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Do you remember?
Willie Mannheim’s story is
a tale of days at the University of Maine.
As freshmen at the
University of
Maine in 1951, we were not permitted to become members of a College
Fraternity. This would be allowed
in our sophomore year. Four of our freshman class, Mert Robinson of
Lisbon Falls, Maine, Lowell “Princey” Prince of Orr’s Island, Maine, Sal
Scarpato of Union City, New Jersey and myself of New York City, later
Joe DiGiovanni of Belmont, Mass. couldn’t wait, so we formed our own .
“Nu Beta Chi.” Translated to English- “Nasty Bastards Club.” The bylaws
roughly stated that we could create general mischief, but were
prohibited from creating personal injury, or to destroy private
property.
At the completion of our
freshman year the two Maineiacs in our group went to visit New York with
me at my parents house (I believe we hitchhiked!) and “see the sights”!
Sal, being close by in New Jersey, telephoned and suggested that we meet
him and go to JIM CARNEY’S MAGIC CLUB in Jersey City since the famed
alumnus, Rudy Valle was being featured there.
Soon after being seated at
the night club, the band struck up the MAINE STEIN SONG, with Rudy
Vallee singing solo. We immediately stood up at our table, glasses in
hand and ended with a quintet rendition. To the delight of the patrons,
Rudy Vallee and ourselves, we became instant celebrities! For the rest
of the evening we had free drinks and also went on stage to dance with
the chorus girls!
The following day’s NBC
activity was more sedentary, a trip to Bear Mountain on a Hudson River
Day Liner...
In 1951, our Freshman
year, "Shrimp Boats" sung by Jo Stafford and "On Top of Old Smokey"
sung by The Weavers were on the Hit Parade list of Top Ten
Tunes.
Our Class Prism cover
was the only one ever designed by our beloved and nationally recognized
artist and Art Department Head, Vincent Hartgen.
Meeting President Hauck on
campus and he knew you by name even though he had only met you once at
the "Open House" during Freshman Orientation.
When our Class held its
Class Reunion in 1960, our Class Banquet was held at the Oronoka with
Dana Baggett as toastmaster and the dinner price was $3.00 for steak and
$2.75 for scallops. First class postage to send out our Reunion Report
was 3 cents.
Found in our file was a
copy of the "55 "Bear Facts" Trivia Game compiled by Hilda Sterling for
one of our previous Reunions. We would like to share with you some of
the questions but unfortunately we did not have an "Answer Sheet" so you
may need to compare notes with other Class Members to verify your
answers.
-- Who were the editor and
business manager of the Prism?
-- Who received the coveted
Senior Watch Awards?
-- Who convinced a Bangor
radio station to announce that classes at the University were suspended
for the day due to a February snowstorm?
-- Who received the women's
highest athletic award?
-- Who sparked the rifle team
to several range records?
--Who composed "Sons of
Maine", a song that honored the University and its students?
-- Who maintained the
traditions of the All-Maine Women and Senior Skulls?
-- Who directed the
successful Good Will Chest Drive?
Class Members
have the following memories...
Bill Mannheim
remembers, "the 15 cent movies at the Student Union".
Marion Bugbee Mannheim,
after viewing some old Winter Carnival photos, remembers "a tall
slim-hourglass waist line girl" (an early picture of herself)!
Janet Butler
remembers, "Being in the all-girls freshman dorm was so great since we
knew everyone in our class right away (at least the female side), and to
make these friendships linger along the way through the next three years
and beyond is very rewarding and is a constant reminder of the wonderful
times that I had during my four years at Orono".
Dick Eustis
remembers, "the wind blowing through the walls of North Dorm 3 in the
winter, freezing a Coke bottle sitting on a desk".
Nancy DeWilde
remembers, "Meeting in Carnegie basement for coffee with juke boxes at
each table; The Friday night football rallies; The Sigma Chi jam
sessions on Sunday afternoons; and a trip to Katahdin with the Outing
Club, waking up in the next morning in the lean-to with our sleeping
bags (and us) covered with snow".
Rev. Don McAllister
remembers "the rehearsals for most productions at the Maine Masque
Theatre were almost nightly. The last two weeks of rehearsal were every
night -- in addition to putting up the sets for the production. He also
remembers the Maine Masque Theatre equivalent to the OSCARS was called
"Red Apples". They were so named far a Barrymore tradition: Barrymore
family members sent apples to the member who was opening in a new show".
Shirley Bostrom
Hargreaves remembers "making a walkway near the Union Building on
Maine Day; working on the snow sculpture (Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs) for North Estabrooke's Winter Carnival entry".
Bruce Corwin sent
this to add to the Memories: "Do your remember the panty raid on West
Hall (now known as Chadbourne Hall) our freshman year? I remember
going to talk to Carol after band practice and ending up inside the
hall, holding the panic bar so my 'fellow men' couldn't get in. I also
remember the basement window being broken, and picking up all the
panties I ever wanted to see , again, trying to 'protect' the girls
under 'orders' from the housemother.
When the group started to
leave to go towards Estabrooke Hall, some character on the third floor
of West Hall hung a red light in her room, and the crowd turned back
like a herd of cattle in a stampede. As I remember, Dean Stewart was
knocked over in the fray. I expected my bed to be in the hall when I
returned to 3rd floor Dunn after my 'protective' bit, but nothing ever
came of it. All that work, and I was the only one to get the panties.
Sorry, guys, better luck next time."
Help Us Out...
If you have any items you
would like to have added to the page of "Memories" of your college days,
please e-mail them to Dick Eustis at
eustis@infionline.net
And a "thanks" to all that
have added to the "Memories" page.
Janet Butler, our Class
Correspondent, would also like to have material for the Class Column in
"Mainely People". Remember, you can e-mail any items directly to Jan at
janetBUME@aol.com |
