As a freshman, Burch was assigned to the woodworking department of Student Crafts. He immediately liked the work and learned all phases of general production - sanding, drilling and assembling. His abilities and aptitude were noted by his supervisors and, after only one semester, he was asked to be the student in charge of producing the game. Skittles first was introduced as a crafts product by Dr. Gordon Ross, former Berea philosophy and religion professor, in the 1930s and has been produced every year since. The game is played in a wooden box with 15 pins, each on a numbered spot.
String is wound around a spinner placed in a starting box.
The spinner is released by jerking the string and points are scored as the spinner knocks the pins down. The player with the highest score wins the game. Burch averages making 10-12 games per week, which the College markets through its Student Crafts Program. The preliminary work of sanding and cutting out parts for Skittles is performed by both student and staff. Burch, a junior from Edgewood, Ky., then assembles, sands, stamps, and makes the point markers.