Thursday, March 28, 2013

Tarleton Thursdays: Did You Know?



Sadie Hawkins Week - Girls Get Your Man!


The week including March 26-28, 1963 marked Sadie Hawkins Week on the Tarleton campus.  Sponsored annually by the Owls and Silver Keys social clubs, good ole Dogpatch style Sadie Hawkins week allowed girls to ask the boys for dates.  Activities included a greased pig race, tow sack race, corn husking contest, and ended with a girl ask guy Saturday night dance, with attendees sporting the usual Dogpatch attire.

Rules included – dates made prior to March 26 were null and void, girls had to ask for all dates and furnish the money - $1.50 per couple for the dance, plus the girls had to spend more money on their fellas than themselves – marriages had to follow the Leap Year tradition where the girls had to ask the guys and provide the ring.  All propositions and advances had to be made by the girls…in the form of a footrace where the unmarried gals chased the unmarried men – if caught the guys had to marry the gals.

Law and order was maintained by Sheriff Mighty Aldridge and deputies Shrimp Sewalt and Mouse Currin.  Gossip was provided by Loway Lewis.  Marrying McCoy performed the Hitchin’ Ceremony and Shotgun  Arthur persuaded the fellows if the girls were having any trouble catching them.

The decorations in the gym included hay bales for seats, a tire swing hung from the ceiling.  Dogpatch pictures and signs adorned the walls depicting the “Dogpatch Haven of Tarleton”.  A dog, some chickens and a goat were housed in a pen at one end of the gym.  The Cruisers, a dance band from Brownwood, provided the music.

Prizes were awarded.  The best “Li’ Abner” was Dr. Robert Keighton,  and the best “Daisy Mae” was Kathy Higginbotham.  Judy Hermes and Troy Kennedy won the tow sack race.  Cheryl Barton and Bonnie Lewis tied in the corn husking.  In addition, the new spring pledges to the Owls and Silver Keys were presented.

A grand time was had by all!

Grassburr, 1963.
JTAC,  March 19 and 26, 1963, April 2, 1963.

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