Marva Nelson Fors, First Hat Girl of the class of 1943, is carried by her classmates. The annual Hat Hunt began at Milwaukee-Downer College in 1894. Sophomore students hid the hat and freshmen women searched for it. The woman who found the hat was carried through the campus on a wooden serving tray by her classmates who declared, "We've found it!" The Hat Girl hid the hat the following year.