Ilion High School Traditions | Cake-eater Origin

Origin of the term Cake Eaters

1920's Slang.... "Cake Eater, Lounge Lizard - Ladies' man"

Cake Eater Links

1920's Slang Clothes and the Man Humphrey Bogart Affluence
St. Mary's Avenue - novel explores Italian racism Merriam-Webster Online - Flappers' Boy Toys 1925 Cartoon

Ilion High 1929 football team

Would you say these guys look like "Ladies' Men" or "Effete Snobs?"
I vote for Ladies' Men!

Cake Eaters is a term that has been used to describe Ilion High School Students for many, many years. In our quest to discover the origin of this term, we have found at least one reference on the web, that appears above. Of course, this definition is a little less offensive than another definition, that was provided by a 1966 alumnus....

The term 'cake eaters', as applied to Ilionites, was in use at least by the 1920's. It was used by non-Ilionites, in a derogatory manner, and meant 'effete snobs'.

Another possible origin is the derogatory Itaglish term - "mangia checha" which means "cake-eater." Older Italians used it to describe Americans unfamiliar with the Italian ways.

Another possible origin suggests affluence. - Cake Eaters are people from or in a comfortable and affluent background. This phrase originated from the old times, when normal people ate bread and rich people ate cake. Many only-child’s in China today are cake eaters.

Take your pick, or if anyone else out there has a better explanation, please share it with us.

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