This year, 4,750 new incoming freshmen took that initial step onto the University of Georgia’s glorious campus. They are beginning their journey in a new town, and the possibilities seem endless. Eventually, as the students wander from building to building in pursuit of an education, a social life, dinner, or all of the above, each will see the famous, mythological arch. Its image is incorporated into the official UGA logo, and it can be found on just about anything from T-shirts to UGA staff business cards (Blanchard). However, what if these freshmen students are not careful and walk under The Arch? If they end up not graduating, do they have something to blame?
The University's long standing landmark, The Arch, is a cast-iron representation of the Seal of the State of Georgia. The Arch's three pillars stand for Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation which is the state motto of Georgia. The Arch is considered to be the gateway to the University of Georgia as it stands at the northern edge of North Campus standing guard between the campus and the city of Athens (Michaels).
While observing people on the walkway that The Arch stands on, one sees students either intentionally walk around it or walk through it in a snooty manner. It is said that if a student walks under The Arch during his or her freshmen year, then they are doomed for failure and will not graduate from UGA.
History points back to an UGA alumnus, Daniel Huntley Redfearn, Class of 1910, as the originator of the legend. When Redfearn arrived in Athens from his home state of Florida, he only had with him a trunk, a suitcase, less than $200 in his wallet, and a fierce determination to graduate). As he approached the gateway to the campus on Broad Street, he vowed to himself that he would not walk under the wrought-iron Arch until he had a diploma in hand. Redfearn kept his word, though not easily when a freshman hazing ritual called for him to run with his classmates under The Arch while wearing only underwear before the Georgia-Georgia Tech football game. Rather, Redfearn ran with his classmates until reaching The Arch when, instead, he ran around it. One of Redfearn’s professors learned of Redfearn’s promise and announced it to his classes; the tradition was born(Blanchard).
Is this myth always true, though? During an interview I conducted with alumnus, Jenna West, she said, “We had one friend who walked through The Arch, brave and skeptical soul he was. He was always questioning stories he heard and pressing for the truth, so when he learned of the arch myth, he took it as just that-a myth. Unfortunately, he dropped out a year later. Now it could just be his work ethic and partying that played into his dropping out, but he did walk under The Arch, so the myth holds true in my eyes.” Another student admits that he walked under The Arch and guarantees he will graduate. “I think, no I believe, that it’s a stupid myth. Instead of going through The Arch to get where I need to go, I have to walk around it… that just makes the amount of time to get where I need to go longer because now I have to walk around The Arch instead of under it. That just seems stupid,” Mark Thiel explains. No matter the truth, I know I will not be walking under The Arch freshmen year.
Myths are not uncommon to appear and generate at colleges. At the Ivy League school, Brown University, if students walk through the Van Winkle Gates between commencement and graduation, they will not graduate. Similarly, at Princeton University, yet another Ivy League, if a student exits through the FitzRandolph Gate at all before graduating, they will not graduate. Entering through the gate is alright, though. While talking to my sister this weekend she informed me that Georgia Tech has a myth similar to UGA’s. At Tech, if a freshman touches the Ramblin’ Wreck during his or her freshman year, then he or she is cursed with both bad luck in academics and yet another year that Tech will lose to UGA during their rival football team. I hope that some wayward freshman touched the Wreck this year, too.
It is very interesting to note that the kind of college, university, or institution does not directly correlate to the existence of this type of myth. Being a private college, an Ivy League school, a public college, a liberal arts college, a technical institute, or a state university does not stop the growth of these types of myths. With the advent of the internet, all students are able to read and be informed about the history of both the legend and the structure so that they, too, do not succumb to The Arch.
Bibliography
Blanchard, Margaret. "The Arch." Athens Magazine 5 Aug. 2003. 28 Oct. 2007 .
Michaels, Adrian. "The Arch." Athens World. Oct. 2003. 28 Oct. 2007 .
West, Jenna. Personal interview. 25 Oct. 2007.
Thiel, Mark. Personal interview. 23 Oct. 2007.
Muhlbauer, Rachel. Personal interview. 23 Oct. 2007.
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