Backpage's Voyage through the Annals of History

By Tim Faust & Eric Doctor     2/19/09 6:00pm

Welcome to the Backpage's Journey through the Annals of History! Because the Backpage can't go online each week, we've chosen to dig up an article from the Thresher's past and put it online for the world to rediscover. We've also recorded two audio readings in case all these words get too burdensome on your eyes. Please enjoy and send any comment to backpage@rice.edu.

This week's article comes from the September 12, 1974 issue of the Thresher. All of the original text has been reproduced, including misspellings and grammatical errors.

Click here to have Tim read you the story.

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Click here to have Doc read you the story.

Baker College to sponsor cockroach concert Saturday

By HOWARD LAIDLAW

J. Martin Stewart, sophomore representative of Baker College, received official approval and an appropriation of more than $50 from the Baker College Cabinet last week for the "First Annual Baker College Cockroach Competition." Stewart's proposal resulted from a personal desire to make B&G, now under the new heading of "Physical Plant," aware of the cockroach problem in the university's residential colleges.

Baker College members desiring to enter the competition should either come by 241-242 Baker or call 523-8397. At that time identification numbers will be given for the cockroach(es). College members, including those off-campus, may enter as many cockroaches as they can catch in each of three divisions: fastest, largest, and best decorated. It is important that all the cockroaches entered in the competition be from the Baker College premises.

Cockroaches entered in the "fastest" division must have their bodies painted with their ID numbers (the numbers may also be taped on). Cockroaches can be immobilized by a small amount of moth crystals long enough to accomplish this. Wings should be clipped since flying cockroaches will be disqualified. The winner will be determined by simultaneously releasing the cockroaches from the center of a circle and catching the first one out of the circle. Preliminary heats (if any) will depend on the number of entries.

Length times width will determine the "largest" cockroach; depth does not count. Dead cockroaches may be entered. Disfigured cockroaches will be automatically disqualified (don't squish 'em). ID numbers must be attached to the cockroach's body. "Best decorated" entries will be judged on originality. Here again, dead cockroaches are eligible for competition and disfigured cockroaches will be disqualified. ID numbers must be placed on a mandatory mounting board with the cockroach. Mounting boards may be made of any practical material.

The competition will take place at 4pm, Sept. 14, next to Sewall Hall. The deadline for entries will be four hours earlier at noon. Winners of each category will receive either a case of Coor's beer or an equivalent amount of cash. A keg of beer will supplied for Baker College members. In case of any disputes the judge's decision will be final.

We regret that other residential colleges were not invited to compete. Frankly, we are Baker know that we would have been "swamped" by Will Rice and Wiess. However, we do offer our full encouragement to the other residential colleges to have their own cockroach competition. Full student support of this type of activity should make the cockroach problem so blatantly obvious that B&G will be forced to take action-hopefully, action that will make cockroach competition next year unfeasible.

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