The Freshman Beanie dates back as far as 1904. A "plain black cap" had to be purchased within the first two weeks of the semester and worn at all times on campus. The freshmen wore a green button on their caps. In 1909, the Trustees ruled that freshmen would not wear any distinguishable head gear, categorizing it as a form of hazing. The students protested, stating that the cap and button fostered a "stick-together" spirit among the freshmen. For several years all classes wore caps with colors differentiating each class. By 1924, the custom was no longer in practice. In 1934, the Class of 1939 voted to wear red caps with white R's. The caps commonly called "dinks" or "beanies" were worn until the end of the first semester or until the football team beat Union. For many years, the caps were distributed to students at Freshman Camp. In 1959, the custom of wearing the caps on campus was abolished and the caps were only worn during camp. The Polytechnic reported a beanie burning ceremony in the fall of 1967.