College of William and Mary - Colonial Echo Yearbook (Williamsburg, VA)

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PERSONAL TOUCHES transform a d( room from a sterile box to a comfortable home. INSERT: Housemothers keep tabs on residents in 1971 through the use of cards to sign in and out. Security was cited as the rea- son. Whether to keep DuPont a male dorm was another question posed by many. Females often pointed out how drastically its condition has deteriorated since the guys moved in two years ago. Residence halls were a good way to meet people. Activities such as ice cream parties, vol- leyball games, picnics and study breaks brought neighbors together. Hall painting was al- ways popular, as were the sea- sonal door decorating contests. Many dorms were active sponsors of events. Richmond Road com- plex ' s Heart Dance and Valentine cards raised money for the Heart Fund. Yates and DuPont got to- gether to create a 150 foot long banana split. Brown and JBT tried a new social event — a slumber party. The Office of Residence Hall Life was not to be outdone. Their Last Lecture Series, featuring Professors Coursen of biology, Thompson of history, Lavasch of education and Sanderson of economics, were highly successful. Students packed Millington Hall to listen to the addresses. Rules in dorms were minimal. The policy of self-determina- tion, enabling residents to se- lect visitation, lock-up and quiet hours, gave students greater freedom. This policy was only recently adopted. As late as 1972, house mothers watched over residents in all dormitories. Cards to sign in and out enabled them to keep tabs on students. Members of the opposite sex were not al- lowed in bedrooms except dur- ing special visitation hours. Curfew hours prevented students from staying out late. Today this all seemed dis- STUDENTS devour the 150 foot long banana split made by residents of DuPont and Yates. INSERT: Coeds battle each other during Due games, the climax of a week of hazing for freshmen. LAST LECTURE Series speaker Allen San- derson addresses the crowd that filled Millington Hall for the successful pro- gram sponsored by the Office of Resi- dence Hall Life. INSERT: A W M student speaks out at a Counter conference on peace and justice held at Lake Matoaka in 1971. tant. The card key system en- abled students to come and go as they pleased. Guys could roam girls ' halls anytime they wanted to and vice versa. No one said anything even if they ended up spending the night, not an uncommon occurrence. Dorm mothers were definitely a thing of the past as RA ' s handled any problem that might have arisen on a hall. Generally, the stu- dent was on his or her own. Dorm Life— Then Now 25

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It ' s iii¥ m nil Dorm living finds students on their own for four varied years ®f all the experiences that college afforded in- dividuals, dorm living was one most unique. At a school such as William and Mary that was primarily residential, dorm life took on even greater prom- inence. Freshmen halls often formed an individual ' s core group of friends. Roommates could either be a blessing or BEFORE the Heart Dance sponsored by Bryan complex, RA Andy Vernick decorates the campus center. INSERT: 1968 Women ' s Dorm Association officers confer together. AFTER A PICNIC in Bryan courtyard, dorm residents enjoy a volleyball game. INSERT: Women only bathrooms during visitation hours are no longer needed due to 24-7 and coed dorms. horror that first year. After the security of fresh- man year, rooms were selected by a lottery process, providing one was not randomly eliminated from it. The receipt of a let- ter from Residence Hall Life dur- ing March brought nightmares of searching for an apartment for many. Some bumped students got back in, but many turned to the alternative of off-campus housing. A fortunate but con- troversial group comprised of Greeks and Special Interest residents were immune to the elimination process. Controversy swarmed in other areas. JBT did not go coed. W — •■ ' .; m ' 0 ' .

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26 Moving in HOT WEATHER forces Ed McLeod to leave one part of his three piece suit at home when he comes to have his year- hook picture taken. ON THE FIRST DAY of orientation, stu- dents listen attentively to Dean Livingston ' s presentation on a liber- al arts education. AMONG THIS RA ' S MANY TASKS is making a list of the girls on her hall to post near the phone.