The recent flap over student drinking is nothing new. This activity extends far back into the history of early Ypsilanti papers. One 1910 account details the riotous visit of rowdy Ann Arbor students to the demure, tea-drinking town of Ypsilanti.

It was a quite a shock to our quiet city.

However, alert police work by our capable officers gently dissuaded the miscreants from wreaking further damage. With typical Ypsilanti generosity, we even gave one gentleman free overnight accomodations in one of our most popular lodging-houses!

"A University fraternity, reported to be the Chi Psi, came here Friday evening to initiate one of their members," said the December 10, 1910 Ypsilanti Daily Press. "The fraternity had rented the basement of the Hawkins House where the initiation took place. A little keg party was one of the closing features of the initiation."

Cheered by their brotherly quaffing, the fraternity members left the hotel determined to raise a hearty salute to their host city.

First they tried to enter a dance in the Ypsilanti Armory. When told it was by invitation only, they waited until the dance ended and then had words with the manager, William Daley. Daley politely remonstrated with the men, but was forced to call for aid from local police and swear out a warrant for their arrest. The group fled.

Next, the men decided it would be the height of rebellion to steal a car! They snagged one outside a downtown restaurant, Bonnie and Clyde style (except for the Bonnie), and drove it to the railroad depot, a delirious rampage of half a mile. There they parked it. Mission accomplished!

The evening's denouement came when the group entered a downtown laundry. The frightened proprietor fled as the students indulged in depraved debauchery by doing some laundry. Unfortunately, their inexperience with the subtler arts of Ypsilanti laundry techniques resulted in their breaking a couple of things.

One of the students, George Cramer, was arrested. "He pleaded guilty [to assault and battery] and was fined the costs, $5.15," said the Press. "He also paid Hing Wing $4 for breaking some of the machinery in his laundry on Washington Street."

Two days later the fraternity denied everything. "They point to the absurdity of a fraternity leaving a well furnished house to hold an initiation in another city," said the December 12 Ypsilanti Daily Press.

"Just who the offenders were, no one thus far seems able to determine. . . this much is positive, however--the visitors were here, considerable disgraceful disturbance was created, the Chinaman [sic] was badly scared, the laundry machine was broken and one young fellow was released [after paying for] the crippled shirt polisher."

At least the students got home safely. Another in 1932 wasn't as lucky. "[U-M student] John Kulick. . . is drinking hot lemonade and swallowing quinine tablets today as result of a reluctant outing in Prospect Park at 1:30 this morning," said the April 11, 1932 Ypsilanti Daily Press. "He told police that he had been forcibly removed from his bed, his head wrapped in a blanket, and had been left in the park here after being driven around in an automobile."

The paper continued, "His pajama clad figure attracted the attention of Sergeant Ernest Klavitter and Patrolman Laidlaw who saw to it that he obtained a ride to Ann Arbor with four men who were going that way."

Once again, Ypsilantians extended courtesy to visiting wayward youth. "Kulick had borrowed a pair of slippers and a robe at 611 North Prospect St. before police found him."

One U-M student encountered a less charitable response in Ann Arbor. Since the May 22, 1937 Ypsilanti Daily Press article "Impetuous Youth Puts Flavor into Government Work" cannot be improved upon, it is hereby quoted in its entirety.

"Every now and then novel ideas concerning the proper method of carrying out government services are born in a student's mind, and with the impetuosity that gives youth its charm and gets it in occasional trouble, an attempt is usually made to put them into practice.

"This may have been true in the case of of one Robert David, who at the age of 20 has formed some ideas of how to make the dull and routine envelopes in which students receive their daily mail more interesting and novel in appearance.

"In pursuance of this idea, and apparently wishing to get an early start on his work, he began at one o'clock this morning to pour catsup in the mailbox at E. Liberty and S. Fourth Sts. and was really warming to his work when he noticed a police officer who had come up behind him and who was watching the process not without interest, although definitely lacking in appreciative approval.

"As a result of the officer's reaction Mr. Davis was considering the merits of his plan in the county jail this morning where he is awaiting arraignment in justice court on charges of intoxication and disorderly conduct."

For all the depredations these U-M students committed, even this Ypsilantian has a grudging respect for their creativity. Show me one modern-day U-M student who expresses his tipsiness by kidnapping one of his brethren and abandoning him in his pajamas in a distant park, or crippling a shirt polisher, or seasoning mail.

And modern students merely want to get drunk?

Amateurs!

Laura Bien is the author of "Stud Bunnies and the Underwear Club:
Tales from the Ypsilanti Archives," to be published this winter. She
also writes the historical blog "Dusty Diary" and may be contacted at
ypsidixit@gmail.com.

"Historical Tidbits" is published every Friday on AnnArbor.com.