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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 13, 1950)
Junior W©©k©nd... Always a Spring Highlight By NORMAN ANDERSON Sixty years ago, the possibility of holding a Junior Weekend wasn’t in the minds of the junior class members who one day de livered orations in the assembly hall of Villat'd. But that spring day, over a half century ago, was the beginning of a long series of traditions. From “Junior Day” to Junior Weekend, the annual spring term celebration has evolved like the unrolling of a beautiful Persian rug, to the big three-day extravaganza which will mark this year as the Junior Weekend Diamond Jubilee. Things like the Canoe Fete, the All-Campus Sing, and the All-Cam pus Picnic are not born in a year. They have grown from little things which later classes pick up and expand. Dong ago, University students followed traditions which have long since disappeared. Only skeletons of these ancient traditions exist to day. Junior Flag Down No longer does the junior class give orations heralding the arrival of spring and boosting patriotism. No longer does the junior class flag wave proudly in front of Villard, gallantly cterenaect against ravag ing bands of sophomores. No long er do freshmen eagerly fight to re tain their green hats, to distin guish themselves from sombrero clad seniors. Time was when frosh tried to outdo each other in beautifying the campus. When such things hap pened, from 1906 to 1913, walks between Fenton and Villard were built by the student body on Jun ior Day. And the lily fountain be tween Fenton and Villard was con structed in 1913. The campus was also cleaned from one end to the other (Fenton to Villard, Friendly to McClure). These projects arose from the bitter battles between sophs and juniors. So much fun resulted that the whole school took part. A few enterprising persons (among them professors and University presi dents) sought ways to direct such enthusiam to more constructive t hannels. WELCOME MOTHERS Marley's Sport Shop Extends You a Friendly visit to "Magic Melody" 1M7 K. Broadway Dial 4-5612 il rWE RECOMMEND OUR TASTY AND INEXPENSIVE LUNCHEONS Also A W ini' VAK1KTY OK KRKSII CAXDY BARS j Make your stay this JUNIOR WEEK END a pleasant one by making your headquarters at the - - EUGENE HOTEL • COFFEE SHOP & DINING ROOM • COURTEOUS SERVICE • CENTRALLY LOCATED Eugene Hotel 222 E. Rroadway For reservations dial 4-1461 ___ That’s how the campus clean-up came to be. Men did all the work, while women served lunch on the lawn between Fenton and Friendly Halls. Named in 1908 The idea of an annual all-campus celebration kept glowing. In 1908, the administration and student body officially christened the event Junior Weekend. That occasion was marked by the construction of the concrete Oregon “O,” well-known landmark on Skinner’s Butte. Upper classes finally decided it was the duty of freshmen to keep this proud sym bol freshly painted. Canoe Fete The Canoe Fete, perhaps the best known and most cherished of Junior Weekend traditions, was born in 1911. In 1912, the idea of a Queen of the Fete was developed. Campus houses agreed to sponsor floats in 1913, thus assuring the Canoe Fete a perpetual place during Junior Weekend. Millraco activities lasted many years before they were flooded out. Canoes were expanded to two canoes, and then to complete barges. Grandstands were erected along the race, lighting was ar ranged, and all Eugene turned out to view the spectacle. Floats Replace Canoes Broken race headgates brought about another tradition—the Float Parade on wheels—which was first attempted in 1948. It was the Canoe Fete on dry land. The All-Campus Sing was a war time innovation, when such things as floats and parades needed miss ing manpower. Now the Sing opens Junior Weekend, and is tradition ally the time to crown the Junior Weekend Queen. Courtesy served as the guiding force in two other still-observed customs. In 1912; only men smoked Placement Office Lists Open Jobs Job openings in Oregon and other Western states have been an nounced by the Graduate Place ment Office as follows: The Carnation Company is seek ing sales representatives to work out of Salem. Candidates for the position must be 24 years old and hold a college degree. Interviews will be held Tuesday. An immediate opening is avail able in Eugene for a bookkeeper stenographer in a one-woman of fice. A local retail store wants an as sistant manager. The position pro vides an opportunity to learn the retail business, but involves long hours of work, according to the Placement office. A starting salary of $200 is offered. An accounting position is avail able in a Lebanon lumber firm. Safeway Stores, Inc. will send a representative to the campus soon to interview students interested in a retail sales training program. Interview appointments may be made now. The customer credit department of a Baker. Ore., bank has an ex ecutive management opening. A local retail clothing store is seeking business administration graduates. A training program is offered. - Experienced insurance men may find employment with a health and accident company. Salary is guar anteed, with a bonus arrangement. Further information on the openings is available from Mrs. Marian Sheckler. placement secre tary, in 216 Emerald. in public, and they didn’t smoke at all during Junior Weekend. That was also the time when people greeted each other on Hello Walk all year long. "Somehow, in the hustle and bustle of expansion, people forgot those habits. But now they’re re vived every year in memory of those days of easy friendliness. Caps Boomerang Freshmen have always been the “goats” of Junior Weekend. The only thing they originated, frosh caps, backfired in their faces. Alert sophomores saw in the caps a sure way to degrade freshmen. With the help of all other students, frosh were forced to wear the little green caps all during the week. Only victory in the annual tug of-war, born in the early days of frosh-soph warfare, allows the freshmen to rid themselves of the hats. And in years past, victory meant a huge bonfire to bum the caps. The whole school participated In forcing freshmen to keep the Ore gon Seal in front of Villard in good shape—usually with toothbrushes. Prom Ends Year The Junior Prom, born in 1914, has become the rival of the Canoe Fete for the most gala event of the entire Weekend. It is the culmina tion of many of the year’s activi ties. And as a fitting tribute to those who make things like Junior Week end possible, Mothers’ Weekend was begun in the last decade to' give mothers a chance to see col lege from the inside out. Some traditions may be forgot ten, some new ones may still ap pear, but the tradition of Junior Weekend at Oregon will remain as the big highlight of spring term at the U. • NORDIC HOSPITALITY • HOME ATMOSPHERE • FINE FOOD • MEMBER OF DUNCAN HINES FAMILY “30 Steps from the Campus” Wk. Days 5-9 Owned and Operated Sundays 2-8 by Ph. Reservations 5-7332 Mr. and Mrs. John Lusk EXCLUSIVE. ..LENOX V LENOX m CHINA AMERICA’S WORLD FAMOUS FINE CHINA Magnificent leaves of rich 24-k. gold on the smartest modern shape, exclusive with Lenox in fine china. Dramatic with modern accessories, perfect on traditional tables* The same translucence and amazing strength as the Lenox china used in the White House and in many governors’ mansions., 5-piece place setting;, $2025 n\jr r ... Jewelers ... 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