HOME OF THE CENTENNIAL COLLEGE
HOME OF THE CENTENNIAL COLLEGE Oliver Hall, freshman women's dorm, is the home base for KU's Centennial college.
When I was 21...
Drinking no new issue
By JOHN BOYER
Drinking has been common in the oldest American colleges from the time of their founding. In the 18th Century there were student canteens called "butteries" where supplies including wines, beers, and liquors were sold.
A regulation passed at Harvard in 1734 stipulated that no resident in the college should make use of distilled spirits or mixed drinks in entertaining other students or strangers, and that no undergraduate should "keep by him brandy, rum or other distilled spiritous liquors." The intention was to supplant strong beverages with beer and wine, which were not only sold in the "butteries," but also served in college dining halls.
Today's colleges are a far cry from those that allowed beer in their dining halls, and today's student is not the drinker his predecessor was. As a matter of fact, college men and women today drink very little.
A survey of 27 colleges by Robert Straus and Seldon Bacon of the Yale University Center of Alcohol Studies, indicates "that stereotypes of college drinking which include notions of widespread, frequent, and heavy
drinking are unrealistic. The proportion of students who drink frequently and heavily is very small."
Donald Alderson, dean of men, said that excessive drinking is not a problem at KU. Emily Taylor, dean of women, agreed.
In terms of quantity, it can be noted that of those who drink beer only nine per cent of the men and one per cent of the women consume what has been termed "larger amounts."
Of those who drink wine, only four per cent of the men and virtually none of the women consume larger amounts. Of students who drink liquor, 27 per cent of the men and seven per cent of the women consume larger amounts. Furthermore, a substantial segment of those who use larger amounts drink infrequently.
A Lawrence tavern owner estimates 2,500 young people frequent his place every week. Of the 2,500, 60 per cent are KU students. He said about 5,000 pitchers of beer are consumed each month at his place.
College drinking is just not what it has been played up to be. According to the Yale survey, it is a
small part of the total student population that has given college students the "heavy drinkers" label.
Big homecoming plans continue
As the Jayhawker football team digs in for the conference struggle, the student-faculty Homecoming committee continues to work on the plans for a colorful and enjoyable Homecoming weekend.
Tom Rader, Greensburg senior, is the student chairman of the Homecoming committee, and Dick Winternote, executive secretary of the Alumni Association, is the faculty chairman.
KU living groups are now in the process of deciding what predicament they will place the Nebraska Cornhuskers in as a part of the Homecoming house decorations theme of "Huskers Last Stand."
ENTRY FORMS for the decorations are due in the Dean of Men's office by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. There will be four divisions for judging: sorority, women's halls, fraternity, and men's halls. The two co-ed hall's will compete according to the sex of the majority of their occupants. McCollum will compete in the men's halls division, and Naismith in the women's halls division.
Judging will take place from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 4, and the results announced publicly at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. Award signs will be presented to the winning houses for display with their decorations on Saturday. The winners will also be announced just before the Kansas-Nebraska football game, and the trophies awarded in the intermission of the Al Hirt concert in the Field House that night.
PLANS ARE also underway for the selection of the 1966 Homecoming Queen. The applications from women's living groups will be due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, October 18, in the Dean of Women's office.
Homecoming festivities also include a special showing of the play "Oliver" for the returning alumni on Friday night, and the Al Hirt concert, sponsored by the Student Union Activities, Saturday night.
Daily Kansan
Friday, October 14, 1986
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