Merry-Making: The Le Giocose Club

In 1905, Mount Holyoke students had strict schedules and they were fairly isolated. In order to unwind and socialize, students created social activities for themselves. The first organization was the Social Club, which they renamed one year later as Le Giocose Club. Le Giocose is Italian for “the merry-makers,” and the purpose of the club was to host informal social events for the student body that promoted fun and relaxation. The first event hosted by Le Giocose Club was a “Know Ye One Another” dance in the gymnasium on October 18, 1905. A month later they hosted a husking bee and dance. By the 1920s, other social outlets were available for students, both on and off campus, and so "Leggie" was no longer needed to produce fun, social events.