emptiness … right now,” he said.

Haverford officials aren’t sure exactly how long Pinwheel Day has been around, though they posted an interview with an alumna on Tuesday who is likely responsible for the tradition since at least 1998. As the lore goes, a group of students does the work, keeping their identity secret. No one but those students knows when the event will be, but it’s always on a sun-splashed day.

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“They sort of sneak around campus in the very late hours of the nighttime, or super-super early in the morning,” Elias said. “Our ground crew is out there by 6 a.m., and it’s a surprise to them.”

Throughout the day, students and staff take a pinwheel back to their homes or offices. Many keep the souvenirs for years, said Michelle Leao, director of student engagement and leadership.

One year, 2016, it almost didn’t happen. The pinwheels were placed on Founders Green, but removed by “unknown people for an unknown reason,” according to a Haverford College news article.

“Do not let Pinwheel Day be clouded over by this unfortunate event,” wrote students, who signed the message "the Society for the Preservation of Pinwheels,” according to the college account. “The community spirit is what kept this tradition going for years and Pinwheel Day is not going anywhere.”

Sure enough, the pinwheels began reappearing before the day ended.

This year was no different.

Even non-Haverford students and staff marked Tuesday’s annual tradition.

“This is my FAVORITE holiday that I’ve appropriated from a college that I have never attended," tweeted one. "Happy Pinwheel Day, y’all!”