Random Thoughts from a Random Memory

By Edward Master

The Phi Sig Epsilon spring formal was, I guess, the answer to the fall semester’s doings at Homecoming. For the Phi Sigs in spring 1972 that meant one thong: road trip to New York state, a-k-a Jamestown, NY.

Jamestown was not foreign to me. A year prior, an end-of-summer before matriculating into the real world, Harry Roberts and I decide on an end-of-the-year furlough through New York and into New England. So, this time, however, for the formal no Bemis Point on Lake Chatauqua, just downtown Jamestown. My ride along fraternity brother was Jim Burnworth from Clearfield and his date. We (the fraternity) chose New York state because at that time and date we were of legal age.

I can’t remember places but we had lunch at a mid- town tavern. Same for the motel/hotel. We had a large ballroom/dance floor. We had a great time.

My formal date was Gloria, an Alpha Xi Delta from south and maybe a bit east of Pittsburgh. Later that spring I accompanied Gloria to her sorority formal. That may have been in Brookville.

I later learned that fellow Phi Sig, Greg (Butch) Whitmer was also in attendance in NY State. Greg and my history went back to varsity basketball at A-C Valley in the 1966-1967 season. Only unknown to us, our history did not stop there.

We each learned later that within a week or so, each of us would be a date for a sorority sister at the Phi Sigma Sigma spring formal, which I believe required a trip to Johnstown. We each received a pewter mug to go along with a glass wine cooler from Alpha Sigma Tau and their sorority spring formal. To top things off, putting icing on the cake, because Greg and I each attended three (3) formals, we were the uncrowned (royal) Formal Kings for the spring semester. Did we laud our honors? Of course, and for even a bit following.

We never provided a favor for the frat formal, seeing how we paid for the room, amenities, transportation, etc. But, Greg and I each laid claim to a wine cooler and then a pewter mug.

The formals were just that. Gowns, suits for the ladies; suits or coat and tie for the gents. Nice dinner. We had a blast.

I think in private life I attended some semi-formal Christmas parties. So the formals gave us plenty of practice. I don’t remember much underage consumption because we didn’t need to.

We were in legal New York.

As a side bar, the New York Formal was just a part of Greg’s and my history. Let’s talk Johnstown, PA, for Patsy Gardner’s birthday party in Windber. Let’s talk about some Pitt-Johnstown gate grashers who did not quite make the Phi Sig grade so to speak. This trip for me came from Allentown as I was teaching in Kutztown at the time. Out the turnpike and north.

On a piggy back from Clarion, came a trip to Williamsburg, PA, for (Siggie) Sam Rorabaugh’s birthday. We slept in a re-done basement. It wasn’t pretty.

Road trips, we’ve had a few. Memories, more than for one life time.