It is Thursday, October 19, 1989.  Students purchase Tea (Beer) Cards for a mere $7.50.  The cards, available to students with proper I.D., provide students with unlimited beer for the duration of the 49er’s celebration.  Without the purchase of a Tea card, students may pay 50 cents for a cold cup of beer.  Two types of beer are available: “Lowenbrau, for the manly men, and Miller Lite for the girly men.”  A spirited drinking competition takes place on Friday. 

The student who can guzzle the fastest and the student who can bounce the best quarter will receive a generous prize.  “Saturday kicks off with Bloody Mary Breakfast at the Capitol Bar.”  The event, sponsored by the S.A., encourages students to wake up at the rooster’s crow.  During the entire 49er’s celebration, vans run back and forth around campus, providing stumbling students with a courteous ride. 
   An anonymous alumnus from 1982 comments that, “The weekend was filled with crazy activities.  One competition encouraged boys to collect pubic hairs from as many girls as possible. The boy with the biggest variety of pubic hairs, and the boys with red pubic hairs would win prizes.  Mud wrestling was also a popular 49er’s event.”  

  On March 5, 1990, “The Board of Regents unanimously approved a motion banning the serving of alcohol at most school events, including 49ers and Spring Fling celebration.”  The decision was reached as a result of numerous student fights and dangerous occurrences on campus.Three out of five regents were present at the meeting, while the remaining regents were absent due to important business.  The new motion instigated a campus-wide controversy.  Students ranted and raved about the injustice the administration forced down their throats.  Editorialists cussed violently at the administration in numerous issues of Paydirt.  The connection between students and staff crumbled into a giant ditch.  Alcohol was no longer encouraged by the school.

   No, this is not a description of a dream that little Dorothy jolts awake from.  Unlimited beer, provided by the S.A., used to be offered to students for a small and generous price. With a budget of $62,000 alloted to alcohol, the S.A. could afford to practically give beer away.  Of course this was a long, long, time ago, in a Tech far, far, far different than today.  Thoughoday students are not offered a cold cup of beer (tea), they are provided with a cold glass of a virgin margarita or any other non-alcoholic beverage the S.A. provides.  Though the regents banned the distribution of alcoholic beverages at Institute-sanctioned functions, the students will still toast to a stress-free weekend.