the beanies and the beanies were worn for a full year as a sign of penance. By 1925, the OBU student handbook stated that freshmen were required to wear their "Greencaps" on campus from the beginning of fall semester until Thanksgiving. In 1933, the student handbook said that freshmen were required to wear the "Greencaps" until the final home football game. At halftime of the final game, freshmen were permitted to burn their beanies. In 1968, freshmen were supposed to wear beanies between 7 o'clock a.m. and 11 o'clock p.m. while on campus during "Welcome Week". If the freshmen won the "Freshmen-Upperclassmen Tug-O-War", then they could dispose of their beanies. If they lost the contest, then they had to wear their beanies for another week. Hanging of the Green The "Hanging of the Green" is an OBU Christmas tradition that dates back to 1937 and is held on the first Friday in December to commemorate the holiday season. The events include a formal dinner, a musical production featuring familiar religious and secular Christmas carols, a dramatic production, honoring of senior students, and the adornment of Raley Chapel with wreaths, Christmas trees, and other Christmas ornamentation. The program has been varied through many years, but has always included Christmas greenery and honoring senior students. The first "Hanging of the Green" ceremony was held in 1937 in WMU dormitory. During that ceremony, students sang Christmas carols and hung ornamental Christmas wreaths around the building. Afterwards, the students took a candle from that ceremony to each of their respective residence halls. In 1945, the ceremony was moved to the W.L. Brittain Library and Fine Arts Center (now the Mabee Learning Center). In 1957, the ceremony was moved to the University Auditorium (now Sarkey's Telecommunications Center). With the completion of Raley Chapel in 1961, the "Hanging of the Green" moved to Potter Auditorium. 2011 will mark the fiftieth consecutive "Hanging of the Green" held in Raley Chapel's Potter Auditorium. In addition to the "Hanging of the Green", various other buildings and trees are decorated before Christmas. Abandoned traditions Freshmen orientation and "Welcome Week" were once unofficially known as "Freshmen Initiation". Freshmen were required to wear name tags and "Greencap", bow before upperclassmen, and memorize and recite "Bison Orientation Police", "Hymn to Alma Mater", "Ka-Rip", and a poem known as I am a lowly freshman. The "Freshmen-Upperclassmen Tug-O-War" occurred the first week of "Freshmen Initiation".