They’re back!

December 8, 2015 By Leave a Comment
1918 Quips and Cranks finals humor, "A Wild Animal We Have Known: Common Name--Exam. Classical Name--Examinatus. Branch--Collegianus. Class--Reviewus. Genus--Quizes. Species--Testus." with an image of a dragon with "EXAM" on it

1918 finals humor

Yes, it is finals time again – symbolized by the class of 1918 as a fearsome dragon that is “specially dangerous near Christmas and before the end of school.  It has never been tamed, and every year makes its ravages among the untutored.”

Joining the dragon are another set of fearsome beasts — the campus skunk population. It’s not clear how long skunks have found the campus congenial for homemaking.  Certainly by the 1940s, campus fraternities were aware of their visits.

Notice in the Davidsonian's Operating Table column in 1942, "This corner is wondering why Anne Wiley was trying so hard to avoid Juicy jesse while looking all over for Jesse's mother. Something tells us that Sonnie Boy has shot his wad in this theater of the war. Speaking of their prexy it is interesting to take note of the late dates that the Fijis had. Howell Morrow with a frosh's lass, Prexy late-dated on his roommate--the skunk."

Notice in the Davidsonian’s Operating Table column in 1942.

This is from the Among the Greeks column in April 1946, "Kappa Alpha We would first like to announce tht Brother Drake and Crawford are about to draft a new member into the new order. The new pledge, Skunk, is soon to take its place said Brothers room."

This is from the Among the Greeks column in April 1946.

References to skunks abated for a few decades but by the 1990s, skunk reports were almost annual events.

An article about how in the summer of 1990 skunks began to congregate at Johnston Gym (now Knobloch Campus Center) with the heading, "Davidson Learns to Live with Smelly Neighbors"

In the summer of 1990 skunks began to congregate at Johnston Gym (now Knobloch Campus Center)

In the spring of 1994, skunks made off-campus visits but made their way back to campus. An article with the heading, "Pepe le Peu strikes off-campus abode" with an image of three skunks

In the spring of 1994, skunks made off-campus visits but made their way back to campus.

At some point as well, Davidson’s skunks began to take on a peculiar appearance. Instead of black with a white stripe, our skunks were mostly white.

Spring 1995 and more skunks, an article with the heading, "Davidson stinks "Maybe it's just a good year for skunks"" with an illustration of two skunks

Spring 1995 and more skunks.

In 2000, not even the college president was safe from skunky visits. An article with the heading, "Vagt, students recall unpleasant encounters with renegade skunks"

in 2000, not even the college president was safe from skunky visits.

Part 2 of article with the heading, "Vagt, students recall unpleasant encounters with renegade skunks"

Part 2 of article

We have no photographic evidence yet — but rumor has it that our warm fall has brought our skunks out and about again.  Do you have a skunk story to share?

Filed Under: Campus traditions

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