UClub Glossary

FIRST DRAFT

 
Chatham Artillery Punch

Definition:  Chatham Artillery Punch is a strong, but smooth, historical drink, this one created in 1786 by a military regiment (The Chatham Artillery).   Like “Fish House Punch”, Chatham Artillery Punch has been served to Presidents and distinguished visitors in Savannah, Georgia, where the punch is still made and served.  The U-Club sets aside each year a particularly warm evening in mid-August to serve the punch as part of a large dinner of low-country Georgia delicacies, accompanied by mirth and song.

Clam 

Definition:  The Clam is an award for good fellowship presented at the Annual Meeting of the Membership to one or more members who have distinguished themselves that year in service to the Club or doing something embarrassingly amusing to the membership, and  usually to a member of the staff in appreciation for wonderful service.  The award is a large, golden clamshell hung on a scarlet ribbon and a matching lapel pin to be worn at festive Club occasions, particularly the Annual Meeting and Twelfth Night.   The speeches awarding the Clam are humorous in intent, if not always in execution.  Member Bill Cox responded to an alumni questionnaire from his Ivy League university asking for the award he was proudest of in his career; --the Pulitzer or Nobel Prize, Silver Star Congressional Medal of Honor.  His answer was “The Sublime Order of the Gilded Clam.”  
 
Down on the farm (as in, let’s have a “down on the farm for Van”)

Definition:  The 1923 comic hit “Down on the Farm, They All Ask for You” written by Billy Dale was most often performed on the ukelele.  The number, which recounted how many farm animals longed for a missing individual’s return, was gleefully seized upon by the University Club and sung at “roasts” of deserving members.   Over time, the tune of the U-Club version of the song came to resemble the wildly popular Irving Berlin tune, “How Dry I Am.”, which was part of a set of songs called “The Near Future” composed for the 1919 Zeigfield Follies. Prohibition was enacted that year.  The rest is history.  “Down on the Farm” is still sung regularly at the U-Club in praise of particular Members and staff, taking the place of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.”. 
 
Fish House Punch

Definition:  The recipe for Fish House Punch, created in Philadelphia in 1732, is acclaimed as the oldest surviving punch recipe in America.  Like most good punches of that era, it is notoriously alcoholic, its ingredients for many years a closely guarded secret.  In keeping with the motif established by the Clam and the Fish, Fish House Punch is a standard drink at Twelfth Night and at the Annual Meeting.
 
Founder’s Society:

Definition: a “club within the club” of members who truly love our club enough to make an additional donation.  The Founder’s Society has occasional special events - exclusive wine tastings etc.  
 
Legacy Society 

Definition:  Club members who have left the University Club a bequest by will.  
 
Off Campus Events

Definition: Activities that take place outside the club, such as: the Central City Opera outing, the Camino, Cemetery tours, and any number of additional activities planned during the pandemic.  
 
Van Marshbank 

Definition:  The most revered U Club Staff member, Van retired recently after five decades of devoted service, and was made a member of the club.  He is a phenomenal musician and we all hope to see him perform in 12th Night!
 

TERMS ASSOCIATED WITH 12TH NIGHT

 
Ass Fool, dung beetle 

Definition:   The “Ass Fool”, more formally known as The Assistant Fool for All Work, is in charge of duplicating music, collecting and collating songs and script, and anything else needed to enable a complicated, hour-and-a-half-long show become stageworthy in a space of two weeks.  The Ass Fool is chosen by the Fool to do all the work the Fool does not want to do.  Ass Fools are praised and acknowledged with gratitude, but it is never enough.  Or so they say.  The Ass Fool’s Dinner is a celebration held at the Club usually in early May.  Only present and past Ass Fools are qualified to attend.
 
Back Row

Definition:  Members of the chorus particularly weary of practice or unable to carry a tune have traditionally sought out the very back row of the chorus’s on-stage risers, where they can participate in rehearsals (and often the Show) by drinking large amounts of beer and looking enthusiastic.   The experience brings them back to the back row every year, and they are welcomed by the Fool and Music Director as a traditional part of the show.
 
Fish

Definition:  The Fish is awarded by the Fool (q.v.) to the most talented or loyal contributor to the Twelfth Night show that year. During the show, the Fool interrupts the show to present the honoree with a large, stuffed tarpon.  The significance of the award derives from a fishing trip taken in 1937 by President Franklin Roosevelt to get away from the demands of Washington.  The city was at that time embroiled in the “Court Packing Plan”, a stratagem by the President to increase the membership of the U.S. Supreme Court so that he could fill the new positions with Democratic candidates likely to support his New Deal Programs.  FDR was photographed with a tarpon he had caught, but when he returned to D.C, he learned from this vice president, John Nance Garner, that his Supreme Court gambit failed.  For many years afterward, cartoonists and editorial writers depicted the FDR Court-Packing Plan as “The big fish that got away.”  It seemed that it swam over to the U-Club.
 
King and Fool 

Definition:  The Fool is the director and producer of the annual Twelfth Night Show, (presented annually since 1897), appointed by the President of the Club, who, for this ceremonial period, is called “The King,” or “the Queen.” Both the Fool and the King wear elaborate costumes styled after medieval “Twelfth Night” feasts, in which a lowly servant, the Fool, traditionally played the part of the Saturnalian  Lord of Misrule, who for a day  had license to poke fun at the high and mighty without punishment.  A dialog between the King and the Fool opens each show with a foretaste of what will ensue.
 
Oiler

Definition: The Twelfth Night show features a large keg of beer hidden backstage.  The oilers are first-year participants in the Show whose job it is to pass plastic cups of brew to whoever might otherwise freeze up.  Traditionally, the BackRow crowd occupies the bulk of the oiler’s  time.

 

Club Committees

 
Board

Description: 15 member governing body of the U Club, elected for 3 year terms, staggered across years.  All board members must be resident club members.  
 
Executive Committee

Description: Empowered to take emergency action between board meetings, the executive committee is comprised of 4 board members who are the officers of the club: President, vice president, treasurer and secretary. President can invite anybody to sit in on executive committee meetings.  The executive committee can also get advance approval from the board to act within certain parameters without having to canvas the entire board between board meetings.  Typically they act with the council from the general manager.  
 
Admissions Committee

Description: This constitutional committee recruits, vets and welcomes new members into our club. They also enact strategies and programs to encourage member retention and engagement. All members are encouraged to attend prospective member events and new member mixers. Stay tuned for these events and contact Tyson Plowshay if you wish to assist this committee’s work.
 
Entertainment Committee

Description: The UClub Entertainment Committee is made up of Uclub members whose responsibility is to design, develop, and create fun, exciting and engaging experiences for Uclub members. These range from theme dinners, to theatre, to music, opera, fine dining and wine experiences. Visits and tours to special exhibits at museums/galleries are offered.

Finance Committee

Description: The Finance Committee maintains the U Club’s annual budget and monthly financial reports, working with our executive staff and Controller. This committee also recommends for approval the U Club’s capital reserve budget and long-range spending strategies; oversees financial planning; establishes fiscal policies; and monitors cash flow.

Governance Committee

Description: Established in 2021, the Governance Committee’s founding purpose was to codify the organizational elements of the club including our Constitution, Rules and Regulations and annual transitions of Committee Chairs, Officers and Directors. This committee also maintains a central repository of leadership and governance documents.

House Committee

Description: The House Committee is responsible for the oversight and management of all club property, facilities and assets. This committee works with club staff to maximize use of the building while ensuring the facility is properly managed. They advise on the design and construction of capital projects; review all property-related contracts; and provide the culinary staff with regular feedback regarding food and beverage menus, offering and experience.

Literature, Art and Tradition

Description: This constitutional committee “shall have charge of the Library and of the selection, purchase, and disposition of books, periodicals, and works of art, as well as matters pertaining to the history and traditions of the Club”. In other words, this committee is the keeper of the U Club’s traditions and is proudly chaired by Mr. Josiah Hatch.

Pool Committee

Description: The Pool Committee hosts games and tournaments throughout the year in which wagers are placed, hearts are broken and dreams are realized, all under the tutelage of the inimitable Richard Judd. Participation in this committee assumes a passion for the game and an interest in organizing games and tournaments.

Squash Committee

Description: This committee oversees the maintenance of our squash courts, encourages the development of new players, and facilitates games, lessons, tournaments and more. Participation in this committee assumes a passion for the game and an interest in organizing games and tournaments.
 
Opportunities to meet and share experiences include:
 
Book Club—explore perspectives of a novel—fiction or non-fiction
 
Who Knew speaker series-- Where we explore a range of topics often engaging the unknown talents of members

Mysteries of History— An evening of collaborative investigation of a historical question, no experience required. 

Themed dinners—Mystery night, Downton Abbey for example with regional foods and menus
 
Trivia—Join as an individual or put a  team together
 
Dinner and a Movie—relax and enjoy
 
Wine tastings—explore local and regional with a matching food menu
 
Tours-as weather and outdoor conditions improve, we will explore tours of famous Denver places—with lunch!
 
These events are created by and for Uclub members—if you have an idea or suggestion for an event, we would love for you to share it.
Contact Francine Butler  francine@empressaconsulting.com