Manitou Seniors Finally Don Their Togas

On Thursday, April 15th, seniors finally got the chance to partake in the Manitou tradition of wearing togas to school for Homecoming. Homecoming was postponed in the fall after fall season sports were postponed due to COVID-19.

The infamous college toga parties that are portrayed in movies of the 1980s often come to mind when most people think about togas today; but togas began in Ancient Rome. According to English teacher Dr. Moen, “The history resides in the status of the garment. Only elite citizens were allowed to wear them in Roman culture, so seniors are the elite citizens of our halls.” According to Angela Gieck, graduate of MSHS and PHC Student Liason, the senior tradition of wearing a toga goes back to at least the 1980s. Traditionally, “the Thursday of Homecoming Week, only seniors would wear togas. Typically, groups of seniors would all go to an early morning breakfast before school that day as well,” Gieck said. This Manitou tradition is still strong today.

For seniors at MSHS, wearing the toga is an honor. According to Senior Class Vice President Caden Harris,

“Wearing the toga is tradition. It’s fun and a great experience reserved for seniors but it also represents the honor and responsibility we have all accepted through high school.” Wearing the toga is also a symbol of the unity for the senior class. “Wearing a toga means you get to be the seniors that you always looked up to. You get to fulfill that one part of being a senior, as a reward for all you’ve gone through. You trust in the sheet that is wrapped around you, and when you see your friends in them, it’s so much easier to not feel ridiculous because you all went through it all together; it’s a celebration of being united in the success of the last year,” said Student Body Vice President Dana Gutierrez.

The wearing of the toga brings the senior class together, but it also has a more personal meaning for some seniors. “Wearing the senior toga represents all the growth I’ve gone through for me,” said Senior Class Secretary Grace Trahey. “I remember being a freshman and looking at the senior class as they wore their togas to school during spirit week, and thinking ‘that’s gonna be me one day’ but never really expecting that day to come and suddenly there it was. It felt sort of surreal.” Senior Class President Sophie McKeown feels that “wearing the toga

for Homecoming week represented our class’s dedication and love for our last year at MSHS. It was the first sign of things going back to normal and served as our light at the end of the tunnel.”

While the history of when and why the senior toga tradition began in Manitou remains a mystery, one thing is certain. Seniors look forward to the day when they don their togas as a class.

Although MSHS did not have a traditional fall Homecoming this year, they made the best of Homecoming in April. Many doned their togas, went to breakfast with friends, and came to school. With one month left of school and Senioritis setting in the togas took on a new menaing. This year, According to English teacher Mr. Gillard, “They’re an absolute physical manifestation of Senioritis.”

Senior STUCO Goddesses. Sophie McKeown, Grace Trahey, Chloe Donegan, Dana Gutierrez, and Mahlia Glass model their togas on the Thursday before Homecoming. These ladies worked hard this year to keep the student body engaged.

Strutting Seniors. Senior boys Mike Vanderwerff, Caden Harris, Nathan Hass, Wally Hoehne, Geroge Cerneck, Thor Flett, Brian Blake, Jesse Jorstad, Joah Armour, Lars Marquardt, and Isaiah Thomas enjoyed dressing up in their bedsheets for Spirit Week. The days was full of muscle baring and toga adjustments.