Regarding the "January Madness" editorial in the Jan. 22 edition of The Chronicle: Don't you students have anything else to do? I realize that I graduated in the dark ages and may be ridiculed for being hopelessly out of touch, but the continuing angst expressed in The Chronicle about the tent policy (you don't seem to camp out anymore) is really sad. Way back when I was a student, most of us rarely camped out. And when students set up tents, they actually stayed in Krzyzewskiville. All night. Until the doors opened for the game. And only the actual people camping out in the tents were in line. Pretty wacky, huh? You know what else? For almost every game, you could show up a few hours or so before the doors opened, get in line and get into the game. Of course, we had other things to do besides set up tents-we had kegs.
And despite not pitching tents for weeks, we were ardent fans who loved our team every bit as much as-if not more than-current students. Maybe we were too crazy. The Washington Post thought so, and former University president Terry Sanford did send his avuncular letter. Of course, in those days we were thrilled when the Blue Devils made the tourney, let alone the Final Four. The 1986 Final Four was amazing, maybe because we hadn't demanded an annual trip as a birthright. An earlier letter to the editor criticized the paid attendance for failing to cheer during the Clemson game. But in that game, it sure seemed from the telecast that the student section, too, was eerily silent. Maybe that garish orange color puts people in a stupor.
K-ville was always a great party and fun tradition. Why let the student government spoil it with absurd rules? You're smart, you'll think of something. And if you can't trust your fellow students to be line monitors, then you've got bigger problems than dealing with power-mad student government weenies.
Barbara Lentz
Trinity '87
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