The Looming Signs of Tradition

The Looming Signs of Tradition

Signs of tradition are present on every university's campus around the globe; these signs, however, are not universal and convey many different messages to the individuals who observe them. For a small college such as Montevallo, students are subtly influenced by inconspicuous signifiers. The bricks that form our roads, for example, form a subtle but complex image of cohesiveness and functional tradition. This small town atmosphere is directly contrasted with larger universities such as the University of Alabama. On a campus such as UA's, the signs become far less subtle and much larger in size. Most of UA's tradition lies in its prestigious football program; when one thinks of football traditions, one imagines loud, boisterous events that overwhelm the senses with as much pride as possible. Similarly, UA's signs of tradition are large and practically shout their meaning at passersby. Two iconic images of tradition on the campus are Bryant-Denny Stadium and Denny Chimes. These two signs encompass the mindset of tradition on the football-enthused campus.

Bryant-Denny Stadium, the multi-tiered home of Alabama football, dominates the Tuscaloosa skyline. One cannot walk on UA's campus without seeing the stadium peeking over the academic buildings. The arena serves as a constant reminder of the sports driven tradition revered by the residents of Tuscaloosa. The stadium serves several symbolic purposes. First, it enforces football's dominance over all other sports at the University of Alabama. Though the other sports are important, the university has not built a basketball arena or soccer field to match the grandeur of the football stadium. The sheer size of the arena overshadows the other sporting locations, both literally and figuratively. Secondly, the size of the stadium enforces the importance of the football tradition as a whole. When one looks upon the stadium, its purpose as a football arena comes to mind immediately. Thus, an individual's first thought is of football and the often cited winning tradition of the Alabama football program. The interpretation of this dominant icon varies from person to person, but, to those who enjoy the sport, the stadium serves as a beacon of tradition among the smaller, less impressive buildings. To an individual who disapproves of the football program, the looming stadium is an icon of oppression and favoritism. To many dissenters, the football program promotes preferential treatment of athletes and a drastic underfunding of essential education programs. For those opposing the football program, the largeness of the stadium becomes a sign of unbalanced priorities and an unnecessary division of the university's assets. Though the stadium is often polarizing in interpretation, it remains a prominent sign for the university.

One of the most prominent structures on UA's campus is Denny Chimes, the 115-foot tall bell tower that sounds every hour. The bell tower stands as a lonely monolith on the university's main quad. The primary thoroughfare of foot traffic passes right beside the tower, which prevents individuals on campus from ignoring the building. The tower's namesake, George H. Denny, was a bastion of growth for the university; under his presidency from 1912 to 1936, UA saw a drastic increase in student enrollment and a similarly drastic increase in the size of campus. Denny Chimes represents the dedication to growth that is inherent to the university. The size of campus and the amount of facilities available to students is ever growing, and this trend began under the tenure of George H. Denny; it's only fitting that his name adorns a dominating structure at the center of campus. The academically driven sign is not immune to the influence of the football program, however. The concrete slabs at the base of the bell tower are covered in hand and footprints from previous football team captains. Each year, the team captains imprint their hands, feet, and signatures in the concrete; this tradition has existed since 1947. This area of history, named “The Walk of Champions,” is getting larger with each passing year. The football tradition encroaches closer and closer to the academic buildings surrounding the quad. For the supporters of Alabama football, this sign has a positive connotation. The tradition of football is moving towards the strong academic tradition, closing the ever present gap between academics and sports. For the naysayer, however, the steady extension of these slabs is just another siege upon the academic tradition of the university. The athletes are appropriating the walkways and threaten to overtake the paths of knowledge by clogging the gap between athletics and academics with a wall of athletic superiority. The history of Denny Chimes allows for a positive, academically oriented interpretation of the looming monolith, but the overwhelming athletic tradition surrounding the tower provides a source of contention between viewers.

The signs of tradition at the University of Alabama represent a dichotomy of thought on the campus. The academic and athletic traditions are strong at the university, but the extreme dedication to athletics drives a division between the population of Tuscaloosa. The signs of these traditions are larger than life, and, because of their enormous sizes, cause viewers to actively participate in the traditions they represent. The stadium and the bell tower loom over campus, casting their shadows over all of campus; students actively walk through the shadows of tradition any time they walk near these constructs. Tradition is ever-present on campus; whether an individual agrees or disagrees with the inherent meaning of the sign, there is nothing one can do to avoid the images themselves. Each sign has a plethora of meanings, but the root of each meaning lies with tradition.