University of Mary Washington Then & Now

A Photography Exhibition

Posts in the Freshman category

Move-In Day

Move-In Day signifies the beginning of the academic school year for students. For freshman, it is the day where they say goodbye to living solely under their parents’ or guardians’ roof, and learn to live with people their own age. Move-In Day is typically in late August and is the first day of Freshman Orientation, which is the week before courses begin. Upperclassmen tend to move in either a few days or the day before the first day of courses.

Move-In Day, August 17, 2010

Move-In Day, August 17, 2010
Norm Shafer, UMW Photographer, "Move-In Day," August 17, 2010, University of Mary Washington.

Devil Goat Day

Devil Goat Day is UMW’s oldest tradition that still occurs today. Devil-Goat Day began in 1926 when Eileen Kramer Dodd joined the faculty and became the sponsor of the junior class.1 She and the junior class “decided to have a goat as [their] symbol.”2 One morning, all of the juniors and Dodd “appeared in the dining hall wearing white skirts and white sweatshirts decorated with a felt green goat.”3 This sparked the seniors to pick “a distinctive symbol, and they adopted a red devil as an emblem. So began the Devil-Goat rivalry.”4  Alternating classes were designated as either Devils or Goats, as events creating competition between Senior and Sophomores, and Juniors and Freshman occurred annually, which developed into Devil-Goat Day.5 However, in the 1990s students were becoming indifferent to the school’s traditions.6 In 1992, “sponsorship of the event was taken over by the freshman class officers, who tried to rejuvenate it” by adding music and more daring activities such as a climbing wall, a velcro wall, jousting and human bungees.7

The freshman must have succeeded in rejuvenating Devil-Goat Day, because the event still occurs today in 2014, and is still planned by the freshman class officers on Class Council. The tradition of having freshman and juniors versus sophomores and seniors continues as well as having the odd numbered graduation classes as Devils and even numbered graduation classes as Goats. Currently, at freshman orientation, Dean Rucker always announces to the new class of students whether they are Devils or Goats. (Dean Rucker himself is a Devil.) Devil-Goat Day continues to take place on Ball Circle, and has had a great turn out within the last few years. One newer tradition that is a part of Devil-Goat Day is trying to collect the free Devil or Goat t-shirts handed out by Class Council every year. Students will line up sometimes an hour or more before in order to make sure they can get one out of the limited supply of t-shirts. This year, in 2014, the t-shirts were handed out by Lee Hall and the Devil t-shirt line extended down campus walk towards Trinkle Hall, while the Goat t-shirt line extended down past Virginia Hall.

President Hurley on Devil Goat Day, April 25, 2013

President Hurley on Devil Goat Day, April 25, 2013
Elizabeth Henry, "President Hurley on Devil Goat Day," April 25, 2013, Personal Collection of Elizabeth Henry, University of Mary Washington.

Show 7 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 26. ↩
  2. Ibid. ↩
  3. Ibid. ↩
  4. Ibid. ↩
  5. Ibid., 27. ↩
  6. Ibid., 719. ↩
  7. Ibid. ↩

Russell

In 1965, a new dormitory was built on Sunken Road and named “Russell” in honor of the College’s former President Russell.1 Continuing through 1977, Russell Hall was an Upperclassmen residence hall. As quoted in University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008, both Russell and Jefferson halls acquired a personality described in the 1977 Bullet as, “Household words at UVa, U. of R., and Randy Mac. The ladies there are the darlings of the preps, and on most Friday and Saturday nights their dorm is the scene of more passes than a school of quarterbacks.”2

Today, Russell Hall is a co-ed, freshman residence hall that houses approximately 173 students.3 Russell Hall is a split-level building with double and triple rooms, and hall bathrooms.4

Russell Hall

Russell Hall
Judson Smith Studio, "Russell Hall," n.d., UMW Archives, University of Mary Washington.

Russell, February 19, 2014

Russell, February 19, 2014
Jessica Reingold, "Russell," February 19, 2014, Personal Collection of Jessica Reingold, University of Mary Washington.

Show 4 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 19. ↩
  2. Ibid., 244. ↩
  3. University of Mary Washington Residence Life, “Russell Hall,” University of Mary Washington, http://students.umw.edu/residencelife/russell/ ( Accessed April 4, 2014). ↩
  4. Ibid. ↩

Jefferson

Jefferson Hall opened in 1967, could house 195 students, and was named for Thomas Jefferson.1 The residence hall included several innovative features such as “the campus’s first dorm elevator, a cluster arrangement of rooms that included kitchenettes, and a number of single rooms for students who desired privacy.”2 Continuing through 1977, Jefferson Hall was an upperclassmen residence hall. As quoted in University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008, both Jefferson and Russell halls acquired a personality described in the 1977 Bullet as, “Household words at UVa, U. of R., and Randy Mac. The ladies there are the darlings of the preps, and on most Friday and Saturday nights their dorm is the scene of more passes than a school of quarterbacks.”3

Jefferson Hall today is a co-ed, freshman residence hall that houses approximately 192 students. The residence hall has both double and triple rooms with hall bathrooms.4

Jefferson Hall, n.d.

Jefferson Hall, n.d.
"Jefferson Hall," n.d., UMW Archives, University of Mary Washington.

Jefferson, February 19, 2014

Jefferson, February 19, 2014
Jessica Reingold, "Jefferson," February 19, 2014, Personal Collection of Jessica Reingold, University of Mary Washington.

Show 4 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 82. ↩
  2. Ibid. ↩
  3. Ibid., 244. ↩
  4. University of Mary Washington Residence Life, “Jefferson Hall,” University of Mary Washington, http://students.umw.edu/residencelife/jefferson/ (Accessed April 4, 2014). ↩

Bushnell

Bushnell Hall was completed in 1959 and could house up to 144 students. It was named after Nina Bushnell, a former dean at the College. As noted in University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008, Bushnell Hall was also the “first dorm to house students from all four classes in the same building.”1

On December 5, 1980, Bushnell Hall caught on fire.2 Fortunately, none of the residents were injured, but the fourth-floor residents did need temporary alternative housing due to the damages caused by the fire.3 Bushnell was able to reopen in January for the start of the spring semester.4 The total cost of repairing the residence hall was “approximately $80,000.”5

Following the reopening, lighter incidents occurred in Bushnell Hall such as the scandalous “male strip tease shows” that took place throughout the 1980s.6 As quoted in University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 a 1984 Bullet review entitled “Bushnell Bares the Beef,” described “‘MWC’s own ‘Chippendales’ hopped about…sporting black pants, bow ties and glistening muscular chests,’” they were “egged on by cries of ‘Take it off!’”7

Today, Bushnell Hall is a co-ed suite freshman residence hall that houses 151 students. Bushnell Hall has accommodations for both double and quad occupancy rooms with suite bathrooms.8

Bushnell Hall, December 21, 1964

Bushnell Hall, December 21, 1964
"Bushnell Hall," December 21, 1964, Battlefield, 1964, UMW Archives, University of Mary Washington.

Bushnell, February 19, 2014

Bushnell, February 19, 2014
Jessica Reingold, "Bushnell," February 19, 2014, Personal Collection of Jessica Reingold, University of Mary Washington.
Front View of Bushnell, February 19, 2014

Front View of Bushnell, February 19, 2014
Jessica Reingold, "Bushnell," February 19, 2014, Personal Collection of Jessica Reingold, University of Mary Washington.

Show 8 footnotes

  1. William B. Crawley Jr., University of Mary Washington: A Centennial History, 1908-2008 (Fredericksburg: University of Mary Washington Foundation, 2008), 82. ↩
  2. Ibid., 274 ↩
  3. Crawley, 276 ↩
  4. Ibid., 277 ↩
  5. Ibid. ↩
  6. Ibid., 428 ↩
  7. Ibid. ↩
  8. University of Mary Washington Residence Life, “Bushnell Hall,” University of Mary Washington, http://students.umw.edu/residencelife/bushnell/ (Accessed April 4, 2014). ↩
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