The student handbook was called The Drawl from approximately 1954 to 1978. There are no existing records to indicate the reason for adopting The Drawl as the handbook’s name, but an inference can be drawn from the fact that the school’s name included the word “Southern,” and what do Southerners do if not drawl?

The Drawl was revived by the Alumni Association in 2002 to ensure that the traditions and history of Southern Miss are passed on to all future Golden Eagles. The current version, the third edition, was published in 2008 and features the University's Centennial logo.  On March 30, 2010, the institution will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding.