HISTORY OF THE 4th

History of our name

Why are we called the Burton 4 Players? That's an interesting question. It turns out that Burton 4 residents did NOT name our floor but residents of Burton 2. Sometime during the 70's, an agreement between Burton 2 and Burton 4 was made. The agreement specified that the floors would name each other. Burton 4 named Burton 2 the "Burton 2 Knights." See the pun? In order to stay consistent with the pun, Burton 2 named Burton 4 the "Burton 4 Players." Tonight and foreplay are the words of history... We are the oldest floor in Burton-Conner. We were around even before Burton-Conner existed.

HIstory of the Burton 4 elevator

The design and painting of our elevator door is part story, part speculation. Around roughly 1975, after the naming of the floor, it seems that a group of Burton 4 Players created a design, using the floor colors of red and white. Exactly who these people were still remains a mystery. All we know is their initials and class years were also painted in the bottom right corner: SK '75 GK BP DC KW EB ' 77. Thus, the elevator door stood, withstanding over 25 years of shower nights, nicks, and hits, the traditional meeting place before an IM game or a floor outing. Twenty-five years took their tool, until in January of 2002, ideas of cleaning up the door became actions thanks to Ben Brooks '04 and Henry Hilton '04. The decision was quickly made that the task was restoration, not a new design. Pictures were taken and careful steps were made to get as close to the original as possible. Thus, over a period of roughly a month and a half (MIT student don't just have time to kill), the restoration was complete. With the extra paint, we also painted our elevator button red (some of us hoped this would encourage other floors to do so with their floor colors). The only part left unpainted were the original initials from 1975, now joined on the left side of the door by BB DG CM SL HH ' 04 CV EB ' 05 SG 'G. We only hope that it will last another 25 years.

2002-2003 School Year

A floor officer called "floor gratuider" is reponsible for sending out thank you card to non-burton 4 residents. On February 12, 2003, the position was renamed to "ambassador of the free world" to represent the great responsibility of this position.

2000-2001 School Year

The majority of the freshman male population joins a fraternity. But those few that don't either regret it or consider it later. Well, three freshman males create their own unofficial frat. in their room. They called it delta epsilon mu (all lower case Greek letters since they are not a true fraternity) FRATdorMITory. This FRATdorMITory was located in room 431-D. Here is the flyer that was posted on the Burton 4 Entrance:

dem FRATdorMITory
(name of room 431-D)

[consists of Elliot (zzzewd, fYOp Dick), Daniel (Dan "the Man", DR G, God's Gift to Women) and Miguel (da-mee-guel)]

Courtesy of dem FRATdorMITory:

abs Sororidormitory
(Name of room 454F)

[(consists of Allison, Bo "knows", and Suzanne]

"Show me your abs"

As you can see, delta epsilon mu created a sorority. Or shall we say a sororidormitory. alpha beta sigma sororidormitory was established not long after.
The plans of the FRATdorMITory was to keep it alive all four years, but unfortunately two of the members joined a fraternity. delta epsilon mu FRATdorMITory has diminished to just a botherhood.
The floor went to New Hampshire White Mountains three weeks into the school year for a floor trip. This event brought the floor into more unity as freshman and upperclassmen engaged their first bonding type of experience. At the mountains, the floor had gone up to the top of a mountain and decided t to split up into two groups. One group would take the easier path home and the other would take the more difficult path. In the process of this, two freshman were lost. This was a different type of bonding experience as each group was trying to find each other.
This years floor T-shirt was a nice one. It's maroon colored with the words "I'M A PLAYER" on the front and "B4" on the back. The shirt was free for all Burton 4 residents but for an additional cost of $5 one could personalize the shirt by adding their name or nickname above the "B4" on the back of the shirt.

Traditions

Every year on the night before the first 8.01 exam, there is a big event that happens in many areas of MIT. This night it considered to be "Shower Night". On this night, Burton 4 upperclassmen torture the freshman by showering them fully-clothed. This is an event that is a bonding experience for some. So, on the night before the first 8.01 exam, MIT freshman beware of the fate that awaits you. You might escape being showered that night but you will be showered eventually. Even if it's a month late.
It is tradition that 4 Players be showered on their birthday by friends. There are exceptions to the rule. The individual is not showered if he/she has a valid reason to be not shower and if that person can out run everyone else.
Freshman, upon arriving to the floor, are given duties to accomplish as a room. Duties include tasks like obtaining contact info. from all the people on the floor, and creating a floor map for the floor. Duties vary from year to year.
Every year there is a holiday that Americans like to call "Thanksgiving". Although not everybody on the floor celebrates this event, Burton 4 still provides a dinner which everybody can gather and have a nice dinner together. This dinner is usually held before the Thanksgiving weekend as the majority of the people travel.
Before senior graduate we like to hold our annual Senior Dinner where we all gather to celebrate with the seniors.
Usually we like to hold two floor trips a year. One each semester. More if possible. The first trip is usually held within the first month of the school year. This is a perfect way for upperclassmen to bond with the new freshman on the floor. The second one is usually for everyone to enjoy themselves.

Email burton4-request@ for suggestions, comment, concerns, complaints, bribes?, etc.
Version 4.0

Last History Update: 02/13/03