Purple and Gold Week is a well-known tradition at Houghton. The week’s events include free t-shirts for students to show their loyalty for either purple or gold and participate in the “Houghton Out” at the basketball games, and campus-wide entertainment such as the Pyramid Game Show and SPOT.
CAB is in the organization most involved in Purple and Gold week, organizing and overseeing most of the week’s events. Other groups such as the athletics department and the Class of 2015 co-sponsor some of the events as well. Due to its extended run, CAB devotes a significant amount of time toward planning and running the week’s events. Events such as SPOT and the Pyramid Game especially require advanced planning. For example, the selection of SPOT hosts Luke Ogden and John Carpenter took place at the end of last semester. Alongside planning for these larger-scale events is what CAB member Joshua Duttweiler said were the “usual steps in planning a party; decorations, food, etc.”
The planning for this year’s events was similar to last year’s, said Duttweiler, “with the exception of changing the game show to Pyramid which is a better known game “than last year’s ‘Match Game.’” Zina Teague, a Houghton alumna who has been selected to be a contestant on the Pyramid Game, said that she loves participating in Purple and Gold week events as an alumna, even if it is just to “simply share her goofiness with others” on campus. Additionally, the “Just Dance” Tournament, which was new to last year, was brought back due to its popularity and Duttweiler said CAB expects it be a success again. Most of the events are chosen “based on tradition,” said Duttweiler; “the shirts, CAB Couch during the basketball game, the game show, SPOT, and the dodgeball tournament have been going on for many years now and are looked forward to every year.”
Vice President for Student Life Robert Pool added that he had been working with SGA to help them think of “ways to relight the fire” encouraging student involvement, and to “make Purple and Gold week better, stronger, and more institutionally adopted.” Pool said that the purpose of Purple and Gold week is to not only “have fun” but to “boost school spirit” and “encourage a common experience among all students.”
Pool said that student response has “met and even exceeded expectations.” This week is rooted in Houghton tradition that goes back even to its “heyday” in the mid to late 1960s when “freshmen were divided into purple and gold, [it] was their identity…they bled purple and gold,” said Pool, who added that some Houghton alums, such as Paul Mills, “really remember those times.” Pool said of Mills that he remains “very loyal to his Gold team,” continuing tradition instilled over 50 years ago.
“These [will be] some of the cherished memories that all of us want to have to tell your children and grandchildren what college is like. [Purple and Gold week] has a lot of cherished value that will help students connect with their alma mater,” said Pool.