Traditions Old and New

While Homecoming, the Baylor mascots, and the Baylor Line make up the heart and soul of Baylor tradition, some long-standing customs of the University evoke as much pride and sentiment, yet do not get as much attention.
The lighting of Pat Neff Hall represents one of the least-known campus traditions while the NoZe Brotherhood represents a tradition that some people may wish had a little less notoriety.

Green Lights
In 1978, Baylor students requested a change in the lighting of Pat Neff Hall that would symbolize campus tradition.
Sophomore class president Jack Chambers, '81, and his dad, Robert W. Chambers, '57, admired the way the University of Texas bathed its tower in orange light to signal an athletic victory. They wanted a similar tradition for Baylor's Pat Neff tower, one that featured green floodlights for victories and white for losses.
With the assistance of the sophomore class and Chancellor Herbert H. Reynolds, who was then executive vice president, Chambers accomplished his goal. The Baylor Trustee Development Committee loaned the class of '81 money for the lights and the class paid the money back after various fundraising activities. During the fall of 1978, the green floodlights were placed on the tower.
The tower was first lighted after a football victory over the Texas A&M Aggies at College Station. The Bears went into the game with a winless record, but upset the Aggies on the strength of freshman running back Walter Abercrombie's 200-plus yards rushing. Students returned to Waco guided by the green glow of Pat Neff Hall.

Campus Jesters
The University does not give much official attention to the NoZe Brotherhood, but it may represent the group associated with Baylor that is best at gaining attention for itself. The organization was formed in 1924 and was originally known as the Nose Brothers. The inspiration for the group's name came by way of one of the original members, the late Bro. LongNose, who was a Baylor student famous for his long snout. In his day, the group dressed in hats, pajama tops and ambassador sashes composed of toilet paper. Over the years, however, the members changed their name to NoZe and began donning wigs, beards, and phony noses in order to maintain secret identities.
The Brotherhood is now most accurately described as campus jesters, a secret group of pranksters whose main purpose is to mock campus administrators, faculty, students and organizations. Everyone is free game for a joke from the NoZe.
The Rope is the satiric publication in which the NoZe pride themselves. The main purpose behind this paper is to poke fun at influential campus personalities and the religious environment of the University. The NoZe distributes the paper during Diadeloso, Homecoming and once each semester in Chapel-Forum before their "11:17 past milk Thursday UnRush". The gathering, which satirizes the Rush process of fraternities and sororities, occurs outside the Seventh and James Baptist Church.
The secrecy of the NoZe membership makes this underground organization fascinating to students. The group's unpredictability, in addition to its antics, keeps the campus on its toes. No other university can stake claim to the NoZe, and no one else can match its special sense of humor. It is a tradition known only to Baylor and only truly known by those unique enough to be in the NoZe Brotherhood.