New Special Collections Exhibition: Thirteen Decades of Back to School Traditions and Campus Growth

The start of another semester means new exhibits featuring material from Special Collections! Visit the George Connor Special Collections Reading Room (LIB 439) to learn about back to school traditions that have shaped the university campus over the past 130 years, including Convocation, Founders Day, Homecoming and Rat Week. A sample of these traditions are pictured below.

University of Chattanooga students wearing their Rat Week caps. — University of Chattanooga students wearing Rat Week caps in 1966. 1967 Moccasin yearbook.

Image of Phyllis Marie White, the first black Homecoming Queen at UTC — 1970 Homecoming Queen Phyllis Marie White was the first black student to win this title. University Echo, 1970 November 10.

UTC Students with Founders Day cake in the shape of Old Main — 2011 Founders Day Celebrations included a giant cake in the shape of Old Main, the original university building. University Echo, 2011 March 10.

After you check out the exhibit, take this Buzzfeed Quiz to test your knowledge about campus history!