“Since 1919, College Night has defined the homecoming tradition at the University of Montevallo.”
(Image used by permission of the Annie Crawford Milner Archives and Special Collections)
College Night is a tradition at Montevallo that has been around for an incredibly long time. The school has no football team, so the homecoming is very different than a normal homecoming. The school is mostly split into two sides, Purple and Gold. There is also a green side that is neutral. Purple and Gold compete in several activities including sports, cheerleading, and, most importantly, musical theater. During the week, there are different themes for each day that the people participating usually follow. These include formal, casual, and a few others. Susan mentions this few times in her interview, which is why we saw it fit to mention a little bit about it.
College Night affects the fashion on campus mainly during the actual week, but also during the weeks leading up to it. Students will wear the colors of their side, or even sweatshirts or shirts specifically made for their side. Many students who participate in College Night actively match the dress code for each of the days the musical is put on. Buttons and pins are also very popular now, and there are a few photos of kids wearing them in the 80s as well.
(1.) Montage. 1980-1989. The Annie Crawford Milner Archives and Special Collections, Oliver C. Carmichael Library, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama. Accessed April 05, 2018. https://archive.org/search.php?query=subject%3A%22University+of+Montevallo+yearbooks%22&and[]=subject%3A%22University+of+Montevallo+yearbooks%22&and[]=year%3A%221989%22&and[]=year%3A%221988%22&and[]=year%3A%221987%22&and[]=year%3A%221986%22&and[]=year%3A%221985%22&and[]=year%3A%221984%22&and[]=year%3A%221983%22&and[]=year%3A%221982%22&and[]=year%3A%221981%22&and[]=year%3A%221980%22
(2.) “What Will You Become?” The University of Montevallo. Accessed April 05, 2018. https://www.montevallo.edu/.
Image Citations
(1.) Student Life Photos. 1980s. The Annie Crawford Milner Archives and Special Collections, Oliver C. Carmichael Library, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama.
(2.) Montage. 1980. The Annie Crawford Milner Archives and Special Collections, Oliver C. Carmichael Library, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama. Accessed April 05, 2018.
https://archive.org/stream/montage391980stud#page/20/mode/2up
(3.) Montage. 1981. The Annie Crawford Milner Archives and Special Collections, Oliver C. Carmichael Library, University of Montevallo, Montevallo, Alabama. Accessed April 05, 2018. https://archive.org/stream/montage401981stud#page/22/mode/2up