Category Archives: traditions

Although the hoopla surrounding graduation and the end of the term are behind us, we’re still basking in some intense school spirit, humming, and getting carried back… “Carry me Back,” the 1917 alma mater of Oregon Agricultural College, was written by W. Homer Maris … Continue reading →

“Junior Weekend” Also known briefly as “Campus Weekend,” Junior Weekend was one of the largest events of the year. Originally organized by the junior class, the weekend was held at the end of each May. It celebrated the advancement of … Continue reading →

“The Hello Walk” As late as World War II, the “Hello Walk” encouraged a friendly greeting among students in the MU Quad. Originally along the diagonal between Kidder Hall and the Dairy Building (today called Fairbanks and Gilkey Halls), anyone … Continue reading →

“The Rook Green” Beginning in the early 1900s, all freshman used to be required to wear the “rook green.” Men had rook “lids” (small green caps) while women wore green ribbons in their hair. Until the early 1930s, cadets also … Continue reading →

Have you ever heard the story of the “Senior Tabletops”? Starting in 1915, the seniors carved their names and other designs on the top of the “senior table” at a popular restaurant in town. Each year the restaurant furnished a … Continue reading →

No Smoking! In 1890, faculty at the State Agricultural College (now OSU) worried about an alarming habit gaining in popularity relating to dried leaves of “Nicotiana Tabacuni,” formally banned smoking from campus. Although technically more of a rule than a … Continue reading →