"Dear Mom" (Letters from College)

[JonoBN41]

Brothers,

Here is a new thread I thought I'd start for our reading enjoyment, entertainment, and a little nostalgia. I found some letters I had written home from college in the early '70s which my mom kept (bless her soul - she passed away four years ago at the age of 90).

There are 9 letters I have found so far and I will post one per day on Greek Chat. Feel free to have fun with these, ask questions, or just marvel at the prices or my naivite. Maybe you guys have some letters too? If so, do me a favor and save them until I post mine, and then we can move on to yours. This could continue for quite some time. Good for some laughs.

As an introduction, I grew up on Long Island. One Lambda Chi (Rick) who lived nearby contacted me (Jon) and another incoming freshman (Gene) during the summer of 1971 and we got together numerous times before the three of us drove down to Florida in my 1965 Mercedes-Benz 190C, affectionately known as The Marrakesh Express. Pre-rush, you know. All three of us ended up being charter members of Beta-Nu, although it was Colony 199 at that time.

I hope you like these.

In ZAX,
Jono (aka "Jon")

[JonoBN41]

Letter Number 1

Sept. 23, 1971

Dear Mom,
Well, I am finally a frog. This is frog week and all the freshman are frogs. We have to do crazy things that people tell us to do. Last night Gene had to run the elevator in the High Rise for ½ hour and “rivit” when anyone got in.
I’ve been having a real good time so far. We went to the beach the other day. You wouldn’t believe the temperature of the ocean. It’s so warm it’s like taking a bath and you can’t wait to get out. There’s an OSO launching on Sat. morning and I think I’ll ride down to the beach and watch it.
Last night we had a small party at Rick’s room – we drank a case of beer and watched the 3 Stooges on TV, ate peanuts and I got drunk. But don’t think it’s all fun and games – I’ve got a hangover! Oh well, C’est la vie, huh?
So how was Liz’s trip to Connecticut? It rained most of the way down here – especially in N.Y.C., where we passed 2 accidents. I wasn’t in ‘em so don’t think I’m dead or nuthin’.
Yup, it’s damn nice here, bub (I’m still a Bonacker at heart, you know). A lot of the dudes in Melbourne (pronounced Melburn) are grits. You know, the “You’re in a heap of trouble, boy” guys who ride around in ’56 pickups with gun racks in the rear window and bumper stickers saying, “If your heart’s not in Dixie, get the hell out!”. But that’s mostly up north more.
When I get around to it, I’ll send you some pictures of this place – did you know we (FIT) have our own jungle? It’s like a nature trail.
Most of the people here at FIT are good. We know those 2 guys from Bay Shore and the guys in the fraternity. You know what happened to Gene? I was in his room the other night when someone opens the door (with a key), walks in and says, “Gene Ferraro”. Gene says, “Yeah, that’s me”. He says, “No, that’s me. This guy had the exact same name – initial included! Far out, man. Last time I heard, he was living in the gym.
Send me the Star, ok? I miss reading who got arrested.
My roommate is some Physics major (junior) who works for NASA on the L.M. at the Cape and I can’t shut him up.
Somebody set off a line of firecrackers that lasted about 10 minutes last night (2:00 am) and I got up at 9:00 today, so I’m kind of tired. By the way, my new address is:
Me
Florida Institute of Technology
Box 953
Melbourne, Fla.
32901
Write soon, (and send me a cake or sumthin’)
Jon

[Ottor 246]

Far out, man.

By the way, if you're tired when you get up at 9:00, what time do you usually get up? (Just kidding. I was a freshman once, too.)

[Tom Earp]

Jono, this was a fantastic idea and cannot wait to read the rest of your missives to your MOM!

I am sure she was a little agahst at reading some of the things you wrote!

I can picture you Brothers in those situations having seen where you all lived and hung out and met some of them. Was the Schroom there then?

[JonoBN41]

Well yes, I imagine she was aghast. I was becoming a hippie. The 'Shroom was a Cuban sandwich place, looking very much like a dry cleaners, which was appropriate seeing as how they made a sandwich then pressed it. "What the hell are you doing???"

Jono

[JonoBN41]

Letter Number 2

Sun. Sept. 26, ‘71

Mom,
How ya doin’ Well, I’ve been here a week and so far I really like it – why not – classes don’t begin until Tuesday! I registered on Friday – I’m taking:
General Bio
Intro to Exp. Bio (lab)
Calculus I
Chemistry I
Chem lab I
Comp & Rhetoric I
I have 5 classes on Modays that go from 9:00 am to 4:00 with a few 10 minute breaks. Fridays I have 4 classes, Wed, 3 Tuesday – 2, and Thursdays 1. For some reason I think I’ll like thursdays!
Last night they showed Midnight Cowboy – which was pretty good. After that we went to one of the 3 fraternity houses on the beach for a party. This is rush week. We depleted 3 kegs of beer – good god.
Since today is Sun., I slept ‘till 12:30, went to lunch and got lost in the campus jungle – that’s that big space on your map – it’s like a huge nature trail. I tried to catch a chameleon to send to Sarah. Paranoid, my roommate just came in from a hard day at NASA and I think he’s asleep already.
Guy says he wants to fly here from Texas at Christmas and ride up with me. However, I get out Dec. 12 and he doesn’t get out until the 17th so I don’t know. If I decide to fly, I could leave my car at Charley’s house. Charley is the college cop.
Oh, on one of those letters in the big envelope, you have written $125 paid for something and $25 for something else, I can’t remember – But on my receipt they have only $100 under “Credit”. I’ll check into that tomorrow. I paid $879 for tuition, R&B, mail box, car, entrance fee, activity fee (whatever that is), linen plan and lab fees.
Guess what – Gene and I are going to Naples this coming weekend. It shouldn’t cost too much if we can find a place to stay. I’ll say ‘hello’ to “the lady with the buggy eyes” for you. Remember her?
Friday night at 3:00 am the upperclassmen came running through the dorms trying to rouse all the freshmen (frogs). They opened all the doors and turned on all the lights and made us “rivit” and leap-frog down the road (all 800 of us). I was going to hide in my closet but didn’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime fiasco. They even had the Melbourne Police force here because of all the noise – can you imagine 800 people riviting as loud as they can at 3 in the morning?
The ocean is pretty rough, must be from that hurricane – did I tell you about Hurricane Parties? Everytime a hurricane hits, everyone on a floor gets into one room and drinks himself into the rug. Neat!
Can you send me that book of Larry’s about using a slide-rule? I think it’s in my room.
The trip down was very good. It cost each of us about $15! My car got 21 miles to the gallon.
Well, I’ve got a dorm meeting and another party (DDT) to go to. Write soon.
Love,
Jon

[BN635]

WOW!!! $879 for tuition. Thats a far cry from the $23,000 it is today WITHOUT room and meals. My little brothers are paying $33,000 WITH room and meals. Oh, and the Shroom is still here for those of you who are wondering and those of you who find that funny. Went there last night and ordered a stromboli and watched Clemens get lit-up.

[JonoBN41]

Yeah, but Dude, we were on the quarter system then.

[JonoBN41]

Letter Number 3

Nov. 12, 1971

Dear Mom and Everyone,
I got your letter today. I have to wait until Gene gets his free pass (his father’s an airline pilot) before I make reservations because we don’t know which airline to take. Most likely we’ll leave here Thursday Dec. 9, if possible, the 12:50 flight. There is no sense in paying $15.00 for a damned limousine – Gene’s father can pick us up at Kennedy (if he’s home) and then one of you can get me at Gene’s house. OK?
I went to a Chi Phi cocktail rush party last night which is unusual because it was on a Wednesday night. Today is Thursday (naturally!) and had only one class (calculus) and that was at 2:00 pm.
After I got back at 10:00 pm I went up to the third floor High Rise where Gene’s and Mock and Dev’s rooms are. At about 11:30 a guy named Stu, who lives down the hall, had pains in his stomach so I drove him to the hospital. They kept him there and they think he has either appendicitis or a blood infection. We’ll know tomorrow. A couple of weeks ago I had to take another guy to the clinic to see if he had mono. He didn’t.
About the Bahamas – I’m not going. We decided that since it’s only one week before finals we’d stay here and study. Sarah probably won’t come down either because it’s too expensive.
Not much is happening here. It’s been kind of chilly lately but I still don’t need a jacket, although I bought one today. It should get warmer. The bananas are forming on the banana trees.
Love,
Jon

[BN635]

It is the Mighty Mushroom and they are ALWAYS hiring if anyone is interested!!!

[JonoBN41]

Oh, we're into 'Shroom History are we? First Mellow, then Mighty! It must have been in the early '90s when Billy Welychko (pronounced just the way it sounds) and I decided after a party at the Rec. Center, to buy like 8 pizzas to take over to C Bldg. Hey, the alumni have to help out the guys, ya know.

There was some big bruiser who heard me place the order, but didn't realize that Billy and I were together. While I was carrying the first two pies out to Billy's truck, a few more came due, and Billy picked them up.

Bruiser says, "I'll take those", thinking my pizzas are being stolen. "The hell you will", Billy says, thinking he's the thief.

I return from the truck to witness a full-blown fist fight on the sidewalk, pizza flying everywhere, and quick as lightening no less than three of Melbourne's finest vehicles with sirens and lights flashing screaming to a halt.

Vigilantes all; there was no crime. We did get to Southgate with the pizzas eventually, only to have each owner of the apartment kick us out. "Don't bring those in here, we don't want 30 guys making a mess in our place".

It wasn't the best of evenings, but it does make for a good story, and a true one.

A few years later, they were holding bingo night (Oooh69!?) at the "Shroom" on Wednesdays I think, and I called 676-5660 from New York. Any Lambda Chis there? "Yeah". Well, put this on my credit card...

One brother called me on his cell phone 5 minutes later to thank me and passed his phone around. That was fun. The brotherhood was indeed intact, and still is.

ZAX,
Jono

[Tom Earp]

For those Brothers Of LXA that have never been to """The Schroom""", It is a hole in the wall Pizza Joint that is domonated by The BN Zeta in Melbourne!

My first experience was when I went down for Founders Day and Wolfe (Don Wolf) and some of the Brothers picked me up in Orlando Airport.

God what a ride that was TO MELBOURNE!!!!!!

Were in town and Wolfie asks me where do I turn to get to The Schroom!

I said how in the hell do I know, I have never been here before in my life!

We made The Schroom, but not really knowing what to expect, and we walk in and there are a few locals and the rest were Brothers of LXA and Dates.

When I kept introducing myself, the kept asking what My BN # was! I kept telling them I was not a BN, but a LX of LXA.

No one beleived me until I pulled out my Card and Showed them! They went nuts seeing a # 1 on my card.

Damn was that a night, remember, I had never met Jono until Got back to the Hotel. As I was checking in, he walked up behind me and asked if I was T E, well of course I said yes!

He said I am Jono! Damn what a weekend that was and will go down in the history of a few including EM1843 (Matt Troy) who was there and came down from UF.

That was a Weekend that Hank Whitney One of The C0-Founders of EKD was Intiated as a Brother Of LXA!

Sorry Bro, but everytime I see something like this, it brings tears to my eyes from having met so many Great New Brothers such as Rickney, Mouse, Jimbo, Doc ETAL!

Sorry, didnt mean to high Jack Theard.

Guys, This is what LXA is all about!

Put soon another Jono Mom letter on. God, if I was your MOM, I would have drowned you for all of the crap you addmitted to Her!

[JonoBN41]

Geez Earp, you bring a tear to my eye just talking about a pizza place!

[JonoBN41]

Letter Number 4

1/10/72

Dear Mom,
I thought I’d tell you what’s been happening. Everything is alright; I got the money and the tape. Thanks. I have to talk to Barea tonight and straighten him out on the room situation. I’m supposed to be in 205E Wood and Gene in 309N High Rise but we’re both in 708S High Rise. We just have to sign papers. When we got here, there was some P.R. in our room so I packed him off to live with Paranoid.
I got a letter from Sas – she says it is 25 below up in Maine. God, I went to the beach today! It’s really hot here, like in the 80’s, so we decided to go to the beach. I heard that you got snow, true? It hasn’t rained or been cloudy since I’ve been here.
I arranged my classes so that I don’t have any before 10 am except one day, at 11. I take Calculus at night from 6:40 to 8:35, with a 15 min. break, two days a week. Pretty good.
We’re fixing up our room. When we get done, it won’t look like the same room. Both beds will be 6’ off the floor and we’re taking the doors off the cabinets. We’re getting a TV and maybe a couch and some tables. I’m gonna build a bar.
The damn elevator has broken down twice since we’ve been here. It generally goes bad on the weekend (which it did). But today is Tuesday and it’s off again. Someone put a sign on it which went something like: “Sacrifice to the Godess of the Elevator – bring sheep, cattle, pigs, etc.” I believe it. And I’m on the 7th floor so I have to walk up!
Anyway, everything is OK for now and I guess I’m set for awhile. Tell all my lazy relatives to write me a letter sometime in the next 5 months. My phone # is 305 723-9671. Ask for “Jon in 708 south”. I’m usually not in during the day.
Love,
Jon

[JonoBN41]

Letter Number 5

Feb. 22, 1972

Dear Mom,
Hi. How are things? I heard about all your snow – sounds good. I wish I were there to see it. I guess you heard that Guy had an appendectomy last week. If you didn’t, Guy had an appendectomy last week.
Things are pretty different here at the Fit.
LCA is probably getting a house. We have been looking at it for some time. We went inside the other day and it looks real good. I’m also Assistant to the President of Lambda Chi Alpha, Welby. I’ll be initiated by April 8. Gene has to wait ‘till May 20 because of Crew. May 20 is also the time we become a chapter. There will be a big banquet with tuxedos and all.
Speaking of Crew, I don’t know if I told you, but Gene’s on J.V. and beat Princeton, MIT, and Syracuse. I went to Disney World to watch the meet.
The weather here has been pretty bad – a lot of rain and not as warm as I’d like. I think it may get cold tonight.
I got a few fines but don’t worry about them – I wasn’t guilty. I think they send a copy home.
Mid-terms are over now. I did OK.
Oh, guess who was here last night? Hubert Humphrey – you remember him – he’s a senator. (haha!) Anyway, he gave a speech in the auditorium and then answered questions. The first to ask a question was Paranoid – my ex-roommate. Humphrey shut him up quick enough. He landed in a helicopter on the football field. He’s a good speaker but doesn’t say anything.
Anyway, I think if we get the house – which is just down the road – I’ll be moving in next quarter.
By the way, Gene and I are inviting half of FIT out for the 4th of July Weekend so I’ll probably have to put 20 or 30 of them up, OK? You don’t mind – do you? You’d better not, Big Swamp is coming!
Write soon.
Love,
Jon
PS – (Thurs) Didn’t get the house. Might build one.