Traditions

Click here to see a selection of archival Cornhuskin' photos.

In November 2022, Dr. Daniel Fountain presented on the history of corn husking and shucking events in the southern United States at a De-Lux Brunch event hosted by the School of Arts and Humanities and the Black Student Union. View that presentation here. (Meredith NetID log in required.)

In early 2025, after a campus-wide vote, the Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board submitted a recommendation to rename the event historically known as "Cornhuskin'."  On May 1st, Dr. Jean Jackson, Vice President for College Programs, announced that the new name, "Corn" had been approved, and that would go into effect in Fall 2025. The is the name that will be used in this article. 

Corn is now one of the most elaborate and familiar of Meredith's traditions, yet one of the most mysterious. When new students ask about it, they hear the infamous line, "You'll just have to experience it." And few people know the history behind this unique competition between the classes.

The first "Corn Huskin' Bee" was held on October 30, 1945 and for the first decade or so, this was its name. Doris Peterson, Associate Professor in the Physical Education Department, created the event, naming it for the "husking bees" in her native Midwest. (In the south, such competitions/celebrations were called "shucking bees.") The Corn Huskin' Bee was sponsored by the Meredith Recreation Association (MRA). The evening's events started at dinner, where the students arrived dressed as hillbilly couples and a prize was awarded for the best costumes. After dinner, the students moved outside in front of the dining hall. One of the first activities were folk dances, of which Miss Peterson was an authority. Chicken and hog calling, three-legged races, and a parade followed. In 1946, the celebration was repeated with the music and dance departments collaborating on a performance of the folk song "Swing the Shining Sickle," which became a traditional song. In 1949, the now "Tall Tale" contest was added. According to Carolyn Robinson (Class of 1950), the president of the college usually won the hog calling and corn husking competitions. 

In 1951, the after-dinner activities moved to Jones auditorium. During the fifties, several different contests replaced the chicken and hog calling competitions. In 1957, participants tried a pie-eating contest and a cow-milking contest (the students had to create their own cow). The next year these ideas were dropped in favor of a hula-hooping contest. In 1959, a doughnut-eating contest was added; doughnuts were suspended by string and had to be caught and eaten using only the one's mouth. In 1960, the now familiar apple-bobbing contest was added. Judges began awarding points for class participation in 1964 with the winning class awarded a giant pumpkin and the fun of gloating over the other classes.

In 1961 the word "Bee" was dropped with the remaining words combined to "Cornhuskin."

Other traditional Corn events have included water-fights and pranks in the dorms. Dr. Jean Jackson (Class of 1975) recalls being kidnapped as the freshmen class president during her first Corn; several sophomores grabbed her and slammed her against a dorm vending machine. Other destructive activities included pouring salt into stereo systems and taking the harmless water fights to dangerous levels. Students stood on the upper level breezeways between Vann and Stringfield dorms with buckets of hot water to pour on other students when they passed beneath. Water fights with water guns also included a game of "capture the dinner bell." In 1976 such activities were banned due to over-zealous students, and a reprimand was read during the evening's events. 

Efforts to clean up Corn continued into the 1980s and new guidelines were set in place to prevent property and physical damage. Since that time, only carefully monitored hall raids have been allowed.

Not all the Cornhuskin' traditions were violent. In 1957 the sophomore class chose a theme, an idea so popular that following year every class had one. Traditionally, selected faculty members have participated in all events, although they eventually stopped performing skits. And for many years a staff member concluded the celebration with a rendition of "How Great Thou Art." The Bathtub Ring, a student singing group originally formed from the Class of 1970 (and subsequent "Even" classes), would entertain while the judges deliberated. For the 50^th anniversary of Corn, the skits were moved from Thursday night to Friday night. The students were concerned that the switch would discourage participation, but the administration pointed out that it would allow alumnae to return for the anniversary celebration. In recent years, the event has been moved to Saturday night.

Although many details about Corn have changed and evolved, the spirit of the tradition remains strong. Corn events and class themes reflect the changing culture inside and outside the Meredith campus. For decades this Meredith tradition has offered a creative outlet for students to express themselves, and to strengthen the bonds between class members

Corn Opening Parade: Parade through the center of campus or in a highly visible public area like the courtyard or Jones Auditorium that includes representatives of each class and highlights the year’s theme. The parade has grown in size throughout the years and now includes candy tossed into the onlooking crowds, which delights children and sweet-toothed faculty alike.

Chicken and Hog-callin’*: Early Cornhuskin’ events where participants tested their ability to coax and cajole farm animals. In recent years, hog-callin’ consists of a judged short skit and dance performed by each class.

Cow-milkin’*: Students had to create their own cow.

Hillbilly Couples*: Students in the past dressed in overalls, calico and pigtails to be judged for best “hillbilly attire.”

Sing-Song Contest: Winning song judged on “pure corn” or comic value rather than musical merit. This has evolved into the class song competition.

Folk Dances*: Originally one of the first evening activities, square dancing was a favorite for “hillbilly couples.”

Corn-shuckin’*: Teams, made up of a coach and shucker from each class and from the faculty, compete to see who can shuck a bushel of corn the fastest.

Doughnut Contest*: Doughnuts were suspended from a string and eaten using only the participant’s mouth.

Apple bobbing*: A traditional class competition that required the capture of apples from tubs of water without the use of hands.

Tall Tales: Embellished stories that relate to the class theme and are judged on both originality and humor.

Word Parade: A costume or sign representation of approximately 20 words spoken in the class skits. Students don the costumes or carry the signs and move across the stage during the skit when that word is spoken.

Skits: Performances based on the class theme with props, costumes, songs and narratives.

Scavenger Hunt*: Each class hid an object that represented their theme. The other classes would find the objects to discover the opposing classes’ themes. This would take place after the bonfire.

Big and Lil’ Sis Songs: Serenades that happen throughout the week and the night of Cornhuskin’. These serenades promote class spirit and bonding between big and lil’ sis classes. For the Class Song, lyrics reflecting the Meredith experience are applied to the tune of a popular song.

Class Package: Packages distributed throughout the classes full of class spirit to display throughout the event. These can include t-shirts, koozies, light-up toys, and the class sweatshirt.

Can Art: Huge murals created by each class in the courtyard using aluminum drinking cans that are recycled after the event. All proceeds from recycling are donated to charity.

“Midnight” or Hall Raids*: Darkly-clad students making boisterous noises in residence halls. Hall raids no longer involve the water throwing and mayhem of earlier decades, but modern classes still enjoy the tradition with the same spunk and vitality of their predecessors.

Victory Pumpkin*: In 1975 the first “Great Pumpkin” was awarded to the winning class.

Pancake Breakfast* and Picnic Supper: Meals that precede and follow Corn activities. The Picnic Supper has evolved to the Corn Afterparty in Belk Dining Hall.

Tunnel Painting: Tunnel painting has become a Corn tradition of the senior class and encourages class unity and senior spirit. The seniors paint the tunnel with class themes and mottos that are representative of their four years at Meredith College.

*Discontinued Event