College – Page 11 – I Don't Get It

Iowa State Teachers College: Lawther Hall Vs. Seerley Hall 1942

Dammit, Janet

It doesn’t seem like that long ago, but it’s been 40 years…

Intent on Jehovah-knows-what, Miss Radley performs one of her duties as a member of Bevo’s Babes, a group of gals who served the men’s and women’s swim team. One job was to “boost the spirit of the swimmers.” Said the secretary of Bevo’s Babes, “We don’t want the girls who just want to look at guys in Speedos.” Personally, I’ve never met a girl who enjoyed that sight in the least. But to each her own.

The Babes also hosted and timed the National Collegiate Athletic Association swim meets, which lent some legitimacy to the organization. However, we all know the term “babe” is highly offensive in modern times and would not fly in 2018. While we’re at it, DJ’s should stop playing “I Got You, Babe” and Styxx’s “Babe,” and hurl the LP’s atop the pile of recent radio victim “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” It’s a dirty four-letter-word now, problematic and sexist, so–as you can well imagine, the group is now defunct, babe.

Armageddon Has Come, Folks Gather Kindling For Fires, And Pepsi Is STILL NOT OKAY

What dystopian circumstances have arisen that require these students to build a fire inside a library, presumably from the unread pages of old Encyclopedia Brittanicas? What chaos has ensued that they must sit in weakly-constructed patio chairs and grow their sloven bangs out just to retain head heat? Who can say? All we know is Pepsi was still not okay.

Elevate Enchiladas With New Lice Flour Tortillas

Honey, I wish I knew what was going on here. I can’t fathom a reason to stack perfectly good tortillas on a fellow’s head. But it was 1979, and honestly, this yearbook is plumb full of things I can’t explain. Like this frisbee-contorting carb-deprived student.

Or this wand to his lips. I like the faces on the couple in back.

Or why grown men would be piggy-backing.

Or doing that to their hair and bodies. Just another confirmation that clowns are evil.

This seems like a dozen too many hula hoops.

This last one shows a group of Zeta Beta Tau dudes building sets for a party at Pat O’Brien’s. But that doesn’t explain the duck.

Legally Drunk

It’s weird to see 1977 university staff images with EVERYONE drinking, since you could never do that now. Most students can’t drink until they’re juniors nowadays. But back when the drinking age was 18, nearly every student on campus was free to imbibe.

Until 1981 Texas had a minimum drinking age of 18. And you bet your bippy those 18-year-olds took advantage.

But it wasn’t just pints of beer. Spiked punch made the rounds at deans’ meetings. And the dean seems pleased.

These Delta Kappa Epsilons decided they needed an entire wine cellar for the night.

Such young revelry led to poor decisions regarding hairstyles.

And poor decisions regarding fashion.

They were ugly sweater before ugly sweater was a thing.

And sometimes folks just got too greedy.

When You Can’t Get The Voices Out Of Your Head

Dear Bets (The Belle Of The Ball)

Yes, I realize we rarely read cursive anymore, and truth be told, it IS a bit of a chore to read an entire paragraph. But these words to 1941 freshman coed Betty F. make for interesting reading. First, a note from her ex to his “cute little fillie.”

Here is Betty.

Her nickname was “Tank.”

This was from her boyfriend, Dan, pouring his heart out to her, and admitting that he played his best at basketball just for her.

There’s too much to share the whole thing, but the sign-off was the best.

And this was from a boy she evidently friendzoned. However, if she were to change her mind about him, he’d return so fast, it would make her head swim.