PKT25: Formal
As I mentioned when I went through the offices, we had Formal Chair whose job was to organize a formal every spring. This event was not dissimilar from a high school prom or a wedding, with a sit down dinner and dancing. Most of the fraternities and sororities had some kind of formal. I'm not sure why they were always in the spring semester, unless it was to balance out Homecoming in the fall and the university's winter formal event, which was usually in early February.
Formal was a relatively major production with a substantial budget. It was not uncommon for many of the brothers to rent a tuxedo, and just as with a wedding many of the Formal Chairs would arrange a group discount for those who wanted to go that direction. Even I got in on the tux situation a couple of times, and I'm not much inclined to dressing up.
We usually had some alumni presence at formal. I myself went for several years after graduation, first while I still knew many of the actives and then for a few years when brothers from my years returned in large numbers to turn it into a de facto alumni event. Naturally, I don't remember exactly where formal was each year or who my date was, but here's what I remember.
Most years we also had "favors", just like a wedding. It was usually some kind of glassware. I still have most of the ones from undergrad, which helpfully have the dates on them in most cases. Speaking of dates, not until 2006 did I actually go with a girlfriend. Most of the time I took a female friend, once or twice they might have actually been a date.
1997 - I want to say it was at the now defunct Omni hotel. I actually asked a girl named Kelly to go with me. I can say with confidence that she did not have a good time, because I more or less froze up and didn't talk to her. Oh, younger me, you were really weren't good with people. At least I got a nice vase out of it.
1998 - I don't remember where it was, but my friend Ashley was supposed to accompany me but had to bail at the last second due to a (very legitimate) crisis. I have a scotch glass from that year - I think mine was the only one that survived the year as it is very fragile.
1999 - I'm again blanking on the location, but based on the year I'd guess Viv was my date. This year's glassware was a champagne flute.
2000 - This year it was at the Terrace Club at Jacob's Field, which started a streak of going to nicer places than a hotel. Some other group paid for the stadium lights to be turned on, and it was so warm that we could go outside on the balcony. My date that year was Nancy S. This year was shot glasses.
2001 - Steve tells me this year was at the zoo in the room where you can view the gorillas and other animals. One of the gorillas bashed the glass insanely hard and made everyone jump! I don't have any idea who my date was. I have a nice little piece of etched glass with the fraternity coat of arms on it from that year.
2002 - I really thought I missed this year since I wasn't living in Cleveland at the time, but I have a very nice beer class from that formal, and Steve reminds me that we were on the Nautica Queen, which is a boat that does dinner cruises in Cleveland. No idea who my date was, if I had one at all.
2003 - Steve reminded me that this year was actually a second visit to the Terrace Club. It wouldn't shock me if my date was MJ, but I really don't remember.
2004 - It was a hot sweaty formal at the Rain Forest room at the zoo. My friend and fellow CWRU alumnus Jenny came up from law school to be my date.
2005 - No date, because my then girlfriend bailed out (we broke up shortly after for unrelated reasons). I think this was at the Western Reserve Historical Society right next to the house.
2006 - The last year I went was with my then girlfriend and future ex-wife. This was at the party room attached to Great Lakes Brewing. I know this one is right because I have a very nice Great Lakes Brewing class that says our spring formal was there in 2006!
I also have a pint glass with a picture of the house on it, which was presumably from somewhere in that 2003-2005 range. Anything else in those three years I either never took home or lost since.
The Ohio Alpha Beta Chapter of Phi Kappa Theta
The House Tour
Outside,
Main Floor Bedrooms,
Main Floor Public Rooms,
Basement Public Areas,
Basement Private Areas,
2nd Floor Big Bedrooms,
2nd Floor Small Bedrooms,
3rd Floor First Hallway,
3rd Floor Second Hallway,
Attic & Errata,
House Tour Commentary: Joe & Laura & Astrid,
House Tour Commentary: Jackal,
House Tour Commentary: Susan,
House Tour Commentary: Assorted
The Pledge Program
Bid Night, Schedule, Curriculum & Black Books, Big Brothers & Pledge Pins, Paddling, Initiation
Semesters
Fall 1996, Spring 1997, Fall 1997, Spring 1998, Fall 1998, Spring 1999, Summer 1999, Fall 1999, Spring 2000
Events
Detour, Blackout, Boo at the Zoo, Chapter Meetings, Serenading, Greek Week, Rush Events, Formal
Other
Full Series, My Rush Experience, Chapter History, Family Trees, National, Greek Life at CWRU, Fraternity Offices, Part 1, Fraternity Offices, Part 2, Fraternity Offices, Part 3, Demographics, Seniority, Bars, Ponding, Video Games
Additional Commentary
Black Books, Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, More Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, Chapter Meetings
EDIT: Steve refreshed my memory on 2000-2003, although we may have 2001 and 2002 flipped.
Formal was a relatively major production with a substantial budget. It was not uncommon for many of the brothers to rent a tuxedo, and just as with a wedding many of the Formal Chairs would arrange a group discount for those who wanted to go that direction. Even I got in on the tux situation a couple of times, and I'm not much inclined to dressing up.
We usually had some alumni presence at formal. I myself went for several years after graduation, first while I still knew many of the actives and then for a few years when brothers from my years returned in large numbers to turn it into a de facto alumni event. Naturally, I don't remember exactly where formal was each year or who my date was, but here's what I remember.
Most years we also had "favors", just like a wedding. It was usually some kind of glassware. I still have most of the ones from undergrad, which helpfully have the dates on them in most cases. Speaking of dates, not until 2006 did I actually go with a girlfriend. Most of the time I took a female friend, once or twice they might have actually been a date.
1997 - I want to say it was at the now defunct Omni hotel. I actually asked a girl named Kelly to go with me. I can say with confidence that she did not have a good time, because I more or less froze up and didn't talk to her. Oh, younger me, you were really weren't good with people. At least I got a nice vase out of it.
1998 - I don't remember where it was, but my friend Ashley was supposed to accompany me but had to bail at the last second due to a (very legitimate) crisis. I have a scotch glass from that year - I think mine was the only one that survived the year as it is very fragile.
1999 - I'm again blanking on the location, but based on the year I'd guess Viv was my date. This year's glassware was a champagne flute.
2000 - This year it was at the Terrace Club at Jacob's Field, which started a streak of going to nicer places than a hotel. Some other group paid for the stadium lights to be turned on, and it was so warm that we could go outside on the balcony. My date that year was Nancy S. This year was shot glasses.
2001 - Steve tells me this year was at the zoo in the room where you can view the gorillas and other animals. One of the gorillas bashed the glass insanely hard and made everyone jump! I don't have any idea who my date was. I have a nice little piece of etched glass with the fraternity coat of arms on it from that year.
2002 - I really thought I missed this year since I wasn't living in Cleveland at the time, but I have a very nice beer class from that formal, and Steve reminds me that we were on the Nautica Queen, which is a boat that does dinner cruises in Cleveland. No idea who my date was, if I had one at all.
2003 - Steve reminded me that this year was actually a second visit to the Terrace Club. It wouldn't shock me if my date was MJ, but I really don't remember.
2004 - It was a hot sweaty formal at the Rain Forest room at the zoo. My friend and fellow CWRU alumnus Jenny came up from law school to be my date.
2005 - No date, because my then girlfriend bailed out (we broke up shortly after for unrelated reasons). I think this was at the Western Reserve Historical Society right next to the house.
2006 - The last year I went was with my then girlfriend and future ex-wife. This was at the party room attached to Great Lakes Brewing. I know this one is right because I have a very nice Great Lakes Brewing class that says our spring formal was there in 2006!
I also have a pint glass with a picture of the house on it, which was presumably from somewhere in that 2003-2005 range. Anything else in those three years I either never took home or lost since.
The Ohio Alpha Beta Chapter of Phi Kappa Theta
The House Tour
Outside,
Main Floor Bedrooms,
Main Floor Public Rooms,
Basement Public Areas,
Basement Private Areas,
2nd Floor Big Bedrooms,
2nd Floor Small Bedrooms,
3rd Floor First Hallway,
3rd Floor Second Hallway,
Attic & Errata,
House Tour Commentary: Joe & Laura & Astrid,
House Tour Commentary: Jackal,
House Tour Commentary: Susan,
House Tour Commentary: Assorted
The Pledge Program
Bid Night, Schedule, Curriculum & Black Books, Big Brothers & Pledge Pins, Paddling, Initiation
Semesters
Fall 1996, Spring 1997, Fall 1997, Spring 1998, Fall 1998, Spring 1999, Summer 1999, Fall 1999, Spring 2000
Events
Detour, Blackout, Boo at the Zoo, Chapter Meetings, Serenading, Greek Week, Rush Events, Formal
Other
Full Series, My Rush Experience, Chapter History, Family Trees, National, Greek Life at CWRU, Fraternity Offices, Part 1, Fraternity Offices, Part 2, Fraternity Offices, Part 3, Demographics, Seniority, Bars, Ponding, Video Games
Additional Commentary
Black Books, Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, More Boo at the Zoo & Blackout, Chapter Meetings
EDIT: Steve refreshed my memory on 2000-2003, although we may have 2001 and 2002 flipped.