The spirit of Longwood was alive and well at Professor of Anthropology Dr. Jim Jordan’s annual bonfire Monday night, marking the beginning of Oktoberfest week activities. Despite the chilly weather, crowds of students and faculty headed to Iler Field to gather around the roaring fire and hear the history behind the Oktoberfest event.
The event highlighted many unique aspects of Longwood life. The camaraderie of students gathering together from all classes and majors to hear the lecture was indicative of what makes the university as a whole stand out in comparison to larger institutions. In anticipation of the start of the lecture, groups of students gathered around the field, sharing past experiences they’d had at the lecture before, and excitedly detailing the events to come, often to freshmen new to the campus. One of the hottest topics of this chatter was Jordan’s ghost stories lecture to be held later in October.
As the lecture began, the chatter died to a respectful quiet as the crowd was riveted by the history behind the Oktoberfest events.
Speaking from his podium, Jordan captivated the crowd with his stories, and though the lecture was brief, all were left with a far better understanding of the unique traditions of Oktoberfest at Longwood.
Following the lecture, attendees were invited to a refreshment table, and the floodlights switched on over the field so students and faculty could mingle despite the dying flames. Though the weather was chilly, many remained to discuss the upcoming Spirit Week events, including the costume contests, Color Wars and band performances.
