The tradition of traditions
The tradition of traditions
“Traditions are the remembered things, the worthwhile events and customs, the qualities of college life that do so much to make it a worthwhile experience.” These words introduced incoming Panthers to the traditions of their new home back in 1942 in the form of a student handbook. Many decades later, this truth still holds: traditions make college life more worthwhile.
UNI has been, and remains, an institution rich in tradition for all students, alumni, faculty and staff. Each class has its own customs that are important. Some have brought joy to students for a century or more. Others have had their time and are no longer part of the UNI experience but remain part of the UNI story.
When Iowa State Teachers College freshmen went “green”
Starting college can be a bit intimidating for a freshman. But, luckily, today’s first-year students at the University of Northern Iowa don’t have to worry about quite as many rules as those attending the Iowa State Teachers College did.
Many student handbooks between the 1920s and 1950s speak to requiring first-year students to adhere to various guidelines. For example, first-year men had to wear green beanies, while first-year women wore green armbands so everyone knew they were new to campus. These markers had to be worn from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Students also wore a letter to signify their area of study. Other rules included staying in designated areas around campus, such as a reserved section at football games or the center section of the reading room in the library, as well as addressing upperclassmen by “Mr.” or “Miss.”
In the early days of these rules, students wore their green attire for about a month. Later, they were required to wear them through Homecoming, Thanksgiving or even the majority of the academic year.
So what happened if a student dared to break one of these rules? The worst punishment was being thrown into Prexy’s Pond by upperclassmen.
The beloved watermelon feast
Food and community often go hand in hand, and this is certainly true at UNI events. Records of the watermelon feed, also known as the watermelon feast, on campus date back to the early 20th century. The tradition continued on and off for the better part of the 1900s, always serving as a source of connection for students.
A 1936 issue of the College Eye student paper invited everyone to an annual watermelon feast on the first day of classes: “The day of mutual greetings by students, young and old, freshmen or upperclassmen will be culminated in the evening by the traditional watermelon feed and dancing on the tennis courts.”
This event was traditionally held during Orientation Week at the beginning of the fall semester. Numerous Old Gold yearbooks feature photos of students enjoying large slices of fresh watermelon. Even President Malcolm Price got in on the fun, as shown in a 1944 edition of the College Eye.
Ushering in spring
Iowa winters can be brutal. UNI students have long celebrated the end of the harsh cold temperatures and the beginning of the warm, welcoming sunshine. From 1971 to 1980, spring was formally celebrated with SUNI Daze (also known as SUNI Days). SUNI stood for “Spring at UNI.”
“It’s supposed to tie in with spring fever,” Lynn Myers, the 1978 chair of SUNI Daze, told the Northern Iowan. “It’s that excited daze people are in when it gets warm.”
Over the years, the SUNI celebration consisted of co-ed Olympics, concerts, regatta races, picnics and more. The Olympic competitions were hardly conventional, ranging from a pie eating contest to a mattress race to tug-of-war. Students could win kegs of beer for first place.
The open-air concert featured some notable names in 1974 when the Eagles and REO Speedwagon drew a crowd of approximately 10,000. Steely Dan was supposed to also perform, but opted out due to unsatisfactory concert conditions.
The regatta races took place across the Cedar River. Participants used materials like wood, styrofoam and rubber to construct homemade “boats” that were more like rafts.
As for the food, the UNI community enjoyed a chicken fry, a pig roast and even a 50-foot banana split.
Of course, the planning committee could not always predict the weather. In 1975, the Northern Iowan titled its celebration recap “SUNI jinxed — victim of bad weather” and reported on “cold weather, occasional rain and hail” dampening the spring spirits.
Christmas on campus
The holiday season on the University of Northern Iowa campus has always been a season of joy and togetherness. The way the holidays have been celebrated has changed with time, but one of UNI’s most long-standing holiday traditions was the Tree Lighting Ceremony that was held from 1943 to 2000.
ISTC President Malcolm Price introduced this iconic tradition to campus. As World War II raged on, the festive ceremony served as a way of uniting the students, faculty and staff with the military personnel who were training on campus at the time. The Tree Lighting Ceremony was held in numerous locations throughout its history, from a tree south of Commons to a spruce at the southwest corner of Maucker Union.
Of course, this tradition held more holiday cheer than the lighting itself. It provided a chance for the campus community to enjoy music and festive refreshments like hot chocolate. Some years there was even a dance with an orchestra.
This celebratory tradition was one for all ages. Notably, at the conclusion of World War II, veterans’ families joined in the fun. In 1949, some of the children who lived in the quonset huts on campus serenaded the crowd with a Christmas carol. In more recent history, local elementary school children performed, bringing holiday cheer to all.
The ultimate synchronized dance
Today’s social media users see dances go viral on TikTok constantly. But before this app existed, one group of UNI students triggered a dancing phenomenon that has life to this day.
Then-UNI student Tyler Wright, ’12, loved the 2008 song “Interlude” by Attack Attack! and introduced it to his group of friends, including his fellow Panthers Ian Goldsmith, ’13, and Scott Connerley, ’11. Wright had a particular way of dancing to the song, moving his arms up and down to the beat.
While working with children overseas in summer 2010, Goldsmith and Connerley discovered dancing was a great way to keep their students active. They taught dances like the “YMCA” and “Cha Cha Slide.” Eventually, they made up their own dances. They taught the students a dance in a way that mimicked Wright’s signature “Interlude” move.
The dance grew to encompass six movements. By the end of the summer, Goldsmith, Connerley and their students knew each one by heart.
“Without those students loving the song and dancing along with us, the ‘Interlude’ may not have ever turned into anything,” said Connerley.
Once Goldsmith and Connerley returned to the U.S., they had resident assistant training at UNI. They taught the dance to their fellow Campbell Hall RAs. They later uploaded a how-to video for the dance to YouTube, and the sensation known as the “Interlude” was born in 2010.
New students still learn the “Interlude” during Panther Welcome. The dance is often done in the McLeod Center at athletics events and has truly become an iconic part of the UNI experience.
“It’s an honor to have been involved in the creation of a long-standing tradition at UNI,” said Wright.
The Traditions Challenge
UNI has so many traditions that longtime employee and UNI alum Connie Hansen, ’89, decided to create incentives for students to complete them. She called it the Traditions Challenge, and it continues as part of the student experience more than 14 years later.
Today the challenge features 65 UNI traditions. If students complete 25 by graduation, they receive a commemorative pin. If they complete 45 or more, they receive a medallion to wear at Commencement. Students can also create and submit 10 of their own challenges.
Over the years, the list has evolved, but some of today’s recognized traditions include Panther Welcome, visiting the Botanical Center, Campaniling and the “Interlude.”
“We want students to understand the rich, cool things that are traditions on our campus,” Hansen explained. “Even if things change, we don’t want to lose those key memories and core memories.”
Students take photos of themselves to document completing the items.
Hansen believes that educating students on traditions is just as important as getting them to complete the traditions.
“Times change, but the core essence of traditions remains the same,” she said. “Get involved. Take some record of the fact you participated in these things, and understand that when you get together with people 10 years from now, out at an alumni tailgate, you’re going to be like, ‘Remember when we did this?’”
Now everyone can become a Traditions Keeper! Find out how to get involved with the Alumni & Friends Traditions Challenge.
A new tradition
One of UNI’s newest traditions was introduced just last year: ringing the Sesquicentennial Bell.
Students are now encouraged to “ring in” their UNI experiences when they first come to campus and “ring out” the conclusion of their college careers around Commencement time. Students can also rub the bell for good luck during finals.
