The Story

In 1564, King Charles IX decreed that with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day be moved from April 1, to January 1. Those who refused to accept the change or forgot were ridiculed by being sent foolish gifts and invitations to nonexistent parties. Hence, April Fool's Day was born. Over a period of nearly two hundred years, the practice of playing such jokes spread from France to England to the US.  The irony here is that Smoky Mountain U was founded on the same day in 1564! What a coincidence.

The Truth

Smoky Mountain University is about having fun. But on the serious side, the air quality in the Great Smoky Mountains is suffering! The most visited National Park in the US is in ecological trouble as millions of people visit the Smokies every year. Smoky Mountain University is fueling funding to "Campus Improvements" by donating 25% of all profits from the sale of items from the SMU Book Store to the preservation of the Smoky Mountains. Our choice of recipients for use of the funds in 2004 is the honored organization, "Friends of the Smokies." The Friends organization has been raising funds and contributing to the well-being of the National Park since 1993.

 NOTICE TO ALL STUDENTS
A vicious memo has been circulating throughout the campus stating that the coming year will place a strong emphasis on academic achievements at SMU. Although it's not a bad idea, no one has yet stepped forward to claim responsibility for the memo.