The 1950s were a time when fraternity brothers serenaded their girlfriends, students enjoyed Cokes or coffee at Quick's drug store Uptown, and commencement took place beneath the elms on College Green.
Hamburgers were 9 cents each at the Begorra hamburger stand on Union Street, and tuition was no more than $150 a semester.
It was such a happy time
recalled alumna Marilyn Poling Branstitter, '52. We didn't have any issues to worry about. There weren't a lot of concerns or worries.
Students of the '50s lived in all-male or all-female housing and had to abide by nightly curfews.
During the weekdays, women had to be in their dormitories by 10 p.m. On the weekends, they were usually allowed to be out until 11 p.m. or 12 a.m.
It was always a fun thing to see fellas and gals try to get their last kisses and embraces in before the ladies had to retire to the dorms said Jack Ellis, '57.
They just had the rules and you just followed them
Branstitter said. It's so different now. I don't think anybody complained
it's just what you did.
Many of the social activities of the '50s revolved around the 17 Greek fraternities and sororities that were on campus at the time. Many fraternities hosted dances at the men's gym (near present-day Lindley Hall) or at Hotel Berry, a popular hotel on Court Street.
Branstitter was a member of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and often attended Greek events on the weekends.
We danced the jitterbug a lot
Branstitter said. We could sing all the songs.
According to alumni James Patterson, '58, other popular hangouts included The Townhouse (which was located where Skipper's is today), The Tavern and The Esquire (now the Athena).
What we really liked to do was drink
Patterson said with a laugh.
Patterson chronicled his experiences while at OU in a set of three novels.
Like Patterson, one of the books' main characters lived in Biddle Hall and pledged a fraternity his freshman year. The book also tells of a conflict of cultures between newly returned Korean War Veterans and regular students at OU.
The Korean vets were proud when they came back
Patterson recalled. But people at home weren't proud of them.
When the veterans did come back, dorms on Hog Island (now East Green) accommodated the swell in the male population at OU. Branstitter said the area got its name because the wooden sidewalks always seemed to be covered in mud.
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