Vassar Yesterday

Over the years, many a Vassar student has grumbled at the icy winds and slippery sidewalks that cover the campus in winter. But the coldest months also bring snow, the beloved stuff of snowmen on Joss Beach and, of course, the much-missed pastime of “traying” (sledding on now-defunct ACDC trays). Nearly a hundred years ago, some history-minded students braved the cold for another reason: to reenact George Washington’s famed Christmas crossing of the Delaware River. Starring Margaret Armstrong Howe ’14 as Washington, this makeshift crossing of February 22, 1914, honored Washington’s birthday. Judging by the well-placed “ice floes,” the anachronistic stars-and-stripes flag, and the boot hanging over the bow, it appears that the reenactors used Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting “George Washington Crossing the Delaware” as a model. Happy birthday, Mr. President! — M.A.

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