One Reply to “First day of school: then and now”

1. Regarding the 1966 photo of the new Tommie putting on a “cap”: Best as I can ascertain, St. Thomas – then a men’s college – had a beanie or “frosh cap” tradition that started in the late 1930s (or maybe even the late ’20s) and ended with the 1970 school year. The beanies were purple and gray felt and were worn by freshmen from orientation until the homecoming celebration in October. Being made to wear beanies was connected to a public hazing tradition, too: For not wearing his cap when required, a freshman could be subjected to various penalties, such as being made to do pushups on the college quadrangle. Here are the “rules” set forth for wearing the beanies, from the Sept. 11, 1939, edition of The Aquin, the St. Thomas student newspaper:

   1. Every freshman must, before
   his registration is complete,
   obtain his freshman cap from
   the office of the All-College
   Council, room 111 A.B.
   2. Every freshman will wear the
   freshman cap from the day of
   registration until further notice.
   3. The freshman cap will be
   worn at all times on the campus
   where the wearing of a
   hat or cap is appropriate; i. e.
   NOT in the chapel, library,
   dining halls, classrooms, etc.
   4. Members of the Tiger club
   will be charged with the enforcement
   of the: above rules
   concerning the freshman cap.

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