90 Years Ago

When was the first Rope Pull, anyway? That’s a question your editor often gets at this time of year. Inter-class and inter-dormitory competitions involving a “tug o’ war” were certainly part of campus life in the 19^th century and D.L. Moody himself is reputed to have taken part in these contests. It was not until the spring of 1925 that the event resolved itself into an annual contest between the junior and senior classes, and in the fall of 1926, Shadow Lake became the venue of choice. This is the 90^th anniversary of the event at Shadow Lake: the 91^st edition happens on the 18^th,

from The Hermonite, vol. XL, no. 4; p. 1 (October 23, 1926).

Much Junior-Senior Rivalry

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The Rope Pull

It seems as though the Juniors are racking their brains to think of all kinds of schemes to put some class spirit on the Hill. The recent rope-pull across Shadow Lake is only one of the various means they have taken to obtain their end. And in the rope-pull they did attain their end, for they dragged the Seniors through the mud in grand style, showing that they had something besides wind. The Seniors response to the rope-pull challenge seemed to hearten the Juniors, but the fact that the south goal posts are still red and blue makes the Juniors feel that it takes more than a mud bath to wake up the Seniors. What’s next?

Who will win this year? Go to watch or pull on Sunday and find out. A few statistics:

Since the event was moved to Shadow Lake, the Juniors have only won 14 of 90 rope pulls.

Since the seniors asserted their right to the advantageous east bank, the juniors have won a mere 9 of 83 contests.

In all these years, only eight classes have not tasted the waters of the lake and emerged as double victors, including your editor’s great class of 1978. –ed.