By Blaine Richardson, Editor in Chief

On Oct. 8, the Crook was found in its hiding place on a tree on Flower Hill. The Crook was found by the now four time champions, Rachel Johnson and Cole Swain, who have worked together this year and in all four years past to find the Crook together. 

The Crook and Founders’ Day go hand in hand, as both seek to teach and honor the history of the University of Montevallo. Where Founders’ Day is a ceremony that celebrates the founding of the University, the Crook is a tradition that dates all the way back to 1926 when the college was still referred to as Alabama College. 

The Crook started as something that the seniors would hide for the juniors to find. Finding the Crook was supposed to represent the transition from junior to senior. Much like the university itself, this tradition has grown and evolved over the years, and now the tradition is open for all students. This intimate link with the history of the university that makes the Crook such a special tradition to many UM students and faculty alike.  

“I think it is really special how we’ve continued the tradition in a more socially accessible way.” Swain said. “It’s a lot more involved with everyone.” Said Swain, “Which I think is valuable.”  

Johnson described the Crook’s ties to history further. 

“The Crook is something that gets you to look backwards and encourages students to appreciate the history of the campus leading up to Founders’ day.” Johnson said. “And that’s why we loved it so much, because we naturally like history.” 

The Crook’s ties to the history of UM is not just surface level trivia— in fact, it’s the key to finding it.  

Johnson explains how she and Swain were able to find it so quickly this year and in years past: 

“One thing I think people don’t notice is that the Crook is tied into something that is being celebrated on Founders’ Day, so year one it was the 125th Founders Day.” This connected with where the Crook was hidden: “It was in Reynolds, close to where the original Crook is kept. It was a tie back into the history of the tradition.”  

The second year they found the Crook, Founders’ Day celebrated the naming of Fallin Hall, the history building, so the Crook was in the CFTA where the old history building, Jeter Hall, used to be.  

The third year, the nursing college was announced and the Crook was in Myrick. And this year celebrated Dr. Arthur Harmen. The Crook being in one of the trees on Flower Hill referenced his help in planting the trees, as well as one of his poems, “Avenue of Trees.” 

“If you go on the digital archives, you can find a lot of good information and that’s where I think a lot of the clues are taken from,” Johnson added. 

Looking towards the future, both Swain and Johnson think that the tradition still has room to grow and improve. 

“I think it would be cool if they had three or five clues the first day, and then the second day the social media clue is like, ‘What do those three clues have in common?’” Swain said. 

Johnson added, “I really liked the QR codes because it rewards people who follow the clues to find it instead of running around like crazy and look in bushes.”  

Wherever the tradition goes, this year marks the end for Johnson and Swain’s dominance, as they both are graduating. “I keep telling people I’m retired from looking for the Crook,” Johnson joked. However, they’re hoping that the tradition stays alive and strong. 

“The first year that we looked for it, there were so many people looking for it,” Swain said.  

Johnson added, “I feel like the incoming classes should get interested.” She later specified, “If people see the trends like us, of it being connected to Founders Day and look in the Digital Archives, maybe that will get people interested.”