On Christmas day in 1907, as students at the University of North Dakota were on holiday break, Professor and Mrs. Vernon P. Squires hosted a splendid family reunion.
It was quite a contrast from previous weeks of controversy at UND, much of it provoked by Professor Squires.
On November 9th in 1907, the Weekly Student newspaper floated the idea of replacing the green, white, and pink colors of the university with brown and gold, or brown alone. A week later, the paper ran a story about the two sides of the Varsity color debate. Professor Squires, perhaps inspired by his alma mater Brown University, suggested changing school colors to brown and gold. A group of women alums objected. The Weekly Student kept the pot boiling by printing articles suggesting that many students wanted a change.
Marcia Bisbee, president of the UND alumni association, sent a questionnaire to alumni about the issue. 35 favored a change, 43 opposed, and 10 were indifferent. Here are some comments she forwarded to the Weekly Student.
Gertrude Riordan said the colors “are of such long standing, and seem so much a part of the University, that I should not favor a change.”
Lee Wilcox said, “'The Pink and Green Forever' is my slogan.”
R. J. White said, “I am not in favor of a change. Too many associations are wrapped up in the pink and green.”
Olger Burtness, a future North Dakota congressman, said, “If necessary I'll spend time and money to keep them from being changed.”
Harold Westergaard wrote, “ … we should stand by our colors because they are our colors. ... They are the colors of the builders of the university.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Cora Smith Eaton explained how UND's first graduating class chose pink and green in 1889.
The Weekly Student conducted a vote, holding the polls open for one extra week to ensure that everyone who wanted to vote could. On December 21st, it posted a tally of 33 favoring change from the “Old Pink and Green” versus 244 opposing any change.
Although this referendum was a clear rebuke to Professor Squires, he apparently took it in stride. According to the society column of Grand Forks Herald, he “entertained a happy party on Christmas day...”
Dakota Datebook by Andrew Alexis Varvel
References:
- “UNIVERSITY CALENDAR”, page 9, in “The University Bulletin” (University,ND: The State University and School of Mines of North Dakota, April 1997), Volume !V, Number 2.
- “SOCIETY”, Grand Forks Herald, 29 December 1907, page 9, column 7.
- “UNIVERSITY COLORS” (editorial), The Weekly Student (University, ND), 9 November 1907, page 4, column 2.
- “THE COLOR QUESTION: PROF. SQUIRES ON OUR NEEDS: SOME THINGS WHICH SHOULD BE DONE THIS YEAR.” The Weekly Student (University, ND), 16 November 1907, page 4, columns 2-3.
- “THE COLOR QUESTION: ALUMNAE ON 'VARSITY COLORS.” The Weekly Student (University, ND), 16 November 1907, page 4, column 3.
- “THE COLORS.” (editorial) The Weekly Student (University, ND), 23 November 1907, page 4, column 2.
- “Shall We Change The University Colors: OPINIONS OF SOME OF THE FOREMOST OF OUR STUDENTS: Change to Brown Suggested: OF THE TWENTY-FIVE SEEN 5 ARE AGAINST AND 25 ARE IN FAVOR OF CHANGE.” The Weekly Student (University, ND); 30 November 1907; page 1, columns 1-2; page 8, column 3.
- “COLOR QUESTION DISCUSSED: VOTE TO BE TAKEN THIS WEEK, BALLOT IN THIS ISSUE.” The Weekly Student (University, ND); 7 December 1907; page 1, column 1; page 6, columns 1-3; page 3, columns 1-3; page 7, column 2.
- “THE BALLOT.” The Weekly Student (University, ND), 7 December 1907, page 4, column 1.
- “THE COLORS.” (editorial) The Weekly Student (University, ND), 7 December 1907, page 4, columns 1-2.
- “VOTE IS NOT YET COMPLETE: MANY HAVE NOT YET VOTED AND RESULT NOT KNOWN: Sentiment Against Change: STUDENTS ARE AGAINST NEW COLORS BY LARGE MAJORITY.” The Weekly Student (University, ND); 14 December 1907; page 1, column 1; page 4, column 3.
- “BALLOT.” The Weekly Student (University, ND), 14 December 1907, page 4, column 1.
- “THE VOTE.” (editorial) The Weekly Student (University, ND), 14 December 1907, page 4, column 1.
- “THE PINK AND GREEN (In Defensione)” (poetry), The Weekly Student (University, ND), 14 December 1907, page 6, column 3.
- “VOTE IS STRONGLY AGAINST CHANGE IN THE COLORS: VOTE CAST LARGELY BY STUDENTS NOW AT THE UNIVERSITY: 224 to 33 Against Change: Votes Sent by the Alumni Are Almost Unanimous Against a Change From the Old Pink and Green.” The Weekly Student (University, ND), 21 December 1907, page 1, column 4-5.
- “THE VOTE.” (editorial) The Weekly Student (University, ND), 21 December 1907, page 4, column 1.
- “SOCIETY”, Grand Forks Herald, 29 December 1907, page 9, column 7.
- https://campus.und.edu/brand/color.html
