Oglethorpe University - Yamacraw Yearbook (Atlanta, GA)

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Enthusiastic Rat of 1970 Senior Capping Ceremony 1965 TRADITIONS 27

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Traditions of the Past Many traditions have come and gone or undergone change on the Oglethorpe campus. Some of the more well known traditional events that are no longer a part of Oglethorpe are Rat Week, The Black and White Ball, The Senior Capping, Ghost Readings and The Masquerade Ball. The underlying purpose behind Rat Week was to, bind the members of the Freshmen Class in a spirit of comradeship and unity. It also gave the freshmen a chance to become better acquainted with their peers. All freshmen were regarded as rats from the first day they arrived on campus until the Black and White Formal. A rat was required to wear their rat cap everywhere during Rat Week. They were also required to wear an identification badge with their first and last names, hometown and major. The Rats of 1968 were required to know 1) How to sing the Alma Mater, 2) The O Book from cover to cover, 3) The Petrel Fight Song, 4) The History of Oglethorpe, 5) The Rat Code, 6) Say- ing over doorways, 7) Facts about tunnel, sun dial, crypt, bells, swimming pool, old gym etc. Ron Few, Library Assistant, was a freshmen rat in 1971, the last year that Rat Week was held. He remembered Rat Week as being, A way of breaking the ice. The Black and White Ball was a dance spon- sored by the freshmen class. At the Black and White the Rat Court, which was composed of upperclassmen, announced King and Queen Rat. The Senior Capping Ceremony marked the beginning of the academic year. The president of the senior class recieved his mortar board symbolically for his class from the Dean. During the Halloween season the Lupton Auditorium became the home of ghosts, haunts and gobblins. The Oglethorpe Player sponsored a reading of spooky stories for students and faculty. At one time the title of Lord and Lady Ogleth- orpe was limited to seniors. The winners were the male and female senior who best exempli- fied the Oglethorpe spirit. Costumes worn at Masquerade Party 1957 Lord and Lady Oglethorpe with their Royal Court in 1961 26 TRADITIONS

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Rebecca Green and Yvonne Hamby find that brightly col- While at a party. Selena Scott shows that hats are back ored T-shirts and sweatshirts are fun. comfortable and per- and black and white are big in fashion feet for parties. Forever in style are comfortable, well-worn Topsiders such as Ross Lipman ' s which are held together by tape. Cropped pants, spiked heels, big vests and blouses, leath- er, and velvet are at the top of the fashion scale for Pauline Robinson and Michelle Payne. Sitting pretty in pink and comfortable in sweats are fresh- men Kelly Moran and Wendy McKelvey. 28 FASHION