Brown University - Liber Brunensis Yearbook (Providence, RI)

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stand in the middle of the gym every weekday from 9 to 5 yelling, Come on Snockers! One more! One more! Lemme see some effort! Work some of that lard off! It's a little dis- comforting at first, but after a while you learn to play around them. Basketball is probably the most popular pick-up sport. Of the two gymnasiums on the main campus, Bryant East Campus re- sembles something that would be set up in a prisoner of war camp except the backboards aren't as good, and Sayles Pembroke Campus, by virtue of its incredibly warped floor, makes leading a fast break feel like you're surfing the big ones at Malibu. The sizeable intramural program offers possibilities for inter-dorm competition in Scavenger Hunting, Kick the Can, Calisthen- ics, Archery, Natural Child-Birth, Demolition Derby, Slalom Traying, Gesticulating Tongue- Wrestling, Cork Popping, Cheese Eating, Teatherball, Political Socialization, Juggling, and Miniature Golf.

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77 3 7 i The Onrgiastics prepare for an A-hour class, s P NATeAs

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THE NEW ENVIRONMENT To many freshthings the Brown Campus is a sprawling confusing complex whose different dorm and department buildings may take days, even weeks to figure out. Except for the humanoid matriculants 37 who simply visit Health Services upon arrival and have direc- tional circuitry implanted, most students find their way around by trial and error, or by un- raveling a long string attached to the door- knob of their room. If you need some, ask for Doorknob String at the bookstore, they'll know what you're talking about. Get a belt- reel so you can have your hands free to gesture. A traditional Brown joke is to cul a freshthing's string and retie it to the door of a bathroom in Delta Tau. Perhaps the most difficult part of getting adjusted to Brown's physical lay-out is that like so many other aspects of the school, the physical environment is flexible. The New Environment as it was dubbed upon its im- plementation in 1970 replaced the foundations of almost every building on campus with ball bearings. Also, every building, with the excep- tion of the truly historic structures, was injected with a substance developed by the chemistry department which allows them to flex as well as to change shape and size. Further, the sidewalks can be rolled up, the arches were remodeled to open like draw bridges, and most of the gates and trees fold up so that they can be carred in little metal cases. Taken for granted by upperclassmen, this unique campus quality can be a bit bog- gling for the new arrival. The first thing that needs to be understood is the philosophy behind this innovation. As then-President Hornig noted in a speech in- troducing the change; There's a madness to our method. Post-Industrial society is at a stage in which the scenery is constantly changing. The Intellect must be able to func- tion in a state of environmental entropy. A more practical reason behind the system is that it gives the Plant and Maintenance De- partment the usual benefit of being able to sweep out under buildings and rotate them to avoid excessive wear on any one in particular. There are usually schedules of building re- arrangement plans available at the main hous- ing office and at University Hall, wherever those happen to be at the moment. As for changes in the dimensions of buildings, these occur more spontaneously. Students generally hear people saying things like, Barus and Holley's really looming again or List is as flat as a pancake! Whereas freshthings often jot notes to them- selves, walk around with colorform maps or a magic slate to try to keep track of it all, upperclassmen simply catalogue it all in their heads. Here are a few examples of the way buildings change and rearrange: --The Science 777 RAYTMAND