Short Takes

Students Revive Southern Club

The Harvard Southern Club rose this Tuesday from the ashes of the defunct Harvard-Radcliffe Southern Club, which held its last meeting two years ago.

Club members said the term, "Harvard-Radcliffe," was "out of date," and that they preferred simply, "Harvard."

Scott Balderson '90, co-founder of the club and a native Virginian, said one of the club's principal activities would be to show Southern films, possibly in conjunction with a House film society. Balderson cited the annual Lowell House spring showing of the Southern favorite Gone With the Wind as a main attraction.

Balderson said the club also hopes to hold a Southern food festival--including Virginia ham, hominy grits, "real biscuits," cornbread, fried chicken, black-eyed peas and sweet potatoes.

Richard Marius, director of the Expository Writing department and Warren Professor of American History David H. Donald, will serve as the group's advisors.

The club may also publish a magazine of "creative writing and modern perspectives on Southern history," said Balderson. He said the group would not focus much on the Civil War, calling it "not the only or the most significant feature in the history of the South."

The club's membership is around 20, with students from South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Marius and Donald are from eastern Tennessee and Mississippi, respectively.

After 10 years at Harvard, Marius said he is still irritated when people try to imitate a Southern accent. "People try and they just can't do it. But then they're so goddamn proud of themselves for trying."

Lisa Congleton '92 of Kentucky said that she planned to join the Southern Club to talk to people and "not wonder where their `r's' went"--and "because nobody but Southerners can understand how I get three syllables out of the word 'damn'!"

Kroks' Alumni Form 'Harvard Squares'

What do you call four Harvard grads trying to hustle the price of a movie by singing outside their alma mater?

Well, now you call them the Harvard Squares.

It all started at last June's Grad Jam for former members of undergrad a capella groups. Peter F. Miller '85, formerly of the Krokodiloes, ran into three friends from the same group: Jeffery A. Korn '86, T.H. Culhane '85 and Paul I. Sagawa '85.

When the four met, they decided to go out to Harvard Square and sing until they earned enough money for admission to a movie, said Miller.

"We drew a large crowd so we couldn't pass up the opportunity to sing," said Korn. That very night they received their first job. A couple listening to the street concert asked the group to sing at their wedding, said Culhane.

Calling themselves The Harvard Squares, the four have since sung for banquets, weddings, and conventions, said Miller. And he said the group has just finished making a demo tape to seek greater "notoriety."

While waiting for its big break, Sagawa said the group enjoys singing in Harvard Square, especially since "people hire us off the streets all the time."

Even a night of singing without job offers can be profitable though, said Miller. An evening of singing can earn the Squares about $10 per hour per person--"which isn't bad for something you really enjoy doing."

The Harvard Squares prefer music similar to the Kroks' repertoire, but will sing whatever people want to hear. "Unlike the Krokodiloes, who have a following served on a silver platter, we don't already have a market established so we need to be adaptable," said Korn.

The Squares have no definite plans in mind, but wouldn't argue if they became rich and famous. "If I could have my wish, we would be signed with a major recording label. You never can tell. Stranger things have happened," said Sagawa.