Alpha of Clovia

The spring of 1970 Clovia was proud to have one of the 12 semi-finalists in the Miss K-State Manhattan pageant. Terry Voboril was very busy during the pageant, but all the girls pitched in to rearrange or do her house duties so she could rehearse, attend interviews and keep up her extremely active campus life. The night before the pageant the girls lined the hallway by Terry's room singing "Our Best to You", a Clovia tradition when someone needs moral support before a major undertaking. Terry was named Miss Congeniality, and the Clovia cheering section shrieked louder than if she had won the pageant. Congeniality, after all, is what makes Clovia sisterhood work.

During those years Crystal Balls were held at the K-State Union Ballroom, Wareham Hotel and University Ramada Inn around the pool. It became popular to wait until Crystal Ball to announce engagements and pinnings. One year girls rang the chocolate bells about five times during the ball, so the band had lots of rests and the crowd was stuffed with chocolates.

In 1969 it seems that extra money was found as a result of a correction of the books, and it was decided that Clovia could spend it for some new furnishings. The old beds in the new house were rumored, falsely it is thought, to have come from Rock Springs Ranch and Fort Riley before that. Nevertheless, very few occupants fell out of the bunks, because they curved around one like a canoe, making it difficult to get out. New bunks were extremely welcomed! For the first time twin bed fitted sheets actually fit. The basement also was blessed with a new large vinyl couch and area shag rug. Since men could be entertained in the recreation room certain hours, the girls were excited to have a nice place. A few years later, men were allowed to visit study rooms.

In the early 70's a lounge area was made on the first floor of study rooms. The area already housed the piano, and when a new color TV was purchased for the basement, the old black and white was moved to the added lounge. A card key system was installed on the front door, so when one was going to be coming home after the door was locked, she could use the card to unlock the door. This ended the late night vigils at the door to let a friend in. Toilet paper rollers were finally installed to complete the new house at last, thus doing away with the roll-it-to-your-neighbor system.

During the summer of '70 Clovia had a summer visitor that left its calling card. Somehow a skunk found its way through a basement window and had the house to himself eating furnace filters and whatever else along the way. He eventually died in the kitchen, and in all that heat the first serviceman to the house in August had quite a shock. It was all cleaned up and aired out before the girls moved in for school. To date this is the only fatality on record caused by eating at Clovia.

Mrs. Margaret Anderson was the housemother 1970-71. Irene VanOver from Council Grove came in fall '71, and Mrs. Naomi Wilson followed the next year.

Clovia gals were always busy with their scholastic and extra-curricular activities on campus. Homecoming floats and intramural sports won awards in the early 70's, and it was not uncommon to see a Clovia in the K-State band or as one of the K-Steppers performing with the band. Clovia participated in University Sing, after not doing so for several years. Members still were very active in campus clubs and earned places in numerous honorary groups.

In years of campus unrest, the end of the draft, the end of the VietNam War, and the beginning of women's liberation, eighteen year olds finally received the right to vote. Also from the headlines during those years came the Watergate scandal, 55 m.p.h. speed limits and the age of shortages, especially fuel. After the fast, jet propelled 60's, this energy saving was going to affect everyone's living habits. Streakers running nude through campus was a brief craze in '74 that made the headlines and wasted the energy of only a few.

When President Nixon visited the campus, the press referred to K-Staters as "cornhusking cow milkers" because there wasn't much demonstration. Jan Reinhardt remembered the secret servicemen that were stationed all over campus on roof tops, keeping an eye on students all morning. Although the Clovia gals were impressed with servicemen's builds, they were dismayed that sack lunches were not allowed into the field house during the speech. Since many Clovia's had hectic schedules and couldn't make it back to the house for lunch, this affected quite a few. Sack lunches were piled in one big heap outside the door at Ahearn, and students could pick them up as they left, but no one could find her own. The girls were fascinated at the possibility that the secret servicemen could actually have dined on a Clovia sack lunch. Earl Butz, Betty Furness, Billy Graham, Alan Shephard and General Alexander Haig were also campus speakers in those times.

Thursday night was girls night in Aggieville in the early 70's. The dance was the Hustle and shag haircuts came in as ratted, flipped hairdo's went out At one time girls had puffy hair and very short skirts, making them look as if they were all legs and hair. Short A-line skirts and long vests were "in", and dresses were worn considerably above the knee. Large floppy hats were often worn to football games, along with anything purple. At the ball games Larry Dixon kept everyone's spirits up and coordinated all the yells when he was the "mike man." D.J, 's and lighted dance floors were the big social hits. One of the Aggieville pubs was known as The Jon, and sure enough you could sit on a toilet seat (not plumbed fortunately) at the bar to do your sipping.

In '71 Ackert Hall opened and the auditorium was completed, later to be named McCain Auditorium. The new five story addition to the southeast corner of Farrell Library was greatly used by studying "Clovers". A new wing of the K-State Union was built. The Home Ec Department celebrated 100 years in 1973. Later, in '74, the new veterinary complex was built and the new physical education natatorium was completed. Also that year McCain retired, and President Duane Acker was inaugurated September 26, 1975.

The fall semi-formal was named Crimson and Clover in 1974 and this name has become a yearly tradition. Also of significance at the house that year, the parking lot was paved, and puddle jumping became an art of the past.

Mrs. Louise Francis of Alexandria, La. came to Clovia as housemother 1975. She took home movies of her college family to show the folks back home during vacations. Deadra Cauble and Debbie Dark instigated homemade ice cream on Thursday nights in '76. Clovia also began hosting country and western dances in the living room. Adel Visser updated the Clovia brochure for publicity use that year. Meanwhile, Clovia was the champion of intramural track and conducted the MS fund raising barbecue with the AGR's May 2, 1976.

The bicentennial year ('76) the $2.00 bill came into existence and hems dropped to below the knee. Campus speakers in the late '70's included Sen. Charles Mathias, columnist Carl Rowan, Thomas Eagleton, Charles Collingwood, Sen. Howard Baker, and Alex Haley of "Roots". Bob Hope, the Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Bread and Jerry Lewis were some of the featured entertainers.

Not to be forgotten were Swine Flu shots, the "cure for no known disease", and Jimmy (Who?) Carter was elected President of the U.S. In '76 new dairy barns were built north of the main campus, and the old barn was renovated for plant science. Durland Hall, north of Ahearn Fieldhouse, was completed in June and housed chemical and industrial engineering facilities.

Applying the much appreciated pavement.

Puddle jumping in the gravel parking lot.