Conditions Governing Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Custodial History

This collection was previously part of the University Archives Publications Collection.

Preferred Citation

Memorial Services Collection, Special Collections Research Center, College of William & MaryLibraries

Biographical / Historical

The William &Mary Alumni Association was founded on July 4, 1842, and is the sixth-oldest alumni organization in the country. All graduates and former students of the College of William and Mary are considered members of the Alumni Association. The Alumni Association is an independent, nonprofit organization that serves William and Mary and its many alumni, students, parents and friends and is governed by a 17-member Board of Directors.

The generally accepted date for the founding or the William & Mary Alumni Association is July 4, 1842. An alumni organization of some sort may have been in existence before this time. However, this is the date that the Honorable Nathaniel Beverly Tucker, a judge and professor of national and municipal law and of the science of government at the College delivered the first Alumni Day oration. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .

Scope and Contents

This collection contains programs for memorial services held at the William & Mary or associated with the university. This includes programs from the Annual Memorial Service at the William & Mary to honor those that have died during the preceding year. In 1978 the service became known as the Sunset Ceremony held in October during Homecoming. Specific ceremonies that have been conducted in the past include "Roster of the Dead" and placing the wreath on William & Mary President Benjamin S. Ewell's Grave held in June, Fallen French Soldiers in 1981, Constance M.K. Applebee in 1982, William & Mary President John Stewart Bryan in 1944, reinternment of William & Mary President Thomas Roderick Dew in 1939, John F. Kennedy in 1963, Goronwy Owen in 1957, and the victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Homecoming
• Memorial Service
• Programs