Several weeks ago I attended the 75th Anniversary Event for the St. Louis Alumnae Association of Kappa Delta. It was a fun look at KD through the years, and I just wanted to share one of many stories told that day. It was by Ruth May, who also attended Univ. of Illinois, and it was really cool to hear her talk about what it was like back in the early 1940's. I begged her to give me her speech so I could post for others to hear. I realize it is a little long but definitely well worth the read. Ruth is a great lady and we always make it a point to talk Illini sports at our monthly meetings. So, hear is her story...
I'm supposed to tell you what it was like being a Kappa Delta in the olden days. I started the University of Illinois in the fall of 1938, 70 years ago, but I didn't sign up for formal rush. Instead my focus was on settling into college while living in an independent house and considering rush later. Independents on our campus were very strong, but Greeks were strong also. Illinois had 54 fraternities and 21 sororities. That translates into about 2.5 fraternity men to 1 sorority girl, but who wants 1/2 man?
You might find this funny, but these were the days before laundromats. We mailed our dirty laundry home to our mothers. We always hoped that the laundry case would return with a package of homemade cookies or candy nestled among the clean clothes. I remember that during exams, Ruthie Guthier gave me cookies her mother had just sent in her laundry case. I thought they were the most heavenly cookies I'd ever eaten. Everyone makes them now- shortbread balls rolled in powdered sugar. Her mother sent her the recipe and to this day I have Ruthie's recipe card in her careful neat printing.
We were both Ruthies- if it was possible to add "ie" to our names, we did so- several Ruthies and Barbies and Dotties, Jeanies, Bobbies, and Vickies. Those were the days of panty raids. And of serenades- late at night after hours, in honor of a girl who had just been pinned by the guy's fraternity. We all gathered to hear and applaud them.
Those were also the days before cars were allowed on campus or in town. We walked to and from classes on a sprawling campus. Our house was fairly far out so we really walked! I thought I'd become hunchbacked from all that walking while carrying a load of books. These were the days before backpacks also.
I know some of you have heard about how I met my Bill. After the Homecoming football game in October, fraternity pledges were invited to an open house to meet our pledges. My junior year, there was an electrical storm and the power went out. Our housemother sent me upstairs for candles. As I came down the steps with one of the candles burning to light my way, I could hear pounding on the door. I answered it to a group of guys. They dispersed to find food and drink and girls. I mostly talked to Bill. He asked me for a Coke date and, because he was in engineering labs almost all day, we had to make it for 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I remember telling my roommate that because of the dim lighting, and because I was too vain to wear my glasses, I wasn't sure if I'd recognize him when he came to pick me up. She assured me that NO ONE would have a date in the afternoon- and she was right. For years afterward, Bill would give me a candle to commemorate our meeting.
The KD house at Illinois had an unheated sleeping porch. I mean it was frigid! We'd run and dive into bed and under the covers, and were unbelievably sexy in baggy flannel pajamas- and sometimes head scarves. My junior year, two Kd's were tapped by Mortar Board for outstanding campus activities. In those days, Mortar Boards were women only. Obviously things have changed because now Mortar Board includes guys.
A day I'll never forget is a day in December of my senior year. The guys were to come to our sweetheart dinner on the Sunday after our Christmas formal the night before. Early Sunday morning, we heard the news of Pearl Harbor. You can imagine the gloom of that day. Even though I was supposed to spend Sunday afternoon translating Latin, I decided that in the scheme of things, Cicero was not very important.
While many of the younger guys left school at semester to join up, most of the senior men were able to stay to graduate, but then immediately went into the service instead of starting new careers. Bill graduated, was commissioned and served in North Africa and Italy. And not just MEN dropped out. In some cases, our girls left school as well because brothers, and even fathers, would be shipping out and they were needed at home. It was really a momentous time in our lives. Like everyone else at that time our whole world was changing.
During the war years, we were all doing things like knitting socks for the servicemen. When I took my knitting home at Christmas, my mom took pity on my efforts and knit them for me. I never did learn to knit.
Because many girls were leaving due to the war, the KD house was left with a shortage of potential officer candidates. I am indebted to KD for offering me a scholarship to return for a 5th year and serve as chapter president while working on my masters- something I wouldn't have been able to do otherwise.
That year I was coming down with strep throat as a national officer came to visit the chapter. The minute she left, they shipped me over to the campus hospital just across the street. My hospital roommate- not very sick at all- was entertaining several boyfriends. I felt so rotten, I didn't care if I died, but before I died I plotted to strangle the whole group of them! By the way, those were the days before penicillin, but somehow I lived.
In college Kappa Delta, I made lasting friendships. I've been lucky enough to maintain some of those to this day. And of course I've had the experience of being part of our great alum group celebrating 75 years. Kappa Delta has truly been a special part of my life.
Ruth's display board with college memorabilia.
Ruth and me.
It has been a long time since a movie we got from Netflix was worth the time spent watching it. Well, I finally watched one last night that is probably one of the best I have ever seen. It is called the Ultimate Gift. If you've seen it, let me know what you thought. If not, rent it (and make sure to have tissues handy.) Here is the synopsis:
Ruth's display board with college memorabilia.
Ruth and me.
