Random Thoughts from a Random Memory

By Edward Master

Sometime in late spring, usually May, came Greek Weekend at Clarion. Basically, the college celebrated the Greek system, the sororities and fraternities. Over a weekend were the College Bowl (where teams of sororities and fraternities matched wits just like on TV), Greek Sing (an attempt at choral superiority), and Greek Olympics (athletic events). The Olympics consisted of a powder puff flag football game between two sororities, selected yearly on a rotating basis as coached by two fraternities also rotated yearly, a 4-man team 100-yard dash, tug of war, and human pyramid.

The tug of war relied basically on bulk. The Phi Sigs in my senior year were loaded for bear in the dash—we had two defensive backs from the football team, a dash man from high school track and another trackster who was a Class-B state champ in the dashes, who originally came to Clarion as a football player via Memphis University but had retired. We dominated in the dash.

We also triumphed in the pyramid, going five high. We had pyramid building down to a science. Once in a while after some liquid courage at a party at our “club house” (affectionately called the Phi Sig Bar by the campus), we “practiced” for Greek Olympics, by building a pyramid in the bar (but we could only go two levels high, maybe squeezing a third).

The Phi Sigs had one major advantage in the pyramid: our fraternity had many ex-wrestlers either high school or collegiate level. On top of a rugged, beefed and braced bottom row, came 150-pound wrestlers for the second row that sealed the deal. The fifth level was made of our “half men”. Often small in stature, like wrestlers who weighed in lightweight 120 pounds or less. Five rows became no problem.

We did well in the Olympics. I’m not sure if there was even placings. We just had a good time. I’m sure somewhere along the way a question of accident insurance came into play about Greek Olympics. From what I have heard the only Greeks on campus anymore are a couple sororities as no fraternities exist. I know at one time each fraternity had to have a national sponsor. I’m not sure if that eliminated Alpha Gamma Phi, at one time the oldest frat on campus, or not. In some respects the Gammas were an institution, not just a club organization. The Phi Sigs began in the mid-60s.

In my day, the Greek system was wonderful. I guess all things change, but the Greeks were one institution I’m sorry to see go. I learned much about group dynamics. Holding office, committees. Things I later applied in real-life situations. I had a great experience as a Greek, no regrets. All due to a confab with Mom one afternoon at the kitchen table when she explained how I should look into some college organizations. Thnx Mom and the Phi Sigs thank you, too... I think.