Tapping Ceremony

Wheel and Chain members at the annual tapping on the steps of Old West in 1961.

Members of Raven's Claw outside Old West in 1969 following the tapping ceremony. Members from the class of 1969 are standing on the steps, while newly initiated members of the class of 1970 wearing their white hats are standing below.

The new initiates, left to right, are Joseph Pizonka, Alan Witkowski, Thomas Wallitsch, Eric Drake, James Nolan, David Ott, and Paul Teitelbaum (later withdrew)

Wheel and Chain members at the annual tapping on the steps of Old West on April 13, 1971.

Top Row: Karen Engle, Mary McCullough, Dorsey Green, Jan Brittan, Martha Purvis, Karen Pflug-felder

Bottom Row: Debbie Siegel, Donna Stephens, Cathy Biondi, Mary Moser, Mrs. Carolyn Rubendall

Wheel and Chain members from the class of 1981, near the end of their year of service at the annual tapping for new members in April 1981.

Left to Right: Kay Belyea, Lori Anne Tucker, Pamela Foster, Ellen Nicholson, Melanie Nash, Mary Beth Monaha, Colleen Miller, Karin Holm

View of the annual Wheel and Chain tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West in 1983.

A new member of the Raven Claw Society is inducted in front of Old West.

View of the Wheel and Chain tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West in 1984.

A member of Wheel and Chain at the annual tapping ceremony in front of Old West in 1984.

A Wheel and Chain member at the annual tapping ceremony outside Old West in 1984.

Wheel and Chain members prepare to tap new members in a ceremony on the steps of Old West.

View of two Wheel and Chain members at the annual tapping ceremony in spring 1984.

A student receives his "white hat" from a previous member of the organization, that is formally called Raven's Claw Society, in the tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West.

View of the Raven's Claw tapping ceremony in front of Old West in 1986.

View of the Wheel and Chain's annual tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West in 1986.

Wheel and Chain members during the annual tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West in 1986.

Several Wheel and Chain members celebrate at the annual tapping ceremony in April 1987.

Several Wheel and Chain members celebrate at the annual tapping ceremony in front of Old West in April 1987.

View of the annual Wheel and Chain tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West in April 1987.

View of the annual Wheel and Chain tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West in April 1987.

Third from right: Carolyn MacMurtrie ('88)

View of the annual Wheel and Chain tapping ceremony on the steps of Old West in April 1989. These individuals are members of the Class of 1990. The woman in the foreground is an honorary Blue Hat.

Left to Right: Alexandra "Alex" R. Don Konics ; Angela "Angie" Fernandez ; Sarah Hardon, Virginia (Ginny) Garrison ; Beth Allen ; Mary Rushton ; Lisa Putnam ; Janis Escallier ; Kathy Mighell ; Nicole Treole ; [unknown]

The newest members of Wheel & Chain, also known as the Blue Hats, are tapped in a ceremony on the steps of Old West on April 6, 1989.

Row One (L to R): Wheel and Chain Class of 1990 - 1) Alexandra R. (Alex) Don Konics, 2) Angela (Angie) Fernandez, 3) Sarah Hardon, 4) Virginia (Ginny) Garrison, 5) Beth Allen, 6) Mary Rushton, and 7) Lisa Putnam.

Row Two (L to R):  Wheel and Chain Class of 1989 - 1) Jennifer Dotts, 2) Randi Silverberg, 3) Kim Harrison, 4) Lee Anne Atkins, 5) Lisa Mills, 6) Cathleen Bannigan, and 7) Susan Little.

Row Three (L to R): Wheel and Chain Class of 1990 - 8) Janis Escallier, 9) Kathy Mighell and 10) Nicole Treole (not shown).

Row Four (L to R): Wheel and Chain Class of 1989  - 8) Jennifer Burt, 9) Kathy Vaclavik, and 10) Kathleen Sweeney (not shown).

A Wheel and Chain member at an annual tapping ceremony around 1990.

View of the Wheel and Chain annual tapping ceremony in front of Old West in May 1991.

New members of Wheel and Chain receive their blue hats during the tapping ceremony in spring 1992.