Purdue University - Debris Yearbook (West Lafayette, IN)

Page 22 text:

Remember how the Book Exchange raised a howl from the village merchants. . Things happen- ed in rapid succession after classes began on Sep- tember l5 . . the first Variety l-lour was held in Fowler l-lall two days later and the following Fri- day Skull and Crescent sponsored the Freshman Mixer-it was here that the new eds learned the meaning of the six to one ratio . . the ballroom was so jammed that only one conclusion could be drawn-there were enough coeds, just too many fellows . . About this time W,S.G.A, started its an- nual Date Bureau . . uninitiated freshmen and op- timistic upperclassmen tried their hands at the system . . they probably thought that the beauti- ful girls at the W.S.C.A. desk were samples . . lt wasn't much later that the freshmen's UUNT BE world of dreams came tumbling down on their heads. . fraternities faced about and convinced them that each pledge class was the worst in his- tory . . the newcomers were forced to wear those ridiculous pots and throw away their dignity . . the sophomores tormented them, the juniors ignored them, and the seniors paid them too much attention . . instructors picked on them, parents admonished them, and fellow classmen comforted them . . the center of attention, they were made to feel their insignificance . . In direct contrast, the freshman girls were swept into the whirl of social events . . the omnip- otent law of supply and demand was asserting it- self . . joes , personality men, B.lVl.O.C.'s, and social lions all sought their favor . . teas, formals, mixers, dinners, coke dates, and shows were rou- tine. of'

Page 21 text:

The University, just to bring back to mind the reason we came to college, held registration from September l2-l4 . . Of course, these days were warm and the freshmen were exhausted after having spent a couple of days in orientation being scrutinized from head to foot morally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. . the seniors had as much trouble as the rest trying to solve the mys- teries of enrolling in a great university . . Sorority girls played the part of the Good Samaritan by helping the freshman women to register . . Pins were displayed by organized girls, but rushing was farthest from their minds . . After staggering through the woes and tribu- lations of registration, you were led by the hand and relieved of your money . . this was the most efficient part of the system-the transaction was completed in about five seconds . . lt was like trying to squeeze blood from a turnip for the Debris, Exponent, Scrivener, Playshop, and En- gineer to get you to subscribe to their mad pro- posals . . We saw Prexy for the first and last time, as he was about to sail for the Philippines . . even he had to go through the madhouse of registration, and he was leaving in a few days . . Of course, all the faculty was there, trying to explain why you had to have that Saturday eight o'clock . . Then you went to the Senate desk where you voted for the most deserving candidate by closing your eyes and making a cross on the ballot.. Shorty Purchla then got hold of the eds and drove them through the left door of the Armory and thence to the military registration desk. .here they were given books, papers, and all the secrets of the War Department and allowed to go home- except the frosh who were sent upstairs to draw their close-fitting uniforms.

Page 23 text:

The Union began its round of activity by spon- soring tea dances . . all pub- lications issued calls for sophomore workers: and Playshop, Al Stewart, P.l.A., and W. S. C. A. sought talents suitable for their needs . . juniors began strutting around the Union Building, important in their new found glory . . seniors tried to look sophisticated and p ro b a b l y deceived everyone but themselves . . the Sweet Shop, Bowling Alleys, Grill, and Card Room were four o'clock rendezvous . . The Union was a beehive from four to six, became full of meeting- seeking students by eight, and the coke dates stream- ed in at ten. By eleven o'clock the building was deserted save for those cleaning up and a few ac- tivity workers who had to side-step the buckets of water and mops in the halls . . The seniors were stealth- ily going to the Village to be measured for their cords about this time . . they didn't dare bring them home until the last minute . . the sophomores were dil- igently tracking down clues while the frosh were eyeing mustaches with increasing envy . . unshaven lips, cul- tivated since the beginning of school, were mutilated and cleaned by freshmen d r u n k with temporary power . . The frosh-Varsity game turned the rhinies out en masse to cheer their repre- sentatives on the football field . . the football season was approaching wh i ch meant that Saturday after- noons could no longer be spent in sleeping.