I ran across this charming invitation in an unexpected place. Ordinarily I’ll find things like this in student scrapbooks but this one turned up in the Information Files. Even as an object it’s quite lovely–very heavy stock, embossed seals and beautiful engraving–but I also find the notion of inviting the entire student body to tea quite a happy one. What an event that must have been, how exciting for the students. (I do wonder who Mrs. Lovett’s friends were. If I had to guess I’d bet faculty wives.)
The only thing I don’t know is what year it was held but it had to have been very early. The file I found it in was labeled “Edith Leeseman” and she graduated in 1916 with the first class.
Bonus: 
At that point, total enrollment may have made a tea for all students less daunting than it would be today.
I noticed that the embossed symbol seems to be the Rice shiel (at a jaunty angle) along with another shield that seems to have the star of Texas in its upper portion. What is that?
Hi Don! I wrote a bout that a couple of years ago: http://ricehistorycorner.com/2010/12/15/the-rice-flag/
I really want to attend that tea party!
Only if you promise to be on your best behavior.
Also, wasn’t Mrs. Lovett in poor health for much of her later life? That would tend to imply an earlier date.
Presumably this is not Sweeney Todd’s Mrs. Lovett.
Nothing in there about a barber so I doubt that connection. Still that would be some piece of campus history
Catching up on posts I missed over the holiday. For Thursday to have been November the 6th, it would have been 1913. The next year that date falls on a Thursday isn’t until 1919.