1961 CLAN Prank

We were fortunate to attend school in a period before a need for metal detectors, campus cops, or drug testing. There were no school shootings, nor any fear of them...they didn't happen and had not been a part of our society at any time before ours.

Pranks, on the other hand, were a regular part of our days and some of them really rose to a point of high creativity. Others were more naughty than clever, but nonetheless funny to those in on the gag. One of the more famous pranks of early EHHS is the picture accompanying this piece. Published not once, but twice in the 1961 Clan, it has enjoyed a half-century long cult status amongst those in on the gag and some of their friends.

Although I've known the picture for years, I didn't notice the protruding center digit until it was pointed out by a '61 correspondent. There have been at least 2 names assigned to the digit's owner, one of which was offered by a participant in that day's photo call. The eye witness account gives credit to David Teague for the momentary spasm.

These kinds of things were often tried in both the CLAN and TARTAN publications and were usually caught by the faculty sponsor. However, in this case the CLAN sponsor was an Ivy League grad, so maybe she wasn't quite ready to ride herd on some rowdy young Texans. You would also have to consider that someone on the CLAN editorial staff was in on the deal, but no one has claimed credit from that group.

Adios