University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-11-10

poor that is not rich in tradition
About every college or university
there is a wealth of tradition that
clings as closely as does the ivy
OIL the walls of the old buildings
at Missouri.
! Long after the old grad" of the
University of Missouri has forgotten
his ''math" and his Greek he will re.
call with pleasure the days when he
attained the dignity of seniorhood
and was allowed to recline luxurious
ly on the Mounds. No one knows
where all these traditions come from
Some of the more recent can be
traced to their origin but others are
like the old folk song. They just
seem to have sprung up. like Topsy.
About the first tradition at the
niversity of Missouri that the fresh
man learns is that his particular
style of headgear is not at all accept
able to the esthetic eyes of the soph-
omores. He is at once instructed
to buy himself a little skull cap
about the size of postage stamp
and to wear it on all occasions. This
cap has to be of color appropriate
IT, his division. If he be a lawyer,
the color is purple; if an engineer,
green; a journalist. yellow; an aca-
demic student, red; a farmer, white.
The military drill in the fall looks
like a poppy field with all of these
colors bObbing about as the ranks
mark time
A stunt that is unique here is what
is known as the Hobo Convention.
This was started in the dim past and
only few of the old grads remember
by whom it was established. 1t is
pretty well determined now that an
eye and ear doctor, Lafayette O'Ma-
honey was the father of this stunt.
One year in the spring when the
"wanderlust' was strong in O'Maho-
ICy's veins he conceived the idea of
having a Hobo Convention. He talk
ed it over with few of his bosom
pals and they We're enthusiastic about
the idea. 1t was absolutely new. So
when the posters announcing a con-
vention 'of the HObOes glared forth
on the campus walks one morning
every man in the University immedi-
ately decided that for one day at
least he would be a knight of the
read An elaborate program was
arranged for the day. 1t was a mot
lev crew indeed that chit the ties" up
the railroad track to a station a mile
cut of Columbia on the Wabash and
tagged an incoming freight.
Any self-respecting hobo would
have been ashamed to own them as
bl other ''boes." They piled on to the
train and rode into Columbia. At the
station they formed parade and
marched over town. About
. O'Clock in the evening the pangs
OF hunger began to make themselves
felt and in true hobo style the weary
Willies scattered over the town, chit
ting the back DOORS for handouts.
In the evening a big convention
was held in the University Auditor
ium and several of the favorite pro-
fesors were initiated into membership |
Of the Ancient and Amalgamated
Sens of Rest
Each division at the University
gives some unique stunt every year.
rhe students of the College of Agri-
culture give two stunts. The first
: the annual barn warming. Invita-
ions are issued in true farmer style.
Last year they consisted of corn cobs
followed out with the invitations
inside of them. All who attend the
BARN warming wear work clothes and
enjoy country sports. A dance
5 held in the loft of one of the large
,arns on the state farm.
The big stunt of the agricultural
apartment is the annual county
air which is given each spring. This
air had its beginning in stunt Civ
n in the spring of 1905. The stu
lents set aside day, gave a parade