Ask any student where to find the best Hillsdale humor, and they’ll direct you to Overheard at Hillsdale College. This Facebook group has everything from hilarious quotes from professors to quips from students and humorous photos of sights “overseen.”
While newcomers post quotes that aren’t funny out of context and grumpy seniors complain about when Overheard used to be funny, it’s easy to forget the rich history that Overheard belongs in, as well as the fact that it’s still funny.
The tradition of printing quotes began right here in the Hillsdale Collegian, and there have been many iterations of Overheard throughout the years. Here are some of its forefathers.
Hall and Campus
“Hall and Campus” was featured in the first issue of the Collegian in 1893, and contained short announcements as well as amusing quotes. This example was printed on July 21, 1898. Until recent years, quotes were more or less anonymous.
Campus Notes
“Campus Notes” was very similar to Hall and Campus. This example comes from the May 5, 1900, edition of the Collegian.
Just Between Us
“Just Between Us” featured quotes, anecdotes, and silly poems. This quote comes from two students stricken with senioritis, and was printed on March 1, 1950.
The Half-Page: Overheard quotes of the week
“The Half-Page” was a relatively recent and fun Collegian feature. These quotes comes from the Nov. 21, 2002 issue of the Collegian, and the speaker’s name may sound familiar to current students.
Et Cetera
“Et Cetera” was a feature in the “Vibe” section of the Collegian. The Oct. 14, 2010 issue printed quotes from professors.
Overheard… out of Context
The first section to use the word “overheard” in the title, “Overheard… out of Context” appeared shortly after Et Cetera. This censored quote was published on Feb. 20, 2003.
Overheard on Campus
These selections from March 17, 2005 show how popular “Overheard on Campus” was among students and faculty.
Overheard at Hillsdale
Although the Facebook page has been around since at least 2011, the Collegian sometimes printed quotes such as this one from Nov. 14, 2013 in its “Overheard at Hillsdale” section.
Overheard at Hillsdale College Facebook group
Today, the Facebook group “Overheard at Hillsdale College” has 2,380 members, which is about 900 more members than current Hillsdale students. This 2013 post remains one of the most popular, with 479 likes and 60 comments.
Winona Yearbook
The best overheard quotes of each month are immortalized in the Winona yearbook. Here is an example from the April page of the 2014 edition.
Let the great tradition of Overheard inspire you. Go forth and be quotable.