Tag Archives: Traditions & Customs

Pregame Prayer (Evan Hecimovich)

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General info:

  • Type of Lore: Verbal/Customary/Material
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: N.G.
  • Date collected:11/4/2021

Informant Data: N.G. is a 5th year Senior at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. He has lived in Naperville his entire life. While playing for Naperville North High School, he would play one game a year at his current team’s stadium.

Context:

Cultural: North Central is a very successful division 3 football program with a national championship on their record from 2019. It is a private Christian university. The teams head coach takes the schools religious background very seriously.

Social: William Shatzer was a member of the North Central College class of 1942 where he was an All-American football player. He had an opportunity to go the NFL, but with the entrance of the USA into World War 2, he volunteered for the Navy Air Corp. in 1944 he was shot down over the Pacific and never seen again.

Item: Before each game, the team heads out the statue of William Shatzer that stands outside the entrance to the locker room. Here the coach speaks about the sacrifice Shatzer made and they take a moment of silence to reflect. After this the team is led in a prayer by the head coach.

Transcript: “Before every game we head out to this statue of someone who played here in the 40’s and was a fantastic player with a chance to go the league. Instead, he joined the Military and went MIA. Here our coach talks about selflessness, and we have a chance to reflect. He then leads us in our pregame prayer.”

Informant comments: “I think its really about being selfless. Here you have this guy that had a great opportunity for his future but gave it up to fight for something bigger than himself.”

“Senior Spotlight” (Jake Guidone)

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  1. General Info
    1. Locker room tradition
    2. Informant: John Dean
    3. Place of Origin: New Haven, CT
    4. Verbal and Customary Tradition

  1. Informant Data:
    1. John Dean is a twenty four year old male who plays football at Yale University. John was born in White Plains, New York, but was raised in Boston, Massachusetts. He attended Xaverian Brothers High School, where he played both football and lacrosse, and was also named to the academic scholar athlete all-star team. Currently, John resides in New Haven, Connecticut, where he has attended Yale for the past five years. John is the current and only captain of the Yale football team, and has played football his entire life. 

  1. Contextual Data:
    1. John decided to attend Yale University out of high school, a wise decision both academically and athletically. He had received offers from bigger and better schools in terms of football, but decided that he wanted an Ivy League education. As a freshman, John was worried about college expectations, and what managing football and academics would entail. College, especially Ivy League institutions, can be overwhelming for new students at times. This is why Yale Football has a tradition that helps the younger players get a feel for college life, and it’s called “Senior Spotlight”

  1. Text/Tradition:
    1. “Senior Spotlight” is a week to week tradition that takes place during every Yale football season. The night before every game, a random senior is chosen to give a speech in front of the entire team in the Yale locker room. These speeches usually last around twenty to thirty minutes, and are about that seniors’ experience with the school, team, and/or their life. “It is meant to be an open conversation”. The significance of this tradition lies in the unity of the team. It gives everyone a senior’s point of view of what they went through. It also helps the young players, bringing them closer to the team as a whole. Yale does this every season to help better the culture of their team, and bring the new players up to speed on what it means to be a Yale football player. The origin of this tradition is unknown, and has been going on since John arrived as a freshman (and well before that), making this a piece of Yale folklore. 

A Jewish Christmas

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General Information 

Informant: Josh Greene 

Place: Hanover, NH 

Date: October 29, 2021 

Genre/Form of Folklore: Customary/Material 

Title: “A Jewish Christmas” 

Informant Data: Josh Greene, 21, is a current junior at Dartmouth College majoring in Government while serving as the football team’s starting long snapper. Josh was born and raised in Palm Beach Gardens, FL where he attended The Benjamin School. Josh lives with his parents and younger sister when he is home on off-terms. He follows a Jewish faith and is also a columnist for The Dartmouth and writes bi-weekly to highlight his journey as a student-athlete.  

Contextual Data: For many Americans, December 25 is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but for those of a Jewish religion it is a time to consider one’s relationship to the wider society. Some Jewish families have chosen to adopt the Yuletide festivities. Some have emphatically rejected the rituals and symbols of Christmas. Still others have sought ways to meld Christmas and Hanukkah. Christmas, in effect, has become a prism through which Jewish individuals can view how living in this land of freedom has shaped their religion, culture, and identity.  

Social Data: For centuries, the Jewish people of Central and Eastern Europe feared Christmastime. At any other time, religious Jewish individuals would be studying Torah in the synagogue, but not on Christmas. Wary of being attacked in the street, they took refuge in their homes, playing cards or chess with their families. The story was different in Western Europe, where, for the Jewish elite, holiday symbols — such as the Christmas tree — signified secular inclusion in society. Today, thousands upon thousands of American Jewish people have become vested in Christmas through Hannukah and mitzvot. Now, Christmas is an occasion for many American Jewish people to proudly affirm their identity as both American and Jewish. This item of folklore was collected through a face-to-face interview of the informant just before the beginning of the Christmas season. 

Item: Decorative menorahs and dreidels hung on the walls with festive lanterns illuminating the house. Instead of green and red décor, blue and white items pervaded the scenery. Additionally, Jewish families typically top their trees with the Star of David rather than an angel/star. 

Transcript: 

Collector: “How does you and/or your family go about decorating your house during the Christmas season? What sorts of decorations do you put up every year and what factors do you think influence this decorative style?” 

Informant: “Well I think there is this preconceived notion that Christmas and Hannukah are the same holidays, but they’re not. Jews don’t celebrate Christmas quite the same, at least my family. We never really decorated too much… sometimes put up a Christmas tree, maybe a big family Christmas dinner. We always knew it was Christmas, and still recognized what the day was for, but never felt the need to put up a lot of decorations for it. The most I think my parents ever did was hang the Star of David above the front door, and these blue menorah banners that hung in our dining room. Growing up we had a small artificial tree with a menorah top and with blue and white lights, but we haven’t done that in a while.”  

Informant Comment 

Now, I celebrate Christmas with some of my friends and family the same way most people do – but’s usually a pretty small and informal thing. 

Collector Comment 

Historically and culturally, Jewish people haven’t celebrated Christmas because it was once a tragic day – So I understand why Josh and his family don’t celebrate or decorate the way many other non-Jewish American families do. But I was happy to hear that they are being festive by means of Jewish holiday. Josh and his family don’t celebrate Christmas because of the folkloric tradition of recognizing and utilizing the day as a day of rest in preparation for Hannukah. 

Collected by: 

Joshua Betts, 21 

Bradenton, FL 

Hanover, NH 

Dartmouth College 

RUSS 013 

Fall 2021 

Team Cheer

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General Information

  • Tradition
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: USA
  • Informant: SM
  • Date Collected: 11/19/2021

Informant Data

  • SM was a soccer player in high school before switching to cross country. In high school he competed in the mile and 2 mile competitions. At Dartmouth he competes in the 5k and 10k for track and the 8k for cross country. He is the current captain of the cross country and track teams.

Contextual Data

  • Cultural Context: Collective traditions are prevalent on many sports teams. They help instill comradery among the members and can improve team spirit and morale.

Item

  • The captain, or the senior most member of the team, gathers everyone about 100 meters from the starting line and says “Men of Dartmouth set a watch”. The team then responds with “Lest the old traditions fail”.

Associated Audio Recording

Informant’s Comments

  • SM says that there have been some really talented runners that came from Dartmouth and the tradition is meant to emulate them. Performing it will hopefully allow the runners to perform as well as the most talented runners that came before them.

Collector’s Comments

  • This piece of folklore is particularly interesting because the point is for the current runners to perform as well as the runners of the past. This means that the traditions span across multiple decades and people of all ages that were a part of the team at some point share a common bond.

Collector’s Name

  • Alex Printsev

Family Tales

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General Information About Item:

  • Customary Lore,  Celebration
  • Language: English
  • Country of Origin: United States
  • Informant: D.G.
  • Date Collected: 11-11-2021

Informant Data:

  • D.G. is a recent college graduate who grew up in the suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts. He now works in Atlanta, Georgia but makes his way home every year during the Christmas season to spend time with his family. The oldest of his siblings, he has two younger sisters and a younger brother.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: The cultural context of D.G’s family gathering is to share stories of their family lineage and especially to explain to the younger generations within his family how they came to the United States.
  • Social Context: The social context of D.G’s family gathering is that it is a means for his extended family to catch up and share stories of the past.

Item:

  • D.G’s family has an annual tradition of gathering in their household and telling stories about their family’s immigration from Ireland. When possible, his cousin, aunts, and uncles also come to share stories over a nice meal with loved ones. D.G. recalled that stories range from his great grandparents first stepping foot in the United States to funny memories of Christmas parties in the past.

Transcript:

  • “Every year my family gathers at my house in the Boston area to share each-other’s company. The centerpiece of this party is when we sit down for dinner, instead of saying grace we share stories of our family heritage which date back to our first descendents in the United States. It sounds like something a family would typically do for Thanksgiving but it’s ultimately a great way for us to be thankful for what brought us all together. It’s probably the only time of year when my entire extended family is able to gather, as we are spread across the United States just about as much as a family could be. One distinct memory I have about a particularly impactful story was when my great uncle shared the story of my great-great grandfather officially changing our last name on Ellis Island to escape persecution.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • “I think the tradition is particularly impactful due to the fact that all the stories are things which my family can individually relate to. For example, if you came to the party, you may find it to be a bit boring as you would have no grounds for relating to these stories, but I and I know my family finds it especially rewarding.”

Collector’s Comments:

  • D.G’s family tradition is the most traditionally folkloric of the people I had interviewed. It was interesting to hear his take on how the tradition has evolved and how special it is to his family, especially due to the fact that I had not mentioned to him prior to the interview that this class was on folklore itself. His family, while geographically dispersed across the country, remains extremely close in part due to traditions like this one which shares his lineage from generation to generation.

Collected By:

Daniel Hincks

Boston, MA

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS013

Fall 2021

Fraternity Ban (Nick Hepburn)

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General Information:

Title: Fraternity Ban

Form of Folklore: Customary/Ritual (Freshman Tradition)

Language: English

Place of Origin: Hanover, NH, United States

Informant: TB’23

Date Collected: November 7th, 2021

Informant Data: TB is 21 years old and a junior at Dartmouth College. He is originally from Chicago, Illinois and played baseball growing up. At Dartmouth, TB is involved in Greek Life and continues to play baseball through the club baseball team. 

Contextual Data: 

– Social Context: Unlike many other schools, freshmen at Dartmouth are coming from a variety of national and international locations and come with many different experiences. The frat ban allows these students of many backgrounds to get to know one another though they might not have been inclined to get to know each other with the presence of Greek life. 

– Cultural Context:  Freshman fall is an important time in the eyes of Dartmouth’s Administration. They want to make this as inclusive and welcoming as possible in order to form bonds between students in the incoming class. Dartmouth also has a large Greek life presence on campus which can sometimes be exclusive. To ensure that members of the freshman class spend as much time together during the first semester as possible, the College instituted a frat ban. This is a six week long period in which freshmen are not allowed to enter the fraternities on campus. Though this limits the things that freshmen can do on the weekends, many look back on the frat ban as a time that allowed them to get closer to their class and meet people that they wouldn’t have otherwise.

Item: Dartmouth Freshmen are subject to the Frat Ban which is a six week period in which they are not allowed to enter fraternities on campus. This is instituted by the College and is upheld by the fraternities and the Department of Safety and Security. Freshmen stay in their dormitories and form bonds with either their roommate(s) or fellow freshmen in the dorm.

Associated File (courtesy of The Dartmouth Review, pictured is the Choates dorms, one of the Freshman Dorms for Allen House where freshman congregate during the Frat Ban)

The Choates: The Armpit of Res Life - The Dartmouth Review

Transcript:

Collector: “What was your experience with the frat ban and how did it affect your freshman fall and did it promote cohesion within your class and or the people in your dorm?”

Informant: “My perception of the frat ban going into college was that it would be a barrier to having fun and meeting people, but I think it did exactly what it’s intended to do which is get you to meet people more organically that in a fraternity setting. Since joining Psi U I’ve spent the vast majority of my time with the brothers, and I think had it not been for the frat ban I would have a far smaller pool of friends because I wouldn’t have had the kind of forced opportunity to branch out in the way that I did. I’m still really tight with some of the people on the floor of my freshman year dorm, and generally feel that I met a ton of great people who I might otherwise not have if they lack interest in the fraternity scene.”

Collector Comment: It is interesting to hear the perspective of someone who actually went through the Frat Ban while fraternities were operating at full capacity. I went through more of an organic Frat Ban as the result of frats being shut down and the only thing to do on the weekends was to interact with the other people on my floor and in my dorm. 

Collected by:

Nick Hepburn 20

Hampton, NH

Hanover, NH

Dartmouth College

RUSS 013

Organic Farming DOC Trip

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General Information about Item:

  • Informant: Jordan K.
  • Location: Hanover, NH
  • Date Collected: 11-2-2021
  • Form of Folklore: Customary/Ritual
  • Language: English

Informant Data:

  • Jordan is a female, class of 2023 Dartmouth undergraduate. She was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. She experienced his DOC trip back in 2019F when he was a freshman.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: First-year freshman trips are outdoor orientations programs led by returning students. They happen every fall – with exception to last year because of the pandemic. There are multiple outing options to choose from prior to arriving to campus.
  • Social Context: Coming into Dartmouth, students have little knowledge about the school and its surrounding nature. To expose it to them, returning students take the freshman on trips so that they can build relationships for their four years as undergrads.

Item:

  • Jordan received a survey asking for trip preferences before arriving to school. Unlike all other informants, Jordan said “I chose the ‘random’ option for my trip preference. This implied that they would choose the trip for me. I got the Organic Farming option… I wasn’t too happy at first, but I ended up enjoying it.” After doing some research on Farming DOC trip, I found that “Organic Farming Trips take place either at our very own Dartmouth Organic Farm or Luna Bleu Farm in Vermont. On the trip, you will learn the basics of organic farming while helping out with chores and various projects.” Attached below is a picture that Jordan sent to me; it is the sign outside of the organic farm where they spent most of their time.  

Associated file:

Transcript:

  • “I knew I wanted to go on a trip, but I didn’t have any preference – hence why I chose the random option. Just like many others on the trip, I had no experience about farming, but that’s what made the trip fun because we were all learning together… I now help my mother with her garden when I’m back home.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • J.K. said that she was concerned when she found out that she got the farming choice. But after reflecting upon it with me, she liked the overall experience.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Jordan was the only informant that I interviewed who went with the Organic farming option. This one sounded like more a learning experience than an outing.

Collector’s Name: Ben Keeter

Mountain Biking DOC Trip

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General Information about Item:

  • Informant: Zack B.
  • Location: Hanover, NH
  • Date Collected: 11-9-21
  • Form of Folklore: Customary/Ritual
  • Language: English

Informant Data:

  • Zack is a male, class of 2022 Dartmouth undergraduate. He was born and raised in New Jersey. His hobbies consist of playing football, watching soccer, and hanging out with friends. He experienced his DOC trip back in 2018F when he was a freshman.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: First-year freshman trips are outdoor orientations programs led by returning students. They happen every fall – with exception to last year because of the pandemic. Zack, like many other incoming students, was concerned coming into Dartmouth that he wasn’t going to find many friends. Through this program, Zack found a friend that he is still close with today.
  • Social Context: Coming into Dartmouth, students have little knowledge about the school and its surrounding nature. To expose it to them, returning students take the freshman on trips so that they can build relationships for their four years as undergrads. Zack received an email prior to arriving to campus and decided to take a risk by going on a DOC trip.

Item:

  • Zack received a survey asking for trip preferences before arriving to school. He considers himself as an “outdoorsy and brave” person. While talking about the process, Zack said “I chose mountain biking because I never tried it. I would consider myself as an athletic person, therefore I was not worried about falling off the bike.” Unlike some other informants, Zack got his first choice, and he really enjoyed the overall experience. After doing some research on the biking club, I found that “The Mountain Biking Club of the DOC is a great place to learn the ins and outs of mountain biking around Hanover.” Attached below is a picture that Zack sent to me from the website that accurately represents the experience.

Associated file:

Transcript:

  • “They took our group out to the forest and to my surprise, there were a ton of natural biking paths. I was extremely happy with my choice of mountain biking because it was far out of my comfort zone. As well, I met some classmates that I am still close with today… Overall, I suggest that every incoming freshman goes on a DOC trip.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • Z.B. said that he “didn’t know what to expect from choosing the mountain biking option.” He was concerned that the paths would be difficult/hard, but he was able to tackle all the paths with ease.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Zack was the only informant that chose the mountain biking option. I was intrigued at how different this option was compared to the rest – this choice is more for the brave and adventurous.

Collector’s Name: Ben Keeter

Hiking DOC Trip (2)

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General Information about Item:

  • Informant: Alex G.
  • Location: Hanover, NH
  • Date Collected: 11-5-21
  • Form of Folklore: Customary/Ritual
  • Language: English

Informant Data:

  • Alex is a male, class of 2025 Dartmouth undergraduate. He was born and raised in New Jersey. He has a military family background and says it plays a large role into how he was raised growing up. Alex’s hobbies consist of playing videogames with his friends, golfing, and traveling. He experienced the DOC trip this term.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: First-year freshman trips are outdoor orientations programs led by returning students. They happen every fall – with exception to last year because of the pandemic. Alex, like many other incoming students, was concerned coming into Dartmouth that he wasn’t going to find many friends.
  • Social Context: Coming into Dartmouth, students have little knowledge about the school and its surrounding nature. To expose it to them, returning students take the freshman on trips so that they can build relationships for their four years as undergrads. Alex decided to take this as an opportunity to network for his 4 years here.

Item:

  • Just like the other DOC informants, Alex received a survey asking for trip preferences before arriving to school. Alex said “They made us select multiple trips because everyone couldn’t get their first option. I chose cabin-camping as my first, but I got my second choice which was hiking.” Although Alex was “bummed out” that he didn’t get his first choice, he was happy that he got to experience the hiking the upper valley has to offer. Attached below is a picture that Alex found of the “fire tower” that sits atop of Mt. Cardigan.  

Associated file:

Transcript:

  • “Although I was unable to experience my first option of cabin-camping, I did enjoy the hiking experience. We spent 3 days hiking new mountains… I didn’t do much hiking growing up, so this was an eye-opening experience. I met some people that I still keep in touch with today, and that seemed like the guide’s goal of the trips.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • A.G. openly said that he “didn’t like the first day because he didn’t have cellular connection.” But, after he accepted that, he enjoyed bonding with his future undergrad classmates.

Collector’s Comments:

  • Although Alex and Sean both picked the hiking option, they were not in the same group. Therefore, I assume that a majority of incoming freshman attend these DOC trips as there are multiple groups per option.

Collector’s Name: Ben Keeter

Cabin-Camping DOC Trip

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General Information about Item:

  • Informant: Stephanie P.
  • Location: Hanover, NH
  • Date Collected: 10-29-21
  • Form of Folklore: Customary/Ritual
  • Language: English

Informant Data:

  • Stephanie is a female, class of 2022 Dartmouth student.  She was born and raised in Colorado. Outside of doing schoolwork, she enjoys skiing and spending time outside. While at home in Colorado, she likes to travel around the state and take in the nature. She experienced the DOC trip her freshman year in 2018.

Contextual Data:

  • Cultural Context: First-year freshman trips are outdoor orientations programs led by returning students. They happen every fall – with exception to last year because of the pandemic. Stephanie, like many other incoming students, was concerned coming into Dartmouth as she moved across the country. She contemplated doing the program, but ultimately chose to do it and enjoyed her decision.  
  • Social Context: Coming into Dartmouth, students have little knowledge about the school and its surrounding nature. To expose it to them, returning students take the freshman on trips so that they can build relationships for their four years as undergrads.  

Item:

  • Just like the other informants, Stephanie received a survey asking for trip preferences before arriving to school. She described the process – “I don’t recall all the options, but I remember hiking, climbing, and cabin-camping.” She appreciates the outdoors, but not enough to be outside all day; so, she picked cabin-camping as her first choice. Attached below is a picture that she took at the Moosilauke Lodge. She had this to say about the area – “everyone needs to make it out to this lodge. It is beautifully constructed inside and out. During my trip, we spent most of our time exploring the surroundings, and we were able to hang out in the cabin whenever we want.”

Associated file:

Transcript:

  • “I really enjoyed my DOC trip and recommend that every freshman should do it. A part of me with I chose another preference, but I really liked the cabin-camping option… To this day, I still have 2 close friends that I made on this trip – and I think that is the main goal of these trips, to bond with other incoming students.”

Informant’s Comments:

  • S.P. recollects these events from 2018 – when she was a freshman. She contemplated even going to a trip, however after reflecting on it, she was happy that she went through with it.

Collector’s Comments:

  • S.P. appreciated the trip that occurred in 2018. The cabin-camping seemed very different from Sean’s experience, but they served the same purpose as it acted as a perfect transition activity.

Collector’s Name: Ben Keeter