PAGE FIVE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1952

THE MICHIGAN DAILY

_ __ i G


Riots, Fires Maniacs
Present Bizarre Tale
Of Traditional J-Hop


Students attending the J-Hop
of '52, "Artistry in Orchid," will
be witnessing a campus event
which can boast of a 75 year his-
tory filled with riots, fires and
raving maniacs.
The bizarre story began on Feb.
17, 1877 at Hank's Emporium down
on S. Main St. After a long hard
fight, the juniors had finally suc-
ceeded in presenting their first
"Junior Hop". A total of 20 cou-
pies danced to the music of an
orchestra consisting of two violins
and a piano.
* * *
AFTER FOUR YEARS, during
which the juniors presented the
event annually, a group of frater-
nities took over and promptly
dubbed the dance the "Society
Hop." Juniors came back on the
scene in 1883 when they again
sponsored the hop, changing the
name to "Junior Social."
The confusion was still not
cleared up, though, and, for
nearly a decade after this, the
dance was given in some years
by the Juniors, and in others,
by fraternity men.
By 1891 the dance was an an-
nual event requiring the music of
xtwo bands. It also moved to a
new location and 300 couples
waltzed at "an old rink down-
town."
FROM 1892 TO 1894, Granger's
' Dancing Academy was the scene
of the event, and admission was
raised to $1 per couple. Next
came a move to Waterman Gym-
nasium where the "Annual Ball"
was presented by nine literary
fraternities.
The following year trouble be-
gan to brew when the remaining
four of the 13 campus fraterni-
ties demanded the right to par-
ticipate in the dance. When the
nine older groups refused, a
feud resulted in two J-Hops be-
ing presented.
Toledo was the scene of the
"Twentieth Annual Ball of the
Palladium Fraternities" which was
presented by the nine older groups.
The four outcasts held the "First
Annual Promenade" in Waterman
Gym after 30 independents had
agreed to attend.
BOTH DANCES were successes,
but the Regents ruled that in the
future fraternities and independ-
ents would have equal represen-
4 tation on the planning cornmit-
tee.
It was long a 3-Hop custom
to have the guests received while
concert music played between 9
and 10 p.m. Then the commit-
tee chairman and his date would
circle around the gym in a
grand march until the line was
three couples deep and a block
'M' was formed. Regular dane-
ing then followed.
The 1900 J-Hop boasted the
unique feature of having a "large
number of coeds present -- more
than at any previous hop." A
total of 250 couples attended the
dance, but coeds were- extremely
unpopular dates in those days.
r * r
IN THE PAST, as in the pres-
ent, hops were the signal for a
weekend of events such as a play
by the Comedy Club, fraternity
house parties and concerts.
The weekends were lively too,
for those were the days when
the county sheriff operated his
own detective agency. For a $5
fee he would shadow hop guests
and report their activities to
parents or neglected girlfriends.
A riot occurred in 1913 wher
the committee decided to discon-
tinue the practice of letting spec-
tators sit in the gallery. The mid-
night riot was led by 50 "toqued'
(tipsy) students and townspeople
AFTER GAINING entrance b
ramming the door with a gas pipe

they were met by a janitor wield-
ing a pair of Indian clubs. An en-
suing battle with fire extinguish-
ers and stones resulted in $25
damage to the gym and dismissa
of an intern accused of hitting
the janitor.
This was also the first year
in which a hop guest suffered
an injury, but it was not the re-
sult of the riot. The sleek dance
floor caused a male student to
slip and break his ankle during
one of th livelier dance numbers.
During World War I, the com-
mittee offered to present a minia-
ture Hop in the Union to accom-
modate the crowds who had wait-
ed in vain for tickets. The stu.
dents refused, however, demand-
ing "all or nothing."
IT WAS AT the 1920 J-Hop that

a raving maniac enlivened things.-
Blame for the incident was placed 1
on the dresses worn at the dance,t
for that was the year when they
hit the apex of daring. The Dailyc
reported that practically everye
gown had narrow shoulder straps,1
tight bodices and fairly short
skirts, narrow at the bottom."
As a result, The Daily con-t
tinued, "one medical student isv
reported to have gone ravingf
mad and tore around the floor
crying: 'Modesty, where is thy
sting? ".
With this colorful 74 year his-
tory to look upon, the central com-
mittee of J-Hop 1952 is currently
planning for their "Artistry in Or-
chid" which will be presented
from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Feb. 8 and 9
in the Intra-mural Bldg.
General ticket sales will open toI
the entire campus Saturday morn-i
ing in the Administration Bldg.
Juniors and seniors may pick up
their tickets today, and juniors,
seniors and graduate students may7
purchase theirs tomorrow.c
Representatives of houses hav-
ing 70 per cent ticket reservations
may turn in their lists at the
ticket booth, which is open from
8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. this week.
Panhel Plans
Mass Meeting
For Rushing
Registration for formal rushing
will take place immediately f ol-
lowing a mass meeting which will
be held at 7:30 p.m. tonight in
the Rackham Building.
Freshman, sophomore and jun-
ior women who are interested in
rushing at this time are requested
to attend the meeting.
REGISTRATION FEE will be
$1. Coeds who are not able to
attend the meeting may register
from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. tomorrow in
the Undergraduate Office of the
League. No one will be allowed
to register after that time.
Rosemary Wise, Panhellenic
rushing chairman, will preside
over the meeting, which is held
each year at this time to in-
form prospective rushees- about
the rushing system.
Rushing chairmen and counsel-
ors will be introduced, and rushing
booklets will be given to coeds at-
tending.
Miss Wise will explain the book-
lets, and will answer any questions
that may arise.
The formal rushing period will
begin Saturday, February 2 and
continue for a two week period.
Opening teas will be held that
Saturday and Sunday, and coeds
must attend all of the sorority
houses.
Marianna Larson, chairman of
counselors, will explain the coun-
seling system, and a meeting will
be held at a later date to clarify
any further questions.
Coeds will be notified of their
counselors at that time.

Literary Career
Brings Honors
Former Daily Editor
Turns to Play Writing
Both news writing and play
writing have been included in the
literary career of Mrs. William
Coxon, of Ann Arbor.
The first woman night editor
on The Daily, Mrs. Coxon worked
on the publication in 1918 and
1919.
* * *
AFTER HER graduation from
the University, she continued to
write but turned her attention
from news to play writing.
In her career 'she has written
many plays and submitted some
of them in writing contests. Her
play, "Fog," received an award
in the contest held by the Am-
erican Association of University
Women in Detroit in the 1930's.
Of the many plays which Mrs.
Coxon has written, four have been
produced by local organizations
including the Ann Arbor Women's
Club.
AT THE MEETING of the Wo-
men's Club held before Christmas,
one of Mrs. Coxon's most recent
plays, "The Holy Betrothol," was
given.
A one-act play in four scenes,
'The Holy Betrothol," is a pre-
sentation of home life in the
century immediately preceding
the birth of Christ and depicts
the meeting of Mary and Joseph.
"The Holy Bethothal" was sub-
mitted last year to the Michigan
State Federation of Women's Clubs
contest where it won first place
and the Jean McInture Bruce
playwriting award.
Having received this award for
the best play submitted in Michi-
gan, "The Holy Betrothal" was'
sent to the national contest in
Texas where it was cited as one
of the top twelve plays in the Uni-
ted States.
SIX OF MRS. COXO'S plays
wil ble published in book form
this spring. Included in the book
will be "Fog," "Ecstacy," "Live
Bait," "Surprise Holiday," "The
Holy Betrothal," and a satire on
modern art.
Although her main interests
lie in playwriting, Mrs. Coxon
has not limited herself to that
field alone for she is taking
University graduate work in the
history of the novel and Victor-
ian literature.
However, at the same time she
is putting the finishing touches on
her latest play to be entitled, "The
Holiest Rebel."
Dance To Be Held
The Faculty Women's Club will
hold its January square dance
Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30
p.m. in Barbour Gymnasium.
This is the monthly dance in
the series given by the Square
Dance Section of the Club. Mr.
M. Van Ameyde of Detroit has
been invited by the members to
do the calling.
Chairman of the dance is Mrs.
Frank Smith, assisted by Mrs.
Frank Hooper, Mrs. Edwin Henry,
Mrs. David F. Bohr, and Mrs. J. A.
Bolt.

Cast Tryouts
Slated for JGP
Eligible Junior Coeds
Urged To Test Talent
Tryouts for the annual produc-
tion of the Junior Girls' Play will
be held this week.
JGP is a musical comedy writ-
ten, produced and directed by jun-
ior women. All eligible junior
women are urged to try out for the
production.
Speaking parts as well as parts
in the singing and dancing cho-
ruses are available for coeds with
talent.
Times announced on posters al-
ready circulated are not correct,
according to Joan Brown, general
chairman.
Tryouts wil be held at the fol-I
lowing times: 4 to 6 p.m. today
and 7 to 10 p.m. today; 4 to 6 p.m.
tomorrow; 4 to 6 p.m. Friday and
9 a.m. to noon Saturday.
Rooms will be posted in the
League.
After these preliminary tryouts
final tryouts will be held next
week.

Engagements Announced

MARJORIE TRIGGER
The engagement of Marjorie A.
Trigger to John E. Wyman has
been announced by Miss Trigger's
parents, Mt. and Mrs. Vernon A.
Trigger of Deckerville, Mich.
Mr. Wyman is the son of Mr.a
and Mrs. James A. Wyman of
Fonda, N. Y.
Miss Trigger is-a senior in the
literary college.
Also a senior in the literary col-
lege, Mr. Wyman is affiliated with
Alpha Chi Sigma, professional fra-
ternity.

NANCY TAYLOR
Mr. and Mrs. William R. Taylor
of Detroit, Mich. hvae announced
the engagement of their daughter,
Nancy, to Charles Mettler Smith,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles M.
Smith of Palatine, Ill.
Miss Taylor is affiliated with
Alpha Xi Delta sorority and is
a member of the Women's staff of
the Daily. She is a senior in the
School of Education.
A graduate of Colgate College,
Mr. Smith is now attending the
University Law School.

MRS. WILLIAM COXON

... . .

Assembly Ball-Members of the
Central Committee of Assembly
Ball will meet at 4 p.m. today in
the League. Room number will
be posted.
Union Opera-Members of thej
promotions committee will meet at
4:30 p.m. today in the Union. The
meeting is open to all students in-
terested in alumni relations, ar-
tistic design or radio and televi-
sion contacts.
Board of Representatives-There
will be no Board of Representa-
tives meeting this week.
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PROGRAM
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FEBRUARY GRADUATES
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venience you can have it mailed
to you in May instead of waiting
until then to buy it.

Secretarial Careers
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