PogeTwo THE MICHIGAN DAILY Mondv Fb,. 90 194I . c~iuv euruary 7 7t 6 Great J-Hop Tradition Spans 76 Years Michigan's Big Formal Boasts Turhulent Past Dance Endangered. By Class Warfare Last week-end's J-Hop added another thrilling chapter to the >' "country's greatest formal" whose turbulent history includes a near tragedy, brilliant successes and a double dance held in different cities. Beginning with the problem of which class was to have the priv- ilege of holding a "distinctive col- lege affair " each year had brought more excitement to the Hop. Fiery discussion raged on campus until in 1872 the juniors INTERMISSION AT 1946 J-HOP-Brief time-out by Tommy won the honor with their '" Junior DoNT e J-oppATs94" Jh oP-ookeatiTeDaily'Tommyo Hop," presented at "Hank's Em- Dorsey gave J-Hoppers a chance to look at 'The Daily's J-Hop porium." Extra, formerly distributed at the dance. 'Society Hop' The name was changed to "So- creasingly beautiful and elaborate 'the days of long 'strings of light ciety Hop" when nine secret so- decorations. Back at the turn of bulbs to the present revolving cieties undertook all responsibil- the century, professional decora- spotlights. It used to be the cus- ity. When, however, two newly tors used untold miles of blue and tom to turn off most of the lights formed fraternities were denied yellow bunting and tried to con- and follow couples around the participation, the Regents refused ceal the gym rafters with ropes floor with a calcium spotlight. One to let Waterman Gym- be used of smilax, floral bells and huge night a calcium light exploded. unless everyone were included., balls that burst to shower flow- The two men who extinguished The nine fraternities held the J ers on the dancers. . the blazing bunting were "ap- Hop in Toledo. The two new ones In the 1920's, each dance was plauded to the echo." and the independents held the J- planned around a theme, with Of equal importance with the Hop in the Gym, such results as in an eskimo vil- decorations, at early J-Hops, were After that the juniors worked lage with icebergs and igloos for the refreshments. Suppers were together-to make each sop the booths; springtime Japan, com- served until the impossibility of "best ever. Only once was there plete with cherry blossoms and keeping the food hot became too a notable failure; the decorator lanterns; a Dutch town with apparent. Punch and cakes be- did not show up and the refresh- windmills, and a medieval setting came stand-bys, and one commit- mens consisted of a wafer and a with suits of armour guarding the tee announced proudly that as a glass of water."Thi'was attribut- booths. etr trcinterlmn ed, however, to the fact that for ' featuve attraction their lemon- some unknown reason the chair- Modern Hues ade would be kept cold with froz- man of the committee was a soph- Most recent dances have been en lemonade, eliminating the di- omore. "ultra - modernistic" with such luted beverage which had been Juniors Better color schemes as burgundy and the fate of other J-Hoppers. Junior chairmen were much gold or wine and green. Big Bands more successful. Year after year Careful attention has always Following a policy of securing J-Hoppers have danced under in- been paid to lighting effects, from what is generally thought to be the best band of the year, J-Hop Committee banned them. There- committees have presented Tom- upon, "fifty toqued (better known my Dorsey (with Sinatra), Benny as drunk) individuals" stormed Goodman, Kay Kayser, Count the dance with bricks. "Cowards Basie, Fred Waring, Gene Krupa, were plentiful" among the rioting Jimmy Dorsey and Paul White- mob, and their advance was halt- man. But at the beginning, the ed by one lone janitor, wielding same band played for many years, a pair of Indian clubs. mainly because the leader wrote Wars Cancel Slop special songs for the Hop-like "I'd Rather Just Waltz With You, War conditions in 1918, 1921, You, You." He also provided fa- and from 1943-45 caused Univer- vors, releasing a swarm of toy sity officials to call off the Hop. airships while playing his "Yankee The tradition was revived in 1946 Toys" for instance. with what nearly turned out to Passing out appropriate favors be a charity dance. Student ob- during a number has, as a matter jections to a $10 ticket price for a of fact, been a common procedure. one-night dance caused the com- One year dancers were given little mittee to lower the price to $7.50, drums so that they could join in - and over 2,000 students danced to during a drum novelty. . the music of Tommy Dorsey, the durig sa drum oveltSentimentalists and Ziggy Elman Ducat sat Premium and his trumpet in the atmo- Even though the Hop moved sphere of a vivid spring garden. from Hank's Emporium to Water- Last year's Hop was marked by man Gym, flowed over into Bar- post-war lavishness. The band bour Gymnasium, and finally end- spotlight was shared by Ziggy ed up in the Sports Building, there Elman, who formed his own band have always been too few tickets. when Dorsey's broke up, and the In 1917, the Committee, moved late Jimmy Lunceford. The dance by the protestations of the crowds was a two-night affair complete which waited in vain for tickets with Parisian theme and post- from 4:30 a.m., on for several dance breakfasts, attended by days, offered to give a miniature 6,000 students. Hop in the Union on the same Up until this year The Daily has night, similar to the main dance always distributed a J-Hop Extra in every detail. The students re- at the dance. This year The Daily fused, apparently wanting all or editors, in cooperation with the nothing. J-Hop Committee, decided to For a nominal fee, spectators forego this distribution and sell were admitted to the galleries for the Extra, with dance pictures, to many. years, until in 1913 the aid the March of Dimes. i G R E E NE'S Microclean RTN UNDER THE MICROSCiO CO 516 East Liberty Phone 23-23-1, ' i; I i 1 PURITAN As Advertised in FEBRUARY IAtEMOISELL Puritan Portrait by Betty Rose and what a perfect picture of fashion youllbe in this brilliant new flaring coat fashion of Queen Covert. It has everything . and it does everything for you! See its striking Puritan collar with shimmering satin tie . . . note the Plymouth pockets. You'll adore it in melon, grey, mint, or beige. Sizes 9-15. 9 Nickels Arcade 217 S. Main St.