Some say history is written by the victors, I say history is written by the loudest speakers. The louder you say what you think, the more people hear it and your words go into circulation and become part of a verbal historical record whether you're a victor or not.

So, some of this Wake history I'm about to impart on you has been written by victors, like Dr. Stroupe and President Tribble, other parts have been spreading by wildfire from no known victorious source. Rumors abound on any campus, especially in an institution as old as Wake. Here is some Wake history and fun facts for you collected from an article by Jenny Puckett, rumors around campus, and other sites.

1. Wake tuition used to be manual labor

When Wake first opened in 1834, it was a school for Baptist ministers and other male intellectuals. Technically Wake was a Manual Labor Institution because faculty and students were required to spend half of each day doing manual labor on a plantation. If we're being honest, I feel like this hasn't changed much. Maybe we don't do manual labor on a plantation, but something like that during finals week in the library....

2. Wait Chapel's Cornerstone is more than what meets the eye

Like most notable buildings, our Mother So Dear has a cornerstone on the right-hand side that notes the date that the building was dedicated.... but that cornerstone is also home to a time capsule. That's right. According to Wake Alum Jenny Puckett ('71) in her article, the time capsule was made by a professor named Dr. Stroupe and contained newspapers from the dedication day, a Bible, some brick and soil from the original campus location in Wake Forest, NC, a magnolia leaf (maybe that's what feeds our campus obsession with Mag trees, Mag quad, Mag dorm), some pictures of previous Wake presidents, and a list of contents. Most uniquely, however, was a letter from Dr. Stroupe's 8-year-old son to "the boys of my age in the future". How cute?

3. Rumors about Tribble Hall

I've heard two. One is that Tribble Hall, the most confusing hall on campus- even to the most seasoned Tribble veterans- was built by the military. Honestly, I can see it. Maybe that's why it's so confusing. And the second rumor I've heard about Tribble Hall is that it is the seventh place that the President of the US will go if they are threatened. Again, maybe that's why it's a maze in there- to protect people from national threats. Again, these are rumors that I couldn't find substantiation for even on Wikipedia. BUT doesn't that make the theory stronger? If I could find a list of places the President will go when threatened, moving the president to those places wouldn't be a very effective strategy.

4. The Reynolds are in the Illuminati

Ok, ok, I know I sound crazy but hear me out (or read this article). Yes, the Reynolds (think Reynolda Hall where our beloved Pit resides) is allegedly very close to being one of the 13 original bloodlines of the Illuminati. Come on, don't tell me you're surprised. Their house used to be the entirety of this campus and Reynolda Village. Have you walked back in the trails in the Village? If you do, you can see a place where the Reynolds had built a natural, outdoor swimming pool. It's so cool. People that rich wouldn't go unnoticed by the Illuminati, I'm sure.

5. The Dance Rebellion of 1957

This slice of history is another gem in Jenny Puckett's aforementioned article.

In November of 1957, the Baptist State Convention decided that dancing would not be allowed on campus, so the students protested outside of President Tribble's office. The day after the rule had been imposed, the male and now also female, student body attended their required Chapel at 11 am and awaited their signal. When an alarm clock went off in the back of the Chapel, all 1,900 students rose up and poured out of the chapel, an unstoppable tidal wave of dancing deacs. They brought out a jukebox, cut classes for the rest of the day, and danced and danced until well past dark! One of the protesters was Murray Greason Jr. Who Puckett identified as a man who became the chairman of the WFU Board of Trustees and a member of the law school's board of visitors. Later, he received the university's highest honor: the Medallion of Merit. Maybe it was a deac who said a little rebellion is good every once and a while.