Go figure. One of Sweet Briar College’s first male graduates has long, flowing hair and wears a skirt.

Actually it’s a Scotsman’s kilt, but Samuel Wilkins jokes that his manly attire let him blend in during his year at SBC, which admits men only to its new graduate program in education.

Judith Martin, better known as Miss Manners, addresses the Class of 2006 on Saturday, May 13. Check out Aaron’s slideshow for more pictures.Wilkins was awarded a Master of Arts in Teaching degree at Sweet Briar’s 97th commencement on May 13.
“There were no real gender issues,” he said. “I attribute this to being raised almost exclusively by females and wearing my kilt as a disguise.”

Jason Clark, a Heritage High School teacher, was the first man to accept his degree from Sweet Briar during Saturday’s ceremonies. Don Healy, who teaches at James River Day School, was next.

Both men earned a Master of Education degree — notching another first in SBC’s history. Along with Adrienne Arnold, Marjorie Hamilton, Stacey Hester and Rhonda Stinnett, they made up the College’s inaugural graduating class of M.Ed. candidates.

The M.Ed. program, which is designed for already licensed teachers with three years of experience, was launched with the MAT program in 2004. Eight MAT candidates — including Wilkins — made up this year’s class, the second to graduate from the program.

No fanfare surrounded the momentous occasion of the men’s commencement, and when etiquette authority and advice columnist Judith Martin, also known as Miss Manners, delivered the address, she spoke to the 128 women receiving undergraduate degrees.

In her speech, “The New Lady,” Martin wanted to use her 12 minutes to talk about the behavior of women and of others toward women, she said.

It’s not hard to imagine the men in the audience squirming uncomfortably at times as Martin charged the class of 2006 with creating a new woman prototype. Her generation of feminists erred as it reshaped women in the workplace and society, Martin explained without mincing words or wit.

Although those pioneer feminists made many crucial gains, their first woman prototype turned cranky, she said. “She not only snapped at people who tried to be courteous to her, but she felt free to indulge in foul language, callous behavior and impersonal sex. In other words — whoops! — the new women turned out to be a man. And not even a gentleman.”

A second iteration produced the “no-maintenance party girl,” who set out to have fun on her own terms, no commitment from men required. At the same time, “girly” things were OK again.

“They even revived knitting, and frilly underwear and satin slips — perhaps not realizing we used to put on clothes over those,” Martin said. “So, whoops again. The newer woman was no longer a man, now she was a male fantasy.”

Martin said that 2006’s “New Lady” should be “independent and dignified, ambitious and well behaved, attractive and ladylike.” She should keep her sense of responsibility to others, refuse to accept second-class treatment and take pleasure in being a woman. This is the model of adult female behavior that should influence the behavior of girls and expectations of others, both men and women.

The sun broke out and a cool breeze rattled the oak leaves shading those gathered on the Quad as speakers took turns at the podium for each commencement tradition.

In a sign of the times, Student Government Association president Katharine Vaughan prefaced her announcement of the SGA’s Shirley P. Reid Excellence in Service Award recipient by saying, “This individual is so loved he even has a fan club on Facebook.”

Librarian Joe Malloy — also known for picking a banjo and leading fly fishing and hiking trips — was the students’ pick for the annual award. It recognizes a staff member for going above and beyond the normal call of duty and who enriches the college community.

Suzanne Harvey, chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee presented the Connie Burwell White Excellence in Teaching Award, given by the student body as a tribute to the professor’s dedication to his or her students.

“He knows his students as people first, students second,” Harvey said in her introduction, before giving away Eric Casey’s identity. “This professor is probably best known for manning the Latin hotline until midnight.”

Casey is an associate professor of classical studies.

President Elisabeth Muhlenfeld gave her charge to the new graduates before Chaplain Guy Brewer performed his last commencement benediction at Sweet Briar. “Chap,” as he is fondly known at SBC, leaves soon for a faculty position at the Anderson University School of Theology in Indiana.