User:SatyrTN/Sewanee traditions

Notes for us regarding the entire page

 * Do you know if there are any printed references to these traditions? Do you have a relatively recent Handbook?

Their are references of course on the website, I do believe there are references in the Handbook to the Honor code and possibly other traditions.(available elusively online as they have just redone the website; i don't have a copy). There is an excellent university publication that came to me in the summer of 2004 as a rising freshman that spelled out many of the below traditions. I will be able to cite this come November.


 * On Dr. Smith's site he refers to a compendium of Sewanee tradtions that would be an excellent source: "Purple Sewanee--an older compendium of Sewanee lore and traditions originally entitled "Sewanee" [1932] and re-published under this title in 1961." (http://smith2.sewanee.edu/glossary/Glossary--Sewanee.html)

The Gown
As early as the 1870's, faculty and students of the University have worn academic gowns to class and while attending various other "official" functions at the Sewanee. Among the student body, wearing the gown signifies membership in the Order of Gownsmen, which was founded in 1873. Membership in the OG is attained in several ways, though usually by achieving a certain grade point average, a standard that decreases depending upon the students class. The current (2006) standards are:
 * a GPA of 3.4 for a rising or second semester Sophomore,
 * a GPA of 3.2 for a rising or second semester Junior,
 * a GPA of 3.0 for a rising or second semester Senior,
 * Freshmen are not eligible for the Order of Gownsmen.

All GPA standards refer exclusively to the previous two semesters for the student. Academic Gowns are also awarded for being a Proctor (resident advisor) or for completing one's Comprehensive Exams. New members are inducted into the OG at a ceremony held during the Opening Convocation (beginning of the semester).

Membership in the Order of Gownsmen confers privileges and responsibilities to students. The OG meets monthly to discuss and make decisions on issues considered important to the student body. {This next part might need to be reworded...} Additionally, a Gownsman may take responsibility to dismiss a class if the professor doesn't arrive at class during the first 15 minutes of its scheduled time.

Until the 1960's, the OG served as the student government, but that function has diminished since the 1970 creation of the Student Assembly, made up of student representatives from each of the resident halls.

This tradtion was originally borrowed from the University of Oxford, where it is compulsory to wear gowns to formal dinners, examinations, and many other occasions.

Dress Code
The University established a dress code in 1869 for all students and professors. In more recent times, dress codes at different universities have been hard to enforce. At Sewanee, student dress is now a "student enforced" code - most students continue to wear sport coats and ties, or skirts and dresses for women. This is particularly noticable when visiting the campus, as students will "dress up" for most functions and "dress down" when studying in the library or visiting friends.

The Passing Hello
The "passing hello" is part of the culture of a small southern town. Since most of the residents of Sewanee, TN know each other or will come to know each other, it is common courtesy to say hello to anyone you pass on the sidewalk or street. Since the University annually attracts more and more students from larger cities where it is strange to greet people you pass on the sidewalk, many would say that "the passing hello" has become a tradition. In this way students can refer to something unnatural to some people as a way of life that must be embraced. As a tradition, there is a basic sense that one should not isolate himself or herself from the community around them and greet the people they pass. This has a natural extension into the use of cell phones, for if someone is talking on a cellphone while walking on a sidewalk then they are ignoring the community around them. Today many students of the University look unfavorably at cellphone usage in public, as a nuisance that disrupts the sense of a small town community.(This is beginning to extent to iPod use in public.) The phrase "Save Sewanee" is often shouted at violators who use cellphones and iPods to disrupt these community ideals. ...

[You may think that I sound silly for writing this as a tradition, but I assure you that this is the mentality that students of my generation share.]

An old grad responds: The use of "passing hello" in my time at Sewanee had a more specific meaning: At the end of Freshman Rush in the fall, upperclassmen who belonged to fraternities were prohibited from speaking other than a "passing hello" to freshmen during the period of time between the point when bids went out and Shake Day. Freshmen went to the DuPont vestibule to pick up their bids, which were given out on 3 x 5 index cards. Nowadays, I imagine everything is probably done electronically*. (Bid cards are now handed out in the Bishop's Common).

It was unthinkable that the "passing hello" would need to be discussed along the lines of what your entry above describes. I am saddened to know that it is a struggling "tradition" now and applaud efforts to suggest an etiquette for cell phone conversations in public spaces. Might I suggest that (gasp!) people wean themselves off iPods as well? (TFE)

The Honor Code
Upon Matriculation into the College of Liberal Arts or the School of Theology, the students are asked to sign the Honor Code. The Honor Code is something that began unofficially in 1876, and before that informally existed as a gentlemanly code. This gentlemanly code did not always work because it could be said that a professor could ruin one's reputation because of bad marks. Upon occasion in the late 1800's this led to duels between professors and students on the Quad. There have been many revisions to the Honor code as reflected in yearly distributions of the code found in the Sewanee Purple. The changes reflected a change from a gentlemanly code to one that based more upon rules that should not be broken. In the 1990's the code was so legally scripted that lawyers became a regular sight at Honor Council Hearing. Since then lawyers have been banned from proceedings so as to put the power of the Honor Council in the hands of the Students.

In it's essence, the Honor Code is very simple and straightforward. It holds that one should not lie, cheat or steal. The more complicated version of this is spelled out in the Student Handbook and refers to the specifics of student life with a list of things a Student cannot do. This is reflected currently on the website: http://www2.sewanee.edu/catalog_student_life/honor_system. Disciplinary infractions do not fall under code and instead are referred to the Disciplinary Committee. When a student is accused of an Honor infraction by dorm staff, a professor, or their peers, they are notified by the chair of the Honor Council. If a student is convicted of the infraction they are usually suspended for the period of two semesters. Their only appeal is to the Vice-Chancellor who may overturn a decision of the honor council after a deliberate appeals process.

In an everyday sense the honor code creates a feeling of safety among the students, it adds credibility to one's degree, and it fosters a trust between the faculty of the University and its students. On quizzed and examinations Students are always supposed to write the pledge, but mostly students just write the word "Pledged" to signify they acknowledge and have adhered to the Honor Code. Some professors and student argue that this practice is redundant. Lastly, there is the convenience of unproctored examinations, which stem from the trust that professors put in the hands of the students to police themselves for honor violations.

The Chapel
Is this the same as the University Seal below? I would say no, but they could be combined. The Chapel would be more along the lines of it playing a large role in the life of the University such as where degrees are rewarded, where convocation takes place etc.
 * Yeh - I'm not sure this belongs in the "traditions" section. I still think a "culture" section that addresses how students/professors act and what they think would be a good section to add. -- SatyrTN (talk | contribs)
 * I agree about a culture section

The Porch Light
Should the Porch Light at the Residence of a known professor be on, this indicates he or she is available to you. May that be for help on an assignment, or just to talk and have dinner.

Sewanee Dogs
Sewanee dogs have always had a familiar presence around campus. They are usually owned by professors or students, though they are allowed to roam the campus and befriend anyone they come across. They are often seen in the classrooms, academic building, and around the campus, and some professors even bring their dogs to work with them. It is said that Sewanee Dogs are either reincarnated Episcopal Bishops or Sewanee professors.

Up the "Out" and down the "In"
I read about this in the magazine for incoming freshmen in the summer of 2004, but as for the origin I have no clue.

There are two spiral staircases on the street/quad corner of Walsh-Ellett hall, one ascends counter-clockwise and the other, clockwise. The entries to these staircases are marked, but it said that a person should go up and down the "wrong" staircases.

From Dr. Smith's site (http://smith2.sewanee.edu/glossary/Glossary--Sewanee.html): "Up--the wrong direction on the turret stairs on the southwest corner of Walsh-Ellett Hall; to go up one uses the down stairs."

As I understand it, back in the days of the military academy, students in dress uniforms carried swords. If a student with a sword in his belt went up the “up” stairway or down the "down" stairway, the sword would clang against each and every baluster. By ascending and descending in the "wrong" staircases, one's sword merely rode along the center support column without repeated clanging. Thus, it became traditional to go up the down and down the up.

Sewanee Angels
In the early 1960's, a tradition was started where students would tap the roof of the car when leaving the gates of the domain. By doing this, it is said that the student takes a Sewanee Angel with them. The Angel is said to protect the student from harm while they are away from the Domain and ensures their safety. Upon returning, students will tap the car roof again to "release" the Angel.


 * I can verify this (it's not just students!), although sourcing it might be a pain... Pro hib it O ni o ns  (T) 16:22, 17 October 2007 (UTC)Y

The University Seal in All Saint's Chapel
One should not step on the University Seal in All Saints Chapel. It is rumored that any student of Sewanee who has not Graduated from the University is not allowed to step on the metal seal in All Saints Chapel. This has created a tradition in which no undergraduates are allowed to step on the seal. The rumored consequence for stepping on the seal is that person will not graduate from the University. Furthermore, this has spawned an interesting way for a student to rid themselves of this curse. They must streak the Quad between All Saints and Walsh-Ellett; the penalty for this is either a five hundred dollar fine or posing nude in front of an art class.

Completion of Comprehensive Exams
After a senior finishes their comprehensive exam - a test that consists of material from all the classes that one has taken in their major while at Sewanee - it has become a tradition that their friends decorate their car with satyrical phrases of the person who has comped. This is done with shoe polish. Additionally, the friends of the person comping often greet the person when they are coming out of their academic building with round of cheering and often times lots of beer.

A current student contributes: the whole car thing isn't done that often anymore. But the beer and alcohol still is, unless it's your unlucky day and the SPD decides to pick on you and make you pour the beer out of the cans. Most parties end up in a frat house or a dorm room. (Rpryor03 C'20)

Yea, Sewanee's Right!
Here is an excerpt from Dr. Smiths that attempts to explain the origin of the phrase. website:(http://smith2.sewanee.edu/glossary/Glossary--Sewanee.html): Yea, Sewanee's Right!--the surviving last line of an old football cheer: "Rip `em up! Tear `em up! Leave `em in the lurch. Down with the heathen. Up with the Church.--Yea, Sewanee's Right!" The heathen may have been the Methodists of Vanderbilt which would date the cheer in the 1890's; the cheer was sometimes also used against Hampden-Sydney. Now used as an alternative motto and often shouted at the end of the Alma Mater. When used with the Alma Mater it is preceded by the transitional formula of an extended pause, the phrase "Hit it!" followed by "Yea, Sewanee's Right!"

I know a modern day version of this that has been performed by the swim team during my time at Sewanee is: "Hell ya, Damn Straight, Tigers, Tigers leave 'em in the lurch, Down with the Heathens. Up with the Church. Yea, Sewanee's Right!"

Some older professors, such as Dr. Eric Naylor, have been quoted as saying that they "remember having heard the cheer as 'Down with the Methodists and up with the Church!'"

Saturday classes
When were these abolished? AFAIK, it was the 1970s, Sewanee being one of the very last universities to have a six-day-a-week curriculum. Even after this, Saturday classes were maintained during the summer school, though the summer school now only holds classes during weekdays. Pro hib it O ni o ns (T) 16:20, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Hunh - good question. I know my dad had saturday classes (he graduated in '69).  He also had compulsory chapel attendance.  Have to look that info up... -- SatyrTN (talk | contribs)  14:11, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

An old grad contributes: The decision to stop Saturday classes was made in the Spring of 1982 (my senior year). Most of the resultant ire erupted from the student body; an OG meeting called on the topic drew much heated discussion, mostly against the change. That next fall, the new five-day week was put into place. (TFE)

The mountain cross
This isn't entirely a university issue, but some history about the cross on the mountainside would be a good idea -- even a separate article. It's certainly a notable enough landmark. Pro hib it O ni o ns (T) 16:29, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

Abandoned building
Another thing, there's a large campus building that stood empty for many years (without a map I couldn't tell you offhand what it was called, and my connection is too slow to look it up, but it was vacant for most of the 1980s and early 1990s), but it was easy enough to break into and lots of shenanigans went on there -- some of the rooms became semi-permanent hangouts of particular students. I believe it's now in use again, but there were plenty of legends connected to it, some of them true. Sorry for my poor memory, but you might know what it is. Pro hib it O ni o ns (T) 16:29, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Quintard. Used to be a part of the military school, if I recall correctly.  Was out there near Gorgas, which was a girls' dorm in the late 80's.  Not sure if all that is really "encyclopedic", and not sure if we can source much of it... :) -- SatyrTN (talk | contribs)  16:55, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * That's the one. We could at least mention that the military school closed down and that its property was ultimately transferred to the university after standing empty for a long time (I'm not sure why it took so long, but surely this is notable to the history of the university). Pro hib it O ni o ns  (T) 17:40, 18 October 2007 (UTC)

The old hospital (towards Morgans Steep) was also abandoned during that period & I recall self-granted access to the building to include the operating rooms and storage rooms (which contained scores of unfilled milk cartons for the similarly abandoned Sewanee dairy: "Hours fresher because it's miles closer!"


 * An anonymous user added this comment: Its (Templeton's) use ended in 2001 when a freshman student at the University jumped down a garbage chute thinking it was a laundry chute and was crushed to death in the compactor below.  Pro hib it O ni o ns  (T) 09:28, 11 July 2012 (UTC)