Bowles Hall
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Bowles Hall is an all-male residence dormitory at the University of California, Berkeley. The dormitory was the first residence hall on campus, dedicated in 1929, and was California's first state-owned dormitory. It was built in 1928 on a $350,000 grant by Mary McNear Bowles in memory of her husband, Cal alumnus and UC Regent Phillip E. Bowles. The Hall displays the unique and formidable appearance of a medieval castle, with a stone exterior and a lush wood entryway. Although a University-operated residence hall, its male-only tradition, classic facade, partitioned four-man rooms, and community facilities give it a feeling much closer to that of a social fraternity. Bowlesmen have traditionally been a tight-knit group of students who regularly practice various traditions and rituals that are exclusive to the Hall. In the 1980s, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, a prime example of the style of architecture called 'Collegiate Gothic'. The building is still being used as an all-men's residence up to this day, although some traditions have not survived.
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[edit] The Building
Designed by George William Kelham, the building has eight levels comprising two-room suites and a common room (originally designed to house two, but now housing four). The Julien and Helen Hart Memorial Library was added to the building in 1939 through the gift of Professor James D. Hart, their son, and Mrs. Joseph Bransten, their daughter. Bowles Hall also has the distinction of sitting right on top of the Hayward Fault.
In order to avoid having the aging residence hall dismantled in the late 1980s, the Bowlesmen successfully petitioned to have the building added to the National Register of Historic Places (#89000195, 1989), thereby saving it for future generations.
The hall was also designated a City of Berkeley landmark on October 17, 1988.
[edit] Bowles Hall Drinking Song
Traditionally the Cal Band parades from nearby Memorial Stadium through the campus and streets of Berkeley after a home football game. The band will play in front of Bowles Hall during their tour, playing "By" for the Bowlesmen. The tradition of playing "By" for Bowles Hall is said to have begun back when the entire football team lived there. The band would play for the players as they walked back to their dorm after the game.
We're the men of Bowles Association,
Coming here from over all the nation.
Drinking here together one and all,
We lift our voices loud for Bowles Hall!
(Chorus)
Here's to Bowles Association.
Drink it down and then,
Drink a toast to home sweet home,
Of California men. Rah! Rah! Rah!
Fill your glasses to the brim,
And lift them in the air.
And drink a toast to Bowles Association,
And the Golden Bear.
Men of Bowles are gathered here together,
Toasting everything from girls to weather.
But the very greatest toast of all,
Is the one that we now give to Bowles Hall!
(Chorus)
[edit] Other Traditions
Presidents: Each year, until recently, Bowlesmen elected a President of the hall, presidents for each class group, a treasurer and secretary. The committee was charged with organising social events (ie: famously long and rowdy parties) and was dreaded by the UC Berkeley administration.
One particularly notable election occurred in 1997/98 when a group of students ran under the slogan of the Chi Chi Party. Bowlesmen voted, by and large, for the curiously named Chi Chi party (Bowles has never had a partisan election in its history) only to find out that Chi Chi was, in fact, an inflatable monkey that provided 'spiritual guidance.' Needless to say Bowlesmen, while used to a number of frivolities, were somewhat confused. The election was also notable in that Paul Lyon (a.k.a Ringo), co-founder of the Chi Chi Party, received every vote for the Junior President post. Lyon – now, according to recent records, a financial journalist in London - also became the first non-American to hold a Presidential post for the Hall (he is English). Toby Jeg, also co-founder of the party, narrowly scraped a victory to be elected Secretary. Jeg is now a household name to millions of punk rock fans and recently founded Punk Voter.
The Dorque: The Dorque is a quasi-official member of the hall student government. His function is to hide the Thing somewhere on the premises of the hall and post a clue each week to its location. If the Thing is found before the end of the semester, the Dorque is obligated to provide the hall with a keg of beer. The Dorque is also responsible for signing the hall up for intramural sports. The Dorque for the new semester is chosen at the semester-ending banquet by the current Dorque.
The A.S.S./H.O.L.E.: The Assistant Social Secretary/Head of Light Entertainment is another quasi-official member of the hall government. His main function is to perform a comedy routine at the end of each hall meeting, ensuring good attendance at the meetings. If he fails to be funny, he suffers being showered--thrown in a cold shower with his clothes on. The A.S.S./H.O.L.E. is also the keeper of the F.F.F.F.F.F.F.F.F.
The Thing: The Thing is a quasi-polynesian statue purported to imbue Bowlesmen with "virility without fertility" as long as it remains touching the building. Hidden each semester by the Dorque and sought after by Bowlesmen.
The F.F.F.F.F.F.F.F.F.: The Formerly fractured finally fixed five fingered fickle feces fetcher is used to fetch and preserve particularly impressive Bowles bowel movements. If a Bowlsman is blessed with an unusually large stool, the A.S.S./H.O.L.E. is obligated to fetch it out of the toilet with this instrument. Rules are vague about what the A.S.S./H.O.L.E. is obligated to do with said stool.
Greetings: The traditional greeting of a Bowleman to the Hall is to yell "Hello Bowles Hall!" The traditional response is for everyone within earshot to respond "Hello asshole!" The other shouted tradition is "I hate this fucking place!" to which the response is "This fucking place hates you, too, asshole!"
Other Songs: In addition to the Bowles Hall Drinking Song, Bowles Residents crafted several other songs, including the " Stern Hall eating song" (sung to the tune of Sons of California).
Social Secretary: The job of the Social Secretary is to liven up the weekly housemeeting recanting the antics of the past week. The slogan of the Secretary is, "If you can't be funny, be crude." The Secretary traditionally opens his remarks with, "Good Evening, Gentlemen," to which the proper reply from the assembly is, "Good Evening, Asshole." Beware if you ever address a group of Bowlesmen and begin, "Good Evening, Gentlemen." In recent years the title of the Social Secretary has morphed into A.S.S./H.O.L.E. (see above)
Miles Nioga Firedancing Pile of Rubble Award For Abnormal Behavior: An award given at the end-of-year dinner to the Bowlesman with the most abnormal behavior. See The story of Miles Nioga.
Rites of Spring: In the spring on a specified weekend, Bowlesman would run naked from Bowles Hall, around the Campanile, and back to Bowles through Stern Hall, the nearby female dorm. In later years, the UC Police anticipated this event and would send a warning to the Bowles Hall Association.
A.S.S./H.O.L.E. Sandwich: If the A.S.S./H.O.L.E. is unfunny for three weeks in a row, he would be tied between two matresses naked and left in front of nearby Stern hall to be untied by the female residents. In kinder times, this rarely used but oft-discussed ritual would involve the A.S.S./H.O.L.E. in his underwear instead.
Alakazoo: During the week of finals for the last semester of the year, Bowlesmen would wrestle each other on the hill in front of the building and chant the hilariosly vulgar passage: "alakazoo, alakazam, horse shit, god damn, witch's tit, bloody cunt, rah, rah, FUCK!!" After an injury (the hill ends in dropoff that would be very dangerous if someone were to slip), this tradition was discontinued, but the chant lives on. (Note: "bloody cunt" has recently been changed to "bloody hell.")
[edit] Current status
The UC administration attempted to dismantle Bowles Hall and build a new residence hall in its place, but this was deterred when Bowles Hall was entered into the National Register of Historic Places. At some point after 1999, food service in the dining hall was ended and the dining room made into a generic "recreation room." The dining hall had previously hosted popular barbeque dinners on Friday evenings.
Through each of these incidents, the fundamental culture of Bowles Hall persisted with the continual support of returning upper classmen who mentored the younger generations in both Hall and University life. In recent years, however, the dormitory has come under fire from the university housing administration who view Bowles life as "rowdy". Starting Fall 2005, new policies were instituted. Bowles Hall now only admits freshmen and aims to promote an academic atmosphere. Bowlesmen, both alumni and current residents, contend that the move stifles long-held traditions. It does.
[edit] Famous alumni
- Norman Mineta - United States Secretary of Transportation (2001–2006)
[edit] Movie appearances
- Boys and Girls [1] - Known as Carmen Hall in the movie.
[edit] External links
- Bowles Hall Drinking Song
- Castle With a Thousand Tales
- National Registry of Historic Places, Alameda County
- Berkeley Landmarks
- More information about the building's famous architect, George W. Kelham
- San Francisco Chronicle article about banning returning students from Bowles Hall
