Tales from the Archives: Fostering School Spirit and Community

As the University of St. Thomas anticipates the arrival of the new first-year students on campus, it’s a good time to reflect on the different ways St. Thomas used to instill a sense of school spirit and community in its incoming students.

Back in 1926, the Tiger Club (a group of junior and senior class members known for their excellence in academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities) was established. The group’s special mission was to nurture and promote school spirit among all incoming students.

One of the main ways the Tiger Club fostered school spirit was by having first-year students wear purple and gray freshman caps, known as “beanies.” Freshmen were required to wear the beanies all times while they were on campus, except when in specific locations like the Chapel, classrooms, the dining hall, or their rooms in the residence halls.

During the first few weeks of classes, first-year students would experience some light-hearted hazing from the Tigers. For instance, Tiger Club members could approach any first-year student and request that they sing a rendition of the school song. First-year students were expected to attend all pep rallies and football games and participate in rousing versions of St. Thomas cheers. Additionally, the Tigers supervised the new students in the building of the Homecoming bonfire.

First-year students were expected to wear the beanies through Homecoming Week, typically held in October or November. During this week, the Tiger Club held initiation ceremonies for the freshmen. Once fully initiated into the community, the new Tommies would ceremoniously toss their beanies onto the Homecoming bonfire. This tradition of wearing freshman caps was phased out in the late 1960s.

In the 1950s and 1960s, first-year students were also asked to take part in various Freshman Week activities to help them bond together as a class. Special events were offered like a guided tour of the Twin Cities aboard the St. Thomas bus. The week also included social events like mixers, dances and picnics with the first-year students enrolled at the College of St. Catherine. These interactions helped forge lasting connections between the two student bodies.

As the university welcomes this year’s new students to campus, it’s worth noting how traditions like these helped shape the sense of community and school spirit that continues to thrive today.