The Practice House, first established at Withycombe House in 1916, was used for instruction in Home Economics. The curriculum included "Practice Housekeeping" and work with "Practice Babies" - local infants used to teach the basics of caring for a baby.
For many years, freshman boys at Oregon State were required, per campus tradition, to wear "rook lids" - also known as "freshman beanies" - on certain days of the week. At the conclusion of the school year, freshmen students often burned their beanies at a ceremony called "The Burning of the Green."
