For generations, letterman jackets have been a popular tradition in high schools. They first became popular in the 1930s, and have been a continued tradition ever since. Elective, athletic, and academic crowds such as band, football, and debate enjoy getting letterman jackets because it links them to the family-like atmospheres they thrive in, sometimes even going so far as to see them as good luck.
Senior Lynsey Lamoureux feels connected to Brandeis because of her jacket.
“Wearing my letterman away from school definitely makes me feel more connected to Brandeis,” Lamoureux said. “I’ve spent almost a quarter of my life here and I’m proud to be associated with the school.”
Lamoureux says she will look back on her high school experience in the future in a positive way.
“I will always look back on high school as a great experience, especially when I think about band, which has taken up a lot of my time in the past four years,” Lamoureux said. “It will always be an important part of my life.”
The patches on letterman jackets make a difference.
Junior Benjamin Walls talks of the insignias and patches on his jacket and what they mean to him.
“Currently I only have the default patches of my instrument, name, and graduation year, but I have a lot of others I plan to put on soon,” Walls said. “Many of them are from competitions which remind me of all the fun experiences we’ve had.”
The tradition of letterman jackets has been continued for generations and is still a very significant part of students’ “high school experience”. It is links them to their home away from home.