Muhlenberg College - Ciarla Yearbook (Allentown, PA)

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18 Ciarla Two ingredients make a frat party. Bob Alencewicz (ATO) and Scott Kurtz (PKT) hoist them. Do fraternities do any- thing besides have parties? The ‘animal house’ image, which is a traditional one, says no. So did the Bo. But perhaps there is more to fraternities than meets the lips. Fraternity means brotherhood, literally. The frat house must have more to offer a freshman pledge than beer. Would he go through kidnappings, hu- miliation, physical pain and hell night for something he could get at George’s? There are test files in the houses. Also a backlog of in- formation about most fe- males on campus. A frater- nity man inherits a ready- made image of virile mascu- FIRST linity and popularity. He also takes on the character- istics of the house, in other’s eyes at least. This can be good or bad. Frats are prone to stereo- typing, as almost any group of individuals is. The labels are not entirely accurate, but they are unavoidable. The key to maintaining individuality in a fraternity is, for example, to become known first as Jimmy John- son, and second as an ATO brother, and not the other way around. Members of a fraternity do have a committment to each other. They are united by the trials of pledging and the esoteric initiation cere- monies. Because the latter are secretive we really can- not be sure what kind of committment exists or what rituals and tenets hold the frat together, and the group IN BEER AND BROTHER HOOD has something private which marks the knowers as mem- bers of the same body. Kidnapping tactics caused a hitch in the usual pledge proceedings this year. Dean Dale LeCount mysteriously received a printed list of ATO’s kid- napping rules, and found- them to be against the by- laws of the national chap- ters. ATO refused to sign a statement that they would not kidnap, unless the other four fraternities would do the same. None cooperated because they wanted the Muhlenberg Fraternity Council, and not the admin- istration to handle pledging violations. For all this, without the parties, why should a frater- nity exist? The weekends on campus would not even de- serve such a title without pub nites, happy hours and band parties. Frats provide the social life on campus, with a little help from Benfer program board and the hen house. For that we should be grate- ful. The Cresties certainly are! — Cathy Robertson

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The College Life: spring A tree branch is artist Tom Hanlon’s easel. Right: Guys become Romeos in the spring. Left: Debbie Hansen had a visit from her brother and his room- mate. Sunshine is a winter cure- all. Rain on top of snow which froze at night then turned into slush by mid- day, characterized the end- of-the-season weather in ’ 79 . We were sick of wet shoes, slickers and damp, dismal days. Tired of sliding to fraternity parties and fall- ing home. Disgusted with frozen windshields, slick parking lots and cars that wouldn’t start — when the sun broke through! It changed ' ' ne’s everyday existence. Classes are the most unnatural place to be on a clear, bright, made-for- tennis afternoon. Bathing suits and towels which were in the back of the closet were dragged out. The unofficial “who’s first with a tan” contest began. Brown mall became a ceme- tary for the living as more and more prone bodies - male and female- sprawled on the lawn. Each radio was turned to a different radio station; books lay untouched beside students with good inten- tions. Papers blew away. Former study pillows as- sumed a more sensible func- tion. ON A DAY LIKE THIS? Walz and Benfer beaches were for those who appreci- ate more private resorts. Whether it was the weather, or just the threat of spring weekend approach- ing, guys began to single out girls and speak in full sen- tences. “Hi, what’s your ma- jor?” Funny we never no- ticed each other all winter. Yeah. The sun provoked the tra- ditional spring phenomenon in front of the library. It was tough to get a seat on the benches or the steps. After a winter of dressing in uni-sex jeans, sweaters and ski jack- ets, girls suddenly appeared in sundresses and sandals, and real guys came out in tank tops and shorts. It was great to have to squint. The good old celestial orb provoked picnics, softball games, baseball and track viewing, outdoor Union din- ners, memories of Florida- over-break, walks to the park, feeding the ducks, reading under a tree, (sitting under a tree,) bicyling, jog- ging, quarry-swimming, beer on the roof and frizbee wars. Dorney Park Day, which mature college adults might scorn at any other time of the year, was O.K. in May. Sponsored by Program Board the spring rite includ- ed all the rides you could eat; the food was not includ- ed. A bus ran to the park from campus once every half hour, all day. It is only in the sunshine, after a weary winter, that we can fully realize what the college life is all about. — Cathy Robertson CLASS,

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The College Life: fraternities 19 The new TKE bar is tended by Dave Scharf and Kevin Hardy. Be- low: ATO won the IM football game. Pimp and Whore Night at PKT raised an important question — what do I wear? Lisa Ganzhorn and Peter Wallburg created that certain look at the costume social. The stereotyped Katies used 50% of the electricity on campus to get ready for class in the morning. Doug Lavenburg spoofs that image. Left: Tom Creegan overdoses on pancakes for cancer.