The Unicorn Hunters were a club here at LSSU created in the early 1970s but many people do not know the real history behind this club, and the impact they made on Lake State.  Many of the traditions and events that they started are still being practiced today. The Unicorn Hunters club first began in 1971 by Bill Rabe after he was hired as LSSU’s Director of Public Relations. Bill was known for his PR stunts while he was a Detroit area publicist. He created this group along with the help of other Lake State English professors such as Peter Thomas, John McCabe, John Stevens and others. The group was originally created as a publicity stunt for LSSU (then LSSC) because many still believed it was still part of what is now Michigan Technological University.  Professor Moody believes that “It was one of the best publicity efforts in the history of this school!”  Among many of events and traditions that the Unicorn Hunters have created, the Annual Banished word list has to be the most famous.  This list which has been released every year on New Years Day since 1971 consists of words banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-Use and General Uselessness. LSSU’s Banished Words list is known worldwide, and receives nominations from people all over the globe from those who think their word deems banish worthy.  Another one of their well known traditions is the Annual Snowman burning.  This event which takes place every year on the first day of spring  is witnessed by students, staff members, and people of the community all getting together to welcome spring. The Unicorn Hunters were also were behind the creation of Lake State’s first literary magazine The Woods-Runner.  This magazine was sent to thousands from all over the world.  Readers were able to keep up on the Unicorn Hunter’s Activities, and read writings from LSSU’s students and employees.

 Among many other events are World Sauntering Day, an International Stone-Skipping tournament held on Mackinac Island, and Unicorn Questing Season.  All of these ideas of the Unicorn Hunters are known worldwide and attract the attention of news media from all over. Examples of this would be when Bill Rabe had an ABC News crew on campus to f’ilm students who were on the hunt for unicorns, and when Lake State was mentioned on The Colbert Report” for putting Steven Colbert’s word “truthiness” on the 2007 Banished Words List.

Unfortunately, the Unicorn Hunters retired in 1987, but the spirit, events and traditions are still felt and seen around our campus today.  Events such as the release of the Banished Words List and the Annual Snowman burning are traditions that will be enjoyed by students and people from all over for years to come.  With the help of this year’s new student IDs, hopefully students will begin to realize and appreciate what the Unicorn Hunters were all about.  Maybe, one day, we will see a Unicorn Hunters group again on Lake States campus, until then, we will still have to keep enjoying the traditions they’ve created, and keep on searching for a unicorn!

The information from this article was taken from Lake State’s website.  For more information about the Unicorn Hunters and Unicorn Hunting regulations, just visit the LSSU website at www.lssu.edu. Unicorn Hunters licenses are also available on the LSSU website.

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