A Community Reborn with Snowy Scots
Filling the Kauke Hall Arch with snow is a hallmark of Wooster tradition and culture. The first big snowfall of 2024 created excited murmurs among students about filling the Arch. The Arch had not been filled with snow in over two years. During one of the first heavy snowfalls, students attempt to block the doors of the bastion with a snowy wall. One of the Wooster legends is classes will be canceled the day after the Arch is filled. The tradition is a nostalgic activity for the Black and Gold community and draws together a wide variety of Scots to collaborate on this common task. Sophia Champion ‘27 led the charge on top of the snowy mass. She exclaimed, “Coming here and being a part of the community is amazing! First-years, sophomores, juniors, and seniors all worked together and were throwing snow up to me to fill the arch.”
The call to arms was raised across social media platforms, college group announcements, and excited chats at Lowry Center’s Dining Hall. Several students considered the upcoming weather forecast and realized daily temperatures were expected to rise above freezing. These brave snow architects knew it was zero hour. The time to build the mound in the Arch had arrived.
The initial efforts to fill the Arch began around 7:00 pm last Friday evening. Students switched roles throughout the night, including leading Wooster’s loyalists from atop the heap, collecting snow for the frozen colossus, or clearing the bottom of the wall. A common word rose up between the comrades of this eclectic Scots’ gathering. Community. “These moments show how much of a community we are,” said an exhausted Amelia Guianen ’27. The first-year had been leading the charge for almost three hours as the snowy highlanders threw buckets of snow onto the icy heap that was forming.
As a diverse student body joined efforts for the momentous occasion, several offered words of appreciation for their Tartan-filled community. Anya Smith ‘24, a standout musician at the College, affirmed this sentiment. “Anyone in any major can say that this is the one time where no matter who you know, we can all come together and work towards a common goal.” She also mentioned that the laborious task can “get some stress out, especially for seniors who are in the middle of Independent Study.”
The musician was also joined by Nick Schade ’27, who had an indoor track meet the next day. His devotion to the snowy craft was admirable as he filled a leftover cardboard box with snow instead of the default trash or recycling bin. Schade’s words continued to ring the same tone as his Wooster colleagues, stating “As a student athlete, it’s fun to be part of the community in more than one way. It’s amazing to see that so many people are coming together like this!” Anousha Datta ‘27 exclaimed “It’s amazing to have something like this where we can all bond, even if we do not all know each other.” Datta is an international student from Kolkata, India and had never seen snow prior to coming to Wooster. She joyfully filled her snow bin until the very end of the evening.
As the night carried on, several new traditions possibly appeared, too. Throughout the fortification process, snow waterfowl seemed to find their way to the terrace separating the lower half of the arch from the domed section. The Mysterious Mallards of McCall’s Menagerie, as they have been dubbed, had migrated from the front of Kauke Hall to their lofty perches in the night.
As the clock struck ten o’clock, the proud McLeod halted their snow sculpting and gathered at the back of the castle. Several pictures were taken of the hearty, jolly, and frozen crew of the Scots’ finest. A cry of “cheese” echoed the chamber as photos were snapped. Laughter filled the air, and jubilant sounds of community echoed across the academic quad. This night truly became a Wooster memory to cherish for years to come, even for this staff reporter.
The temperature began to rise this past Monday. The frozen bulwark and McCall’s snowy mallards slowly melted until all that remained were the memories that we formed together. As the semester continues, let us recall this snowy, frigid night and the spontaneous community that was formed. Indeed, it was a Friday night when we all became Wooster Scots.
Originally published January 19, 2024 in The Wooster Voice
