Alex Penny '04

The great rivalry between Choate Rosemary Hall and our own Deerfield Academy promises to be as zealous as ever this year. With Choate Day on the horizon, that constant murmur about one of the most anticipated events of the year is steadily increasing. Because some of the athletic teams' rivalries with Choate date back to the 1920s, Deerfield takes great pride in demolishing Choate in every athletic contest on the celebrated Choate Day.

Today, the traditions of hanging banners outside of dorms, having a pep rally and bonfire the night prior to Choate Day, and creating funny, although occasionally inappropriate slogans to go on t-shirts have replaced the more classic traditions that took place in Headmaster Eric Widmer's Deerfield days.

"Anyone who was a student at Deerfield in the '50s of the last century would remember what it was like visiting Choate on Choate Day. The whole school would march up to the [train] station on Pocumtuck Hill in class dress and board the special train that was waiting for us. The marching band sat in the first car, and put their instruments in the baggage car ahead of them. Then, when we were getting near Springfield, and then Hartford, we would go into the baggage car, find our instruments, throw open the doors of the car, and play Sousa marches and Deerfield songs as the train was passing through the stations. In Wallingford everyone would descend and line up behind the band and we would march through the city streets to the football field, ready to cheer the team on. After we had beaten Choate yet again the whole process would reverse itself. We would arrive back at Deerfield tired but content, imagining that we had done a pretty good job of showing our stuff," said Mr. Widmer as he recalled what Choate Day was like back in the good old days.

Some may become a little nostalgic when remembering the great traditions that used to take place, but have no worries, Deerfield students now a days take great pride in their own customs. The night before Choate Day, there is a huge bonfire down on the lower level where the whole school gets together. Assistant Athletic Director Brendan Creagh recalled the tradition when he first came to Deerfield six years ago. "At the bonfire, kids used to put a huge scarecrow dressed like a Choate student up to burn, and all of the captains from each team would get up and say something to pump up the team and rouse school spirit." It seems as if, at some point over the past few years, the burning of a replica of a Choate student was deemed too violent, so now a 'C' has taken its place.

Choate Day unites the entire student body and plentiful school spirit is displayed during the games, which all students attend. The sub-varsity games are typically in the morning and the varsity games in the afternoon so that numerous spectators can cheer on everyone. The culminating event is the afternoon football game where chants led by cheerleaders fill the frigid fall air.

Another ritual is for scores of alums to return to Deerfield for the bonfire and the games on Saturday. Although the common buzz about Choate Day is always upbeat, one thing that has been criticized about the day. Mr. Creagh feels "the athletes get so fired up before the day even comes and all of this hype prior to the actual athletic contests sometimes wears down athletes so their performances are not at their peaks."

Despite all of the energy exerted before the games, athletes always go into Choate games pumped up and ready to emerge victorious from the battlefield yet again. There's only one thing left to be said, "GO BIG GREEN! BEAT CHOATE!"