Public Invited to 'High Tea' at CCCC for 50th Anniversary

The 50^th Anniversary Committee of Cape Cod Community College invites the public to join the College community on December 9^th and commemorate the first Open House High Tea held at the College back on December 3, 1961. Starting at 3:30 p.m. and continuing to 6:30 p.m., formal High Tea will take place in the festively decorated Grossman Commons where members of the College chorus will stroll as minstrels, singing music of the season. 

Also performing will be College’s Jazz Ensemble playing quiet ballads and other music appropriate to the formal occasion. During the event at 5 p.m., focus moves to the Higgins Gallery in the Tilden Arts Center where artist Elizabeth Mumford will present her commissioned commemorative work, celebrating the College’s 50^th anniversary. 

Well known for her unique whimsical style, the College is very fortunate to have her as an adjunct instructor in fine art. Her works are highly regarded, especially her commemorative limited editions that have been done for a number of local events and causes including the 10^th Anniversary of Pops By The Sea, and the Cape Cod Baseball League. 

A limited number of prints of her CCCC 50^th Anniversary painting, and packets of notecards of the print, will be available for sale after the presentation, all to support the College. This High Tea and reception parallels an event first done on December 3, 1961 when the College welcomed the public to its first Open House at its South Street Hyannis, MA location. 

Reports in the College’s students newspaper, The Beacon, noted nearly 1,000 people attending from all over the South Shore, and as far away as New Jersey and Washington, D.C..  At the first formal event, the College hosts had many “helpers.”  The Hyannis Women’s Club members were very prominent. The Beacon’s story notes that they brought their fine silver to assist in serving so many guests.

Members of the Dennis Women’s Club were pictured helping to pour tea from a beautiful silver tea service. A fine silver service used at the Dec. 3, 1961 Tea was given to the College, and has been kept in its Nickerson archives for the past 50 years. It will be used during the College’s commemorative celebration on December 9^th. 

Light refreshments will be served.