The Green caldron - University Library

December, 1957 .-.
since they are unaccustomed to planning their own time. A friend is living
here independently. She told me recently that she dates during the day be-
tween classes as well as in the evening. At this rate she may find herself
buying a one-way ticket home when mid-term grades are released. The temp-
tation to have a good time is often hard to overcome, and it is unfortunate that
if the independent's inclinations veer in this direction, there is nothing to hold
her back.
Another popular misconception is that the poor pledge is constantly
swamped with meetings and endless pledge duties. We have meetings one
night a week, and these are generally terminated by eight-thirty. Pledge
duties consist of answering the phone three hours a week and cleaning the
room twice a week. Other duties include cleaning the laundry room and study
hall, running any errands the house mother might have, and similar jobs
which require no more than half an hour. These duties are performed by a
different pledge each day, and often there are days when a pledge has no duties
whatsoever. Are these activities so time-consuming that they keep the pledge
continually submerged ? I hardly think so. Rather, they are good discipline,
for one learns to budget her time in order to get everything accomplished effi-
ciently.
The pledge also has the advantage of living with upperclassmen who may
be able to assist her in a course she finds difficult. Furthermore, she benefits
in that living in close contact with a cross-section of personalities enables her
to acquire new ideas and viewpoints on her various subjects.
All these benefits, plus the constant emphasis on studying, result in very
creditable academic achievement among the pledges. Had I not pledged, I
do not believe I would try as hard as I do. Keen competition among the
sororities and within the sorority, personal pride and pride in my sorority,
these are more than sufficient incentive for high academic achievement. I
am certain these sentiments are shared by every freshman pledge on the
campus. They are our obligation to our sisters and ourselves.
IN
"One for the Money and Two
for the Show"
Stanley House
Rhetoric 102, Theme 6
SEPTEMBER OF 1956, I WENT THROUGH THE FORMAL
rush here at the University of Illinois. During this four-day period, the
foremost topic of conversation as I visited various fraternity houses, was
my intended academic major. Each house expressed a superficial interest in
my college career and pointed out the number of fellows in my curriculum.
Being a rather "green" freshman, I listened intently as the "Greek" salesman
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