University of Minnesota - Gopher Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

Page 33 text:

Students take a necessary break to help each other organize all the material they have accumulated during day ' s meetings. As busy as Welcome week is, some students find time to relax in the Union, Many just sit and think or sleep, while others (like the one pictured) even find time to catch up on some interesting reading. Page 29

Page 32 text:

Welcome Week Enthusiasm ran rampant Enthusiasm ran rampant during Welcome week this year. The future freshmen for whose henefit the week was planned were ahout the most enthusiastic and active bunch you could find on campus anytime during the vear. So ac- tive, in laci, that student directors of the week were disap- pointed if at least 800 frosh didn ' t show up for each pro- gram. Often more than 1,000 actually did participate, A typical day during Welcome week included a program so compact and varieil that no freshman could attend all of the scheduled events. It began with a grouii meeting, and, later in the morning, a convocation. The groups were the same ones which were tormed during the orientation period. Then came lunch, and with it a program. , fter that the groups might watch sample classrooms in the Union. Next they may lia e totirecl the campus or jiarticip.ited in a spe- cial day, such as athletics day, which began with a Ger- man band leading the entire mob to Oioke hall. Here thev watched the fof)tball team work out, saw a tumbling demon- stration, and were free to inspect Cooke hall. A typical evening might have been ( reek niglu, when representatives of the system met with curious freshmen in ihe Union main ballroom and answered whatever tjuestions they might have had. Or the evening social activity may have been a Blue jean li.ill or ,i ' MCA mixer. One of biggest thrills for out oi town students is moving into new home. Eager freshman, with watchful parents in the background, checks in at Sanford hall dormitory. All sorts of new experiences await fresh- men on St. Paul campus. Here coeds laugh- ingly take part in the greased pig contest. Page 28

Page 34 text:

Welcome Week Freshmen always turn out in large numbcri (or the Welcome Whirl held in the Union mam ballroom. This dance is students ' last fling before classes commence. Probably ihc biggest clay of the week was Ag (!a . when all ihc groups combinccl and marched to the St. Paul canipu.s en masse. The parade sas typical of the catchy spirit which prevailed all during Welcome week. It began when one group leader asked if his group might decorate a car. The idea spread, and by the next day the frosh had collected over 300 cars, every one of ilum lUlly decorated, for the parade. The day included a box lunch on the grass, held events, a tour ot the St. Paul campus, a smorgasbord sujiper, bfinfire and singing, and the Blue Je.ni b.ill. Friday evening was also a big i)roducii()n. It included a banc)uel .mtX talent show put on by the groups, and a birth- day party which the Irosh held for President Monill. The whole week was almost entirely studeiu-planned anil student-governed. IMans began during winter quarter last year when the ch.nrm.ui of tile week was ciiosen. He, in turn, picked four area chairmen. The area divisions, social, academic, informational and rinance, were new this year and worked out so well that (Ireek week .ind other events picked up the idea and were organized in the s.ime wav. Kach area chairm.in worked with from lour to nine event chairmen to plan and supervise each function, so tli.it ch.iir- men totalled 0. The number of persons who worked uith the entire program reached over 50. Page 30 Climax of the Welcome Whul is the crowning of a freshmen queen. This year she was Judy Van Vallienburg.