Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Hobart has a set of very official traditions – John Henry Hobart Day, the Benjamin Hale Dinner, Charter Day and the Hobart Launch – that pay tribute to the enduring history of the institution and that in some cases have existed across centuries.

Each generation, however, also has its own set of favorite moments, events, places and traditions that, though sometimes short-lived, come to define the Hobart and William Smith experience. Below is a list of some of those “non-traditional traditions.”

Have we missed one? Want to share a picture or video? Email publicity@hws.edu.

Geneva Hall: Before renovation in 1929, students scratched their initials into the windowsills and foundation bricks of Geneva Hall.

Cane Rush: Upperclass students carried canes and, if/when a group of freshman was seen carrying “unearned” canes, sophomores “rushed” them to try to take the canes away. The winners wrote an epic poem about the cane rush. Originally informal, this competition was later more organized, but stopped around 1910.

Banner Scrap: Freshmen hung their class banner in a tree near Pulteney Street and guarded it during the night while sophomores attempted to get it out of the tree. The objective was to have it there by morning. Some of the things they did to keep it there included soaking the banner so it froze to the tree or chaining it to the tree in a padlocked cage. This was a tradition from around 1910-1926.

Flour Scrap: This tradition started sometime before Banner Scrap stopped. Freshmen and sophomores threw bags of flour at each other on the Green for three minutes until a whistle was blown and an upperclassmen chose the winners. This continued every year until World War II.

Burning of the Calculus: Students held a procession down Main Street and around the Quad before holding a mock trial and eulogizing “those alleged to have been felled ‘de Analytica’” before burning their math work.

Quad Dogs: Over the years, hundreds of students have walked their "Quad Dogs" through campus. The dogs have included huskies, setters, St. Bernard’s, Airedales, shepherds, mutts and the ever-present and popular Labrador retriever. Dogs mentioned in the yearbooks include: Jasper, Stumpy, Marla, Bingo, Buster, Max, Spunk, Frank, Quigley, Timothy William, Smokey, Kilgore and Ruby, to name just a few. Pets, of course, are not limited to dogs. In the early part of the 20th century, some students boarded their horses at nearby stables, a tradition that has gained momentum in the last decade with the Colleges’ equestrian club.

Rites of Spring: an annual party hosted by Sigma Chi in the spring.

Fall Nationals: A race between faculty, staff and students in homemade soap box cars down William Smith Hill. The tradition was started in 1968 by Kappa Sigma as a way to raise money for charity. The race has stopped and started multiple times through the years with the latest held in 2019. Among the heated rivalries of participants was one between 2011 champion and Chi Phi brother Marshall Keeton’14 and Hobart Dean Eugen Baer HON’07, P’95, P’97, a previous Fall Nationals winner who Keeton narrowly defeated. Watch a Homecoming video that features Fall Nationals.

Days of Service: In 1994, more than 700 volunteers from the Colleges and the local community came together on behalf of Geneva in the inaugural HWS Day of Service. Today, HWS holds three community-wide Days of Service each semester, which, combined with the volunteer projects students undertake throughout the academic year, totals more than 80,000 hours of service annually. Under the leadership of Katie Flowers, the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning has established a national model for service, earning recognition from Washington Monthly as one of the top programs in the country.

Sankofa Charity Ball: Hosted by Sankofa, the Charity Ball includes dinner, live performances, a keynote speaker, dancing and a silent auction. The Ball has a theme each year and raises money for a different community cause. In 2016, for example, the Ball raised more than $2,000 for scholarship support for two Geneva High School students.

White Deer at Seneca Depot: The former Seneca Depot, formally shut down in 2000 after being used as an army munitions storage facility, is home to a herd of white deer. Driving by the Seneca Depot to spot the deer has been a favorite pastime of students. Read more about the deer and conservation efforts.

President’s Garage Band: The first performance by President Mark D. Gearan’s Garage Band happened at the Senior Dinner in 2005, featuring a mix of faculty, staff and community members with the President on keyboard and vocals. You can watch tributes to the Classes of 2010 and the Classes of 2016.

Heated Cookies: Described as “the greatest study treat” by the staff of the Herald in the March 3, 1995 issue, heated chocolate chip monster cookies were a favorite of students with “the crispy outside of the cookie and soft inside” described as a “tantalizing taste bud experience.” Find the Recipe here.

Toga Parties: Kappa Sigma hosted toga parties that started in the 1970s and lasted throughout the 1980s.

Cosie’s: Sam's Bar & Grill, better known as Cosie's, first started advertising in The Herald in 1957, with a few words in a few square inches: "Sam's Bar -- Ask for Cosmo." Located on Tillman Street and operated by Cosmo Fospero, the bar was a home away from campus for generations of students and faculty. "An enjoyable place; the service and drinks are good, vibes are friendly and there's plenty of space to hang out," according to a succinct review in an October 1974 issue of The Herald. "The tequila sunrise cost .50. No draft beer available." Read tributes to Cosie and the world he created here.

The LAO Extravaganza: An annual event honoring Hispanic and Latin American culture, the LAO gala has been celebrated in a number of locations across campus and Geneva and includes cuisine, music, a lecture and performances. The event always also includes a philanthropy component, raising money for a variety of local causes.

The Sideshow: Anita Carlson – known as "Ma" to Side Show regulars – operated the Geneva watering hole from 1985 until her death in 2019. The jukebox offerings didn't change for years and you can listen to the songs on this Spotify playlist that includes 151 songs selected by Carlson's family that represent an era.

Twin Oaks: From 1947 to 1986, the Twin Oaks was the primary student haunt with weekly Mug Nights. Located at the corner of Pulteney and Hamilton, where the HWS entrance marker is today, the Oaks offered a chance to get away from the pressures of the day amid the memorabilia of the past: autographed footballs, ancient lacrosse sticks and yellowed photos of HWS. Those nostalgic for the legendary tavern -- and those too young to remember it -- can get a taste of the atmosphere at the Twin Oaks tent at Reunion.

Koshare: Koshare debuted on the Bartlett Theatre stage in 1971. When the HWS dance collective’s annual show celebrated its 45th anniversary in 2016, it featured 140 dancers in 20 pieces, including styles from Ghanaian and Afro-Caribbean traditions, to classical ballet, contemporary, tap and hiphop. Since moving to the Smith Opera House in 2013, Koshare has sold out two performances annually in the 1,300-seat venue. It was renamed the Kinetic Dance Collective in 2021.

Folkfest: Between 1976 and 2001, HWS Folk Fest packed the Quad with acts like Doc Watson, Bela Fleck, Toots and the Maytals, Phish and The Slip, as well as a number of faculty, staff, student and alum performers, including Folk Fest's founder, Matthew Stamell '78, P'04

Swim Test: Until 1994, the Colleges required all students to pass a swimming test to graduate. William Smith began the requirement in 1939 and Hobart followed suit in 1948. Until the late 1960s, when Bristol Pool was opened, the test was held at the YMCA in downtown Geneva. While most students got it out of the way in their first year, there are stories of some turning up at Bristol three hours before graduation to take the test.

Traying: For decades, students have “borrowed” food trays from Saga to use as makeshift sleds. Today’s students have access to a number of inflatable and plastic sleds.

Cam’s or Mark’s?: The war of the pizza slice continues today with staunch defenders on both sides.

Breakfast at Connie’s: Perhaps this will only be relevant for rowers, but since the start of the rowing team, Connie’s Diner in Waterloo has been a standing tradition. There isn’t a better spot for a post Saturday practice (large) stack of pancakes.

Spring Days on the Quad: The winters can be long and cold in Geneva. As such, any visitor to campus on the first spring day is likely to find very little space available on the quad. On those first warm days in March (let’s be serious, more like April), you can find students spending their days laying on the quad studying, playing lawn games and generally just hanging out and welcoming the sun back to the northeast.

The Union: No one can forget the Black and White Milkshakes.

Ma Thetes: Annual outdoor spring party hosted by Theta Delta Chi where up and coming bands like Blues Traveler performed.

Air Band: Annual lip-syncing extravaganza featuring solo acts and multimember ensembles at the historic Smith Opera House.

Brew Doggies in front of Medbery.

Hobart Rugby Football Club matches on the Quad.