By Malaina Yoder | Echo
"We can't tell you about that. It's a secret."
This phrase is consistently repeated by the residents on the third floor of Samuel Morris, nicknamed The Brotherhood (Broho). A sworn secrecy surrounds their floor's traditions, but there are a few that aren't under wraps. Some of these traditions, like the selection of the Phubs every four years, have almost become part of Taylor culture itself.
"Phubs" is the title given to someone who serves as a leader of Broho during his time at Taylor. As each Phubs leaves, a new Phubs is chosen from the freshman class, and he carries the title until he graduates. The next appointed Phubs carries another "b" into his title. This year, freshman Doug Keeling was chosen as the ninth Phubs, and his official name reads Phubbbbbbbbbs (or Phu9bs).
At Parents and Family Weekend this year, Phu9bs had the privilege of meeting the first-ever Phubs, Todd Meissner ('84). Phubs approved of Broho's choice and said, "I think he's embracing the spirit of the Phubs."
Phubs and his wife, Margie Meissner, visited campus for Parents Weekend because their daughters, freshman Kari Meissner and junior Kristy Meissner, are Taylor students.
Originally, the position of Phubs wasn't even a position. Phubs calls himself the first "victim" of the title. It was a name that an upperclassman called him as a joke. The word Phubs was originally Fubs and technically means "a plump young person or child," but it wasn't used in that context. The F became a Ph because it looked more "regal."
"It wasn't The Phubs. It was just Phubs," Phubs said. "And there were people on campus that never knew my real name. The person who should be famous is the second Phubs." He made the nickname into a position after Meissner graduated from Taylor.
Phubs returned to Broho last year to hand out Taylor towels to the freshmen and believes that Broho remains very much the same.
This year, Phubs visited Taylor on Wengatz Appreciation Day, an important tradition to current Broho members. The tradition of Wengatz Appreciation Day didn't even exist in his day. "We didn't like Wengatz at all. There was nothing to appreciate," Meissner said. Because the rivalry was based on intramurals, it was more intense.
Phubs has never even set foot in Wengatz. When his youngest daughter, Kari, took a Wengatz guy on a pick-a-date, Phubs said he was crushed-but he learned to accept it.
His oldest daughter, Kristi Meissner, is dating someone from Broho. Kristi says they treat her a little like a celebrity. Her freshman year, they surrounded Olson and chanted for her to come out.
"Sometimes they scare me a little bit just because they're so unpredictable," Kristi said. However, she also said that they do a good job of not overwhelming her with their craziness.
Margie finds herself in the spotlight as well. Phubs said somebody once greeted his wife as "Mrs. Phubs."
Phu9bs has some exciting plans for Broho, including a new tradition. In a classic Broho move, he said, "I can't talk about it. Sorry. There are secrets on Broho."
He did, however, talk about some of the changes that he wanted to make, including combining two floors into one by taking out the literal floor between Broho and Sammy Two-uniting Sammy II and Broho as "Middle Morris."
Phu9bs also wants to sculpt another statue of Samuel Morris, with himself riding Sammy's shoulders.
For the final change, Phu9bs said, "We're going to put a kneeler in the lobby of Broho. So that every morning before classes, the brothers could kneel and pray for Wengatz."
All joking aside, Phu9bs will be leading a floor that, while a little eccentric, brings life and character to campus. Phubs' advice to Phu9bs and future Phubs was simple: "I'd remind him to keep it fun."
