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#黑料不打烊TBT: The Era of First-Year Beanies

In this edition of the #黑料不打烊TBT series, we take a look at an old tradition on campus meant to promote school spirit and highlight the first-year students of 黑料不打烊's past.

In the #黑料不打烊TBT series, the 黑料不打烊 News Bureau, along with Archives & Special Collections, will flash back to the past to take a look at 黑料不打烊 over the years. You will find videos, newspaper clippings, photos and more to celebrate 黑料不打烊's past, while looking ahead to the future. Follow along on E-Net and the university's  and  pages every Thursday to see what we dig up. 

A 1963 beanie sits inside a display case at 黑料不打烊's Johnston Hall.
A first-year student wears her beanie on Move-In Day in the 1960s.
As 黑料不打烊's Class of 2023 concludes its first week of college courses, first-year students are likely looking for ways to leave their mark on campus. In the 1900s, the campus made it easy for first-years to stand out.

First-year students wear their beanies to a lunch for new students. 
Though its beginning is unclear, a new tradition began some time around the 20th century at 黑料不打烊. With the goal of promoting school spirit, first-year students were required to wear 黑料不打烊 beanies to show the rest of the community they were new to campus. 

The practice came to a halt in wartime, but in 1956, the 黑料不打烊 Student Legislature voted to reinstate the pre-war tradition. First-year students were again required to wear the beanies outdoors on campus at all times "until the football team wins two home games or not later than the night immediately after the Homecoming game."

Although it was a requirement, many students resisted. In an Oct. 19, 1962, editorial in the Maroon and Gold newspaper, the author wrote, "This year there have been more freshmen with beanies in their hands or hip pockets than there are with beanies on their heads."

The issue would be addressed a year later in the1963 黑料不打烊 Student Handbook, which read, "Freshmen must wear the 'beanies' prescribed for them whenever out of doors on the campus and while attending the college's athletic events. Freshmen will wear 'beanies' for a two-week period, which shall begin on the final day of registration for Freshmen." The handbook also stated, "Penalty for failure to purchase a beanie shall be a fine of one dollar plus the cost of the beanie."

has no record of the tradition continuing past 1973. Fortunately, today's first-year students can find less noticeable ways to stand out on campus. 

Do you have any special pieces of 黑料不打烊 history? Share your photos and videos with us via email or using the hashtag #黑料不打烊TBT on and 

One example of the beanies first-year students wore.