IN THE 1970s, Plaboy magazine dubbed the University's Easters Weekend the "Best Party in America." Debuting before the turn of the century, Easters was one of three University-sanctioned social weekends, along with Midwinters and Openings in the Fall. Over the years, the program ranged from sporting events, concerts, dances and eventually the flooding of Mad Bowl for mudsliding. The event, not being sponsored by any one faction, usually drew the majority of the school. In the 1950s, musical acts that played included Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington. Yet there is no event now that is comparable. The closest thing to a large cross-section of the University gathered in one space is Clemons second floor during exam week. We talk about needing community at the University, and this is one area in which that idea could be implemented. We need at least one event that could bring a diverse majority of the community together.
Easters was outlawed in 1982 by an administration officially worried about the students' safety, but unofficially rather unhappy with the two-day party's reputation for drunkenness. But it isn't as though our generation has made the possibility of centralized "fun" obsolete. Dartmouth's famous Winter Carnival still registers on their official University calendar while being hugely popular with the student population and Amherst College's Casino Night is an on-campus event that the majority of students anticipate all year. Granted, these schools are much smaller.
Our generation at the University has made several sorry attempts to recreate an event with that kind of universal pull. So far, only to fail. Last year, the noblest attempt was Spring Fest, organized by the University Program Council, which brought a band to play in Mad Bowl on a Saturday afternoon. The problem was the situation highly favored students with friends in the fraternities on Madison Lane who hosted concurrent parties. Many people's interest wanes when they get their hands on a beer.So if you didn't have friends in Phi Psi or the Hall, you probably felt cheated. After all, there are many events that draw mainly the Greek community, such as Foxfields. Gathering small factions not only isn't a sufficient community-wide event, but it impedes the possibility through factionalism.
In that same vein, two other social events are open to the University public which are Easter like in theme: Winter Ball and Spring Fling, the latter is sponsored by a Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and the former by several University groups, including the University Programs Council. These two events have done an excellent job drawing a community together -- but a predominantly black one, and not the entire University community. The latter as a weekend's original purpose is to promote minority enrollment. And while Winter Ball has become more diverse in recent years, the event remains a "black event" and directs its publicization at that community, such as through the BSA mailing list.
Still, these events are an idea of what could be done, if organized with a more catholic scope. Social bonding is possibly the easiest first step we could take to bring together school pride with a collective spirit that is lacking. The student body is so diverse in interest that a political, athletic, or academic event would never draw much of a group. But an event centered on socializing would appeal to many. Think high school prom. Most proms are hugely popular; even those who don't like corsages and cheesy events enjoy attending a universal school activity.
It would be idealistic to say that a University-sponsored party weekend would draw everyone -- nor could they all be accommodated. Nor am I suggesting that we create a miniature utopia of thousands of blue and orange clad students joining hands in the middle of Mad Bowl. No, I won't be that naive. But, an event that the University can call its own would be a source of harmony and unity. Nothing yet exists that actually draws a close to a majority of the school and pulls from a diversity of groups. Self-segregation has long been a buzzword on Grounds -- this could be one instance where it's not applicable.
I challenge the University Programs Council, Student Council, the BSA or any other University CIO with the means to do so to try and recreate an event comparable to Easters Weekend. This means getting a band that people have heard of and working on making alcohol available to students with appropriate identification And should a group make headway, the administration needs to offer its full support, nominally if not fiscally. Of course, the real burden lies on the students to attend. The second annual Spring Fest is this Saturday in Mad Bowl -- come. Again, the event is not ideal due to its proximity to Greek houses, but a good showing would inspire future, better events.
We are famous for many things in Hooville including tradition. We also enjoy a reputation as a strong academic institution whose students still are highly socialized. This is largely positive; we get students afraid of spending four years in a library. We don't need, or want, to be known as a party school. But having at least one tradition that pulls students from all factions together, would only add to our appeal.
(Kimberly Liu's column appears Mondays in the Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at kliu@cavalierdaily.com.)
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