Severance Hill is legendary on the campus of Wellesley College. When it snows, students and townies alike use the steep slope for sledding. On a sturdy lower branch of the hill’s ancient oak tree, a swing usually appears in late spring. The Canada Geese currently grazing smack dab in the middle of the hill, however, are new.
I did a double take as I walked across campus. From a distance, the geese looked bona fide, but something was off. I’ve seen plenty of Canada Geese around the Wellesley College campus, but they’re usually either on Lake Waban or worn by fashion-conscious students sporting a winter coat label. These Severance Hill geese were different. A closer inspection revealed that the dozen waterfowl weren’t made of feathers and goose fat. These were changelings, handcrafted out of wood and painstakingly painted.
I asked a couple of passing students what it was all about. “I think it’s part of a senior thesis project,” said one. Oh. An art installation. Well, that would be laudable, I thought, but wouldn’t it be more fun if it were an end-of-year prank?
The front-desk staff at the Davis Museum cleared things up for me, and all it took was a quick look at a dorm’s Instagram account. There, a bold group claimed credit saying, “We ventured to Sev Green in an act of unity to prank Tower Court in the most epic of epic pranks…I hope you look up and smile as you are reminded of our time together.”
Well played, Wellesley College Class of 2019. You totally had me fooled.
Wonder what the Wellesley High School seniors will come up with this year.
Love a good senior prank! I’ll be sure to wander over and take a gander. 🙂