Mendon May Day

Mendon’s May Day is a community celebration that has continued on from Mendon's early pioneer times, in much the same form and fashion as it was first practiced by those early founders of our city. If they were watching the pageant this year… I think they would approve of our celebration and the one-hundred pretty little school girls dancing around five maypoles, singing the songs of spring, songs for their Queen of the May. The speeches, dance steps, music and songs were prepared for us long ago and today we shared this legacy with our community once again. Thank you Mendon for preserving your heritage, for sharing it with our small but growing community, for sharing it with all whom would come. You are one of the very best kept secrets in the country! May 1, 2010 was our 148th time to crown a Queen of the May to reign over the quaint springtime array, I hope we are able and willing to do it that many times more. Thank you people of Mendon for your hard work and for your love and kindness in keeping this wonderful tradition alive. Thank You …

May Day Beginnings

The beginnings of Mendon’s first May Day can be traced to the early spring of 1863. A group of young girls, feeling the exhilaration of the fresh springtime air, walked, skipped and perhaps even ran with excitement, south toward the old millpond some three miles distant. Recent events in the valley had created a sense of safety among the early pioneer settlers who were still living fort-style and the young ladies of the newly settled town were going to take advantage of it. Picking the native spring flowers, placing them in their hair as they went, they collected beautiful bouquets and laughed with each other as they enjoyed the beauty of the countryside and the fresh warmth of the sun. History has given us the names of only two of these young women, Mary Willie and Seny Sorensen.

In the country of their birth, springtime had always brought with it a celebration of the season; they had celebrated May Day in England and the Scandinavian countries as children. No reason could be seen not to elect from among the assembled group of friends a May Queen of their own. The method of selection is not known, but the first queen, Seny Sorensen was crowned on that day with a hand woven wreath of fresh springtime flowers.

From this early time until the present, Mendon has continued a proud tradition of celebrating spring by honoring the youth of the local area. The dances are taught, the songs are sung, the steps are memorized and the sound of one hundred or more, young girls praising the queen can still be heard in Mendon, on the first Saturday in May, at 10:00 in the morning on the town square, rain or shine! Come and visit with us!

History of Mendon's May Day—

The May Day years with links below, will take you to the information I have posted to the web for that year. Enjoy your trip into the fun days of Mendon’s May Day past.

Mendon May Day Index by Year
2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000
1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990
1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980
1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970
1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960
1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950
1931	1932	1933	1934	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940
1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	1928	1929	1930
1911	1912	1913	1914	1915	1916	1917	1918	1919	1920
1901	1902	1903	1904	1905	1906	1907	1908	1909	1910
1891	1892	1893	1894	1895	1896	1897	1898	1899	1900
1881	1882	1883	1884	1885	1886	1887	1888	1889	1890
1871	1872	1873	1874	1875	1876	1877	1878	1879	1880
		1863	1864	1865	1866	1867	1868	1869	1870

 

Mendon's May Day Beginnings

The beginnings of Mendon’s first May Day have been traced back to the early spring of 1863. A group of young girls, feeling the exhilaration of the fresh springtime air, walked, jumped, skipped and perhaps even ran with excitement toward the old millpond, some three miles to the south of Mendon. Recent military events in the Cache Valley had created a new sense of safety among the early pioneer settlers who were then still living at the time fort-style for protection from the Indians, and the young ladies of the newly settled town were going to take full advantage of it. Picking the native spring flowers from the valley floor, placing them in each others hair as they joyfully went, collecting beautiful bouquets and laughing with each other as they enjoyed the beauty of the fresh countryside, the soft warmth of the spring sun. History has given us the names of two of these young women, Mary Willie and Seny Sorensen, the rest we could surmise, for there were by this time several more families added to the settlement at Mendon.

In the native countries of their birth, springtime had always brought with it a celebration of the season; they had all celebrated May Day, both in England and the Scandinavian countries as children. At the time, no reason could be seen to not elect from among the assembled group of young friends, a Queen of the May for their own. Thus it was done, a group of girls choose from among them, a queen. The method of selection is not known, but the first Queen of the May is, Seny Sorensen was crowned on that warm spring day with a fresh wreath of woven springtime flowers. Another of the young women would have stood behind her, said a few words, and placed the beautiful floral wreath, still fresh with the scent of spring upon Seny's head.

From this early time until this very day, Mendon has continued a proud tradition of celebrating the return of spring by honoring the youth of our local area. The dances are taught, songs are sung, steps are memorized over and over and then you will hear the wondrous sound of some sixty young school girls, praising the queen in verse, piano playing in the background. A queen is to be crowned on the town square each year, the first Saturday in May. Beginning at 10:00 a.m. most years, and lasting until just after Noon, including the program held at the nearby church. Yes, it can still be heard in Mendon rain or shine, outdoors if at all possible, but indoors if need be. Come by and visit with us.

Those, whom established the tradition in Mendon, would most likely recognize it, as it exists today. I think this is due to the fact that commercial concerns are usually not ever allowed to spoil it. It is just the good people of Mendon, their young Queen, our little sons and daughters, all taking one spring morning from each year to get together on the village green. Overhead we will wish for blue bird skies, white snow capped mountains in the distance, lushes green grass and dew on everyone’s shoes… a time to cherish and reflect together. A time for family, friends and returning citizens of Mendon.

Mendon's May Day Traditions

Kind friends, we have met this lovely day, to welcome again the spring. The birds are singing a joyous lay, and the trees their fragrance bring. Nature has on her robe of green, she smiles all through the day. The pretty blossoms with the buds between, now blush in their old-fashioned way. The fairies are calling for someone to reign, over all of the springtime array. So we must now hasten our laurels to gain, and crown __________ our Queen of May.

Thus wrote Bishop Henry C. Sorensen, the composition commonly spoken of as the crowner’s speech. Those of us who have been invited to do the honors have memorized and spoken these meaningful words as each has placed a crown of flowers on the head of a lovely girl. This and all that goes with it has had a refining influence on the young people of Mendon. The idea, is it said, came from the English converts who had taken part in May Day celebrations in England. In the beginning, with apple blossoms and May flowers around them, the townspeople went ‘Straying and Maying’ around the public square. They followed the Marshal Band under the leadership of Frank Williams, who organized the young men and boys. The maypole dance and the crowning of the queen were later introduced. Larsine (Seny) Sorensen, who later married Alexander Richards was the first Mendon May Day Queen. Since then there have been many; and we honor them again today. I know of only two times in the history of this celebration when it was conducted differently. One time the queen was crowned by the Sunday school superintendent, who was my father, William Isaac Sorensen. The other time she [Arzella Bird, in 1915] was crowned by another girl, Julia Ahrens Muir. This was done because of a shortage of, or unwillingness on the part of the boys to act. But in the last fifteen or twenty years there has been no such problem. This might be because of the expertness of the Sunday school superintendency and the larger number of boys in this age group. As I have observed this program I can see the wisdom of the ward leaders of yesteryear in sponsoring a boy-girl relationship in a refined and beautiful setting. It has been suggested by some in the past that this program could be modernized. But it is my feeling that its strength is in its simplicity. It is time tested, having proven successful year after year. The words of the songs sung by the townspeople and the maypole dancers tell the story of Mendon’s May Day. The following are the songs that are used, the origin of which I am not sure:

“Oh May Queen”

Oh May Queen, Oh May Queen we’re coming.
Right gladly we greet you today,
The birds sing, the bees now are humming,
To welcome you Queen of the May.
Thy subjects, we bow down before thee,
With flowers we’ll deck your bright hair,
The garlands we weave we’ll swing O’r you,
To welcome you May Queen so fair.

“'Tis A Merry May Day Morning”

’Tis a merry May Day morning,
Sunshine all the hills adoring,
Skies are bluest, field are fairest,
Clouds are lightest, shadows rarest.
Soft and sweet the breezes blow,
Lest the brooklet laughing low.
Blossoms gaily nodding go, Merry May Day.
Merry, Merry May Day, Merry May Day

“Hail To The May Queen”

Hail to the May Queen, the Merry May Queen
Hail to the May Queen, and now let us sing,
Let us dance in a ring, and welcome our Queen,
Hail to the Merry Queen of May Day.

“Apple Blossoms”

Apple blossoms swing and sway,
In the merry month of May.
All the fairy folks are gay,
’Tis the merry month of May.
In the trees the birdies call,
Apple blossoms softly fall,
Here the robin sweetly say
’Tis the merry month of May.

“May Breezes”

When May breezes melt all the snow from the trees,
The tiny blue violets look up thro’ the leaves.
And the birds who have slept thro’ the long winter night,
Awaken and greet thee, Awaken and greet thee,
Awaken and greet thee with joy and delight,
Awaken and greet thee with joy and delight.

These songs have been memorized by the young girls of Mendon for over 100 years. Because of this inborn interest it is relatively easy for the girls to learn the songs and routine for the maypole dance. The queen’s company consists of approximately five couples, girls and boys about fifteen years of age. The boy who attends the queen is known as the consort. The other girls are maids of honor, each having an escort. It is customary for the family of the queen to invite her company to her home for a fine dinner on the May Day. Former residents of Mendon always make an effort to return to the old home town for this important celebration where they are sure to renew acquaintances with old friends and relatives. The Mendon May Day celebration is one worthwhile tradition which we hope will be kept alive for future generations.

 

May Day Congregational Songs

These two traditionally May Day congregational songs, words written by Isaac Sorensen and set to what they called an old tune, were in use as early as the 1870’s. They are perhaps the oldest part of the “Original” Mendon May Day, to be handed down to us and still carried out each year. The music for these songs was not set down in note form, as we have it now until 1964. Prior to this time they have just been stored in the collective memory of the May Day accompanists and handed down every other generation or so, as required. May Day piano accompanists which I remember are from past to recent: Nancy Hunt Ladle; Mozelle Barrett Sorensen; and currently Norma Baker Myers . These three women will account for the bulk of all May Day celebrations since at least the 1930’s. Of course others have played as it as needed, Beth Muir is one that comes to mind.

“Straying And Maying”

The merry maids a maying went
One morning bright and early,
The flow’rs were blooming, grass was green
The dew-drops bright and pearly;
The wind was pleasant, soft and sweet
And all were filled with joy to meet.

While straying and maying
While straying and maying,
Amid the early blooming flow’rs
Amid the early blooming flow’rs.

The lovely maids now here and there
With baskets filled with blossoms,
They culled the flow’rs of white and blue
To deck their heads and bosoms;
And sang with air of sweet content
As though the winding fields they went.

While straying and maying
While straying and maying,
Amid the early blooming flow’rs
Amid the early blooming flow’rs.

With cheerful glee and chorus song
The hours were filled with pleasure,
Some found a pebble, some a flow’r
Each trifle seemed a treasure;
For trifles light as air can please
The guiless heart in hours of ease.

While straying and maying
While straying and maying,
Amid the early blooming flow’rs
Amid the early blooming flow’rs.

 

“Come To The Woodland”

Come to the woodland away away!
Gathering flow’rs for the Queen of May.
Ev’rything lovely and bright and rare,
Weaving a garland for one so fair.
Sing with the wild birds a song today!
_____ , our _____ , is Queen of May,
Oh! ____ , our ____ , is Queen of May!

Down in the meadow beyond the brook,
Blossoms are found like and open book.
Rev’rantly gather each pearly gem,
One who so loves us has cared for them.
Heaven is wearing a smile today!
____ , our ____ , is Queen of May,
Oh! ____ , our ____ , is Queen of May!

 

May Day Crowning Speeches

“Then there was May Day. On the first day of May, Mary Willie, Seny Sorensen and a crowd of girls walked out to Clayton to gather flowers. They voted Seny Sorensen to be Queen and had a wonderful time. They have always celebrated that day as May Day ever since!”

When you think that it was not until 1964 that the music was first combined with the words and the notes put down to the May Day songs, that you realize — that oral traditions have played an important role in Mendon’s May Day. Nancy H. Ladle, Mozelle B. Sorensen and Norma B. Myers, it would seem, have between them played the May Day songs all 144 plus years of the celebration, well almost. These three women accompanist are all that most of us, except perhaps the very oldest resident of the community, can remember. This celebration has survived and thrived with an oral transfer of the information required to stage the springtime production. Through it all, Mendon May Day has remained remarkable stable over the years, May Day has adapted as needed to fit with the times without loosing what its earliest traditions are all about, the communities youth.

These two crowning speeches have been used since the late 1930’s. Written by then Bishop, Henry C. Sorensen they have served all who have had the privilege to crowned a queen since this time. The choice of which speech to use is left up to the queen and or her consort. Memorization has always been encouraged, but not always practiced. Some interesting variations have been noted over the years, “I crown you Queen of May.” in 1976 being among them. Prior to this time, the consorts were able to write a speech of their choice, I am unsure if the Bishop inserted these two to help the young men, or to reign in a speech or two that were not what the town thought should have been. Either way it just adds to the fun and the history tradition. Update: During the program at the church after the 2006 crowing of the queen and maypole dance… Bruce Anderson, was the featured speaker. As part of his talk, he asked for Jenae Baker Jepsen, Mendon’s May Queen for 1976, whom for all these years has had to endure… well endure what Bruce had done to her so long ago, to come forward. A chair was provided and a crown of fresh flowers appeared. With Janae holding the Q-Cards for Bruce, and the audiance rolling with laughter, the error of so long ago, 30 years to the day, was finaly done correctly. Much to everyones delight. There is no escape from May Day fever, some cases just take a little longer to set in. Thank you Bruce Anderson for righting your wrong, thank you Jenae for being such a good sport, and a lovely queen of Mendon’s May Day.

"May Day Crowning Speech A"

Kind friends, we have met this lovely day,
To welcome again the spring.
The birds are singing a joyous lay,
and trees their fragrance bring.
Nature has on her robe of green,
She smiles all through the day.
The pretty blossoms with the buds between,
Now blush in their old fashioned way.
The fairies are calling for someone to reign,
Over all this springtime array.
So now we must hasten our laurels to gain,
And crown _______ our Queen of the May.

 

"May Day Crowning Speech B"

The glorious springtime now is here,
The gayest season of all the year.
Nature has risen from her silent tomb,
Zephyr is feasting on flower and bloom.
Nightshades have donned their bonnets of blue,
Violets display their bright colors, too.
Let us admit the sylvan scene,
We crown ______ our May Day Queen.

 

Mendon's Queens of the May

"Come to the woodland away away! Gathering flow’rs for the Queen of May. Ev’rything lovely and bright and rare, Weaving a garland for one so fair. Sing with the wild birds a song today! _____ , our _____ , is Queen of May, Oh! _____ , our _____ , is Queen of May!"

If you have photographs and or other May Day information that you could share, please contact me via the contact link and let me add the information to our growing collection and web posting. I wold like to scan them and return them to you if you wish, or add them to the hard-copy files. Thank you so very much as always…

Mendon, Utah's Queen of the May Listing

Year	#	May Queen	Year	#	May Queen
2012	150	Madison Collins	1937	75	Imogene Sorensen
2011	149	Kelsi Christensen	1936	74	Marie Stauffer
2010	148	Taunie Rasmussen	1935	73	Madall Hancock
2009	147	Ashlyn Ferguson	1934	72	Lois Hardman
2008	146	Lindsey Larson	1933	71	Helen Walker
2007	145	Brandy DeBruin	1932	70	Verral Kidman
2006	144	Cheryl Black	1931	69	Faye Hancock
2005	143	Stephanie Maughan	1930	68	Edna Marcia Darley
2004	142	Alyssa Shelton	1929	67	Cleo Richards
2003	141	Tiffany Peters	1928	66	Vira Hiibner
2002	140	Lisa Ann Ferrara	1927	65	Lea Ann Wood
2001	139	Heidi Lynn Bowen	1926	64	Mozelle Barrett
2000	138	Melissa Ann Taylor	1925	63
1999	137	Emily Rose Brandley	1924	62	Leona Jane Baker
1998	136	Traci Woodbrey	1923	61	LaVon Ahrens
1997	135	Andrea Clemensen	1922	60	Melba Hughes Sorensen
1996	134	Melanie Seamons	1921	59	Lucille Larsen
1995	133	Angela Hofler	1920	58	Violet Bird
1994	132	Hannah Walbridge	1919	57	Laura Richards Hughes
1993	131	Anna Watkins	1918	56	Juanita Christensen (Buist)
1992	130	Katie Krebs	1917	55
1991	129	Alison Clemensen	1916	54	Rhoda Louise Sorensen
1990	128	Loni Bird	1915	53	Arzella Bird
1989	127	Penny Woodbrey	1914	52	Nora Ahrens
1988	126	Marcianne Hart	1913	51	Hazel Muir
1987	125	Amy Watkins	1912	50	Ethel Ladle
1986	124	Valerie Kay Hudson	1911	49	Orpha Larsen
1985	123	Leisa Thompson	1910	48	Mary Baker (May)
1984	122	Joan Johnson	1909	47	Theta Maud Whitney
1983	121	Kelleen Ann Hansen	1908	46	Eliza Pearl George
1982	120	Laura Lloyd	1907	45
1981	119	Carol Croft	1906	44	Olive Sorensen
1980	118	Marciea Barrett	1905	43	Therese Lallis Bird
1979	117	Stephanie Muir	1904	42	Adelia Pearl Bird
1978	116	Tresa Quinlan	1903	41	Ethel Maud Sorensen
1977	115	Lisa Bird	1902	40	Annie Laurie Richards
1976	114	Jenae Baker	1901	39	Charlotte Barrett
1975	113	Karla Diane James	1900	38
1974	112	Debra Porath	1899	37	Lavinia Hughes (Louis)
1973	111	Julie Ann Muir	1898	36	Rachel Marilla Richards
1972	110	Linda Sorensen	1897	35	Mary Elizabeth Wood
1971	109	Cindy Larsen	1896	34	Laura Baker
1970	108	Karine Ladle	1895	33	Mary Ann Hughes
1969	107	Koya Baker	1894	32	Jane Richards
1968	106	Karen Hiibner	1893	31
1967	105	Rebecca Blanche Yonk	1892	30	Hannah Sophia Sorensen (Nan)
1966	104	Kristine Sorensen	1891	29
1965	103	Lela Kidman	1890	28
1964	102	Mary Jean Willie	1889	27
1963	101	Coy Andersen	1888	26
1962	100	Eva Longstroth	1887	25	Martha Emma Sweeten
1961	99	Carolyn Louise Larsen	1886	24	Mary Elizabeth Findley
1960	98	Bonnie Peterson	1885	23
1959	97	Verna Larsen	1884	22
1958	96	Pauline Sorensen	1883	21
1957	95	Vonda Richards	1882	20
1956	94	Shirley Bingham	1881	19	Martha Elizabeth Graham
1955	93	Kohnie Muir	1880	18	Mary Tamer Lemmon
1954	92	Marilyn Hiibner	1879	17	Elizabeth Ann Forster
1953	91	Harriet Muir	1878	16
1952	90	Georgia Kidman	1877	15
1951	89	Glenda Longstroth	1876	14	Sarah Lavinia Walker
1950	88	LaPriel Heninger	1875	13
1949	87	Enid Ellen Bird	1874	12	Hannah Leavitt Baker
1948	86	Louise Muir	1873	11
1947	85	Naomi Walker	1872	10
1946	84	Betty Lou Yonk	1871	9	Annie Elizabeth Paul
1945	83	Geneil Hughes	1870	8
1944	82	Bonnie Shelton	1869	7	Margaret McCullough Forster
1943	81	Renee Bird	1868	6
1942	80	Marie Walker	1867	5
1941	79	Margaret Rae Sorensen	1866	4
1940	78	Juanita Wood	1865	3	Elizabeth Hopkins Walker
1939	77	Doris Baker	1864	2	Susan Hancock
1938	76	Clara Larsen	1863	1	Larsine Sorensen (Seny)

I have worked on this index listing for well over thrity years now. I took it on as it was on the 1964 program, that T. Kay Sorensen and the Mendon May Day Committee worked on so hard on that year. From that beginning I have hunted and searched the archives of USU, Logan Library, old newspapers and personal collections.

This is my current listing as best as can be determined at this point in time. The names in italics are thought to have been the Queen of May for that year as noted. We just do not have as of yet proof positive from a newspaper clipping and or journal entry. I suppose we may never get them all, but I hope to be able to find a "few" more before I am done.

Either way there is now a good start on Mendon, Utah’s former Queens of the May and a lot of work done, but still it would seem a lot to do…