Freshmen, sporting beanies, head to class in 1962.

During the 1950s all freshmen were required to wear beanies on campus during Frosh Week. The week kicked off with a Saturday night dance called the Turkey Trot and a Sunday mass and communion for the freshmen. On Sunday afternoon the frosh-soph football game, the Beanie Bowl, was held. During the following week the freshmen were busy making preparations for the bonfire which was to be held the night before the intramural football game. “The freshmen had to gather and stack the fuel and to protect it from the upperclassmen, who were allowed to set it on fire if they found it unguarded. When the fire was lighted, the freshmen threw their beanies into it and became full-fledged Edsmen, with a year to think about how to initiate next year’s freshman class.” By the 1960s, the wearing of the beanies was changed from a requirement to an expectation, which most of the freshmen did not meet.

Brother William Dunn
Saint Edward’s University: A Centennial History

For additional information contact the St. Edward’s University Archives.

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