Artwork by
Dennis Murphy

For the students, by the students

After the exciting game against Colorado on Saturday, October 2, the real party began. To close off an excellent AgWeek, the Centennial Barnwarming Celebration went off without a hitch! There was great music, fun and good friendships reconnected all in one night! Alumni’s of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources were in attendance. They reminisced about all the memorable moments that stuck out during their college career. Allen Purdy, Horticulture major, Edward Wicklem, Entomology major, and Morris Burger, an Agricultural Engineering major, recalled their college moments as vivid as the day they met. Purdy served as Associate Dean in the college in 1949 until 1958.

“I started the office of scholarship and student financial aid,” Purdy said.

“I grew up with no electricity and water in my home. When I came to the college of Ag, I met Allen Purdy and he made me feel so welcome,” Wicklem said.

“We became good friends after that,” Burger chimes in.

From the way these men were talking, you could tell that their years at Mizzou created a wonderful relationship. The three men were a few of many men who were walking around with paddles in their back pant pockets that read Ruf Nex.

“The Ruf Nex was an Agricultural Honorary Leadership Fraternity,” Purdy said. There were three Ag Frats that alternated positions in ruling the college, including Farmhouse. Going through the initiation process was the craziest thing if you wanted to become part of the organization.

“When I lived in 301 Graham, they came and got me and took me way out in the middle of the country blindfolded. They had me stand up and they unzipped my pants and poured molasses down my britches! When you try to walk, the molasses pulls at the hair on your legs, it was so painful!” Wicklem said.

This was just one of many initiation tactics. Men also had to go to class with some object, such as a bail of straw with a sign on their shirt with a funny joke written on it. There were also rules to get into the Ruf Nex parties.

“That Saturday of my initiation, in order to get into the dance, I had to bring a redheaded date. This was a problem for some because their girlfriends or wives didn’t have red hair, so they had to buy them a wig or take another girl!” Wicklem said.

Besides the Ruf Nex initiation tactics, barnwarming had traditions that were just as funny and ridiculous that kept everyone entertained. Denny Pogue, a former chairman in 1979 for barnwarming began to tell the traditions of barnwarming that are no longer around today.

“There were four main groups including the Ruf Nex and Ag Club that rotated each year to organize the barnwarming,” Pogue said. “If someone brought a non Aggie date, in order to enter barnwarming the girls had to kiss a goat or the men had to kiss a sheep.”

The Aggies also had another tradition that wasn’t exactly talked about in front of administrators, spolioli. Spolioli was an alcoholic drink that was made every year during AgWeek. The drink was made with fruit juice, and some form of alcohol, garnished with fresh fruit.

“We made the drink in trash cans and NOT on University property,” Pogue said. “That tradition has been around since the 40s or 50s.”

To cap off the barnwarming celebration, no matter what year you were in the college, people were always excited to see who the crowned queen of barnwarming was. That tradition is still going on today, and to add to the phenomenal women on the list, Lorin Price was crowned on Friday night.

“I was very surprised when I won, there are so many outstanding young girls in our college, and that says a lot about our college,” Price said. She was nominated by the CAFNR Student Ambassador team.

When asked what barnwarming means to her Price said, “Barnwarming means tradition and upholding tradition, with a celebration of all the hard work students put in for the week.”

Centennial Barnwarming turned out to be a great success with about 250 participants. The food catered by the students in the Hotel and Restaurant Program was delicious complete with down home potatoes, green beans and delicious rolls! Everyone partied the evening away with the wonderful tunes of the Z Band.

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