How Phling Was Phlung: Evolution of a Tradition

Ask any first year on campus this week what he or she knows about Philander's Phling and the response will probably resemble that of Rachel Max '13: "The only thing I know about Phling is that I don't know anything about Phling!" Although upperclassmen may know more about the dance, many would not dream of going, while others see it as the most anticipated communal event of the year. But the majority of Kenyon students have almost no idea about the history of the event itself, which goes back 20 years.

Think back to 1991, a year that most likely remains dim in the minds of current students. A donation from a Kenyon trustee sparked planning of a campus-wide event. The only requirements were that the event be fun - and alcohol-free.

In a Collegian article describing that very first Phling, Amy Kover '94 wrote, "Student Activities took the money and organized a group of students to plan a weekend of original and interesting activities." Two ideas were brainstormed and rejected before Phling came to be: "The committee had wanted to get De La Soul to perform. [It] had also wanted to secretly cancel Friday classes so that when students showed up they would find their professors replaced with comedians." In the end, the Philander's Phling Phestival was conceived, a two-night event beginning on Feb. 14, 1991. Publicity for the event was widespread, but mystifying. Kover wrote, "The committee purposely withheld the actual events of the weekend in order to grasp students' interest. [P]osters and flyers only gave the dates and left out all details."

Committee members emphasized that they hoped Phling would become a tradition, and they encouraged all members of the campus community to attend. Their dream was realized: a Feb. 21, 1991 article in the Collegian declared the event "an enormous success" and added, "Most students feel that this is an event that should be repeated.'"

And so it was. Phling was a rousing success, and this year marks the event's 20th anniversary. Past themes have included Las Vegas in '91, a speak-easy in '92 and Mardi Gras in '93. More recently, Kenyon students of 2008-09 danced the night away to a roaring '20s theme. The first Phling, however, was luxurious compared to today's parties: hot tubs were available on the patio of Farr Hall, a performer played keyboard in the Bookstore and the Kokes, Chasers and Owl Creeks sang at numerous venues on campus throughout the day.

Voices from the past recount a magical weekend that began Friday with a student-planned event and continued into Saturday and the evening dance. Recalling the first Phling, Manager of Business Services Fred Linger said: "I remember it was a big deal at the time. There were two events, on Friday and Saturday nights. I don't know why they stopped planning the Friday event."

In fact, as recently as 2006 the event was spread over two days. Phriday Phling, a variety event that has included karaoke and a Mr. and Miss Kenyon pageant, kicked off the weekend in past years. Saturday, the traditional day of Phling, rounded out the festivities with a themed night of dancing. Why the drop of the Friday festivities? Senior Class Committee member Ellie Hansen '10 explained it was partly due to a decrease in student involvement. "Historically [the planning committee] has been a branch of Social Board, but there wasn't enough student involvement," she said.

This year, Student Council is planning Phling, and the event has been organized almost entirely by students. Student Council President Jonathan Meyers '10 said that this year, "over 75 students will have helped organize or execute Phling, and that is a really remarkable achievement."

Hansen acknowledged that the Council has taken longer to plan the event than expected. "It's difficult because we're not a planning committee, so we don't have experience in planning events. Typically [Social Board] would have everything ordered by November, but we're still working on this up [until] now. We started in about December." Associate Dean of Students Tacci Smith, who advised the Phling committee for five years, said of the lack of student involvement: "I remember starting to put things together the week before Phling as well as renting large columns and theatre-type sets in order to really play with the theme. Over the years, the student committee has reduced immensely. There weren't enough hands to transform Peirce."

This year's planning committee is not the first to experience problems organizing Phling. In 2005, Phling was threatened due to both a lack of funding and tepid student interest. Its future was uncertain; some worried the dance would disappear. While Peirce Hall underwent renovations, Phling moved to the Kenyon Athletic Center, a change that was not taken well by many.

Amanda Harris '10 recalled her first-year Phling experience: "It was so cold that day, and Phling was held at the KAC, so not very many people went. You had to line up for rides back to campus because nobody wanted to walk back." She added that the dance floor - the indoor track - was so big that it was hard to mingle: "People just stood around in little groups." Hansen, too, recalled Phling in the KAC as "less formal." Even after the event's return to Peirce, its original venue, some students are still skeptical about Phling's potential as a sober event - drunken outbursts on the dance floor are not uncommon occurrences.

In the end, though, it is up to the students to make Phling a success. The excitement of dressing up and going out with friends can trump many doubts. This year's James Bond theme seems to be a key factor. "I don't consider myself a formal guy," Danny Rosenberg '13 said, "but I think for the Phling I'm excited to dress up like James Bond. I just want to dress up like James Bond."

Jeremy Leiser '13, however, was still bewildered about the event. "Phling? I don't even know what it is," he said. "When is the date? Do I need a suit?"