PAGE TWO
giros Customs Little Man On Campus
There are no "Button Frosh" cries here
abouts, and we think the campus is worse off
for it.
SUBJECT OF Orientation Weeks for too
many years now has been incoming sopho
mores, with most frosh spread hither and yon
throughout the State. We're sure this year's
soph newcomers and those Elite 500, the fresh
man girls who are a vanguard of more to
come, will excuse us if we shed a tear for the
absence of campus-wide freshman customs.
Sure, we had freshman customs this year
for the Elite 500. But they represented only
a token effort. Their enforcement by upper
classmen went crying for the 'force'. But
who can be blamed for disinterest when so
few frosh are on campus? Next fall will pro
vide better material to be wielded into good,
Spirited Penn Staters when perhaps 1,200
ft.osh neophytes will invade the Nittany
realm.
To many upperclassmen who were around
when freshman customs used to be in vogue, or
who underwent customs themselves; it seems
a lot of fun to reminisce about the time cus
toms were a serious thing that struck fear into
the heart of every bewildered frosh.
LET US TRY to reconstruct frosh customs.
Judicial set the women's customs and Tri
bunal set the procedure for freshman men, but
both had several identical rules. All freshmen
were denied dating privileges during the first
several months, were required to attend all
athletic events and class meetings, and had to
observe certain dress customs.
Fresh women wore large green bows in
their hair (green was the freshman color) and
namecards with name and hometown in large
letters.
The men "had it worse." They were required
to wear the traditional green dink, a block bow
tie, white socks, and had to roll ull their
trousers to the knees. Each male frosh also
wore a large namecard around his neck. Fresh
men were not permitted to smoke on campus
except when using an unvarnished corn cob
pipe. Matches and a copy of the Student Hand
book, or "freshman bible", were required pos
sessions at all times.
EACH FROSH WAS to know the location of
all buildings on campus, the Alma Mater and
other College songs, and what was playing at
local theaters. ' Only the side entrances to
Sparks and Old Main could be used by the first
year Penn Staters.
Menthers of Tribunal and hatmen struck
fear into freshman hearts as these upperclass-
men were responsible for enforcing the cus
toms. A violater would plead his case before
the (Tribunal Board, and if declared guilty,
he would be sentenced to wearing a large
sandwich sign describing his offense.
If the offender had been caught in the act
of dating, likely as not he would be sentenced
to wearing a dress and makeup as well as his
sign, or perhaps he would be forced to wheel a
baby buggy around campus. Other• punish
ments were dolled out to fit the "crime."
CUSTOMS ENDED around Christmastim.
with the traditidnal freshman-s opho in or e
battle. Sometimes it was a tug-of-war, boxing
matches, or snowball fight (they had snow in
those winters). If the sophs won the customs
were continued another month, while if the
fresh won customs ended on the spot.
FRESHMAN. CUSTOMS, WITH all their
folly and childishneSs—if you want to call it
that, did foster one thing we believe is serious
ly lacking on campus now. That is school spirit.
Recent Orientation Week programs, with the
influx of sophs and the absence of frosh, have
proved to us that they' are no substitute for
customs at Penn State.
alle Batty Collegian
Successor to THE FREE LANCE. est. 1887
Published Tuesday through Saturday mornings in
elusive during the College year by the staff of The Daily
Collegian of The Pennsylvania State College.
Entered as second-chess matter My 5, 1934. at the State
College, Pa., Post Office under the act of March 3, 1879.
Editor Business Manager
Tom Morgan Marlin A. Weaver
STAFF THIS ISSUE
Night Editor Norman Goode
Assistant Night Editor .... LaVonne Althouse
Copy Editor ' Art Denning
Assistants Marguerite Kober, Dottie Leine,
Sue Neuhauser, Lynn Wilson.
Advertising Managers Owen Landon, Drew
Mahla ,
Assistants Judy Guyer, Dolores Home, Mary
J. Kauffman, Loretta Stempiiski.
THE DAILY COLLEQAN, STATE COLLirrE, PENNSYLVANIA
- . "`.r-.
"Let's see that bulletin again—now, if you want to take.econ un
der Prof. Snarl, I've got all the assignments for the same course
when Giffon taught it in the summer. —They both give the
same Trims. —Now, let's see—you wanted to take English
Training and Caring
For Your Roommate
Continuing our examination of fascinating non-essential fea
tures of the College, we will take up tuday the problem of the
Roommate.
Approximately 50 per cent of the students currently enrolled
have Roommates. These, in the main, compose the other 50 percent.
The Roommate is an air-breathing biped, addicted to consumption of
stale cigarettes, onions, and the contents of your last food package
from home.
IT IS ALMOST invariably "practically your size" and rapidly
acquires the habit of borrowing your $6O suit with three payments
still due, invariably managing to get same smeared generously with
indelible lipstick or permanent ink..
The Roommate snores. More. it groans, shrieks, whinnies,
snorts like a dying cow, thunders like the crack of doom, and
groans like all the lost souls since Cain. The animal, being an
extremely sound sleeper, is almost impossible to awaken, and
you have the choice of .enjoying the music through a long and
sleepless night, or going out and getting stewed . to the follicles,
falling down in a drunken stupor, and sleeping right through the
noise and your first five classes next day.
After such a session, the. Roommate is apt to remark chidingly,
"Say, you cut too many classes. How come you don't do your sleep
ing at night?"
There are several ways of dealing with a snoring roommate. A
favorite method involves a tourniquet applied just beneath the chin;
this is rather final, however„ and is liable to make you unpopular
with your friends.
BETTER, IF YOU are • fortunate enough to Occupy the bottom
leek of a Bair of bunk beds, is the judicious, use of upthrust feet to
terminate the condition. A Roommate, despite all its talents, cannot '
more except when lying on its back. If, therefore, the creature can
be persuaded to roll over on its side, the noise, will die to a con
inuous wheezing whine, annoying, but bearable.
Problem: To roll the Roommate.
Locate the Roommate by the bulge In the mattress. The
loommate is well-fed on yoUr food, and forms an easily identifi
lble outline from beneath. There are three general systems that
may now be applied.
1. Thrust one leg gently, up, rocking the sleeping form smoothly
;everal times, The snores will probably cease. You will then drop
slowly off towards sleep until, as you are just on the brink, the
racket will recommence with a frightening new volume, scaring you
out of whatever wits remain to you after living for a while with
the Roommate. It is now time to apply either the second or third
remedy.
2. THRUST UP LEG, as before, but maintain pressure for some
,econds on one side or the other of the Roommate. Gravity will, if
you are lucky, extend its powerful tentacles and haul the Roommate
over on its side.
2a. (optional) Continue the pressure until the Roommate rolls
over completely once, twice, thrice. Halfway between twice and
thrice, the creature should roll off the edge of the bed, and chances
are it will crack its cranium on the cold floor.
The) noise will cease, for that night anyway. Do not fear the
results: remember, it is impossible to kill a Roommate. We've
tried.
3. Finally, if you are the fun-loving type, you may thrust both
feet up very rapidly square into the middle of the bulge. The noise
will cease, the animal will probably awaken, and the rest of the
evening's• entertainment will take care of itself.
And Now We Have ....
The history of the Daily Collegian dates back to the old Free
Lance, the original College magazine, which ceased publication in
1904, when it was succeeded by the State Collegian, a weekly. In
1910 its name was changed to the Penn State Collegian. A decade
late it became a semi-weekly, and so continued until 1840 when it.
became a daily under the narne of the Daily Collegian.
1~~~
~ ~~
r
by Bibler
-RON BONN
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19 , 1950
Tracking.:.
Down
Tales 4 Ulf.
With The Staff
, .
Two "Sicjina 'Phi Epsilon pledges, Tony Orsini
and Ray Slavin .were interviewed on Bill
Brant's KDKA "Midnighters Club" in Pitts
burgh last Sattpday . „night. One of their "hell
week" assignments was to get Bill Brant's
autograph and when they told him their story
he put them on the program.
•- • •
Error?? A recent , bulletin of the Penn State
Christian Association stated: "We are distribu
ting copies of the Intercollegian Mttgazine to
, fraternities, sororities •and other loving units."
• • •
Jim MacCallum, All-College secretary-trea
surer claims to • have hitch-hiked twice the
distance round the world .during his four years
at State. MacCallum makes the round trip
fkom State College to' his home in Emporium
by thumb every weekend.
A, new twist to the old pinning angle: When
Carol (Cookie) Mermelstem was initiated into
Sigma Delta Tau last Sunday, she pinned her.
boyfriend. Buddy Teper, who is still a lowly
pledge minius a fraternity, pin.
Buddy's)fraternity brothers were thrilled -by
this. new innovation and •he was deluged with
telegrams, - flowers, and even a serenade. •
Safety V a lve.. . .
Defends Forum
TO THE EDITOR: My congratulations to, the
Community Forum for their selection of, an
other excellent speaker, Carl Sandburg. If' fu
ture speakers turn out as well as the three so
far presented, I see no reason for student comt
plaints or lack of student support—unless pF
haps it comes from the Collegian's Official
er Red Roth;
Contrary to Mr. Roth's beliefs, I fettlhat
Carl Sandburg stands out above othe'r forum
selections 'not for his ability to remain .an ex
pert in his field when speaking, but rather for
the fact that he is Carl Sandburg—a famous
poet, author, and lecturer. He is not, known
alone to the intellectual businesS- men, serious
thinkers, and practical diplomats of the nation
)as is, for example, Hanson W. Baldwin. Had
Carl Sandburg, however, offered as much de
liberative argument and constructive criticism
as Mr. Baldwin, I am certain I would not have
heard so many 'people frankly admit their dis=
appointment at Sandburg's presentation.
It seems that the chtonic griper class, rtaPr&
sented by Red Roth, will say anything to till
up an "interesting" column or BULL. session.'
—Arthur A. Chadwick
Gazette . . . .
Thursday, January 19
PSCA BIBLE Study Group 11, 304 Old Main,
4 p.m.
WRA BADMINTON Club, White Hall Gym,
4 p.m.
WRA BOWLING ClUb, Beginners, White
Hall Alleys, 7 p.i.
WRA FENCING, 1 White Hall, 7 p.m. ,
ALPHA 'DELTA SIGMA, Phi' Delta Theta
House, 7:30 • •
WRA SWIMMINGI Club; Advanced, White
Hall Pool, 7:39 p.m.
DAIRY SCIENCE Club, election of officers,
117 Dairy, 7:30 p . m.
• • •
• - COLLEGE PLACEMENT
Further information concerning interview, and job..platre.
!lento can be obtained in 112 Old Main.
National Lead Company, Jan. 20. February
and June grads at PhD., M.S., and B.S. levels
in Chein, CheinE, .and Metallurgy interested in
research in field of titanium chemistry. High
scholastic -standing is essential
Colgate-Palmolive-Peet Co., Jan. 20. Febru
ary and June B.S: and M.S. candidates in Chem.
Applicants must have 1.8 or better average.
Aircraft-Marine Products, Jan. 24. February
grads in IE for positions as salei correspond
ents leading .to sales ehgineering.,
Mergenthaler Liiiiityite co., Jan. 26. February
grads in ME for sales positions.
Haloid Co., Jan. 20. February grads in •EE
with 1.8• or better average, and M.S.,candidates
in Chem.
COLLEGE HOSPITAL
Admitted Tuesday: Kenneth Shengold,
Joseph Wentzler;' Charles Eckert.
Admitted Wednesday: Dorothy Garber,
Nancy Baylor, William Stewart, Robert Keller,
Bernard Neckrich, Betty McGee.
Discharged Wednesday: Kenneth Shengold,
Constance Bevan, Edward "Mazeika, William,
Hershey.
AT THE MOVIES
CATHAUM—Undertow.
NITTANY—The Stratton Story.
STATE—Without Honor.