THE MICHIGAN DAILY THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 1 Wild Man? No! Just Michigan's Honor Societies Taking' Worthy Ones In Traditional Yearly Rides' ^- . u rP4 ; Since Vernor's Hast Come Town ' . ir ,CW e Cam pus Merchants Sing Our Praises To By THOMAS E. GROEHN When Spring cones to Ann Arbor it brings with it not only the showers and resulting flowers, but a group of University of Michigan students, gone temporarily berserk, whom the Uni- versity and its undergraduates proud- ly point out as "hoors men." Indian braves, forest bards, dunces on skates, Egyptians, and fire-wor- shippers - shouting madly, and run- uing across the walks and lawns of the ordinarily peaceful campus, make their appearance in May. Why that month nobody has ever troubled to find out, but at any rate they are not really mad, they are merely dressed ip in the grotesque costumes of their various tribal orders and are "riding" for new members. Five honor societies exist on the campus to honor M chigan men who have distinguished themselves in ac- tivities: Michigamua, Druids, Sphinx, Vulcans, and Triangles. Their his- tory and traditions are interesting and the intiation ceremonies color- ful. Each year these honor societies choose from among the 8,000 or more undergraduates in the University, men whom they believe will carry out not only the aims and purposes of their individual societies, but also the tradition of Michigan - something, it has been said, which no university or college can well do without. Michigamua Oldest Michigamua, oldest and most fa- mous among the campus honor so- cieties, came into being in the fall of 1900 in order to study philosophy under the famous Prof. Robert Mark Wenley. It is said that because those who wrote the most under WenleyI seemed to get the highest grades, the group was originally called the "hot air" club. The Indian motif came two years later. The Michigamua tribe, from3 which the state took its name, was not a very large one, though well- known in this region. Charter mem- i-ers took upon themselves Indian names, all bearing upon the particular feat or activity in which the Tribe member was engaged. To put it in the words of the "fighting braves" of Michgamua, each name "must catchem plenty signif." Some of the names applied to the various members are "Pontiac" Fred Dewey, "Raven Locks" Hollister, "King" Phil Bursley, "Billy Bowlegs" Temple. Listed in the directors of the Tribe are also some Michigan men who today are leaders in their fields. Among these are "Great Scalper" Yost, H.C.L. Jackson, well-known De- troit columnist, "Three Thunder" Kipke, "Warrior Builder" Chuck Hoyt, "There He Goes" Chauncey S. Boucher, "Big Ten" Ralph Aigler, "Wally Neugance" Emory Thomason, at one time the highest paid business executive of any newspaper, and at present the owner of the Chicago Daily Times and Tampa Tribune, and "Friendly Chidf" Mortimer E. Cooley. Michigamua is the one honor so- ciety on the Michigan campus that is known from coast to coast and ranks along with Yale's Skull and Cross- bones. Called "Tribe" "Tribe," as it is more familiarly called, initiates its young palefaces 1n a public ceremony in which the and up seven flights of stairs in the city. There was a time, according Michigan Union. to records, when members of Sphinx At one time' the annual "Tribe" carried .45 revolvers wth which they party used to be one of the most im- startled the citizenry, but someone portant functions of the year. It objected. And then also in those would start as a steak roast early in "good old days" there used to be an the afternoon and the dinner would overhead water release on one of the be served by the "young bucks." campus drives, unuer which the At the present time, the annual Sphinx wagon would drive in order Michigamua party is known as the to assure the initiates a thorough "Peace Paddle," and each "young dampending. If any of the initiates buck" paddles a "fighting brave" and suggested that they were cold, oblig- his "squaw" of the moment up theI Huron River where, in a secluded andj "Indianish" territory, much amberI +i i p x c -"- - _ i. -. " ....":.. :i f yt:. ':.". :." :i V.:.y"i1 '-'., s. "fighting braves," of last year's mem- bers, assume the Indian headdress and red war paint (brick dust), and bring the supplicant initiates into the wisdom of Indan lore in an impres- sive ceremony, the location of which is the Tappan oak in front of the General Library. In this initiation the "palefaces" are made to do much to prove that they will "fight like hell for Mich- igan and Michigamua." Part of the torture consists of making the ini- tiates "duck walk" across the campus I __________________--4 ,. N D ,t# O UlCAN FIND HOW DO WE GO FROM HERE $lue GooSC Lines OFFER YOU "fire water" and sandwiches are con- sumed. Frm All Colleges Members of Michigamua come from all colleges of the University and are chosen on the basis of their rec- ords in their activities, but more im- portantly as to their character. Druids, senior honor society, which honors only literary college student,s found its inception in Joe Parker's traditional Michigan rendezvous in 1910. Its motif is taken from the Druids - bards of the forests - taken from German legends of the middle ages. It's chapter room in the Michigan Union is decorated appropriately (as is a room devoted to Michigamua) and features a cave-like hole with trees and rocks lending atmosphere. At the weekly Druids' meetings, members are togged in medieval hooded robes, and assemble under the direction of the "arch-druid." Druids' initiates assemble ariund the Druid rock in front of Angell Hall and crawl about with planks tied to their backs, rendering homage be- fore the ban-fire. Each year incom- ing members are responsible for giv- ing the historic rock a bath. The Egyptian theme runs through the ceremonials of Sphinx, junior honorary literary society, which was founded more than three decades ago. Sphinx For Juniors Intended solely to pay homage to distingushed and promising juniors, Sphinx originally'had the job of con- ducting a tag day to pay the expenses of the Varsity Band, assisted in the enforcement of campus traditions, and helped to entertain visiting ath- letes. Old members wear red robes in the initiation ceremonies, and ini- tiates, stripped to the waist and well covered with venetian red, are tied to a board, and loaded on to a hay wagon for a ride through the ing members would paddle the soles of their feet to insure better circula- tion. On one part of the ceremonial ride, the members of Sphinx run up the steps of Angell Hall and assemble under a bronze Sphinx head in the foyer *of the building to sing their traditional song. Feud Formerly Existed A constant feud used to exist be- tween Triangles, junior honorary en- gineering society and Sphinx. It used to occur that when Sphinx wanted to drive their wagon-load of initiates through the engineering arch-way, the Triangles would be naving their initiation there and would rather naturally object. Unable to stop the inroad of Sphinx, members of Tri- angles, about five years ago, poured hot water on them as they passed under the arch from windows above. Triangles formed more than 20 years ago, has a program of regular lectures at its meetings intended to present broadening material outside the field of engineering. In accord with its philosophy of cleanliness of the soul, Triangles has in its initiation a regular scrubbing of the Enginereing Arch. Initiates must also crawl around in the steam laboratories with the same idea of purification by heat in mind. Of more than general interest on the University campus is the reg- ular Triangle skating contest in front of the General Library. Initiates in dunce caps and carrying pails of water, and some of whom have been given no opportunity to learn to skate, are tested for speed and en- durance. Outstanding seniors in the engi- neering college are honored by mem- bership in Vulcans, which was found- ed in 1904. Meeting every two weeks, Vulcans also attempts to present a broadening program to its members. Around Huge Fire The informal part of the initiation of Vulcans is conducted around a huge fire in front of the engineering clock tower and the initiates, stripped to the waist and blackened, brawl about the fire, blowing on it and pounding on an anvil. Two years ago, the society, which like all of the others, "rides" for its men at night, disturbed the populace of Ann Arbor to such an extent with their anvil-pounding that the local "bobbies" were summoned and the boisterous fellows were placed in the "bastille" temporarily. Later in the initiation ceremony of the society, the legend of Prometheus is reenacted in a remote room in the basement of the engineering building. There is the picture of men's honor societies at the University. These so- cieties carry on at Michigan one of the greatest assets it can possess - tradition. The boys initiated into the societies, for the most part, are defi- nitely "good Michigan men." They are the alumni who come back for the big games, they are also the alumni who frequently help the Uni- versity materially with financial as- sistance. They feel closer to Mich- igan than the average undergraduate, no doubt, because they have done things on the campus. "There must be no walking about the halls in the nude"-Edict issued at the University of Toledo (Ohio). At the same time, the students were told to see that their curtains were drawn while undressing. Found in a blue book at the Univer- sity of Maryland (Baltimore)-"Dear Professor: If you sell any .of these answers to the humor magazines, re- member I want my cut." Predict Another Good Year For Debating Team Last Year's Grolpp W uner Of Conference Forensic Championship Prospects for another successful varsity debating team are visioned by James H. McBurney, coach. Although many of the regular de- baters from last year's Conference championship have graduated, Mr. McBurney said that a number of promising freshmen, along with two or three veterans of last year will be back this fall. Those who will be back are Ed- ward Litchfield, '36, who won the National Delta Sigma Rho speech discussion contest last year, William Centner, '37, Abe Zwerdling, '37L, Jack Maekle, '37L, Joseph Harmon, '38, and Collins Broks, '37. Not Complete Yet The complete schedule for the 1935-36 season has not yet been prepared, according to Mr. McBurney, but as in the past two years the varsity season wil be divided into two parts - fall and spring debates. In the fall the varsity team will engage Wayne University, University of Detroit, and Albion College, and probably three Big Ten teams, as yet undetermined. In the spring, the annual Con- ference Debating Tournament will be held, this time at the University 6f Illinois at Urbana. Last year the University team placed second in this tournament, but as the record of debates won and lost during the school ye r, are in- cluded in determining the Conference champion, the University was award- ed the cup. Won 8; Lost 2 The record for last year's confer- ence debates for both men and women was: Men, won 6 and lost 2; women, won 2 and lost 0. The question which will be debated on next year is "Socialized Medi- cine," a subject which Mr. McBur- ney, characterized as being "chock full of controversy and excellent de- bating material." During the past four years, Michi- gan debating teams have never fin- ished lower than second place, and along with Northwestern University, this University practically holds a monopoly on debating champion- ships. Health Service Gives Complete Medical Care Inexpensive And Extensive Aid Offered Sick Stu- dents Enrolled Here The most extensive and inexpensive medical care offered among American universities is provided by the Uni- versity of Michigan Health Service which cares for any student illness that should arise during the student's residence and takes preventive meas- .ures in regard to the student's living and recreational conditions. . Illness contracted by the student during the semester in which he is enrolled is taken care of in the Health Service building and the University Hospital. Each student receives without charge office medical service of any nature from his physician -ad- viser and the Health Service staff of specialists. The student is also -en- titled to free bed care for 30 days and emergency operations without charge. Nurse Stationed In each of the women'sddormitories there is a nurse stationed, and men students living in rooming houses have room-call service available. Of the medical services rendered by the University, the student is charged for the following: extra nursing, some University hopsital services, dental x-rays, physician room calls, non- emergency operations, health appli- ances, the repair and purchase of eye glasses. The charges for these ser- vices are devised to defray the ex- penses to the University only. The Health Service administers the health examination which each en- tering student the University must undergo. The University cares for any illness of a serious nature brought to light in the examination, and ad- vises students in the care of minor ailments. These examinations are provided but not required annuaslly, High Standards Kept The medical officials cooperate with students in maintaining a high stan- dard of living conditions. Physi- cians conduct inspections of the var- ious eating places in Ann Arbor throughout the school year and in- form the students through The Daily of those places not meeting the rigid requirements. An effort to orient students to the athletic facilities of the University, such as the Intramural building and the Union swimming pool, is made by the authorities. In conjunction with the nhvsical f2jast frequent serviCe and Low gares i I to Detroit Also THROUGH BUSES to MARSHALL, BATTLE CREEK, KALAMAZOO and GRAND RAPIDS Without Change VERNOR'S Is Served At Your Favorite Campus Fountain PHARMACY i.=- f .If You Write We Have -:t! ANN STREET DRUG STORE 1117 East Ann CALKINS-FLETCHER DRUG STORES 324 South State 818 South State Fourth & Washington 'CARLSON'S PHARMACY 1112 South University FINN'S DRUG STORE 103 North Forest GRATTON'S 900 South State HOUSMAN'S PHARMACY East Liberty at Mich. Theater MILLER'S DRUG STORE 727 North University SWIFT'S DRUG STORE 340 South State WIKtEL DRUG STORE East U at South U. WITHAM'S DRUG STORE 601 South Forest The Following Optional Routes from Ann Arbor at the Same Rate of ,Fare To FLINT, SAGINAW, and BAY CITY: Via Brighton, Pontiac or Detroit. To GRAND RAPIDS: Via Brighton, Jackson or Kalamazoo. WHEN and WHERE YOU GO MICHIGAN, UNITED STATES or CANADA Consult Your Local BLUE GOOSE AGENT For Rates and Schedules or Information on Special Buses for Charter A large and choice stock in a complete range of prices! TYPEWRITERS OF ALL MAKES Large and portable, bought, sold, rented, exchanged, cleaned, repaired. Convenient payments if desired. FOUNTAIN PENS - Sheaffer, Parker, Waterman, Wahl, and others, priced $1.00 up. Service a specialty. CORRESPONDENCE STATIONERY - Plain, Mich- igan, priced 25c and up. VERNOR'S' is Also Served etthe following Confectioners' Fountains: N STUDENT and OFFICE SUPPLIES Loose-leaf !! f. Y~ft~ St.[ Nb fa .t'In T+ isxrR r |tM m4 1