The University of Maine, as many students know, is full of traditions. Homecoming, the Stein Song, “Hearty Maine Hello”, and hockey games are some popular ones. However, not everyone on campus goes to football/hockey games, not everyone knows the Stein Song, and not everyone greets people with a “Hearty Maine Hello”.
There is one tradition on campus that almost every single student participates in; “Maine Day” which was created in 1935 by President Arthur Hauck, and has historically been the Wednesday of the last week of classes. This day is always kicked off by the Maine Day Parade. “It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition.”
To start the parade, the marching band plays the Stein Song while everyone sings along. At the front of the parade is always the four traditional societies: Senior Skulls, All Maine Women, Sophomore Owls, and Sophomore Eagles along with Bananas the Bear.
Each year, the parade has a theme, and this year it was Superhero’s. The Sophomore Eagles chose Wonder Woman as our Superhero. She flies like an eagle and shares our symbol, a star. It represents scholarship, leadership, character, friendship, and dignity – one for each point of the star.
We make our way from the Emera Astronomy Center to York Hall (and not the short way) singing the Stein Song throughout the way. From there, the traditional societies go in front of Fogler Library with the band for one last singing.
As you can see, very few people watch the Maine Day Parade. We understand it’s 8:30 on a college campus, but the participants in the parade should not feel like the parade is unimportant. Our traditions are the foundations of this school.
“Tradition does not mean to look after the ash, but to keep the flame alive.”