Scott BresslerTour guides have their stories; your RAs do, too. No matter the source, there are a number of myths about the University you’ve probably heard before. Maybe you believe them, and maybe you’ve shrugged them off as urban legends. But I sought the truth. Sources ranging from innocent freshmen to the Chancellor himself have shed light on the facts behind the rumors. Prepare to have your myths busted wide open.
myth
Chancellor Wrighton invented glowsticks
It’s easy to see how this myth came about if you recall freshman convocation. All the parents hold glowsticks to light up a path from the ceremony to free frozen custard in the quad. The Chancellor is a chemist with a number of patents to his name. It’s not that hard to believe.
truth
Chancellor Wrighton did not invent glowsticks
It certainly makes a good story, but it’s not true. The actual patent belongs to Richard Taylor Van Zandt. But, the story isn’t without merit. The Chancellor did indeed do research with chemoluminescence and that helped inspire the glowstick tradition.
“I have done fundamental chemical research that relates to the chemistry of glowsticks and have been keenly interested in chemical systems that emit visible light,” said Chancellor Wrighton. “The use of glowsticks at our academic convocations stems from my first orientation program for entering students in the fall of 1995. I had the idea of using the glowsticks because the light in the evening [would help brighten] a dark path. In 1995, as I do now, I [noted] to the entering students that the University [would provide] the gift of knowledge that will illuminate their path through life.”
myth
Graham Chapel has a four-year waiting list
“I don’t think so,” says freshman Harris Schwartzreich. “There can’t be that many people who want to get married, and there are a lot of dates to get married. I would [get married there], but I’d only wait a year or two. That’s a long time to be a fianc‚.”
truth
The waiting list is not nearly that long
Looks like Harris got this one right. At its busiest, Graham Chapel can have up to three weddings a day. But don’t let that discourage you from getting hitched at your alma mater.
“I do not even accept any applications until 14 months prior [to the desired date],” said Event Coordinator Shannon Greenwell. “It doesn’t bother me that [tour guides] tell people [the list is four years long], but it is just not true. I just hope it does not discourage people from even trying to get married here.”
myth
There are no sorority houses on campus because of a brothel law
This one is a fan favorite. The myth is that an old law dictates that any dwelling with a certain number of unrelated women is considered a brothel and therefore illegal. Explanations vary from the idea that the possibility is still on the books to the idea that it was repealed too late to establish housing.
If you ask people on campus why there are no sorority houses, they’re likely to say something along the lines of what Schwartzreich told me. “It’s the brothel laws,” said Schwartzreich. “They have them in New York, too. But those laws aren’t justified. Not anymore, and probably not ever. They’re highly outdated. I think it’s kind of sexist they don’t have houses, especially if there’s no laws against it.”
Are there brothel laws in Missouri, New York and elsewhere? Apparently, this idea is so widespread that Snopes.com, an urban legends busting site, has done an investigation of their own. Their results are pretty conclusive.
truth
No laws exist classifying houses of unrelated women as brothels
According to Snopes.com, no law of such a nature has ever existed. The number of women living in a building does not provide sufficient grounds to label it a “brothel;” the designation can only be used if there is actually prostitution going on inside. Some zoning laws may state that only a certain number of unrelated people can live in one house together, to prevent unreasonable living conditions or rent abuse, but fraternities and sororities are usually exempt. Other Missouri universities have sorority houses, so why doesn’t Wash. U.?
“The Village was originally supposed to be all fraternity and sorority houses, but the sororities did not want housing,” said Jessica Gendron, coordinator for Greek housing programs. “A lot of national sororities have restrictions on housing, so it’s easier for them to just get apartments.”
So, it turns out that the sororities actually chose for themselves years ago not to have housing. It’s therefore not unreasonable that there may be on-campus sorority houses one day in the future.
myth
The South 40 isn’t actually 40 acres
The myth is simple enough. “South 40” sounds catchy. It’s a big round number.
truth
The South 40 is, unsurprisingly, actually 40 acres
“It is exactly 40 acres south of Forsyth,” confirms Jim Severine, associate director of Residential Life.
Seems this myth is just another case of Ockham’s Razor-the simplest solution is the best one.
myth
Animal House is based on ZBT
The movie Animal House, starring John Belushi, is often seen as the fraternity-defining clich‚. A few universities around the country claim to be the inspiration to the film, but did our own school give the creative spark? Well. sort of.
truth
Harold Ramis, a co-writer of Animal House, was a member of Zeta Beta Tau at Washington University
It’s entirely possible that some of the movie may have been inspired by Ramis’ experiences at Wash. U. But, most of the credit for the movie’s crazed antics goes to co-writer Chris Miller and his college days as a member of Dartmouth’s Alpha Delta Phi. Also, Ramis graduated in 1966, and college life is not the same as it was 40 years ago.
“There are certain parts of the movie that are believed to be based on Ramis’s experiences at Wash. U., but no one in our house really knows,” said ZBT chapter president Justin Snyder. “Everyone in the house enjoys the idea of Harold Ramis being an alum and we all love the movie, but I don’t think there is a very strong association between our house and the movie.”
myth
“Ghostbusters” is based on the hauntings of Whittemore House
This is another Ramis-related myth. In 2001 Student Life investigated Whittemore House, also known as the Alumni House, on rumors it was haunted. Allegedly, a 1972 ghost busting and s‚ance in the attic resulted in some frightening experiences that inspired Wash. U. alumnus Harold Ramis to come up with the idea for “Ghostbusters.”
truth
The idea for “Ghostbusters” was created by Dan Aykroyd, not Harold Ramis
While Ramis did co-write and act in “Ghostbusters,” the idea for the film was Aykroyd’s. According to the book “Making Ghostbusters” by Don Shay, Aykroyd originally envisioned the movie as a sprawling epic starring himself and fellow SNL co-star John Belushi. With budgetary limitations and the death of Belushi, however, Aykroyd and Ramis turned the script into a sci-fi comedy and rewrote the part of Belushi for Bill Murray. Also worth noting: Rick Moranis’s role was originally to be played by John Candy.
A ghost hunt in Whittemore House using infrared cameras revealed a few glowing orbs of questionable origin. Whether or not Whittemore is truly haunted is a myth for another day.
myth
If you step on the seal under the Brookings Arch, you won’t graduate
truth
Well, let’s let the Chancellor tell us himself
“Stepping on the seal in the arch linking North and South Brookings results in a curse that can result in not graduating,” said Chancellor Wrighton. “The curse can only be lifted by physically touching the Chancellor’s Medallion, [which is] typically worn by the Chancellor at commencement and other academic occasions. During my time as Chancellor, at least one person has had the curse lifted in time to graduate, but lifting the curse requires much effort and planning.”
Seriously. Those were his exact words. I’d better start planning now.
myth
Wash. U. girls are ugly
truth
the jury’s still out
The myth is false. My lawyer has advised me to make no further comments.