Steak Fry continues 93-year-old tradition

  Monday, September 15, 2014 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

Much has changed since George Trout, a professor of history and science at what is now Pittsburg State University, first invited his colleagues to gather for an evening of fellowship and food 93 years ago.

That tradition continues on Tuesday, Sept. 16, when PSU’s Unclassified Staff and Faculty Association hosts its annual Steak Fry on the east side of Carnie Smith Stadium. After a bell rings promptly at 5:30 p.m., hundreds of PSU faculty and staff, along with many retirees, will feast on steak, chicken, baked potatoes, salad and ice cream, all prepared by volunteers that day.

Randy Roberts, dean of library services and university archivist, said Trout organized the annual cookout from 1921 until his death in 1947. The event was known generally as the “Trout Bake.” After Trout’s death, a committee assumed the responsibilities of organizing the annual cookout.

Organizers said it takes scores of volunteers to prepare the food, set up the dining area and serve the meal. A master timeline sets out when activities must occur in order for dinner to be served on time.

Roberts said the modern steak fry is different in a number of ways from those early Trout Bakes. For much of the event’s history, for example, the gathering was strictly all-male. (It wasn’t until the early 1990s that women were first invited to participate.) Another change is attention to food safety. Almost all of the food prep today takes place in the food service kitchens of the Overman Student Center. The steaks and chicken are still grilled over an open fire near the stadium, however.

Roberts said that although today’s steak fry may look different from those early Trout Bakes, at its core it is much the same as when George Trout first invited his colleagues for an evening out.

It’s still a relaxing evening of fun and collegial conversation, when faculty and staff from all departments and areas across campus can get together, Roberts said. It’s a time to welcome new people to the campus family and to see retirees whom we no longer see in our day-to-day routine

“It is a reminder that no matter where we work on campus, we’re all here for the same reason and we’re all part of a strong Gorilla family,” Roberts said.