On virgins, studs and Silent Sam

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Marvel at the power of a virgin. Folklore and mythology tell us that only virgins have the power to tame the elusive unicorn; that they can stare into the sun unharmed; and that they can walk through a swarm of bees without getting stung.

I can appreciate that kind of purity. I like virgins. I’ve just never run across one on the campus of UNC Chapel Hill.

How would I know? Because, as legend would have it, Silent Sam would tell me. Sam is actually a monument built to honor UNC’s Confederate veterans of The Great Unpleasantness. Over time, though, Sam grew into a more useful purpose.

The lore tell us that Sam will fire his rifle if ever a virgin passes in his view. I’ve kissed many a sweetheart beneath the tall sentry and, alas, have never heard the retort of his gun. Sad but true.

After a little Web research, I found some answers on snopes.com. I discovered that a number of college campus hold virgin-inspired legends. According to one researcher, the lore serves to build up a school’s opposite image – an image of free-loving partying. It’s sort of a badge of honor worn among students.

A few other examples:

A virgin walking by the statue of a wounded soldier at Knox College risked its rising up and chasing her out to the outlying cornfield to personally alleviate her condition.

A virgin walking under the statue of The Torchbearer at University of Tennessee will cause his flame to go out.

The seated Pioneer Mother of the University of Oregon and the seated Lincoln of the University of Illinois will stand in a virgin’s presence, while at Michigan State the standing Spartan will sit.

Cornell’s statues of Andrew D. White and Ezra Cornell will step off their pedestals, walk to each other, and shake hands.

At Duke, the statue of James Duke will tip his hat. New York University’s statue of Garibaldi will draw his sword. At Bucknell and Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, a venerated cannon will fire. And the stone lions at of University of Missouri, Michigan, and Cincinnati will roar if a virgin walks between them.

Here’s the conclusion of the researcher:
“The statue legends are therefore less snippets of lore about the magical powers of virgins in the modern world than they are boasts of puffed-chest bravado among young men who fancy themselves quite the studly ones on the basis of their association with schools bearing reputations.”

Hey, wait just one second….