LV Life

‘L’ Day recaptures ULV tradition

Admiring the view from atop the “L,” junior Andy Velebil (right) takes part in the annual “L” Day event. This year’s activities included cellular correspondence with the President’s Office. / photo by Jeff Leard
Admiring the view from atop the “L,” junior Andy Velebil (right) takes part in the annual “L” Day event. This year’s activities included cellular correspondence with the President’s Office. / photo by Jeff Leard

by Melissa A. Collett
Staff Writer

Though the tradition of “L” Day is still alive, the ways in which the student body celebrates it has changed drastically over the years.

On Oct. 19, 30 students, faculty and alumni met at the Rock at 8 a.m. to participate in “L” Day.

“It was a good way for people to take part in a tradition,” said Becky Martinez, student programs assistant.

Three vans transported lunches from Davenport, shovels, hoes, other tools from the Maintenance Department and the participants to the day’s events.

The vans drove from ULV to the end of the Sunset Ridge fire road next to Mt. Baldy. At this point the real hike started. Each person grabbed a tool and a sack lunch consisting of a sandwich, a piece of fruit, a cookie, a bag of chips and bottled water.

The hike to the “L” from the radio towers was about half a mile. The trail was both uphill and downhill. Sometimes it was open while at other times the path became narrow where participants had to walk through dry brush and sometimes even cut a new path.

The “L” is 30 ft. wide and 345 ft. tall, with a 180 ft. base and is located just below Mt. Baldy at an altitude of over 5,000 feet. The actual “L” is on a very steep slope. Most participants used two ropes tied together to aid them in walking down the “L” and climbing back up.

Some trimmed trees while others pulled out stray plants, dug rain ditches that zig-zagged down the “L” and helped make the edges a little more straight.

“It was pretty tough but it was for a good cause,” said junior Vince Wetzel.

After most of the hard labor was done, many took a break to enjoy the fresh air and eat their lunches before the hike back to the vans.

Of the 30 people who attended, only four had previously hiked to the “L.” This year marked the 75th Anniversary of the “L.”

According to Josh Sherod, student coordinator of activities for ASF, about 60 people had originally signed up, but only half went.

“I was impressed by the amount of people who went down (to the ‘L’),” he said.

“L” Day was a tradition that was taken very seriously in the past. In the 1920’s “L” Day was a school holiday and afterwards there would be picnics with students who would sing and perform.

For many years it was the freshman who were made to clear the brush while sophomores supervised. The “L” was the pride of La Verne College and was one of the more serious events at LVC.

“There are not many traditions at ULV so I wanted to take advantage of the few that we do have,” said Wetzel.

The “L” was first thought of in 1919 by the class of 1921. The sophomore class confronted two professors who also liked the idea. It was these professors, Dr. Rexroad and Dr. V. Fun­derburgh, along with two sophomores David Bromberger and George Hollenberg who set out to make their own trail up the ideal spot of where the “L” lies today. It was not until the year 1922 that the first group of girls joined the men in their annual hike to the “L.”

Melissa A. Collett, Photography Editor
Melissa A. Collett
Other Stories
Jeff Leard, Photography Editor
Jeff Leard
Other Stories
Previous article
Different isn’t bad
Next article
Lair of spider woman nets visitors

Latest Stories

Related articles

News

Officers warn of driving impaired

In 2016, James Cockrell’s uncle died in a drunk driving crash. Cockrell, who is a 2017 University of La Verne alumnus, honored his uncle’s life by organizing a DUI awareness event last year with the help of his fraternity brothers.
News

Snow fall hits San Gabriel Mountains

North of the University of La Verne, high in the San Gabriel Mountains lies a large carved “L” built to be the highest university initial in the United States.
Arts, Etc.

Interterm to see students going green

Green Cabaret – a theater class that will create an original musical dealing with such issues as global warming, ecological devastation, war, erosion of civil liberties, racism, sexism and homophobia – will be coming to the University of La Verne during January interterm.
LV Life

Ikari volunteers time to activities

You think you're busy? Try being senior Nancy Ikari for a day.