Carolina Alumni Review - November/December 2009

True Blue Traditions

With UNC well over two centuries old, it has a long list of traditions, from formal (University Day, class rings, Hark the Sound, Commencement) to personal (strolling Coker Arboretum, drinking from the Old Well). We asked alumni to share some of their favorite Carolina traditions. Excerpts of comments are below; read others and share your thoughts at alumni.unc.edu/traditions and on the GAA’s Facebook page at alumni.unc.edu/facebook. You also can read on page 55 about a new book, True Blue, published by the GAA and Order of the Bell Tower as a guide to dozens of popular traditions, old and new.

“”

class quotes

“Perhaps we should start a new tradition by asking Carolina alumni to answer the phone, ‘Hark the sound.’ ”

Benny L. Huffman ’ 58

Valdese

“I still love walking ‘the Grove’ through campus to Battle Woods and continuing on past Gimghoul to Piney Prospect. There, I reflect on all the folks who came before me as student and faculty and made this place what it is. Gives me a shiver. Not, however, cold enough to dissuade me from Locopops! The old, the new, the Heels! Chapel Hill — gotta love it (and I do!).”

Al Dunn ’ 80

Salisbury

“Hark the Sound being played as the crowd was leaving Carmichael after a basketball game. Tar Heels will always feel the tug of Hark the Sound.”

Greg Meehan ’ 69

Kensington, Md.

“Walking through the quad on that first perfect spring day.”

Barbara Hall Gordon ’ 88

Wellesley, Mass.

SARAH MCCART Y ARNESON ’ 96

“Through the decades, some former Carolina traditions have become memories. They include Hector’s, the Porthole and Pyewacket. But the time-honored tradition of browsing through the Ackland Art Museum has remained one of my favorite things to do since I entered UNC as a freshman English major in 1972.”

Evelyn Dove ’ 75

Kinston

ments for their various positions over that semester. What a testament to diversity, true diversity? That openness to all ideas and a tradition of open debate is my favorite school tradition. Who remembers Greg the Pit preacher facing off with the bald woman with the pet pig? Man, now that is ‘open debate’ in the Pit.”

Charlie Walters ’ 96 (MA) Washington, D.C.

For some, a Carolina tradition is as simple as walking the campus and taking in the historic trees and landmarks — the Well, Bell and Silent Sam.

“Well, for a noon game … I would be at Navy Field by 8 a.m. for band practice, then we’d go out in small pep bands to play various functions and meet back on the main quad to warm up and march into the stadium for pregame. My favorite game-day tradition is the Marching Tar Heels!”

Tonya Holcombe Kelley ’ 92

Leicester

“Rameses running out onto the field is so wonderful!”

Lynn E. Wesson ’ 75

Hillsborough

“We grab a vanilla Coke from Sutton’s, walk the campus, shop at Student Stores, visit the Old Well and sit on the Pit steps. Sigh. I miss Carolina!”

Adrianna Domingos-Lupher ’03 (’04 MAT)

Navarre, Fla.

“Watching Tar Heel basketball, no matter where you are or who you’re with.”

Scott Fife ’76

Ridgewood, N.J.

“Sitting all day long in Carmichael waiting for the basketball ticket distribution to begin. Rolls and sweet tea at the Porthole. Being in the card section at the football games. Franklin Street after beating Duke in basketball. Too many good memories to name them all!”

Martha Wells ’ 78

Davidson

“Marching Band all four years, so early morning practice, hydration, pregame pep ral-lies at various locations, then warm up in front of Wilson Library before the loud trek to Kenan Stadium. It was a good thing I lived in Carmichael dorm. A walk across the street was about all I had energy for after the game was over. Postgame was usually a shower just before passing out on my bed.”

Sonya Dawson ’ 94

Raleigh

“I’d like to think that freshmen are having experiences like mine. I remember sitting in an introductory anthropology class with a young man on my left who was gay and a woman on my right who was an evangelical Christian. Both made sound intellectual argu-

“Walking from campus and crossing Franklin Street to grab a drink and play a game of trivia at Woody’s (Four Corners) after fall exams would be very high on the list, as would the classic post-midnight Hector’s run on Friday and Sunday ‘mornings.’ ”