Da Cronies

During my freshman year, ‘62-‘63, at nearby Houghton College, I fell in with a pack a’ ne’er-do-wells known as “Da Cronies.”
I probably generated the name myself.
It was comprised of most of the vaunted “Summer-School Gang,” and a few others.
The “Summer-School Gang” were all those who had to attend college summer-school to gain acceptance.
Failing that, you became cannon-fodder for ‘Nam.
I was Summer-School Gang and made it.
Houghton was at that time strictly fundamentalist; I don’t know about now.
Back then girls couldn’t even wear sleeveless dresses, and shorts were utterly beyond the pale.
Our goal was to overtake the college, and perhaps loosen it some.
All the freshman boys were in the same dormitory: Shenawana (“Shen-uh-WAA-nuh;” as in “wand” and “then”).
After your freshman year, the boys moved into private housing.
Most houses in town had way more rooms than a family needed. So the extra rooms were rented to men students.
Girls from all classes roomed in dormitories, although a few didn’t.
Most of the residents of the town were employees of the college, so in essence it was a college room in a private home.
With the Freshman boys all in the same dorm, it was easy to keep “Da Cronies” alive.
We’d gather furtively in the room of a fellow ne’er-do-well, and swap strategy.
We didn’t get very far.
Our efforts prompted fear-and-loathing among fellow students, that an evil cabal of Devil-worshipers was trying to take over.
“Da Cronies” quickly fell apart.
Pursuing a college education was more important.
“Da Cronies” lasted maybe 3-4 months, and by Sophomore year, when we all moved out into private homes, it was dead.

• “Houghton College,” in western New York, is from where I graduated with a BA in 1966. I’ve never regretted it, although I graduated as a Ne’er-do-Well, without their blessing. Houghton is an evangelical liberal-arts college.
• “‘Nam” is of course Vietnam.
• “Fundamentalist” is to be strictly religious, particularly relevant to social mores — i.e. if it’s fun, it’s sin.