Sarah Buchholtz
Features Editor
On Sunday, Jan. 25, students came together to fill the Kauke Hall Arch, one of the College’s most well-known winter traditions. After a fresh snowfall of approximately 10-13 inches, students gathered around Kauke Hall at 8 p.m. and worked together despite the cold temperatures and strong wind. The temperature reached 15 degrees Fahrenheit but felt closer to three degrees, with winds around 12 miles per hour. Students packed the Arch full of snow in an assembly-line method, reaching the ceiling and covering the hall doors using bins, sleds, shovels and whatever else they could find.
The tradition does not happen every year and is not formally organized, giving it a spontaneous feel when students come together to fill the Arch. Paige Nicely ’27, one of the attendees, said the idea spread quickly following the heavy snowfall, “It was the talk of the town, with the big snow, to fill the Arch.”
Students said they heard about the Arch-filling through friends. Sage Lammlein ’28 said teammates encouraged her to show up that evening, “I heard about the Arch through my teammates, because someone messaged earlier that day saying we should be there at 8 and that it would be fun. Definitely a lot more people showed up than I expected, and I loved watching everyone work together and contribute.”
Filling the Arch has been part of Wooster campus culture for decades. While it began as a way for students to block access to Kauke Hall and avoid going to class, today it functions more as a shared campus activity rather than a serious attempt at cancelling class. Nicely said that the tradition remains meaningful even without that original purpose, “Even though packing the Arch doesn’t cancel classes anymore, it is something that brings all the students together and sets Wooster apart from other schools. I loved seeing anyone and everyone there helping fill trash cans.”
Students took on different roles as the snowbank grew taller. “I was on top of the snow pile, catching bins of snow and packing it into the pile,” said Lammlein, “I do not mind the cold, so after the first few minutes of being waist-deep in snow, I wasn’t bothered by it.”
The process required cooperation and constant adjustment as students worked to lift and pass snow upward. Despite frozen hands and slippery footing, students continued working until the Arch was completely filled. Liam Donovan ’26 noted that compared to previous years, the group effort this year stood out to him, stating, “There were a few people standing by/on top of the snow pile and everyone else was bringing their filled containers to them. It was kind of funny how well-organized it was.”
As the night went on, more students joined to help gather and pack snow into the Arch. Some stayed for only a short time, while others remained for hours despite the cold. Nicely said she stayed from the start until the Arch was completed, “I was there from 8 p.m. all the way to 10:30, when the Arch was officially complete.”
For Donovan, participating in the tradition was especially meaningful, “I remember my sophomore year, we partially filled the Arch, but it was nothing like this,” he said. “As a senior, I’m glad to say that I finally got a chance to fill the Arch and be a part of a great Wooster tradition!”
After approximately two and a half hours, the Arch-filling was completed as students gathered below to watch and celebrate. The snow fully blocked the archway, marking another successful iteration of the tradition. While the snow was eventually removed, students said the experience of working together made the night memorable. Lammlein reflected on the personal significance of the night, saying, “It was probably one of my favorite memories over the past year. It felt like being a little kid playing in the snow, but in reality, we were a bunch of college students having fun.”