Senior Cords – A Purdue Tradition

According to the Purdue Libraries and Archives and the Purdue Alumnus, in the fall of 1904, some seniors noticed a bolt of yellow corduroy in the window of a local tailor in Lafayette.  They decided to have trousers made from the material.  The wearing of such trousers spread quickly on campus.  The 1905 senior class “formally adopted” the trousers, and, thus, the wearing of cords became a tradition reserved for the senior class.

Cord Tradition Grows

At first undecorated, in time the tradition included decorating the cords with symbols of fraternities and sororities, majors, clubs and other aspects of the wearers’ lives.  The first pictures of cords with decorations appeared in The Debris in 1943.  As time went on, other aspects of the tradition developed, including senior beards, derbies, canes, and vests.  A picture of the Delta Delta class of 1958 shows that at that time some of the cords were decorated, while others were not.

The Class of ’58 as seniors proudly display their “Purdue cords”.

The Class of ’68 display their highly decorated “Purdue cords”.

Kaley Not Included

Bob Kaley ’68 proudly shows off his cords in front of the chapter house on 202 Littleton. This photo appears on the cover of the “150 Years of Brotherhood” book.

By the fall of 1967, all of the associated traditions were in full display in a picture of the class of 1968 taken in front of 202 Littleton.  However, missing from the group photo was Consul Bob Kaley, ’68, whose curmudgeonly professor scheduled a test on Cord Day, the day of the first home football game.  To make up for the omission, Kaley had his photo taken with the Sign.  This picture, showing the artwork of the cords, the Sigma Chi sign, and the Littleton Street sign. This photo appears on the cover of the “150 Years of Brotherhood” book released in June and reflects the spirit of all Delta Delta Sigma Chis through the years.  Sadly, it seems that after the class of 1968, the tradition of decorating and wearing cords ended at Delta Delta.  Although no firm date has been established, the tradition seems to have completely disappeared from Purdue by the early 1970s.

Jumping Ahead 55 Years

Jumping ahead 55 years or so, the story takes a surprising turn.  Jim Chapin ’68, had developed a friendship with Purdue grad Chris Pate ’99, who has what is widely recognized as the world’s largest collection of Purdue sports memorabilia, including Bob Griese’s Rose Bowl watch.  Chapin donated his cords to Pate for his collection.

Bob Kaley ’68 (L) and Jim Chapin ’68 visit Bob’s 58-year-old cords on display at Yette’s Thrift shop in Lafayette.

Sometime later, a visitor from Lafayette, also a Purdue memorabilia buff, offered to buy the cords, but Pate so treasured them that he refused to sell.  However, he did tell Chapin that if he knew anyone else who might be willing to pass on his cords, let him know.  Chapin contacted some members of his pledge class, and Kaley was willing to let his cords go.

On Display at Yette’s

To Chapin’s amazement and satisfaction, Kaley’s 1968 cords, the very ones shown on the cover of the “150 Years of Brotherhood” book, now hang on display in Yette’s Thrift store in the Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette.  Kaley and Chapin took time out from the busy 150^th Anniversary Celebration to visit Yette’s and reflect on Cord Day in 1968!