Beard Growing Contest

"One of the many ways the St. Pat's Board stirs up interest in the festival is the Beard Growing Contest. The contest begins in February, giving the men on campus about a month to cultivate the hair on their chins. And what results we have! There are long silky beards, stubby ones and biblical-looking ones. Some men find to their amazement that they just can't grow a beard! The co-eds complain, but goodheartedly, about the beards and they try to make dates for someplace in town rather than risk the stares of outsiders. When the big weekend arrives, the beards are judged. Three prizes are offered: one for beauty, one for length, and one for uniqueness. Winners get a free ticket to St. Pat's. The bountiful beards on the Board members are started long before the February date, though, for advertising purposes." [1951 St. Pat's Program] Contestants were checked by several of the co-eds for clean-shaveness before they could sign up for the event. Judges of the winning beards were the Queen candidates.