Blast from the past: D-Day celebrates 65 years
A peek into The Denisonian archives reveals how the D-Day celebrations have changed since it first began in 1945.
Marin Harris & SommerAnn McCullough
Issue date: 2/9/10 Section: Up Hill, Down Hill
It's a Tuesday night in mid-March. You're cramming for two exams and are in complete denial about the fact that you have a paper due tomorrow. The tension in the library tells you that the majority of the student body is in a similarly unfortunate situation. Suddenly, the Swasey bells begin to ring. As the tune of "Hold the Tiger" rings out across the campus, work slows and the student body lets out a collective sigh of relief-There will be no class tomorrow. D-Day has finally come!
Denison students of today can certainly relate to the mid-week stresses of classes and extra-curricular commitments, but the relief of a mid-week surprise D-Day isn't something we've ever experienced. After browsing through early issues of The Denisonian, we've discovered that the tradition of holding D-Day on a Saturday is only one of the many ways that the event has changed since it began in 1945.
As campus eagerly awaits Thursday's announcement of who will be performing for this year's biggest concert, we thought you might enjoy a look into what D-Day was like in decades past.
When D-Day originated in 1945, students were given an entire day off from classes to celebrate. In addition to the concert, which we still have today, the entire day was full of activities including tug-of-war, greased pig chasing, pie throwing and an informal dance.
In 1947, festivities began at 5:30 a.m. on a Thursday morning when men ran into the women's dormitories to announce the event. The start of the day was "spontaneous and unrehearsed." After an all-student brunch in the fraternity or sorority houses, students would spend the day engaged in a variety of activities designed to bring the student body together to socialize and relax.
Events included a "wicked tough football game between the Kappas and the Tri-Delts" in which the Tri-Delts won 3-0. There was a tug-of war competition in Ebaugh pond between the men of the freshmen and sophomore classes, followed by what we can only imagine was a risky game of "musical chairs on horseback."
Denison students of today can certainly relate to the mid-week stresses of classes and extra-curricular commitments, but the relief of a mid-week surprise D-Day isn't something we've ever experienced. After browsing through early issues of The Denisonian, we've discovered that the tradition of holding D-Day on a Saturday is only one of the many ways that the event has changed since it began in 1945.
As campus eagerly awaits Thursday's announcement of who will be performing for this year's biggest concert, we thought you might enjoy a look into what D-Day was like in decades past.
When D-Day originated in 1945, students were given an entire day off from classes to celebrate. In addition to the concert, which we still have today, the entire day was full of activities including tug-of-war, greased pig chasing, pie throwing and an informal dance.
In 1947, festivities began at 5:30 a.m. on a Thursday morning when men ran into the women's dormitories to announce the event. The start of the day was "spontaneous and unrehearsed." After an all-student brunch in the fraternity or sorority houses, students would spend the day engaged in a variety of activities designed to bring the student body together to socialize and relax.
Events included a "wicked tough football game between the Kappas and the Tri-Delts" in which the Tri-Delts won 3-0. There was a tug-of war competition in Ebaugh pond between the men of the freshmen and sophomore classes, followed by what we can only imagine was a risky game of "musical chairs on horseback."
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