Cincinnati, Ohio, May 26, 2015 – For over 100 years now, prior to graduation day, seniors at Saint Ursula Academy have sipped tea with friends and relatives as they prepare to leave behind the school which has helped them grow into strong, courageous, confident young women ready to venture onto college campuses across the nation.
The Senior Tea at Saint Ursula Academy began in 1911 and is as much of a tradition as the long white dresses worn on graduation day. Seniors don their best hats and dresses as they assemble to greet their guests, many of whom were once Saint Ursula Academy students. Guests travel down the receiving line greeting each student and sharing well-wishes for a successful future.
After guests have greeted each student, tea is served on the fine china teacups and saucers that have been used by thousands of young ladies through the years. Many pieces of this fine china have been passed down from the Sisters who founded Saint Ursula Academy. The event reminds the graduates of the importance of tradition, and the importance of the women who have supported, and will continue to support them.
The tea was an extra special event this year for the family of Sophia Settle. Attending the tea with Sophia were her mother and three aunts, all of whom graduated from Saint Ursula Academy, her grandmother, her cousin, and her younger sister. This group of women have enjoyed the Senior Tea tradition for many years and look forward to attending many more in the future.
Featured in the photo (L-R): Lucie Perry Hawgood ’90, Julie Perry Daoud ’88, Krista Perry Settle ’82, Nicola Settle, Sophia Settle ’15, Rene Perry , Emma Krug ’16, and Anne Perry Krug ‘80
To learn more about St. Ursula Academy, please visit www.saintursula.org.
St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. St. Ursula welcomes students from more than 70 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 2002 the Academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The Class of 2014 earned college scholarships totaling more than $20-million.