Written by Janet Orgain
The longest running women’s social club on campus will celebrate 85 years of purple and white cutie pies as part of the Homecoming festivities Saturday, Nov. 6.Started in 1925, Ju Go Ju social club has been steeped in tradition and in membership. The club is not only the oldest but also one of the biggest on Harding campus.”Ever since I pledged, Ju Go Ju has really proven to be a great club,” Ju Go Ju president Erin Powell said. “We are service-driven and have a lot of unity and sisterhood.”Powell also said the club’s genuine friendliness drew her in as a freshman. Dean of Women and former club member Sheri Shearin said she joined Ju Go Ju for the same reason 45 years ago.”As a student, I felt like those girls were friendly and outgoing,” Shearin said. “They were very nice and interested in me. That really stood out at the time, not because there were so many of them, but because they stepped up to meet everybody.”Although club week did not consist of big purple hair bows, Shearin said she and her club sisters instead wore purple and white garters on their arms. The garters could not be taken off during club week, and the men’s clubs tried to steal the garters at every opportunity. Shearin also held the office of new member coordinator her sophomore year and was the “pledge mistress” for Dr. Jan Morgan, current chair of teacher education.Shearin and Morgan became roommates and club sisters as students and are still great friends today, according to Shearin.”You make friends that you have a bond with, and that bond is always there,” Shearin said. “We [Shearin and Morgan] were able to enjoy the club together. That was special then, and it’s special now.”Morgan said she enjoyed the Maypole event as a student. She said each club had a representative to “wind the Maypole” and had to practice early in the morning. Morgan also said going to Little Rock for functions was a highlight for students in the 1960s.”We loved going to Little Rock for our functions,” Morgan said. “That was big then because we didn’t all have cars. We had formals there and were dressed up. It was very important to be dressed-up, dressed-up cutie pies.”Old and new members alike will be at Harding for the 85th reunion celebration. The club is hosting a breakfast Saturday morning for former and present members to fellowship together.”The 85th anniversary is the coolest thing,” said senior Ju Go Ju member Adrienne Bryant. “There are women who came way before me that I have a bond with because of our club. We are learning about their heritage. It’s such a neat experience.”
