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Chapel Sing

Posted in Audie Kaufman '17

 

Yesterday morning was Chapel Sing 2013! A grueling forty minutes of painstaking singing of the school song with the occasional Sphinx Club member dropping by to see how well you can sing the school song. And by “dropping by” I mean one, two, or three Sphinx Club members dropping by to yell in your ear different lines of the song, singing at different tempos louder than you, or just generally messing with you. All in the attempt to get the singer to mess up even one world, red card them, and send them into the Chapel to get a red W at their second time of seeing the song. Fare enough to say, it is not easy or altogether pleasant doing this for forty minutes. However, it is very rewarding when all is said and done.

Chapel Sing has been around for over one hundred years now and is among the stronger of traditions at the college. Only Sphinx club members are allowed to participate with the competitors, which are every fraternity’s pledge classes and any independents that may wish to participate. The Sphinx, if you do not know, is also one of the more noticeable “traditions” of the college. Wally’s attire is model after the Sphinx Club overalls and pot in fact. The idea of the Sphinx Club is to protect and continue on the traditions of the college as time passes over the years, and to keep Wabash strong and founded in its cultural roots.

This year Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) walked away from Chapel Sing with only one W, and a good showing as one of the Top Five pledge classes to go into the Chapel for a group singing. However, because of that one W a disappointing fourth place came in the end to the pledges of Phi Gamma. Now, Chapel Sing is also apart of a point system and event in all of Homecoming itself. The other items being how each house is to build a float, banner, devise a chant, and choose a queen. Yes, choose a queen. No, it is not a real woman. Oh the luxuries of all male… But, each of those count for different points in the competition, with Chapel Sing have the greatest number of points. By the end of the week all items are judged and a fraternity is awarded as the winner of their respective events and Homecoming altogether. It can also be the most stressful week of the year for some freshman, but well worth the results that come with it.

WAF.

 


Chapel Sing

Posted in Alejandro Reyna '17

Chapel Sing today was something to remember. I never took my eyes off that American flag. Though we independents did not make it into the chapel, we fought to the end. I am really proud of all the independents that participated in Chapel Sing. We put in the work and made the decision to represent all freshman independents. And we did a damn good job. 

I was third from the front of the line so I could not see how many Sphinx were on us. But I definitely could feel it. My buddy behind me had at least one or two Sphinx on him the entire time. He never stopped nor did he crack. He pushed through and made it.

We lost this battle, but that was just the beginning of homecoming weekend.  We still have our Queen to show off, our float, banner, and fire side chant. It has been a crazy week and we are going to finish strong.

Don’t forget to check out the bench. We had a ton of independents go out and help all day to guard and paint. The design is actually nice thanks to Martindale’s Kolby. Enjoy it for the rest of homecoming.

I find it very amusing that all freshman in fraternities had to wear their pledge pins.  Funny not because I just want to laugh at my friends in pledge-ship, but because we independents ironically wore American-Flag pins. Resprsenting the freedom and the victors. 

I’ll leave it at that.

 

 

 


Chapel Sing: My Thoughts on that

Posted in Bobby Black '17

So, Chapel Sing. Yeah…

I really don’t know what to say about this.

I’m not saying it was bad. Rather, it was an experience; all the guys standing in their lines, singing while Sphinx Club members try to catch them slipping up, all of it is better if the viewer is present than if they’re just reading about someone talking about it. Being new to this experience, I have no idea if it’s better watching or singing (probably singing), but most of the participants seemed to have fun… although some of the Sphinx Club members seemed to have had a little too much fun.

That, however, is not a bad thing; it is the job of the Sphinx Club to protect and spread the traditions of Wabash. Chapel Sing is a very important tradition, and they need to make sure that everything runs as smoothly as possible, otherwise the entire experience is lost. Yes, I could try to make an argument that they should have eased up a little with hunting down people making mistakes, but I don’t think it would be a very strong argument. They’re just doing their job, and we can’t blame them for that.

If any non-Wabash readers are here, I would recommend going to Chapel sing sometime in the future, just for the experience. I’m not saying you should fly halfway across the country just to see a bunch of guys singing a song (although that hasn’t stopped people from going to rock concerts), but if you ever happen to be visiting on Homecoming Week, stop by and check it out. I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourself.


Football’s A Sport!

Posted in Uncategorized

This weekend was the first home football game here at Wabash. A game that involved students, fraternities, alumni, faculty, but no bus loads of women. Still waiting on those bus loads of women as we enter Week 4. The Wabash Football Team came out to smash Hanover 69-0 for those of you considering to come play football here at Wabash as a side to your studies. While not very much (at all) of a football fan myself, I’d have to say the game was rather fun. More so, the crowd was rather fun this weekend. A packed stadium of alums, students, other people’s girlfriends, and families gave off a positive attitude throughout the game. Other than tailgating like the alumni that came to visit or the other fraternities, possibly the best part of the game day was singing the school song after every Wabash touchdown. Also, watching the Sphinx Club do somewhere over 300 pushups to represent each touchdown. That’s the thing for any of you considering Wabash to know, all Wabash students associated with fraternities HAVE to learn the school fight song for Chapel Sing, and at football games the Wabash crowd sings after every home touchdown.

On another note for those of you not interested as much in football, this week was the first week of cross country practice where Wednesdays are a “free” recovery day and Sundays are a mandatory long run practice at 7:30 AM. Going from the first half of the week I the 90s to 55 this morning, you can definitely feel Fall weather just around the corner. The team drove out to Shades State Park for the second time this season to do our various long runs on the somewhat sketchy trails of the forest. A cold morning, packed cars, and 10 to 20 miles later depending on who you are, and the 55 degree weather no longer nipped at the skin but refreshed it. To say college running is different from high school running is an obvious statement, but to say Wabash College running is different to any other program seems justifiable in my eyes. A great group of guys, from as far as Texas and California, to as close as down the street from Wabash, this truly is a great team of guys to run with every day.


It’s You

Posted in Alejandro Reyna '17

Good Morning !

Little Giants opened the football season and just obliterated Hanover. Six interceptions by Wabash and the only three passes one of the offensive quarterbacks took were all picked. Sphinx Club led us in our singing of “Old Wabash” and then were obliged to do their push-ups.

The ambiance of the game was something else. When I first came into the stadium I hadn’t noticed that my Religion Professor, Dr.Baer, was literally two seats next to me. I still can’t stop thinking about how awesome that is. I’m sure if I were at a school like University of Houston or even that school just south of here, I would rarely see my professors outside of classes let alone a football game.

Dr.Baer enjoying the season opening game

The spirit and unity from independents was more than I expected. It’s not high school in anyway: cohesion of freshman and upperclassman is very much alive. The “You’re a freshman and your crap” creed is more of a myth now. Upperclassmen are very keen to help you out with homework and more importantly personal problems.

But this is a push and pull system because if you are not willing to be social and get out there no one is going to seek you out. I’m not saying that there aren’t at least of couple of guys that think their crap doesn’t smell, but those guys find out quick that they are not getting the attention they are looking for. It is always obvious when someone is just trying to seek attention or want to be a “popular kid.”

Being yourself is always the way to go. The pivotal difference of high school and college. The superficiality of high school is polar opposite of collegiate reality. Life is finally among you and the decisions you make are actually Your decisions. No none is going to dog down your time or say what your potential is.

You are you and you make you.