King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952

Procession, led by King Arthur and Queen Guinevere, started at campus hall, which doubled as castle, and ended at field three-quarters of a mile away.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

Egg-throwing contest was joined by two lady faculty members. Contestants were to catch eggs without breaking them. Seven persons were splattered.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

"Holy Quail," a chicken bought from nearby farm, was hunted in a fenced-in area by blindfolded ladies of court. Peggy Bogelmann finally captured it. Her boyfriend offered to turn it into stewed chicken.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

Trumpeter, Jerry Garcy, with friend Bob Van Horne, climbs a tree to signal start of tournament.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

King and Queen, Don LeVine and Shirley Elliott, ate feast in the medieval style without utensils.

Strolling troubadour, Jeffrey Kimmel, entertains the banqueters with medieval ballads.

King Arthur Tournament, Bethany College, West Virginia, 1952.

Dancing dean of women, Eleanor Tyler, does version of Charleston with Bob Hodson, a student from Britain. Hodson's chain mail was made from scouring pads. Other students made mail by dipping dishcloths in aluminum paint.

Lovestruck Lancelot, Charles Symanski, finally dances with his girlfriend, who, as queen, had to spend most of day with King Arthur. Situation duplicates legend in which Guinevere, though Arthur's wife, loved Lancelot.

(Photos: George Skadding—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)