Two Lawrence traditions, Trivia Weekend and Winter Carnival, will occur within the next two weeks. The former needs little introduction among readers of The Lawrentian and the latter will be remembered by many alumni and faculty. Winter Carnival was first held in 1933 and included activities such as ice carving and sledding – activities that will again take place this year.
We appreciate the efforts of the administration to bring Winter Carnival back to campus. Continuity through classes of students is difficult to maintain, yet renewing traditions can connect the experiences of current students with students of the past. It also serves to bolster the cohesiveness of our community.
Just as with other institutions, Lawrence has lost some of its traditions over the years. Yet in our university’s setting of close proximity and daily interactions with the same 1,500 people, traditions tend to form themselves. Ideally, student activities would carry on through the decades as Lawrentians continued to find them engaging.
However, many factors can separate the intents of one class year from another. When gaps in the collective memory of students appear, the administration, faculty and staff have the opportunity to explain what was once time-honored. Today’s students may or may not take to the activities as their predecessors did; nevertheless we encourage those members of the Lawrence community whose presence here is less liminal to remind us of our past.
We hope that students try some of the events this winter and spring and evaluate whether they fit into the Lawrence of today. We may just find that old traditions can be even more exciting than new ones.
Staff Editorial
