University of Delaware - Blue Hen Yearbook (Newark, DE)

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The Pledging Experience Enjoying burgers hot from the grill KA pledges find a desirable alterna tive to dining hall food at the KA Pledge barbeque. efore pledging begins, all in- terested students go through Greek Rush. Rush oc- curs twice a year, in the fall and then again in the spring. Rush is a time to meet all the brothers or sisters and get an impression of each organization. The brothers and sisters devote many hours to the preparation of Rush, and all of their hard work clearly shows. Each night the brothers and sisters present a new theme by dressing up and throwing a party. The themes range from Halloween to the Olympics. Whatever the theme, the air is a filled with renewed enthusiasm. Choosing which sorority or fraternity to pledge is a tough decision, but once made, the best part of Greek life beginsl Pledging lasts anywhere from three to five months and is an A bit of tradition, the pledge book, pcld- dle ond pin signify the pledging exper- ience. Displaying a traditional pose, Alpha Phi Alpha pledges synchronize their move- ments in the Student Center dining hall during Spring Rush. l82 Pledging unforgettable experience. The pledge class members work to- gether making a class project and the many friendships made are kept throughout college. Each sorority and fraternity makes up its own secret rules for pledging, but lots of fun and many surprises are guaranteed for all. At the same time, pledges learn all about the his- tory of their Greek organization as well as how the Greek system works. Of course every pledge can't wait to be a brother or sis- ter! But pledging only happens once in a lifetime, and is the ex- citing part of becoming a Greek. Kristen O'Neill Engaging in intra fraternity competition, these pledges from TKE and AEPi par- ticipate in ci chugging contest at an AEPi mixer.

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Greek Community rotherhood and sisterhood are the very essence of Greek life at the University of Delaware. Beginning with the rushes in the fall, Greek life revolves around common interests and shared goals. More than just an opportu- nity to socialize, the Greeks are serious about their committment to bettering of the univer- sity. Greeks encourage strong scholastic achievement and award scholarship from their national chapters. Participation in ath- letics has long been a Greek tradition both in the form of the intramural program and in- formal competitions such as the Greek games. The Greeks donate countless hours in service to the local community as well as national charities. Above all, Greek membership leads to friendships that last throughout the college years, and well beyond. th o otc t early Moy. A pep rally on the mall in l953 mcirks

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Working for the Greeks Chatting with the brothers, Bertha Layne has quickly become a Hxture at the KA house. Wanted: Female to be escort- ed to dinner every night by a Southern gentleman, to attend at least three formal dances a year, and to live under the same roof with 54 college men. lvlrs. Bertha C. Layne, Kappa Alpha Order's new house- mother wasn't ecstatic when this position was first offered to her. l'Never in my wildest dreams did I think l'd become a housemother to so many boys, Layne said. However, one night this past September, Layne received a lO:3O phone call from KA presi- dent Jim lnsel, who informed her that she had been unanimously selected by the fraternity to be KA's housemother. At home in the Alpha Phi kitchen, Bob Trethaway cleans in the afternoon be- fore the dinner rush. A dose of motherly affection goes a long way as Bertha Layne tucks in one of the KA brothers on a chilly winter morning. Layne described her duties. lllvly main responsibilities are to grace KA's dining room and to meet and reassure the par- ents. Other duties include join- ing the boys circling the house during parties and dances, teaching proper etiquette and dining manners. Layne happily revealed her favorite duty of tucking the blankets around the boys shoul- ders during the winter months. Layne exclaimed, l just love it - these boys are my knights in shining armor! The brothers of KA agree that Layne is a friendly sharp- minded lady. l'You can't put much past this lady. She's smart, and knows what's hap- pening around the house, said one member. Another brother exclaimed, uShe's gentle, affec- tionate, intelligent and very amusing. lllts marvelous being KA's housemother, boasted Layne. ul'm having a ball and you can bet l'll be around here next se- mester. Taking a break from the kitchen, Vince lmpagliazzo joins in a game of fooseball with an AEPi brother. ln addition to housemothers, there are other people who serve the Greek community, such as house cooks. Robert Trethaway cooked the dinners for Alpha Phi this past spring semester. Trethaway likes cooking for the girls at Alpha Phi because l'they're nice to look at and al- ways smiling. Trethaway said, ulvly main responsibility is to keep the kids happy, and not hungry. lt's nice to work around a bunch of college kids, they're so lively and easy to please. Vincent lmpagliazzo has cooked for Alpha Epsilon Pi ever since they moved into their house three years ago. lmpag- liazzo starts his day at 7 a.m. and cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner for the brothers at AEPi. l'Vinnie says he loves working at AEPi because he feels as though he is a part of the frater- nity. l-le jokes with the brothers and occasionally attends AEPi parties. Vinnie says he doesn't cook for the money but for the fun atmosphere around the house. lmpagliazzo said, These kids are great. 'l'here's never a dull moment. Tara Talmadge Working l83