IWU celebrates homecoming with traditions, family and a new brew

“Illinois Wesleyan is a family,” said 20-year-old student-athlete Jordynn Griffin. “We are one big, happy family.”

In addition to the annual tailgating before the game between Wesleyan and Washington University of St. Louis, the square featured live music, children’s bouncy houses, food trucks and the 1850 Vendor Market, which featured local small businesses and artisans.

There were also exhibits presenting IWU over the years, Greek houses commemorating centuries of traditions, and the promotion of a new cooperation between the university and the local Destihl brewery.

Based in the Nell Eckley Lounge at the Memorial Center, university archivist Liz Bloodworth curated the Homecoming Museum, celebrating distinguished alumni and long-gone school traditions.

There were old copies of the school newspaper called “The Argus”, class materials for high school seniors from 50 years ago, and several unique items of clothing.

“We have the original costume for Tommy the Titan,” Bloodworth said.

Before the artificially enhanced mascot currently seen at the IWU Games, the student donned a costume resembling a Roman soldier, with leather armbands, a full leather apron, and a Wesleyan green cape.

Another unique feature of years gone by are the freshman caps: green soft cloth caps worn on campus until 1970, Bloodworth said.

“The freshmen wore them until the homecoming game,” she said. “And if they win, they have to burn it. If they lose, they have to wear them until Thanksgiving.”

The archivist also showed old homecoming dance cards, little books that women carried with blank lines inside.

“If a woman wanted to dance with a man, he would write his name here so she would know who she would dance with next,” Bloodworth said, holding up a piece of paper from the 1930s.

“Eventually they just became little shows,” she said.

Several fraternities and sororities celebrated important anniversaries, including Xi’s Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, which celebrated its 110th anniversary on campus.

Typically, Greek home chapters are named according to the Greek alphabet, with later chapters given two- or three-letter designations, depending on their age.

“We started the company 10 years after the Alpha chapter was founded,” said 21-year-old senior Allison Kern.

The Bloomington native, who studies marketing, is the association’s vice president of marketing.

“We are a one-letter chapter, which is really significant. There is a lot of history in our chapter, in our house, and it’s really nice to celebrate with alumni and active members,” Kern said.

Continued support is key to keeping this story alive, said chapter president Ella DeYoung.

The 20-year-old junior from Bourbonnais is studying business administration.

“This is really important to us as a department. (It) keeps our memories alive and engages our members,” she said. “And it’s a wonderful time of year.”

Tau Kappa Epsilon is celebrating its 125th anniversary as a chapter. However, uniquely, the house at Wesleyan is an Alpha chapter, meaning it was the first chapter founded, Kevin Lust said.

“Tau Kappa Epsilon, now numbering approximately 270 (chapters) nationwide, was founded here in Bloomington on Tuesday, January 10, 1899. “‘It was a cold and rainy night,'” he said, citing the motto all members learn.

Lust graduated from IWU in 1984, he said. The founding principles of the community are “love, mercy and respect,” he said.

Lust stated that one way sorority brothers confirmed their loyalty to each other was by signing letters and emails.

“Once upon a time, we used to sign all the letters… ‘Yours, in bond,'” he said.

The full sentence reads: “Yours, in the bond of brotherhood that unites us all,” Lust explained.

The chapter’s current president, Eddie Saunders, 21, had a chance to see what that meant Saturday morning, he said.

“I previously met at home with the president who graduated from school in 1974, so 50 years ago,” said the senior marketing specialist.

“Having that connection with someone who lived in the same house as me but 50 years earlier and did the same job connects you on a whole other level that you didn’t even know existed,” Saunders said.

That bond transcends generations, Lust said.

Lust said his son later attended Wesleyan, played football and even joined the same fraternity.

“He had this sense of wanting to enjoy the relationships and friendships that I was blessed with and was fortunate to enjoy for 40 years,” Lust said.