By Andrew Bell
Staff Writer
Filling the Kauke Hall Arch with snow is a hallmark of Wooster tradition and culture. The first substantial snowfall of 2024 created excited murmurs among students about filling the arch, which had not been filled with snow in two years. As Wooster legend has it, classes will be canceled the day after the arch is filled, so during one of the first heavy snowfalls of every year, students attempt to block the doors of the bastion with a snowy wall of their own. This year, students attempted on a frigid Friday evening, succeeding in covering Kauke’s main doors with snow, although not a single class was cancelled.
The tradition is a nostalgic activity for the campus community and draws together a wide variety of Scots to collaborate on a common task. Sophia Champion ’27 led the charge on top of the snowy mass. “Coming here and being a part of the community is amazing!” She exclaimed. “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 for Operation Arch. The time to build the mound had arrived, perhaps catching the facilities department off guard, as the plywood panels protecting the doors and card readers were not present.
The initial efforts to fill the arch began around 7 p.m. last Friday, Jan. 19. 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 students threw buckets of snow to the top of the icy heap.
Anya Smith ’24, a music major 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.”
Smith was joined by Nick Schade ’27. 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 peers, stating that “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 agreed. “It’s amazing to have something like this where we can all bond, even if we do not all know each other,” she said. 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 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 were dubbed, had migrated from the front of Kauke Hall to their lofty perches in the night.
As the clock struck 10 p.m., the proud Scots 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 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.
The temperature began to rise this past Monday, melting the snow and McCall’s snowy mallards until all that remained were the memories that students formed together. As the semester continues, let us recall this snowy, frigid night and its spontaneous community.