University of Texas Austin - Cactus Yearbook (Austin, TX)

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HILD ' S PLAY Ashley C.usU-T is intrigued by the snap bubbles she celebration has been held every ye.ir simr 1 ' , ' Co treated while en|i yiri an .iltenioon of tun and troli . ai n-lebraie the sad donke s birthday. : : . Hurlid.iv Party in I ' east- Park. ' I ' lie Npnni; 10 Features

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! John Foxwonh Melting pot of Texas [fill! [HIE! ill Finn W Kite races at Zilker Park Daniel Byram ith its own special Texas flavor, the city of Austin provided a unique backdrop for the University. Where else could one find such a strange mix of scholars, legislators, business people and just plain Texans? It was a city constantly on the move, growing to meet the demands made by life in the 1980s. Since I960, Austin ' s population doubled and continued to grow in 1988. The technological field was partially responsible for this growth, especially with the addition of Sematech to the number of high tech industries based in Austin. In addition to the University of Texas, the city was also home to St. Edward ' s University, Huston-Tillotson College, Concordia Lutheran College, the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest and Austin Community College. Culturally, the city had much to offer students. Attractions included the State Capitol, the Laguna Gloria Art Museum, the Austin Symphony and the Zachary Scott Theater. The UT campus was also the site of several museums and concert facilities. Austin ' s natural resources made it one of the most attractive, livable cities in the state. The picturesque Hill Country and nearby Town Lake, Mt. Bonnell and Lake Travis were popular getaway spots. On sunny days, students could be found sun- bathing at Barton Springs or at any of the city ' s numerous parks. The ever-popular Austin music scene became well-known when such artists as Timbuk 3 and Omar and the Howlers broke onto the national scene. The Third Coast ' attracted Hollywood as well. Several movies such as D.O.A. and Heartbreak Hotel were filmed here. Clearly, Austin was an exciting place to be. Many students found that four years here was not enough and decided to stay. Others moved on, but memories of their time here would last a lifetime. by Amanda Youngblood Uniquely Texas 9

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The little get- together attracted 10,000 people in 1977. It became too big for the original sponsor to handle. HROW ARTY Not just another spring theme party . . . wenty-five years ago on May 8, two UT students, Lloyd T Bird well and his girlfriend Jean Graver, needed an excuse to ' involve his fraternity and her sorority in a spring party. The theme of this small get-together came to be known as Eeyore ' s Birthday Party. The following year, 1964, the two students asked a UT professor, James Ayres, to help them sponsor their annual party which was traditionally held at Eastwoods park. In its 10th year, 10,000 people attended the little get-together. L Eeyore ' s Birthday Party has since moved to Pease Park due to the large quantity of people. In 1977 Ayers retired from his position as sponsor. The event had grown too large for me to handle and the behavior of participants got out of hand, he said. The YMCA took over sponsorship soon after Ayers ' resignation. Eeyore ' s celebration then became the YMCA ' s main fundraiser and even brought the organization out of the red. Eeyore ' s is The Moneymaker ' for us. We are one of the few YMCAs in the country that uses the sale of alcohol for money making purposes, Les Karnes, fundraising coordinator, said. When people first heard of Eeyore ' s Birthday Party, many were confused by the whole idea of a party for a fictional donkey. When I first heard about Eeyore ' s, I wondered, ' What is the deal with Eeyore ' s Birthday? ' Then I realized its just an excuse to party, Tonia Carlisle, history senior, said. For others, Eeyore ' s party reputation spread far and wide. I ' ve never been myself but I hear it ' s fun as hell! Tim Cunningham, engineering sophomore, said. Even Texas alumni continued the tradition and sponsored their own Eeyore ' s Birthday Parties in Houston, Dallas and even Los Angeles. But while the gigantic celebration went on at Pease Park, another simpler version also occurred. Ayres continued the tradition of a spring fling every year on the last Saturday in April. His event took place at Winedale, a University historical and social studies center. My Eeyore ' s Birthday Party is geared mainly towards the children ' s activities. I just wanted to continue the original idea of Eeyore ' s to have good, clean fun, Ayers said. by Sonia White FEATURES EDITED BY SONIA WHITE Features 1 1