University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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THE J A Y H A K E R The boys wcni to Thursday night smokers and registered their dates as they wished Friday Proximity to a fraternity is a rushing point and orning. Fraternities had watchers on hand to avoid any possible slip-ups. vice versa. Here the Kappa ' s point towards the Phi Gam and Phi Delt houses. dates were officially registered and boys ' rush week was on. Most made the round the first day, of all of their first dates. Boys dates began with the in- evitable handshake while the girls served tea and cookies. In order to entertain the rushee, they played ping-pong and pool. Thus the di- version continued until the actives began the business of the day, pledge talk. Rush talks varied with the houses. Some held the scenic view from the the house as their asset. Others spoke of the nearness of a sorority house, finances, but all boasted of tradition. Sometimes a boy or girl was led to a room, and before long several actives and Girls did only hasty, minor primping before washed up, and took showers. These are at the alumnae casually dropped in, and the poor soul found himself in a species of that notorious but util- gree, the hotbox is just as interest- ing as the third degree. But all was not as met the eye. Some organi- Sororities dated the girls on Sunday, the day and filling out date cards. itarian institution known as the hotbox. A form of the third de- dates while the boys made themselves at home, Pi K.A. house. of silence. The Alpha Chi ' s here are discussing zations perennially have what is known as a cellar gang. These are boys that are not seen until a boy is buttoned. In the vernacular, they are known as stinkers. Another tactic that is not in agreement with the rules, and more crude than the hotbox, is that of locking a boy in a room till rush week is over. Some organizations have used liquor as a mild per- suasive measure, fortunately this is not common. Several rumors were spread

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NOVEMBER 1 9 3 23 Boys and girls alike first held important bull sessions upon their return. Sprawled over floor and chairs, both fraternities and sororities talked These are Chi O. ' s. over the rush list. Here are the Gamma Phi ' s. done before the exchange of sum- mer experiences. Bul l sessions are prime essentials. Girl rushees were to appear Saturday, and the work was not yet done. The summer growth of grass had to be cut. This was done by men, however. Girls did the lighter work, such as polishing the door knobs and the knockers, put- ting up clothes and curtains. Those from far off places brought their wardrobe, but those from nearby went after it on Friday. Only dif- ference in the boy ' s part is, that the boys did all the work, whether it was rough or not. When the house was clean, pre- rush week meetings were held. In these the opinions were exchanged as to how cute this rushee, and how impossible that one. The boys did the same, but decision was not final. They waited to meet the rushee, then the final word was had by a committee of four. Spiked rushees were not discussed, but merely taken for granted. Spik- ing is illegal but it is one of the oldest and most well-established Greek customs. Saturday arrived, and a hot day it was, and so did the girl rushees. On this day, teas were held at all houses, and every rushee was re- quired to visit all of the houses. Not so with the boys. They went only to those houses with whom they had dates. Girls registered their dates, stayed in Corbin Hall or the Eldridge. The active sisters spent the day in straightening out date cards. Sunday was the day of silence for the girls. They were not allowed to see or communicate with the actives till midnight, al- though some ate their meals sub rosa with actives in Hill hangouts. Date cards were delivered that Rushees arrived at Corbin in all manner of first impression. night, and were returned the fol- lowing afternoon. Then the real dates began. There were two teas in the afternoon and dinner dates and after-dinner dates, breakfast dates and after-breakfast dates. Preferential dinners were held Tuesday night. It practically settled things, but Wednesday the girls listed their preferences, and sorori- ties sent formal bids to Corbin Hall. Preferences were matched up and rush week was over for the girls. Thursday, September 15 the fra- ternities held smokers in Kansas City, Topeka and Lawrence and after midnight adjourned to the various houses. Friday morning attire. But soon they were primping for that

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NOVEMBER 1938 25 Each house boasted that it possesses the best view Dates invariably began with a motley assembly of actives and rushees on the front porch, on the Hill. The Sigma Nu ' s lead rushees atop their Difference was that boys shook hands more vigorously. These are rushees and Sigma Kappa ' s house to glimpse the scenery. about other houses ' finances, and the number of returning actives. All of these are done, unethical for him and he is usually spirited out of town for safe keeping or stays at the house to help rush his On the girls ' side the indstructible institution of rush week is tea for afternoon dates. Teas give fine opportunities to show poise and polish. Here are the A.O.Pi ' s pouring and sipping. though they may be. Much of the value of such talk was removed this year by a Pan-Hellenic Council sheet of information regarding fra- ternity finances that was given all rushees. A boy may be pledged at any time during rush week. He is pledged by his acceptance of the button. Only a few make a col- lection of these buttons, and those who do lose caste in even the house that they pledge. After a boy takes a pledge button, rush week is over, friends. Remaining ceremony is the formal pledging and the yelling in. These took place on Sunday, September 17. In the yell-in cere- mony the new pledge is taken out- of-doors, the fraternity yell given, finished off with the new pledge ' s name. After the yell-in rush week is over, to the comfort of most pledges, and all actives, and the positions of master and servant are reversed. It ' s a dizzy round, but all love it. The present systems of rushing are complicated, but have their good points. For instance, in the girls ' system, they do not pledge until rush week is completely over. This idea supposedly eliminates much of the dirty work and undue pressure. Another good point, girls More virile were the amusements of the boys, who whiled away the time playing pool, croquet, cards, even telling off-color stories. This is the basement of the Phi Gam house.