Tucked in Winnetka, Illinois, the Girton School for Girls operated from 1901 to 1919 as both a boarding and day school. It served girls primarily, though boys were eventually admitted to the lower school. When the school closed in 1919, its campus was taken over by North Shore Country Day School, and several Girton students continued their education there. The photographs below — taken mostly in the 1910s — offer a rare window into daily school life, theatrical performances, and seasonal celebrations that defined the Girton experience.
One of the school’s most beloved traditions was the May Revels — an annual outdoor celebration that brought the entire student body together each spring. The event featured music, dancing, elaborate costumes, and pageantry. It was a centerpiece of school life and gave students a structured but festive outlet for performance and community.
The maypole was a central feature of the May Revels. Students would weave ribbons around a tall pole in a carefully choreographed dance that required coordination and practice. The tradition had deep roots in European folk celebrations, and Girton embraced it as part of its broader commitment to arts and culture.
The 1914 May Revels were especially well-documented. Students took on specific roles during the celebration, including heralds who opened the proceedings. Florence Tyden and Priscilla McIlvaine served in that capacity that year, dressed in period-appropriate attire that matched the ceremonial tone of the event.
Beyond the maypole, the 1914 Revels also included a full pageant — a theatrical procession with costumed students acting out scenes. The pageant was a separate, more dramatic component of the celebration, distinct from the dance portion.
The maypole dance of 1914 included a large group of named participants. Helen Farrell, Cecil Rigby, Gladys McQuatters, Loretta McCambridge, Hazel Cornwell, Ruth Plain, Frances Von Hofsten, Dorothy Cornwell, Emily Matz, Catherine Chrismond, Marjorie Morris, Ruth Dixon, and Dorothy Stanhope all took part. Their names survive in the school’s records, preserving their moment in the celebration more than a century later.
In addition to seasonal events, Girton students participated in theatrical productions throughout the school year. Drama was treated as a serious part of the curriculum, and performances were staged with full costumes and dedicated roles. These productions required significant preparation from both upper and lower school students.
The class of 1912 gathered outside the Winnetka Community House for their graduation photo — one of the few surviving images that ties Girton students directly to a specific date and location in the town. The Community House served as a civic gathering space, and its use for Girton’s graduation speaks to the school’s standing in the local community.
The 1914 production of “Sanctuary: A Bird Masque” by playwright Percy Mackaye was a major undertaking. The play featured both upper and lower school students, with younger children cast as birds. Katherine Strotz, a member of the class of 1917, played Alwyn — a named character role that required her to appear in full costume.
The senior class of 1912 staged Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” as their senior play. Performing a full Shakespeare production required the students to memorize substantial dialogue and take on complex characters. It reflects the academic and artistic ambitions Girton held for its graduating students.
During the 1914 May Revels, “Sanctuary: A Bird Masque” was performed by both the upper and lower schools together. The lower school children were costumed as birds, filling the stage with movement and color while older students handled the speaking roles. It was a school-wide production that tied directly into the Revels celebration.
Beatrice Starr played Ornis and Elizabeth Kultchar played Tacita in the same production. Their costumes and roles placed them among the central characters in the masque, which used the symbolism of birds and nature as its main themes.
A group photograph from the production shows the full cast of named characters in order: Katherine Strotz as Alwyn, Alice Boak as Quercus, Alice Rood as Stark, Beatrice Starr as Ornis, Elizabeth Kultchar as Tacita, and Dorothy Work as Shy. Each student’s costume reflected their specific character’s identity within the play.
The Junior class of 1912 also marked their place in the school’s traditions with a daisy chain — a long garland made of flowers carried by the juniors during the graduation ceremony. The photograph was taken outside the Winnetka Community House, the same location used for the senior graduation that year.
