SECTION
THE MICHIGAN DAILY SUNDAY. DECEMBER 9, 1962
WTruw IAkre
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FROM JOE'S TO THE PARROT:
Prohibition Brought Student
'Hangouts
' Up to Campus
THE SHANT-Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity built this "temple"
or meeting house in an open field in 1879. Now in the middle of
a commercial area, the building is still used for chapter meetings,
although members don't march down as they used to.
Delta Kappa Epsilon 'Shant'
Oldest Building in State Area
The oldest building in the pres-
ent State Street area is "the
Shant," the temple and official
meeting hall of the Omicron
Chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon.
Formerly standing isolated and
a significant landmark of the area,
"the Shant" now is surrounded by
a variety of stores, garages, apart-
ments, and alleys. However ob-
scured by the newer buildings,
this century-old structure is an
unusual and memorable sight to
passersby on East William.
Plain Facade
One is struck by the basically
plain facade of the worn brick
walls, the sense of mass and solid-
ity broken only by the high arched
window and the entranceway pro-
tected by a large iron gate.
The feeling of impenetrability
is further enhanced by the thick
brick wall and wooden gate sur-
rounding the small courtyard
which lies in front of the Deke
meeting place. There are no other
windows to "the Shant", with the
exception of a large skylight pro-
viding direct light at the top. The
total effect is one of darkness and
mystery.
The Dekes have had a separate
chapter meeting hall since their
inception on this campus in 1855.
The previous halls, one located
over an establishment known only
as "Lutz's", the other an old Ma-
Knittes Plan
Holiday Gifts
In Ealy Fall
The unique thing about the
Knit Shop in the Arcade is that
its sales slack off when the Christ-
mass rush is just beginning.
Any women planning to knit
Christmas presents start long be-
fore the average shopper takes her
boots and checkbook in hand.
However, there is still time to knit
up small items-mittens, scarves,
caps-in time for Santa Claus.
The Shop, owned and operated
by Mrs. Miriam Murray, was be-
gun in 1928 and carries the widest
stock of needlepoint and yarns in
the Midwest. They generally make
over 100 sales a day to people-out
of state buyers, as well as towns-
people and students.
They carry anything for yarn
work, including rug making, needle
point, and knitting.
Although they do not teach the
basics, they explain patterns and
send semi-finished work out for
finishing. For example, they send
needlepoint bags to New York for
handles.'
Mrs. Murray's husband sits by
the fireplace in the store, engag-
ing customers in pleasant conver-
sation, babysittingswith the chil-
dren of; customers and giving
pointers on better knitting. He is
as much as a landmark in the
present arcade as is the arcade
itself.
sonic hall, had been rented or
leased. It was nt iduntil 1871 that
the Dekes considered building a
temple of theirrown.
Field Purchased
In 1872 a tract of land in the
middle of a large field was pur-
chased. In 1878 the cornerstone
was laid and at commencement in
1879 the Dekes appropriately ded-
icated "the Shant".
Now, to the already established
traditions of the fraternity were
added the midnight marches of
the brotherhood to their new
temple. The marches began at the
chapter house located at 619 S.
State Street where the Law Quad
now stands.
The Dekes, garbed in hooded
robes and carrying torches, would
march to "the Shant" to hold
their weekly Saturday night meet-
ings, as they still do, without the
march.
"The Shant" houseda large col-
lection of. books and records do-
nated through the years by alum-
ni and friends. Prior to World War
II, a fire destroyed part of this
library. The remaining volumes
are now a part of the University
Archives and are accessible only
to the Deke faculty advisor and
the chapter president.
UNIQUE:
Curbstone
Wise Men'
The University has never been
completely without its own unique
characters, even in the early part
of the century.
During this time, two men would
show up on State Street each
spring. They would set up their
stands and begin to harangue the
students along the lines of the
present "Hyde Park."
These curbside philosophers be-
came as much an institution as
the "cap nights" or the freshmen
getting thrown into the mudhole
behind the present Jacobson's.
"Railroad Jack" claimed to be
a memory expert and could not be
stumped on dates by even the
greatest professors. In a more
philosophical vein, Tom Lovell
would engage the students in dis-
cussion, any discussion, somewhat
as one would picture Socrates
doing.
Prohibition b r o u g h t great
changes to State Street.
It withered up the old drinking
places and scattered the students
to many dark and now forgotten
places. Never again would the en-
tire student body have one or two,
places where they could all gath-
er.
Sobriety also brought the coffee
cup and the more serious conver-
sations which brewed over it. The
world grew more serious in those
years and the students became
more private. However, student
life in these years did center on
State Street and many of the
old "hangouts" linger in Univer-
sity memories.
Jolly's
One of the more popular student
hangouts on State Street was the
Jolly. It was run by Richard E.
Jolly who was born in Ann Arbor
of immigrant parents. About 18901
he opened his restaurant, cigar
and tobacco store.]
A booklet entitled "Ann Arbor
Today," 1905, relates that "for fif-
teen years, Jolly's has been one of
the lunch stands on State Street
that met every demand. They serve
short orders only and have a good
soda fountain, fine cigars, and a
confectionary department.
"In the bustle and rush of ol-
lege life, this is the starting and
finishing point," the booklet stat-
ed.
Largest Trade
Samuel Breakes's Washtenaw
County, states that Jolly's "has
the largest trade of the kind
among the students of the Univer-
sity. A liberal patronage is ac-
corded him because of his earnest
desire to please his patrons and
the excellent service he renders to
the public."
Another hangout was Housten
Brothers Billiard Hall, stretching
from Wagner's to Wild's. It pro-
vided billiards and talk on the
first floor and bowling on the sec-
ond. Until the Michigan Union was
built during the first World War
it was a major State Street hang-
out but billiards In the Union
brought its demise.
The major character of the place
was set by the athletes and here
was the birthplace of the "grid
graphs." Before the days of radio
Merchants
Note Change
Today's student is more a young
adult than the typical "student"
of yesteryear according to the
results of a survey of State Street
merchants.
He is more serious and more of
a student than his predecessor.
This has been attributed to the
higher academic standards of the
University. as well as changing
times.
He is generally less fr"ous
with his money and although is
fashion conscious (probably due
to mass media) does not go in for
"fads" as much as he used to.
However, students are delight-
fully the same in their enthusiasm
and ability to keep merchants on
their toes, it is agreed. Also their
insistence on quality has not
changed through the years.
The greatest change noticed?
"They have grown younger," an
old resident said.
Oldest Store
Bay's Jewelry Store is the
oldest store in the Arcade.
It made its quarters there in
1916 and has offered fine jewelry
and engagenent and wedding
bands to the students and towns-
people ever since.
a direct wire was set up on the
away football game Saturdays.
In bad weather the receiver
would be set up in Housten's, in
good weather great graphs would
be set up on Ferry Field. In any
case, each play would be re-enact-
ed on the graphs and the score
posted for all to see.
Another "hangout" that chang-
ed clientele but was part of the
Saffell -Bush
State Street scene for over 30
years was the Parrot, on the site
of the present Charcoal House.
Originally owned by A. H. Heald,
the Parrot featured dancing and
music nightly and advertised in
1927 as "the place where campus
spirit dominates."
The year 1928 was a memorable
one for the Parrot.
Stuart Churchill
It was then an up and coming
orchestra leader, Fred Waring,
came to hear a young tenor nam-
ed Stuart Churchill who sang for
his meals there. Since that time
the voice of Churchill has always
been accompanied by the strains of
the Waring orchestra.
Also in that year the Parrot
suffered a fire which put it out of
business for two to three weeks.
Since that time except for minor
renovations it continued to serve
the students until 1960.
A writer in the Michigan Alum-
nus in 1954 made a point of men-
tioning that if a student could not
be found anywhere else in the Uni-
versiyt, to look in the Parrot.
'Parrot Croaks'
However, in the fall of 1960 "The
Michigan Daily" carried a small
editorial entitled "Parrot Croaks."
It read: "A part of the University
passed away this summer. It didn't
die with a squawk, it didn't ruffle
University feathers, but it's gone.
The Parrot, where coffee was
cheap but talk was cheaper, is no
longer detouring State Street traf-
fic through its blue door.
"No more food to friends of the
waiters, no more coffee for the
athletes and sundaes for the co-
eds. At least not at the Parrot, for
where else can one have coffee
while watching friends go to 10,
11, 1 o'clock classes? A landmark
has passed. Many will miss it."
A few others that are vivid in
State Street memories are Dad
Skinner's and Stoffet's College Inn.
Dad Skinner's sold Michigan de-
cals, pennants and other souvenirs
to parents and freshmen until the
rush of World War I engulfed it.
Stoffet's College Inn moved up
on State Street from Liberty
around World War I and fed many
a University student their three
meals during their sojourn in Ann
Arbor.
In those days when the major-
ity of students lived in rooming
houses and ate out, these places
were more than restaurants, they
were convivial second homes.
There are many other places on
State Street that filled the same
function for many generations of
students and there will be many
more to come. For State Street
hangouts will be part of student
life for as long as the University
exists.
Sets
'First'
State Street has contributed
many "firsts" to merchandising in
the state 'and Saffell-Bush cloth-
ing store has contributed its share.
They organized the concept of
a display in the door window in
the evenings and the idea received
national writeups. They installed
one of the first pegged hardwood
floors in a store in 1931 and then
had the courage to cover them with
oriental rugs. They continue in
their tradition of quality and pro-
gressiveness.
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Dear Christmas shopper,
Our shelves are crowded with wonderful books this year, perhaps the most ex-
citing Christmas selection we can remember. We hope you'll come in and see them
all for yourself, and solve most of your Christmas shopping problems. The perfect
gift for everyone on your list: for the friend who loves art and the friend who loves A
laughter, the excitement-seeker, the music man, the history buff, the lady who cooks,
the sports fan, the balletomane, the wanderluster, the businessman, the scholar, the
youngest new reader and the incorrigible bookworm.
",. FOLLETT'S "
.Just a few suggestions from the New York Times bestseller list to choose from:
FICTIONA
0. SEVEN DAYS IN MAY.............Knebel and Bailey 495
A SHADE OF DIFFERENCE..........Drury6.................695
FAIL-SAFE ... . . .......... ....Burdick and Wheeler .... . 4.95
WHERE LOVE HAS GONE...........Robbins.. . ..........4.95 .
SHIP OF FOOLS ... . ..... ... ... .Porter............... . . 6.50
GENERAL
TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY . ..... ..... Steinbeck..............4.95
SILENT SPRING ................... Carson ............ . ...5.00
O YE JIGS AND JULEPS ............ Hurson................ 2.50
.r THE ROTHSCHILDS . . . . . ............... Morton . . ........ . . . . .. 5.95
MY LIFE IN COURT ...... ........... .Nizer......595
Sand thousands of others to choose from v
of
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Traveling? T
ite the
unbreakable~,
tlask. The funlT
ref ill the flask
withoutsWilling o , s.
precious drop. J
8 ox. English Leather in crystal bot-.
4 oz. English Leather in plastic-flask...
framed in handsome Redwood Chent.
the Quarry,
320 SOUTH STATE STREET
Hours: Monday thru Saturday
8:30 A.M.-9:30 P.M.
Sunday 11:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M.
and 6:00 P.M.-8:00 P.M.
Headquarters For: Prescriptions,
Photography, Cosmetics, and
Sickroom Supplies
BUY ,AND BROWSE, at
.
F OLLETT'S
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TOP AT
Carnq~s $wack54
522 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor 663-0424
"THE LARGEST LITTLE STORE IN TOWN"
Selling
PIPES, CIGARS, TOBACCO, CIGARETTES
CHF
The label on te
on hebox'
does make -a differe
RISTMAS STORE HOURS
9 to 8:30
nce
pinmminm Mmmmmmmmmminw!!a!!!!!_!.4 i!!!!!!!mmmmN!!!!!!mminmmmmmmm !inmmmmmmm !!mmmw
1* f
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.Goi'ng on a Trip?.
Take Travelers Checks from
r * Ann Arbor Bank along...
The combination of an old-established name plus
very large selections of the finest quality stock
will do much to add to the value of your gifts.
A FEW TYPICAL SUGGESTIONS:
Pendleton virgin wool products for both men and women. Arrow and Van
Heusen dress shirts. Destino and Swank finer quality cuff links and tie
tack sets. Novelty gift items from deluxe shower heads to pipes, portable
bars, parking meter alarms and branding irons. So many delightfully
personal gifts for men of all ages.