Oh yes... I remember strict silence
We had strict silence throughout all of rush. I'm convinced we lost a couple of potential members because of it one year - a bunch of us ran into them at dinner one night and we couldn't talk to them at all
and I think they were offended... I think those rules have been relaxed at my school, though - you're allowed to talk to rushees just long enough to explain that you aren't allowed to talk to them (as strange as that sounds).