Alpha of Clovia

In the early 50's a long standing Clovia tradition began. The Beta chapter presented the Alpha chapter with a string of unique bells for Christmas one year. These bells are now called the "Chocolate Bells" and are used for making announcements when chocolates are passed. These bells hang by the living room entrance, in the present house, and if anyone accidentally rings them, she gets thrown into the shower.

The Sigma Phi Nothing house next door was a part of the Clovia history. This is the name claimed by a group of independent young gentlemen who were quite often a source of help to the girls, and upon occasion a source of mischief. Nevertheless, these guys were good neighbors of the house on 16th St. Mrs. Mable Birmingham was housemother 1952-53, and Mrs. Katie Johnson (Mama J) came in 1953.

Eisenhower had become President of the United States in the early 50's. Visitors to the campus in those years were Woody Herman, Margaret Meade and Humphrey Bogart.

Clovia gals remained very active and several additional members were selected to Mortar Board. In 1954 Millicent Schultz Thompson was the grand champion dairy showman of the Little American Royal on campus. A group of girls within Clovia decided to form a group called Society for Single Sisters (SSS) in 1954. These women did not, as yet, have marriage prospects, which seemed uncommon at times at the Clovia house. With being unattached as the common bond, they had meetings and even carried out worthwhile projects from time to time. They provided programs for various club groups occasionally.

February 7, 1954 the Gamma chapter of Clovia was installed at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. There were charter members and Janet Gillie was their first president. Six Alpha's acted as big sisters for the initiates. The Gamma chapter no longer exists at present. The alums had voted to increase house rent in those years and apply the difference to the building fund, as a new house was continually being dreamed of. Alum area groups were forming in those years, as more graduates were spreading across the state. There were groups in Manhattan, Wichita, Topeka, Kansas City, and one in northwest Kansas. The Manhattan alums began having coke parties for the house. These groups met often and occasionally raised money and publicized Clovia.

25 YEARS

Clovia celebrated its 25th anniversary September 22 and 23, 1956, with 120 in attendance. Saturday was filled with a business meeting and luncheon, and in the evening classes reunited at Sunset Park. A banquet at the Union highlighted the weekend on Sunday.

Alum Sundays originated in 1957. The second Sunday of the month a buffet dinner was served at the house and alums sent in reservations to attend.

An article appeared in "Seventeen" magazine that year that was certainly a boost to Clovia's publicity. The alums were concerned at that time that Clovia was losing some of its top 4-H prospects due to lack of publicity, and due to the fact that the location and condition of the house were not as good as they had once been. In the late 50's Clovia began considering withdrawing its association with the Panhellenic Council and asked the Extension Service to help with Clovia Publicity.

In addition to all the prior Clovia activities and traditions, Clovia began entertaining high school senior girls for Hospitality Day, instituted Brother-Cousin dinner, and made homecoming decorations. In 1957 there were five Clovias on the Home Economics Council as well as many active in church groups, YWCA, student council, Purple Pepsters, FTA and several home economics clubs.

Exchange parties with organized men's houses were popular. There was one watermelon feed with Signa Phi Nothing next door. Parties such as halloween and sock hops were looked forward to. Clovia hosted a barn dance during National Meeting 1958.

Clovias were in such honoraries as Chimes, Mortar Board, Omicron Nu, Alpha Lamda Delta, Alpha Delta Theta, Phi Upsilon Omicron, and Phi Alpha Mu.

"Mama J" retired as Clova housemother in 1959, and Mrs. Eleanor Griffin resumed until 1963. "The Freeze", "Mack The Knife" and "Red River Rock" were some of the popular records in the late 50's. Rick Nelson, Elvis Presley and Bobby Darin were on the charts at that time.

Dresses were mid-calf, and skirts, sweaters, oxfords and bobby sox were "in". The ballerina length formal was introduced and there was a brief appearance of the balloon skirt. Kansas State College of Applied Sciences became Kansas State University in 1959. That year the IBM computer was installed in Waters Hall. The recreation area at Tuttle Creek was initiated that year. Campus appearances during this period included the Robert Shaw Corale, The St. Louis Philharmonic Symphony, Norman Cousins, the Kingston Trio, Count Basie and Woody Herman. The class of 1960's gift to KSU was the 20' x 30' fifty star American Flag that hangs in Ahearn Field House, as Alaska and Hawaii had become states.

Athletics were very much a part of campus life, recalled Gayla Jo Alien. Football had its problems with Bus Mertis and Doug Weaver as coaches, although the Wildcats did manage to shut out KU and Missouri in 1956. "Tex" Winter coached KSU to win the Big 8 crown 1956, 58, 59 and 60. In 1959 KSU was named # 1 in the nation by both national polls with Bob Boozer and Jack Par named All-American players. All this fame brought about campus blockades, book burnings, and all sorts of celebrations in Aggieville.