Spirit dinner
From USAFA Folklore
(Redirected from Smoker's Night)
Spirit dinners are mandatory, wing-wide dinners that are supposed to improve morale in the wing--often during Army Week or Navy Week. The food served is generally the best that Mitchell Hall makes, and often has included the famous Mitch's Mountain.
[edit] History of the Spirit Dinner
- In the early 70s to early 80s, every month there was a "Smoker's Night" at Mitch's...it may have been traditionally held on a Wednesday. As a beaner, you'd get together with your table-mates and buy an assortment of the shittiest, worst cigars, normally "Swisher's Sweets" or some other rancid smoke, and bring them to the table as a bribe. If the bribe was adequate, the table comm would allow us to eat at rest while they contentedly blazed away, filling Mitches with a funky and satisfying haze. These dinners were originally not necessarily connected with athletic events. In the early 70's, it was common for "Road Runner" cartoons to be projected on the south wall of the dining room after these dinners.
- This was later expanded, and fourth class cadets would bring cigars, food, magazines, and other goodies to trade upperclass cadets for privileges, both at the table on the night of the dinner (e.g., sitting at rest) and in the future (e.g., borrow a Firstie's car). This practice was ultimately discontinued (in 19__?) as "bribing" seniors for privileges was considered inappropriate military behavior.
