[maryz]

That being said, does anyone out there remember the old Catholic school tradition held every May of placing a crown of flowers on the head of a statue of Mary and singing the immortal "Bring Flowers To the Rarest"?

Absolutely -- I was May queen in high school and crowned the statue in Church -- after a procession of all the elementary, high school and Sunday school students around the block (my parish did it up big in those days!).

But as I recall the hymn, it was

Bring flowers of the fairest, bring flowers of the rarest,
From garden and woodland and hillside and dale.
Our full hears are swelling, our glad voices telling,
The praise of the loveliest Rose of the Vale.
O Mary, we crown thee with blossoms today
Queen of the Angels, Queen of the May. (2)

[miss marmelstein]

Thanks so much for the memories! I'm going to print out the song and revel in nostalgia. I'm glad to hear that in some parishes the May crowning is still carried out. Thanks, again.