Laugh So Hard Your Guts Hurt
October 2006
Boring day? These hilarious memories will put a smile on your face and take you back to your days as an undergrad. Relive your wild days and share your memories with us at here.
What is the memory that makes you laugh hardest today?
“Hell "Help" week of the pledge class of ’49. We were the first class to do "help" week and were written up in Reader's Digest. However, the nights in the house that week weren't written up anywhere.” - Gordon L. Bisel, ’53
“One of my fraternity brothers jumping off the wall to go fight Acacia during little 500 after having 19 Jager shots.” - Seth Stevens, ’01
"The biggest laugh came with the green paint during Hell Week. Trying ro remove it was
challenging." - Dr. Richard A. Sharkey, '52
"Pledge brothers Bill Meyers, Mike Pipher & myself helped build an IU
homecoming yard display/float on the front lawn of the ATO fraternity house
when IU was taking on Ohio State in the mid 1970's. The display was a HUGE
bison or buffalo which is also the IU mascot & state symbol. We dressed
the bison in an IU Football uniform & put an Ohio State football player
(stuffed dummy) on top of the bison much like a rodeo rider on a bull. We
then decided to spice up the display by "motorizing" the football player by
shoving a pipe thru the center of the "dummy" & attached it to a bicycle
sprocket then attached that pipe thru a series of belts & pulleys to a lawn
mower engine. This would make the display come alive & look like a
bucking bronco rider. We all thought this would "guarantee" us 1st place
in the all campus IU Homecoming yard display & float contest. The signage
out front of the lawn display read, "Buck Off Ohio State". When we started
the engine we did not realize the power or speed of the motor. The "dummy"
on top of the bison was being tossed & thrown wildly in every direction
imaginable at break neck speeds. It was supposed to operate in slow
motion. Just the opposite was happening. We both laughed so hard watching
this high speed action & parts of the dummy flying everywhere, we could not
stand up & fell to the ground clutching our sides. Later as somebody
returned back to the house from an evening at Nick's English Hut, they
decided it would be hysterical to change the sign in front of the display.
It no longer read "Buck Off". I will leave the rest to your imagination.
I can say this though...traffic on 3rd street slowed to a crawl. " - Kent "Toos" Miller '76
Describe the best party
“Homecoming in those days were always a great party.” - Gordon L. Bisel, ’53
“Nights in Brown County.” - Samuel Peter Shuler, III, ‘65
“Studio 54.” - Seth Stevens, ’01
"The pre-holiday and end of the term beer parties in the chapter room...just the
guys from the house...good brotherhood feelings." - Dr. Richard A. Sharkey, '52
"
After spring break in Ft. Lauderdale Florida, we all wanted to continue
the "Floridian" atmosphere back at IU. For our fraternity's seasonal
spring party entitled "Ft. Tauderdale", we took out the basement windows &
had a dozen dump trucks drop 23 tons of sand in the basement. We made a
beach inside the fraternity house. What a great idea! Of course we
thought we could use "wet vac" vacuums to suck out the sand after the
party. So removal of the sand was never given a second thought or
considered ever to be an issue to worry about later. We'll let machines
do the work after the party. The party was a HUGE success & a legend on
campus was born. We found out later the "wet vacs" would not do the job of
removing all of the sand. So over the summer, we had to remove 23 tons of
sand from the basement.... one bucket at a time. It took a full week
working around the clock to get it all out. I remember the alumni board of
trustees walking through the house after the party in total disbelief &
amazement at both the ingenuity & stupidity of such an act. It was still a
great party." - Kent "Toos" Miller '76
Describe your favorite/best road trip
“Had no road trip trips as we only had one car in the pledge class of 23 guys. Our road trip consisted of taking the housemother, Mrs. Hancock, home after “date” nights at the house.” - Gordon L. Bisel, ’53
“Dirty weekend in Chiacgo.” - Samuel Peter Shuler, III, ‘65
“Late night run to Louisville, KY for Trixies strip club.” - Seth Stevens, ’01
"Any road trip that took as many of us that could possibly pile into a
car for an "adventure" that took us to anywhere in Florida for spring
break. " - Kent "Toos" Miller '76
What is the one memory you have shared or will share with your children or grandchildren?
“The camaraderie of the brothers all the way through the four years.” - Gordon L. Bisel, ’53
"The best memories are the ones where FRATERNITY was the keynote...initiations, ritual, brotherhood, respect for the house and each other. Please know that I was there just after WW II and the veterens were the juniors and seniors...more mature and dedicated to getting an education. With that, we had a more serious approach to fraternity life." - Dr. Richard A. Sharkey, '52
"Best one thing to share with my children & grandchildren is the "life long bond" that has developed between myself & those I knew in the fraternity during my four years there as a student at IU. 30 years later &
have the same close friends I made as a freshman pledge at ATO. They are without a doubt the best friends I have on this planet & we share a bond that knows no bounds." - Kent "Toos" Miller '76