University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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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.

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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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26 THE JAYHAWKER Officially denied but universally accepted is the existence of hotboxes. Boys hptboxed like this. Girls hotboxed also like this but refused to .ulm t it since their rushing system rules specifically prevent its use. do not stay in sorority houses at night, but in Corbin Hall or the Hotel Eldridge. This eliminates all-night hotboxes, and other such things that result in grief. The boys ' system, also, has it ' s good points. It is easier for the smaller fraternities to get pledges. They have plenty of time to talk, and so they usually get their share. Girls sat around and fretted the time away waiting for their dates and bids. Once buttoned, rushees were whisked out-of-town for safe keeping. These Sigma Chi ' s are going to the City- As for the bad points of the systems, they must be faced with candor and frankness. For one thing, there are too few sororities. Because of this the quota system cuts out many fine girls. The pre- ferential bid system also is de- fective. Rushees see all the fine houses, are impressed, turn in a pre- ference for some sorority which will never bid them. More direct dealing would eliminate this and the smaller sororities would have a better chance. Many houses have been closed because of this. The system has been made to help the rushees, but it has caused many a sorority grief. The boys ' system seems to have just the opposite effect. It protects the smaller fraternities, but is the downfall of many a rushee. It leaves many opportunities for the fine art of inter-fraternity throat- cutting. Also the rule by which second dates may be broken by per- sonal communication is a bad one. Some houses can cut the others out, ( Continued on page 80 )