Black and Gold

The colors of black and gold on the Purdue logo are kept today and sported on anything with a Purdue University label to show that we value tradition. We've had these colors since the fall of 1887, when it was decided that the football team would acheive more distinction if it sported official school colors. Here is more of a brief history from the Purdue University Libraries page:

" At the time, Princeton was the most successful football team in the country, so J.B. Burris, captain of the first Purdue team, proposed that Purdue adopt Princeton’s colors to quickly gain distinction. Princeton’s orange and black colors were mistaken by some as yellow and black. Purdue team members decided to change the yellow to a more distinguished old gold to go with the black" (http://www.lib.purdue.edu/spcol/PurdueHistory/purduefaq.html#13).

I am not surprised that another important tradition of Purdue University was started by the football team. The "old gold" seems to display loyalty to the team. It is a very regal color that makes a sharp contrast with the black. These colors are very prominent in numerous items of apparel and labels. I find it interesting that the "PUR" and the "DUE" of the word "PURDUE" reverse colors. However, they are joined in one word. To me, this portrays unity that the university wishes to extend to all members. It also adds a neat effect to the logo. The front of the train is included in this picture to represent a large part of Purdue, which is the well-known engineering program. It is the train (the Boilermakers) that shows how we value our reputation as one of the top engineering schools in the country.

Although many Purdue University athletics are impressive and greatly speculated as a member of the Big Ten Conference, almost everyone is aware that football is the largest attraction. When we see the colors black and old gold, I assume that most of us immediately think about our school. It's almost as if the colors define us, because they are a part of who we are. We want other universities and our greatest rivals to recognize us with the colors black and gold.


http://www.lib.purdue.edu/spcol/PurdueHistory/purduefaq.html#13

The Bell Tower

http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/newsweb.pix.html

I can guarantee you that any student will be able to identify the landmark in this picture. It is the Bell Tower, located on the "heart" of campus. This image of the Bell Tower at sunrise is used in various phamplets about Purdue University. It can also be frequently seen on advertisements and items promoting something for Purdue in West Lafayette or Lafayette. Therefore, this image is also recognized by an entire community of people in addition to the students on campus. Various myths spread by students accompany this landmark, such as "You won't graduate in four years if you walk under the tower." To me, this aspect shows that the students value and embrace the spirit of the bell tower by keeping those myths alive. Another way that the Bell Tower shows Purdue pride is by using four lines (IIII) as the number "four" on the clock, instead of a roman numeral "IV." This is because "IV" looks too much like "IU," or Indiana University. This college rivalry generates excitement for all Purdue fans.

Prior to analyzing the image, I wanted to gather some history and background information on the Bell Tower. The Bell Tower is a contemporary interpretation of the old Heavilon Hall (an academic building at Purdue University) Tower. On top of the tower are four century-old bells taken from the old tower. This was all made possible by a leadership gift from Purdue University's class of 1948. A Bell Tower is generally used for the purpose of telling time and as a focal point. Our Bell Tower at Purdue serves both of these functions to the upmost extent.

I included the history on the Bell Tower because it shows the significance of this landmark. This image depicts the Bell Tower as a colossal structure, with nothing else higher than the point point at the top. It almost seems as if the photographer wished to separate the Bell Tower from the surrounding campus. It appears as if the tower is standing alone as a powerful and authoritative individual. It shows that the Bell Tower is its own element, but it's placed in the heart of campus. To me, this depicts the significance of the landmark. A prospective student, current student, and community member can most likely look at this picture and want to be a part of it by seeing that in person everyday. Therefore, it prooves to be a useful device for advertisements and promotions involving Purdue University.

There is also a lot to say about the demeanor of this particular picture. The different colors of the sky gives this image an artful effect. It is also interesting to note the appearance of the lit-up bellowtower contrasted with the sky. The beauty and uniqueness of the Bell Tower is once again being emphasized. This picture can most likely be mistaken by for a painting!

http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/newsweb.pix.html

http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html3month/1990-95/9510.Zawisza.BellTower.html

Finding a Hidden Meaning

"Things communicate meaning to others whether we wish them to or not."

Attending Purdue University is an incredible experience. The spirit of being a Purdue Boilermaker is embedded within the campus, community, and beyond. Prior to arriving to Purdue's campus as a student, reoccuring images captured my attention. These images are now elements of my daily life.

Pretty much any student can simply identify the images that I will display on this blog. They can provide the name, location, and perhaps a quick fact or two. However, these campus landmarks convey both an implicit and explicit meaning to their viewers. In this blog, I will try to discover what these images are possibly communicating to us. Feel free to leave your own thoughts. We must be aware that because we are different people from different places, these images might sway us a little bit differently in one direction or the other. However, it is almost inevitable to find some tie of unity among observers.

Boiler Up!