The Theft of the Original Red Shirts

From Page 1 of "The Signal," March 19, 1935: ROWLAND, KINCANNON TRIED FOR CRIME OF PROCURING A DOZEN RED SHIRTS Thursday, March 7 saw the beginning of an entirely new organization on Ouachita's campus. This organization is known as the "Red Shirts." Twenty-five members comprise the membership of the Red Shirts, and their avowed purpose is to better Ouachita by creating and maintaining a better school spirit. Their official regalia is made up of white shoes, white trousers (pants), red shirts, and white ties. Hence the "Red Shirts." This uniform is to be worn each Wednesday by all members of the group. A catastrophe overtook the infant organization before it could even crawl good. Some old "meanie," or "meanies," procured (stole is too harsh to use here) an even dozen of the precious red shirts and made away with them. By the use of his illustrious power of education, Charles Hagins, assisted by Claude "Zebe" Perry, traced the culprits and placed the guilt on "Old Folks" Rowland and Jimmy Kincannon. Mr. Hagins based his accusation on a tell-tale footprint found in the mud below Mr. Perry's window. This footprint proved to be Kincannon's. Trial by jury was the cry of the defendents, and so it was arranged. A jury was selected, and the popular arbiter, Lawson Glover, was appointed foreman. Robert Lippard became "His Honor" for the trial procedure. Attorney Nichols of the Red Shirts introduced witnesses Fiske, Rankin, Perry, and Hagins, whose testimony, it appeared, would convict the defendents. Not so. Attorney Russell of the defendents refuted all testimony given by his harsh cross-examining. He called only one witness, and that was Mr. Rowland, a defendent. After several hours (not really -- it is exaggerated) of careful deliberation, the jury filed back into court and Mr. Glover read the verdict. It was not really a verdict, for nothing came of it. Judge Lippard could do nothing about it. Half the jury said "Yes" and half said "No," so all the excitement was merely to see a jury "hang." Incidentally, all the Red Shirts got their red shirts back on the day of the trial, all ironed as nice as you please. Thus, the organization can continue unabated (this means without interference) until laundry time comes again. Then they will have to get their shirts stolen all over again.

The original red shirts looked like this one worn by Holland Brown in the early Forties. Originally worn with white trousers and shoes, the uniform quickly became the red shirt and white tie only. Members often had their names embroidered over the heart.