Of all the "abandoned" traditions
of Princeton, few have been so well documented as the so-called
Flour Photo, which is another example of the type of hazing or
horsing that grew out of the spirited competition between classes.
Each year, the freshman class would
pose for a group photo on the steps of Clio Hall. Immediately
following capture of a formal photographic record of the class,
a team of sophomores would release a barrage of flour from the
roof of the building, covering the entire class with a coat of
white. This more informal portrait was also captured on film--
and the ritual repeated for another group of unsuspecting freshmen
the following year.
Home