] e ^Bteeze Vol. M Wednesday, July n, wn, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia No. 57 Empty fire extinguisher dangerous for dorm By TERESA CAVINESS p.m., after a mattress caught all empty," said one ot the year. The extinuishers are Fire extinguishers at Shorts on fire. for pranks, be said. dormitory are now full, but at wrestlers staying in the refilled with dry chemical and "So far, we've been The wrestlers were staying dormitory. water, but they can't be kept least one was empty when a in the dorm while fortunate that nothing serious fire broke out in a second-floor "We had to go all the way up full because of "water has happened in the older participating in a tournament to the fifth floor to find one,'' battles" in the dorms, Ruff buildings" said Ruff. room June 29. The fire, sparked by a lamp he said. said. The dormitory escaped This was the second fire in knocked over onto a mattress, According to Carlton Ruff of This is not the first time this serious injury, despite the was under control within 20 the dormitory within the last the Building and Grounds has happened, said Ruff. three months. The last fire empty extinguishers, when minutes. Department, general the Harrisonburg City Fire Fire extinguishers in occurred on the fifth floor of The lamp shade came into inspections of the dorms, women's dormitories are Department was called to the direct contact with the bulb, the dormitory during April, scene. including fire extinguishers, usually full. However, in 1979 while students were still thus starting the fire, a are conducted in August and mens's dormitorys, the Approximately 90 wrestlers spokesman said. residing there. January. extinguishers aren't full The only damage incurred were evacuated from the Lake "We tried to use the fire Fire extinguishers had to be Complex dorm at about 3:15 because the residents often by the fire was the burnt extinguishers, but they were refilled about each month last empty the extinguishers to use mattress. / ve gained daughters over the years' Former housemother remembers more disciplined days By ANGELA ADKINS "I'm rather shy of publicity, a sort of shrinking violet, she said. But Neola Behrens, in spite of her self admitted lack of desire for attention, stayed at James Madison University for 11 years as housemother and head resident of Frederickson Hall. "I like being a mother. Not only have I gained what I feel to be more daughters over the years, but more grandchildren, too," she said. " She has always worked with young people in the church, the 4-H club, and other groups, "she said. When she became a housemother in Frederickson Hall in 1967, the students were answerable to the Student Government for their social actions. When a student broke the rules she was first "called down" by the House council. After three "call downs" she was put on social probation. 'Then you could only go to class, the library, the dining hall and the dorm,'' Mrs. Behrens said. In the earlier days, a housemother was required to be back in the dorm by 11 o'clock, even on her two days off. "We used to laugh about that because the seniors could stay out to one and the housemother had to be in by eleven," she remembered. Eleven years ago, girls were not allowed to wear pants or shorts on campus unless they wore a raincoat over them. Dress codes were set by standards chairmen. The changes toward more social leniency didn't bother Mrs. Behrens. She attributes this to the experiences she had with sending her own three children to college. When they were away, they were given blanket permission. "If they weren't mature enough to handle responsibility, then they weren't mature enough to go away," she said. "There are still enough guidelines here within which the student has to live." As housemothers officially became bead residents, many of the former housemothers left. But Mrs. Behrens stayed and found that parents were pleased to find a mature person in charge of the dormitory. Undoubtedly, Mrs. Behrens has shared experiences to both extremes with her girls. She still keeps in touch with some that she met her first year here. As a general observation, she notes that the girls today seem to be more studious and aim for a higher level of achievement because of JMU's increasing demands. "I have always had good students," Mrs. Behrens said. Through the years she has had few behavorial problems with her girls. "The girls who lived in Frederickson were more 'conservative'.They always took pride in living in Frederickson and in their surroundings," she said. Mrs. Behrens says the change to the more intensive ten-day orientation for head residents reflects the changing university. "Though the basics are repetitious, there is always something different: dealing with the alcohol policy, and new visitation rules," Mrs. Behrens said. "It was always worth the time," she said. The Mrs. Behrens, the changes in social policies seem to be the most effective. "Many students had a much less restrictive lifestyle at home than they had at Madison. The changing policies are more consistent with what the students were used to at home," she said. Mrs. Behrens returned to her home in Broadway for "personal reasons." "Now I just have to adjust to the change, which will be hard," she said. She chose to be a housemother for 11 years, she said bluntly, Neola Behrens at her Broadway horn e "Because I liked it!" rmm Page 2, THE BREEZE, Wednesday, July 11. W7» Keg rolling from coast to coast the keg rolling an annual said. AU five were presidents department worked with him a TKE alumni. By TERESA CAVINESS "This is the largest service event. Beer kegs are good for more of their fraternities, he added. so he was able to leave school early to participate in the project any fraternity has Muench thinks the response than Just a party One of the five was on the ever done, "Muench said. The to the project will be more From May 31 to June 11 this road at all times, said event which began in Boston positive next year because Muench. The group stopped on March 31 and reached Los event had been planned for year, some nationwide Tau two years, he said. they proved this year they Kappa Epsilon fraternity every night to get about six Angeles June 11. could complete the entire hours of sleep, he said. Muench said he had to cram The national TKE brothers used beer kegs to organization wanted to get all route. help raise money for a The coast-to-coast trip was all of his work into a few weeks. His grades suffered, of the chapters united under The TKE chapter should x hospital. divided into segments with benefit from this event by different TKE chapters he said, but he was able to one goal. So, according to A James Madison Muench, St. Jude's was getting more involved in fund- University graduate was one having responsibility for graduate on time. raising, Muench said. certain distances, Muench The event was promoted chosen as the national charity. of flVe representatives from This helps both St. Jude's The biggest problem of TKE fraternity that took part said. around the country by many fraternities, is they in a coast-UM*>ast "beer keg One chapter pushed the keg Entertainer Danny Thomas, and the fraternity itself. founder of St. Jude's and a Each chapter also has its don't feel they are part of a rolling." along a cart until they were national organization,Muench metby members of the next former member of TKE at the own local service projects to Warren Muench, former work with. said. president of James Madison chapter, he said. University of Toledo. Apparently, TKE has solved Each chapter was According to Muench, there St. Jude's and the National University's TKE chapter and TKE fraternity hope to make that problem. a 1979 graduate, participated responsible for fund-raising in was a lot of network news in the two-month «vent to their respective cities. coverage. raise money for St. Jude Money was raised by the About five television Children's Research Hospital. fraternity members by stations and 179 newspapers TKEs from around the getting sponsors to agree to across the nation covered the for the two of you country took part in the event, pay them a certain amount for event, he said. but only five, including each mile the keg was "They didn't think we would Muench, stayed with the transported. Donations were make it all the way to Los project the entire route from also accepted. Angeles so they hadn't Boston to Los Angeles. "The goal was $300,000, but Snned any major publicity "We tried to hit as many we aren't sure how much we us when we did get there," major cities as possible," said made because money is still Muench said. »' Muench in a telephone coming in." Muench said. After the croup reached interview. "We left Boston However, he added, the trip California, a final rally was and rolled through New York paid for itself. held at the ABC Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Muench had to leave the keg Entertainment Plaza in Columbus, Ohio to name a rolling half-way through the Beverly Hills. few," he said. trip so he could fly back to After the trip, the hospital "We traveled all country JMU to receive his degree in had planned a weekend for the and state roads," said communication arts.