I Miss the Old Greek Life

In the times we live in on campus, greek life holds a precarious spot in the mosaic of our campus.

As times have changed, there is no doubt that greek life has fallen in popularity on our campus, as evidenced by the only six remaining houses out of 14 that have staked a chapter at SLU over the years.

A simmering debate remains about greek life on campus. Is it toxic? is It wanted? Is it a fundamental part of campus?

These are all questions that seem to go around and around every time a ‘rush’ poster is put up on the doors of Dana Dining Center. However, it wasn’t always like this.

Back in the days when the bells were bottomed and the weed was ‘groovy man’, campus life was much different. Students were much more social with each other, and greek life was central to campus social life.

David Kelly ’78, was premed and majored in Biology. He was also a member of Sigma Chi — a fraternity present on campus from 1953-1998, and whose house is now Priest College, a first-year dorm.

“I was hesitant to rush during my freshman year,” said Dave Kelly. “I “rushed” my second semester of sophomore year as most of my friends from freshman year had already joined a fraternity and I felt I was missing out on much of the social activities they were enjoying.”

Dave Kelly quickly became involved in the frat, being on the rush and social committees. “My fraternity brothers became my closest friends at SLU,” said Dave Kelly.

“I loved being a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma,” said Sally Kelly ’80. Sally Kelly majored in Government, and her older sister was also a member of KKG in the St. Lawrence Class of ’76.

“Some of my sorority sisters are my lifelong friends, and although the years have passed by, we make time to get together, talk on the phone, meet up for dinner, reminisce about our college days, and have a great time together,” said Sally Kelly.

Perception of greek life on campus, in some respects, hasn’t changed. “While there were some perceived stereotypes of the members of different Greek houses which probably led to some animosity towards them, in truth, there was the whole spectrum of the student body represented in each of the different houses,” said Dave Kelly.

And in some respects, has changed markedly. “The general perception of Frats and sororities was very positive and supported by the college administration,” said Sally Kelly.

Campus was much more social back then. The frats and sororities acted like cylinders, housing the liquid courage and social sparks driving the engine that was student life.

“Campus was very social. Student clubs and other interest groups seemed a smaller part of the social life on campus compared to the Greek social activities but that may just be my personal perception,” said Dave Kelly. “SLU’s social life was terrific. It was very easy to make new friends and some of my friends that I met my freshman year or in the sorority became my lifelong friends,” added Sally Kelly.

“I think, as a whole, the student body all felt a part of the same community. Many “independents” took advantage of what the Greek system had to offer without ever joining a house,” said Dave Kelly

Greek life’s higher approval rating in the past can likely be attributed to the outsized role they played in the social life of campus.

“Social life, at least for me, revolved around the Greek system which hosted many parties with music/bands
and drinks — [the] drinking age was 18. There were theme/costume parties, date parties, mixers between frats and sororities, ‘rush’ parties, formal parties etc.,” said Dave Kelly. “Most parties were open to the general student body and a few were exclusive to the fraternity.”

Sally Kelly held a similar sentiment.

“Frats and sororities were very popular in the mid-late 1970’s and were the center of our campus life and social entertainment, along with men’s hockey and football games,” she said.

“With those long cold winters in Canton, the fraternities were the lifeblood of our campus entertainment.” Overall, the theme is clear. Campus was a much more social environment, and Greek Life acted as a natural structure through which friendships could be made, and good times had. Something I think all students can get behind.

“We walked to all the frats, stayed up half the night, sang, danced and laughed like crazy with our friends,” Sally Kelly said. “The fraternities created our social life, entertained the entire campus on Friday and Saturday nights and definitely provided all of us with some of the best times, day or night, at St. Lawrence.”