Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Private 10 co1u111 Over the years barhopping has been one of the most famous and pleasurable pastimes to the average USC student. This respected routine has fulfilled many of their basic social drives; whereby the student mingled with some of society's extraordinary characters, relieved the com plexities of academic life with a cold beer or a finely mixed drink, hopefully began new friendships with the opposite sex, became better acquainted with a date, or procured the carnal delights of a one night stand. In the past, Columbia has been blessed with a wide variety of bars and nightclubs to further these pursuits. Since Columbia is a college town, the surplus of bars enabled the average student to individually size up the diverse pursonalities of his fellow classmates at the varied watering holes. The Campus Club, for example, has been stereotyped as a "freak" hangout, while Don's supposedly drew the more typical South Carolinian--complete with his country twang and his fettish for both beach and Top 40 music from a nostalgia era that was better left dead than revived. More or less, each bar was stereotyped with its own particular cast of die-hard sup porters. In the course of a night, though, a devoted barhopper could experience each bars' crowd and almost every facet of a students' drinking life and then decide sometime during the evening which atmosphere suited his tastes. That is what made barhopping a novelty; if the Montrous new spok L.im burger cheese by any other n just the same. And so it is with La, many ways, defies description; an< sanity of all, this is just the way it help clear the air, particularly sin Floral Glade, we have asked that we] Paul Stookey to describe this phenonr journalism. IIere then is his opinioi satirical pleasure and edification. Lamar l,aru. Lamar L,aru is a la beast having four separate, and distinctive legs, and a monstrous bo of tiny scales. At one end of the larg we find an almost monstrous hea< them, two flaming nostrils--the met which sometimes reaches 212 degre the other end of the large monstrous is, we, ah, ah..Lets see. Lam Larui is a large mythological b4 sepa rate, anid therefore quite distinc large monstrous scale...with t legs??? Lamar laru? As you can see, it is quite impossib) l,amar Laru. Hlowever, I am sur(' have quite a few names for him, none pleasant. Bu to be honest for just on m'ore' than we have experiencedI o)llege administration, the c'onceplt -; .1EthinI)g EJou new. for The ( no clubs h )ia barl barhopper was dissatisfied with the patronage of one local business, he or she could always leave in search of a more distinct atmosphere. Barhopping was an enjoyable arrangement for most, that is, until last year. Once Slaggers Saloon opened its doors a revolution occurred on the Carolina scene. Instead of open house, the Saloon sold mem berships. Furthermore, it in troduced the mixed drink as a viable rival to the traditional king beer. Liquor enhanced the cards attraction because it could be sold on Sunday, a unique experience in S.C. Most of all, it offered nothing more than a gimmick for the Carolina student making it fashionable to join a private club. The phenomenal growth of this new fad during the past year was amazing as private membership nightclubs fourished throughout the college scene. The Left Guard and the Tabard Inn are two examples. Also, many bars once open to the public reorganized their setups and became private clubs, Warehouse and Don's to name two quick examples. Con sequently, mixed drinks and becoming a priviledged class became popular at Carolina. Obviously, barhopping suffered. With the new restriction policy popular, a student without a membership faced being locked out. No longer would he or she make the rounds on a chosen bar circuit. Because of a limited selection, the barhopper must Lamar L esmen for ame would smell there is not one bu nar Laru. He, in And here is how I perhaps for the There are mar should be. But to coverage but for ce we are out of make it because t I known professor department. Thi enon of collegiate column is written offered for your one to five people efforts of its writi (diced eye at the w< irge mythological Nicholas von Ho therefore quite an ostrich. We w ly with thousands disagree, let us kni e monstrous body know also. We wil I with two, count let us know about I n temperature of Lamar to look at. es centigrade. At want to know the body, we ah, that ('erned, just send ar I aru. Lanmar to: ast having four ive nostrils andl a If you don't tell m housands of tiny Gamecock D)rawer A University of Soul te to put a label oni Columbia', S.C.: Ihat many people of which are v'ery P.S. A very sp( e minute, which is those kind words. rom our (curi "t we suggest you ge of Lamar Laru is and Mlary in (Conc nek For vnn S&'' urt toppers settle for a secondary facility, usually causing his primary drives to continue unfulfilled. A few public beer halls remain, such as the Campus Club and Twilite, but they possess little charisma and definitely do not offer much other than a beer or quick pan of the crowd. Thus, it appears that the art of barhopping is a dying institution. A good friend of mine once said when describing campus life at USC, "Things never change--they just tend to run in circles." This is a fair evaluation of fads and trends at Carolina over the past decade as causes and popular beliefs come and go with an undesirable regularity. For example, witness the volunteer movement of the 60's when the majority of Carolina's students joined organizations that advocated their beliefs. These beliefs were often so strong that violence occurred in the form of th,e 1970 riots. Today, though, that involvement has turned to in differentism. Another notch in the circle has turned. It seems that USC students can never remain serious or interested enough in any one cause to guarantee anything but its short term existence. Change is the unwritten law at Carolina. This change over the years has also affected the social needs of the students through their choice in bars. One nightclub might remain popular for a year or two and then be avoided as if the Bubonic irus USC several Lamar Larus (God forbid). the concept works. iy things that deserve newspaper one reason or another don' t ever bey just don't fit into any particular is was hatched Lamar Laru. The by the collective typewriters of from atnd reflects the caustic and satirical ars as they look with a rather jaun rId in which we live. ffman we are not, but neither are we ill call it like we see it. And if you ow. And oh yes, if you agree, let us I need all the help we can get. Also, I-a-p-p-e-n-i-n-g-s that you would like If this doesn't satisfy you and you real and true identity of all con a stamped, self-addressed envelope e, I'll hold my breath and turn blue h Carolina ~9208 ~cial thank you to Paul Stookey for If you would like to hear more, may' ta copy of the record Peter, Paul, ert. entertainment About campus Chuck Cromer Gamecock Staff Photo by Russell Jef"coat Barhopper's delight Plague had run rampant within its were presented. Why? Because walls. This appears to have been one of our party was wearing a the case of the Campus Club and USC tee-shirt. Supposedly tee The Other Place where one has shirts were not considered proper seen its crowds dwindling over the attire by the management. years and the other has closed its However, it was proper attire for doors completely. this employe as he wore a tee-shirt. To further the insult this man at If fads and movements at the door allowed a girl, definitely a Carolina have short lives, as minor, wearing a very flimsy and history suggests, then the revealing halter top to enter fascination for the private club without comment or interruption. will be no exception. After con- Is this justice? Consistency? ducting numerous interviews, it Objectivity? appears to me that one appealing aspect of private clubs is their But maybe another notch in that mask of sophistication and their endless circle may soon be turning. concept of the "better people". Many students feel a sense of Two formerly private insitutitons security and conceit by being have recently revamped their above the pettiness of their con- programs and dropped the title of temporaries through private *'for members only". Don's never membership. In a way mem- really seemed to be totally pleased bership holders feel screened from with the private club lable and has the '"riff-raff" that inhabit public seemingly decided to open its bars. facility to anyone over eighteen That rationalization has years old. Mixed drinks are still distorted their objectivity and available but membership cards sense of position in a college at- are not required. mosphere. What is worse, this The Warehouse tailed conm concept of feeling important and pletely as a private club and ap bigotry has affected the objectivity parently sold out to new managers of the clubs' managers. who renamed it the Oar House and An excellent example of this set up a policy of anything goes and hypocrisy was suffered through by only a one drink selection--draft this writer at the newest and now beer. the most popular private college Thtunbtofheewoar bar, Oliver's Pub. The pub claims i oiyadpplrt-fo to upgrade its clientele by what mdor rwr opce aimounts to "proper attire"hossadteiibedlnef through a dress code. Yet the clubse'rlpiaelusmybprf doesn't obey its own rules. I andthtbropgmaocegine some friends were confronted atprfreovrriaecbs.s Oliver's and refused entrance eventie osb.th brhpm lfe mebrhpceetas eviral priateclubs may reprot f