TRADITIONS OF YESTERYEAR
Freshman beanies
In the 1940s freshmen were required to wear beanie caps—or get paddled by varsity athletes. The beanie tradition started at K-State around 1912.
Favorite man on campus
From 1946 to 1972 K-State women voted for their Favorite Man on Campus. Candidates would campaign for weeks to try to earn the title. John Aiken '49 of Farm House fraternity was crowned the first FMOC at the Snow Ball.
Flash card sections
As far back as the 1920s K-Staters organized flash card sections in the stands to cheer on the team. The biggest flash card section, the K-Block, began in 1957 in Memorial Stadium. By 1958 the section had 1,200 participants.
How it worked: A yell leader would announce a number. Each K-Block member would then hold up a colored, numbered card. The designs created could be seen from the field or the opposite side of the stadium.
Shepherd's crook
The shepherd's crook symbolized the importance of seniors, who acted as shepherds caring for a flock of underclassmen. The tradition was introduced in 1892 by George Clothier using a spade instead of a crook.
How it worked: The crook was passed on each spring from the senior class president to the junior class president. The crook featured the class colors of the retiring owners and the preceding class.