Marching Along

MARCHING ALONG 1935-1960

K . WARREN FAWCETT

M arching Along

MARCHING * ALONG ☆

A HISTORY BETA FOR

OF

THETA

THE

PI

FRATERNITY

TWENTY-FIVE

YEAR

1935-1960

BY K. WARREN FAWCETT HISTORIAN OF THE FRATERNITY

PUBLISHED

BETA OXFORD,

BY

THETA OHIO

PI

PERIOD

COPYRIGHT BETA THETA PI FRATERNITY

PRINTED BY GEORGE BANTA COMPANY, INC. MENASHA, W ISCONSIN

DEDIC ATION

TO SETH R. BROOKS W HOSE G EN TLE ENCOURAGEM ENT AND W ISE COUNSEL INSPIRED M E TO UNDERTAKE THIS TASK

☆

Foreword

* ☆

FRANCIS SHEPARDSON will always be known as the great histo­ rian of Beta Theta Pi. His magnificent work, T he Beta Story, detail­ ing the year-by-year chronicle of the fraternity from its birth in 1839 to 1935, will always form the basic, authoritative outline of the first ninety-six years. That, plus the informal but comprehensive accounts of his visits to chapters and alumni functions during his many terms as president and which appeared regularly in The Beta Theta Pi, pro­ vide an intimate picture of the organization, its lore and its members up to the time of his death in 1937.

Since no formal history of the important happenings in the frater­ nity had been written since 1935, the Board of Trustees in 1958, un­ der President Sherwood M. Bonney, asked that someone compile the record of the organization for the twenty-five year period 19351960. Several qualified members, with intimate knowledge of the op­ erations of Beta Theta Pi during that time, were approached but, for various reasons, could not assume the responsibility at that time. The Board, therefore, asked that the writer accept this assignment with the understanding that it would have to be accomplished in his spare time.

The writing was started in the fall of 1958 and the task was completed with publication in 1961.

It should be clear to the reader that condensing twenty-five volumes of T he Beta Theta Pi (which actually formed the month-by-month history of the fraternity) into one volume is a difficult task. The deci­ sion as to what to preserve and what to leave out is something about which no two persons could ever agree. It is to be hoped that the reader will be understanding, and will realize that the writer faced severe limitations of space and meant no disrespect to any event or individual which was unmentioned. It was his sincere desire to re­ cord the important happenings which added to Beta’s history and lore and pay tribute to those individuals whose activities provided signifi­ cant contributions to the welfare and good name of the fraternity.

To say that the writer could not have completed this assignment without the help of others is not merely a repetition of a time-worn v ii

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cliche. This addition to the Beta Books is one for which many persons can take credit. The editors and writers of The Beta Tlieta Pi Maga­ zine during those twenty-five years provided material from which we drew liberally. These included Gordon Smyth, Thad Byrne, Columbus Barber, Bobert T. Howard, Karl Fischer and many others. Adminis­ trative Secretary Frederick Brower and the staff at the Oxford office were helpful in providing answers to numerous questions. The two brothers whose encouragement and urging had most to do with the writer’s decision to assume the responsibility were Seth B. Brooks and Bertram W. Bennett and their help was freely given during the period of production. Bert Bennett, in particular, provided invaluable aid by reading and correcting the manuscript. Brother Alvin A. Lang, L aw ­ rence ’30, and others at George Banta Co. spent hours in consultation and furnished valuable advice regarding the production of the book.

And lastly, the writer is deeply grateful to his wife Virginia and son David who probably know more than any other non-members con­ cerning the last twenty-five years in Beta Theta Pi because of their help in typing the manuscript, correcting proofs and providing help­ ful suggestions about wording, punctuation and spelling.

It has been a rewarding and inspiring experience and the writer is grateful to his fellow Board members who were willing to entrust him with the task. And, finally, he wishes to thank those brothers in Beta Pi chapter who, back in 1922, gave him the right to say, “I’m glad I’m a Beta!”

K. W a r r e n (Spig) Minnesota ’26 Minneapolis, Minn.

December 1, 1960

F

aw cett

☆

☆

Contents ☆

F O R E W O R D ................................................................................................................ vii THE PRE-WAR YEARS Em erging from the Depression 1 9 3 5 -1 9 3 6 ..............................

3 M ore Progress 1 9 3 6 -1 9 3 7 ...................................................................

16 Francis W ayland S h e p a r d s o n ............................................................2 9 ...................................................................

48 Carrying On 19 3 7 -1 9 3 8 Nearing the Centenary 1 9 3 8-1939 .............................................

58 The C e n t e n a r y ..........................................................................................68 THE WAR YEARS Troubled Times Begin 1940 ............................................................

87 W ar Comes! 1 9 4 1 .................................................................................. 102 A Brotherhood in Arms 1942 ............................................................

117 Operations Under Difficulties 1943 .............................................

131 A Few Carry On 1944 ...........................................................................

144 W ar’s End 1945 ..................................................................................

157 Reconstruction 1946 ...........................................................................

175 THE POST-WAR PERIOD Tackling Post-W ar Problems 1947 .............................................

Progress in Many Areas 1948 ............................................................

Expansion and Internal Development 1949 ..............................

197 217 234

THE FRATERNITY IN THE FIFTIES Further Expansion 1950 ...................................................................

255 A Year of New Leaders 1951 ............................................................

269 1952 288 1953 306 1954 324 1 955 340 1956 359 1957 380 1958 402 1959 431 1960 456 Summary and R e v i e w ...........................................................................495 ix

The Pre-War Years k b L

1935-1939

☆

Emerging from the Depression

☆

1935-1936

A BRIEF LOOK AT THE PAST IN 1935, the ninety-sixth year of its history, Beta Theta Pi was emerg­ ing from the depths of the depression and unknowingly, except to its students of international politics, was approaching the dark days of World War II. The fraternity, in spite of national economic chaos, had weathered the first five years of the Thirties in a strong and healthy condition. Active membership in 1934 was 3,136, a decrease of only 52 members from that recorded in the last prosperous year 1928. Gen­ eral Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePanw 1896, reported that the cash balance in 1934 had reached $52,361, the largest yet recorded. The Baird Fund, which in 1929 amounted to $129,600, had grown to $204,866 and the Founders Fund established in 1919 had reached nearly $80,000. In spite of the nation’s most disastrous depression, Jim Gavin had been able to report at each convention during those dark years that Beta Theta Pi owed no man, and that no chapter had broken the unblemished record so far as faithfulness to its financial ob­ ligations to the general fraternity was concerned.

Important legislation had been enacted during the early Thirties which was to have an immediate short range effect and which would influence conventions of the future. The 91st General Convention in 1930 abolished annual dues, substituting an initiation fee of $50 to include (1) the general initiation fee to the fraternity, (2) member­ ship in the Baird Fund, (3) the fraternity badge, (4) shingle, (5) song book, (6) handbook and (7) the equivalent of four years annual dues.

The following year, however, the 92nd General Convention, in spite of a plea by the committee on finance that the plan be given a further trial, voted 45 to 40 to abolish this new plan and return to the previous system of annual dues of $7 per year per active member.

This same convention, concerned over the time spent at each an­ nual gathering with the difficulties of certain chapters, directed the 3

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General Secretary to appoint a commission to make a study of those chapters frequently called before conventions because of unsatisfac­ tory conditions. The same commission was directed to study the oper­ ations, policies and organization of outstanding chapters.

Wishing to recognize and direct the attention of the entire frater­ nity to those chapters which year by year brought honor to the or­ ganization, the 93rd General Con­ vention in 1932 set up two awards for outstanding chapters. In 1933 and 1934 these awards, consisting of beautifully illuminated parch­ ment certificates, were given to chapters at Oregon, Illinois, Deni­ son and Colorado Mines.

Another significant develop­ ment in 1934 had been the crea­ tion of the Beta Senate. This came about through a desire to utilize for the good of the fraternity the talents and love of Beta Theta Pi Senator of Beta Theta Pi on the part of distinguished alum­ Mr. Justice Willis Van Devanter, Deni other than general officers. As Pauw 1881, of the United States Su­ established, the Senate was to con­ preme Court—a “Fraternal Fifty,” a Beta father, a member of the Senate sist of not more than nine mem­ of Beta Theta Pi—whose presence bers and was to be composed of throughout the sessions of the 96th men not holding office, but who General Convention marked a high point in Beta history. had rendered distinguished serv­ ice to the fraternity and who shall “aid the fraternity in its efforts to incorporate the ideals and principles of the brotherhood in the lives of its members.” Those elected as the first members of the first Beta Senate were: Owen D. Young, St. L aw ­ rence 1894, Frank O. Lowden, Iow a 1885, Willis Van Devanter, DePauw 1881, Stanley Coulter, H anover 1871, fay N. Darling, Beloit 1899, and Guy C. Earl, California 1883.

Thus the fraternity approached the second half of the Thirties strong and forward looking. Under its great leaders, Francis W. Shepardson,

EMERGING FROM THE DEPRESSION

5

Denison 1882, Brown 1883, serving his sixth consecutive three-year term as President, James L. Gavin, DePanw 1896, the great General Treasurer, and General Secretary Harold L. Baily, Amherst ’08, it had proven that it could weather an economic storm. The Brotherhood ap­ proached its 96th general convention with confidence and hope.

N IN E T Y -S IX T H G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

The gathering was held at the Seignory Club in the Province of Quebec, Canada on September 3-7, 1935. A distinguished guest was the Hon. Willis Van Devanter, DePauw 1881, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He remained during the five days of the convention and his presence, participation and constant interest showed how much Beta Theta Pi had meant to him during the fiftyeight years of his membership.

Selected as convention president and convention secretary were Ber­ tram W. Bennett, Knox ’20, and Frank P. Weaver, Michigan ’26, both of whom had rendered distin­ guished service as district chiefs.

President Shepardson’s Address.

In his President’s Address, Francis W. Shepardson, Denison 1882, Brown 1883, brought back to mind the graduation from Miami Univer­ sity on August 13, 1839, of two young men of nineteen, John Reily Knox and Michael Clarkson Ryan, and of a third, David Linton, who, President Francis W. Shepardson while five years older, still was a Denison 1882, Brown 1883. boy at heart. Although they were ordinary western youths without special distinction of wealth or family, they were at graduation destined to immortality, because with five companions, on August 8, five days before, they had held the first formal meeting of Beta Theta Pi. Calling the attention of the convention to the approaching Cen­

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tennial of the fraternity, President Shepardson declared that it should not be regarded merely as a celebration of the completion of one hun­ dred years of life. It should, he said, be made an occasion for a for­ ward look into a second century and for a program of advance in fraternity development as significant and as stimulating as was the plan adopted by the Founders of Beta Theta Pi in 1839. Then, as pioneers in a new country, they actually wrought better than they knew. Their achievements serve as a challenge to the Betas of 1939 to meet new situations in a settled country, and at a time of remark­ able changes in college life and campus thought.

General Secretary Baily’s Report. The General Secretary’s report at the 96th Convention was a memorable one as it marked the retire­ ment from that office of Harold J. “Bing” Baily, Amherst ’08. In his opening remarks he referred to the fact that he had been the twelfth to occupy that position and had served for three terms of three years each. The others who had served since the office was created in 1872 had been Charles Duy Walker 1872-1873, Amandus N. Grant 1873-1874, Darwin H. Che­ ney 1875-1876, George C. Rankin 1876-1877, Joseph R. Lamar 18771878, Edward J. Brown 1878-1881, Eugene Wambaugh 1881-1884, John Calvin Hanna 1884-1899, Francis H. Sisson 1899-1907, Fran­ cis W. Shepardson 1907-1917 and George Howard Bruce 1917-1926.

Quoting from his first annual re­ port in 1927 Brother Baily said, “A great heritage has come down to Retiring General Secretary us from the founders of Beta Theta Harold J. Baily, Amherst ’08.

Pi. Generations of Beta leaders have worked upon human souls imbuing them with principles and the love of their fellow men. The Beta torch has been passed from hand to hand, from general secretary to general secretary. Brother Shepardson passed it to Brother Bruce in

EMERGING FRO M TH E DEPRESSION

7

1917, and in 1926 Brother Bruce passed it to us. I say to us, my brothers for this sacred flame is in your keeping as much as it is in mine. In Beta Theta Pi we have officers only for convenience. It is individual responsibility that counts. Together we can keep the torch blazing brightly. To prove worthy of our trust we must keep green the memory of the great deeds of our prede­ cessors by worthy acts of our own. The accumu­ lated influence of indi­ viduals is the source of the strength and prestige of Beta Theta Pi. To each one of us the fraternity looks for the future—a future which our own General Secretaries, 1907 to 1935 characters, our own ac­ Left to right: George Howard Bruce, Centre 1899, 1917-1926; G. Herbert Smith, DePauw tions, our own principles ’27, elected 1935; Harold J. Baily, Amherst ’08, will influence with shame 1926-1935; Francis W. Shepardson, Denison 1882, Brown 1883, 1907-1917. or with glory. “ T h e re is sp iritu a l power in the ideals and principles of Beta Theta Pi which like religion, helps men to live. Fraternity life gives men a chance to put brother­ hood into practice. A priceless gift is the capacity for human friend­ ship. Beta Theta Pi seeks to aid men in preparing for and living happy, useful, and effective lives. To this end the uplifting power of ideals and the sustaining power of human friendships are indispensable.”

Brother Baily continued with his usual eloquent and comprehensive review of the state of the fraternity and, in closing, delivered this charge to the delegates and to all Betas everywhere: “Have faith in the power of human intelligence, courage, resourcefulness and per­ sistence to get mankind out of the morass in which it is mired today.

The men of this convention and American young men like you will boldly face and solve the tremendous legal, economic, social, finan­ cial and political problems which make wars imminent and which block world recovery. Now, during your undergraduate days is the time to fit yourselves for leadership. . . . Tenacious, enthusiastic and

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singleminded action in furtherance of the second word of our motto is what Beta Theta Pi requires of you. Think, think, think and think hard. You must demand of your colleges and universities an educa­ tion to fit you to meet successfully the difficult and complex life of present day America. You cannot lead if you don’t know the way. . . .

The best men that Beta Theta Pi can produce are needed in human affairs today. If you and the other gifted and privileged young men of America and Canada do not take the leadership others less worthy will. . . . “To play a noble part in the service of our fellow human beings will show that Beta Theta Pi was born to serve mankind. To be a worthy American or Canadian Beta can come to mean far more than it did to be known as a citizen of Ancient Rome or Athens. The up­ building of Beta Theta Pi is a cause for which we can all unite. De­ voted service for its individual members so that they may be fitted and inspired to serve mankind faithfully is a purpose worthy of Beta Theta Pi. God helping her, she can do no other.”

General Treasurer Gavin’s Report. The thirty-first annual report of General Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePainv 1896, was received with acclaim and the delegates showed their appreciation for his long and distinguished service to the fraternity. “In accordance with tradi­ tion and unbroken precedent,” he stated, “the fraternity has closed its fiscal year with all bills paid and no chapter on the delinquent list, a list which has become as mythical as the monsters of old.”

Brother Gavin’s report indicated that active membership stood at 3,467 which was 331 more than for the previous year. The Baird Fund total was $222,490, an increase for the year of $17,620. He pointed out that the Founders’ Fund had reached the sum of $80,300 but had apparently failed to interest the alumni as no gifts had been received during the year. In spite of the reduction in annual dues from $9 to $7 (an action of the preceding convention) the fraternity had an income greater than expense and had a cash balance of $56,800.

The Beta Senate. Nominations for the Beta Senate, created in an effort to utilize the talent and interest of distinguished alumni were: For one year (1935-1936) to fill a vacancy: Joseph W. Byrns, Vanderbilt 1891, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.

EMERGING FROM THE DEPRESSION

A Long and Noble Record General Treasurer Janies L. Gavin, DePauw, 1896, who made his thirtyfirst consecutive report—“with all bills paid and no chapter on the delinquent list.”

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Retiring Alumni Counselor Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02.

No brother more richly deserved the title “Counselor” than this distin­ guished “Beta Beta,” who later be­ came president of the fraternity.

For two years (1935-1937), to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Guy Chaffee Earl, California 1883: William E. Borah, Kansas 1889, United States Senator from Idaho.

For three years (1935-1938): Bertrand H. Snell, Amherst 1894, member of United States Con­ gress from 31st District of New York.

Dr. H. Sheridan Baketel, Dartmouth 1895, physician and editor, Jersey City, N.J. Winfred G. Leutner, W estern Reserve ’01, President of Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.

Clarence L. Newton’s Report. This 1935 convention marked the re­ tirement from active office of another great leader of the fraternity, Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02. His final report as alumni counse­ lor was eloquent and filled with wise counsel for undergraduates, chapters and alumni. It contained a memorable suggestion to all Betas:

10

“At your earliest op­ portunity go by yourself to some quiet spot, take off your pin, look at its face and consider the significance of the gold.

Then consider the signifi­ cance of the three stars.

Then consider the signifi­ cance of the diamond and the encircling wreath.

And after these are clearly in your mind, turn the badge over and con­ sider the significance of the clasped hands, and

MARCHING ALONG

The Old and the New Retiring General Secretary Harold J. Baily, Am­ herst ’08 (left) and the new General Secretary, G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27.

Vice President and Trustee William W. Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14, elected to the Board of Trustees by the 96th General Convention.

when you have thought these all through, then consider the signifi­ cance of the thing that is behind the significance of each of these.

After all this has thoroughly satu­ rated your system, then make anew your plans for working with the chapter, with your vari­ ous committeemen, with the alumni.”

New Fraternity Officers. With the term of the General Secretary expiring and with the request of Harold J. Baily that he be not considered for another term, it became the task of the delegates to the 96th Convention to elect someone to that most important office. Their selection was a man who was rising rapidly in the field of college administration, a Beta who had already served the fra-

EMERGING FRO M THE DEPRESSION

11

ternity well and who was destined to receive its highest honor, G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27. Brother Smith was eminently qualified for the great responsibilities connected with the General Secretary­ ship, having been Chief of District X II from 1932 to 1935 and having served as Scholarship Commissioner from 1930 to 1935. At the time of his election as General Secretary for the term expiring in 1938 he was Dean of Freshman Men at DePauw University.

To fill the other vacancy on the Board of Trustees, the convention elected another alumnus who was also destined to be president of the fraternity at a later date, William “Bill” Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14, a member of the faculty of Western Reserve Law School. Brother Dawson had served as Chief of District IX 1924-1932 and was elected Trustee for the term expiring in 1938.

Initiation Practices. The Committee on Initiation indicated in its report that at this period of the fraternity’s history, illegal initiation practices were still present; that certain chapters “still engage in what one of them aptly calls ‘infantile practices.’ Relics of prep school still linger in some chapters. Abnormal sadistic tendencies, although thor­ oughly condemned by Beta Theta Pi in adopting the excellent report of the Committee on Initiation at the 90th Convention, are still found in a few of our members. Our laws have been disregarded. Some chap­ ters seem to pledge babies instead of men and find the use of a paddle necessary.”

The committee called for an end to “Hell Week” practices and called upon the Board of Trustees to deal harshly with chapters still disobeying the rules of the fraternity. The group also presented a suggested “Wooglin Ceremony” and asked that consideration be given it. If approved, they asked that it be printed as an optional supple­ ment to the ritual.

Alumni Affairs. Faced by the retirement at this convention of Clar­ ence L. Newton as Alumni Counselor, the Committee on Alumni Af­ fairs recommended that the Board of Trustees appoint a Director of Alumni Associations, “whose duties should consist of the organiza­ tion and direction of alumni associations now in existence or here­ after created.” They further recommended that this officer should al­ ways be selected from the membership of the Board of Trustees.

It might be noted here that the Board followed the recommendation by designating Trustee Moist as Director of Alumni Organization,

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but later chose to continue the office of Alumni Counselor, under the General Secretary, and early in 1936 selected Seth R. Brooks, St. Law ­ rence ’22, for the position. Brother Brooks had served for eleven years (1925-1936) as District Chief in Districts III and II. Richard T. Steele, W esleyan ’21, who had been Chief of District I was moved to Dis­ trict II to fill the vacancy created by the appointment of Brother Brooks.

The Convention adopted a change in Section 70 of Chapter VI of the Laws of the fraternity pertaining to the shingle. Under the new rule the name of the chapter as well as that of the member would be engraved across the middle portion and the great seal of the frater­ nity would appear below in red wax instead of the chapter seal. Dis­ continuing the use of individual chapter seals would, it was explained, save the fraternity a considerable amount each year.

It was reported that plans for the Centennial Celebration of the fraternity were already under way. George Howard Bruce, Centre 1899, Chairman of the Centennial Committee, announced that the Centennial Convention would be held in Oxford, Ohio, August 3 to August 8, 1939.

The Scholarship Commissioner’s report indicated that for nine con­ secutive years, the entire period over which statistics are available, Beta Theta Pi had maintained a scholastic average higher than the all-men’s average of the country, a statement which could not be made by any other of the fraternities founded before 1875. He also reported on our representation in Phi Beta Kappa, to which at least 1,370 Betas belong, this being more than twelve per cent of all members who have received degrees from colleges where Phi Beta Kappa chapters are located.

OTHER EVENTS OF THE YEAR Beloit’s 75th Anniversary. “Miami begat Wabash and Wabash begat Beloit.” This was the genealogical greeting of President Shepardson to the one hundred twenty-eight brothers gathered in celebration of the Seventy-fifth Anniversary of Chi chapter. The gathering was held in Beloit’s gracious new chapter house on June 15, 1935, and present were nearly one-fourth of the 536 members whose names appear on the chapter roll.

UCLA Gathering. The ninety-sixth birthday of the fraternity was celebrated in the new Gamma Nu chapter house in Los Angeles on

EMERGING FROM THE DEPRESSION

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August 8. Nearly one hundred Betas from forty chapters were present to hear President Shepard­ son tell the absorbing story of that first Beta meeting under the elms on the old Miami cam­ pus. Morris R. Ebersole, At Beloit’s Anniversary Cincinnati 1898, former Left to right: Robert H. Harrison, ’02; Hiram District Chief and Trus­ W. Densmore, 1886; Advisory Councilman Rob­ tee and a founder of ert M. Thompson, Minnesota 1895; Walter E. Carr 1878; John R. Montgomery 1887; District Gamma Nu was a leading Chief Charles P. Davis, Michigan 1896; Hor­ figure in the celebration. ace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894; Frank D. Jackson Beta Athletes. George 1884; President Francis W. Shepardson Denison 1882; S. R. Slaymaker 1886; John G. Martin ’14, H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, Alumni Chapter President, and Toastmaster rejoining the staff of The Jeremiah (Jerry) McQuade ’03.

Beta Theta Pi as Athletic Editor, listed in the November, 1935 issue Betas who had been se­ lected by Walter Camp as First Team selections for All-American football honors: R. A. Higgins, Penn State ’20, end, 1919 Homer H. Hazel, Rutgers ’25, end, 1923 Homer H. Hazel, Rutgers ’25, fullback, 1924 Alvin N. McMillin, Centre ’22, quarterback, 1919 W. E. Sprackling, Brown ’12, quarterback, 1910 Fred Seaton. Considering his distinguished career leading to mem­ bership in the cabinet of President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958 as Secretary of the Interior, it is significant that Beta history of 1936 re­ cords the appointment of Frederick A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31, as District Chief of District XVIII. After serving his chapter as president and occupying many other responsible offices during his undergradu­ ate days, Brother Seaton entered his family’s newspaper business in Manhattan, Kansas and showed early signs of political interest by becoming state chairman of the Young Republican Club of Kansas.

A New Frontier. Readers in the so-called “Space Age” of the 1950’s and ’60’s will be interested in an item called “Fourteen Miles Up” which appeared in The Beta Theta Pi issue of December, 1935. A new frontier of the upper air—74,187 feet above the earth—was opened

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up by a daring Beta balloonist when the Explorer II soared to this rec­ ord height on its flight from the Black Hills, near Rapid City, South Dakota on Armistice Day, 1935. The flight commander was Capt. Al­ bert W. Stevens, Miami ’07.

Beta President of IFC . “For the college fraternity enthusiast, the presidency of the National Interfraternity Conference can be com­ pared only to the presidency of the American Bar Association in the legal profession, the presidency of the American Medical Association

As He Looked Then Fred A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31, at the time of his appointment as Chief of District XVIII.

IFC President Harold J. Baily, Amherst ’08, former General Secretary, elected President of National Interfratemity Conference.

among physicians, or the presidency of the American Bankers Asso­ ciation among men of finance.” So wrote A. J. G. Priest about the great honor which came to Harold J. Baily, Amherst ’08, former General Secretary of Beta Theta Pi. Included in the eloquent address delivered at the time of his elevation to the highest position in the interfra­ ternity world in November, 1935 was a recitation of the Fraternity Criteria recently adopted by the NIC: We declare: 1. That the objectives and activities of the fraternity should be

EMERGING FROM THE DEPRESSION

15

in entire accord with the aims and purposes of the institutions at which it has chapters.

2. That the primary loyalty and responsibility of a student in his relations with his institution are to the institution, and that the association of any group of students as a chapter of a fraternity in­ volves the definite responsibility of the group for the conduct of the individual.

3. That the fraternity should promote conduct consistent with good morals and good taste.

4. That the fraternity should create an atmosphere which will stimulate substantial intellectual progress and superior intellectual achievement.

5. That the fraternity should maintain sanitary, safe and whole­ some physical conditions in the chapter house.

6. That the fraternity should inculcate principles of sound busi­ ness practice both in chapter finances and in the business rela­ tions of its members.

New Magazine Cover. The November, 1935 issue of The Beta Theta Pi appeared with a handsome new cover which retained the char­ acter and dignity always associated with the first college fraternity magazine but which showed a strikingly modern trend. It was the work of Morris R. Ebersole, Cincinnati 1898, long one of the most loyal and devoted of Beta workers. A former District Chief, Trustee and “pater” of Gamma Nu chapter at UCLA, his Beta enthusiasm had been long and enduring. Designing covers for The Beta Theta Pi was not a new venture for him, his first being that used on Volume XXVI in 1898-1899. To Brother Ebersole the fraternity is also indebted for its shingle which he designed while doing graduate work at Cor­ nell near the turn of the century.

☆

More progress

1936-1937

*

THE C O LLE G E YEAR of 1936-1937 was one of continued advance­ ment by the fraternity as it made further recovery from the effects of the depression years. As slow business recovery was seen across the nation, college enrollments also increased and some of the problems of operating a large international organization and local fraternity houses began to ease. It was an important political year which saw many Betas across the land engaged in the heat of election strife and it was a year which saw the fraternity add two new names to its list of chapters.

THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL CONVENTION Is it true what they say about Dixie? For the first time in its his­ tory, Beta Theta Pi traveled to the deep south for its annual assembly to find out. On several previous occasions the gathering had been held south of the Mason-Dixon line, the farthest south being in Nash­ ville, Tennessee, in 1868. In 1936, however, the clans of Wooglin assembled at the Edgewater Gulf Hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi, Au­ gust 24-28. The southern brothers led by Arthur A. de la Houssaye, Tulane ’23, chairman of the local committee on arrangements, pro­ duced a brand of hospitality which was as warm as the weather. The delegates showed their appreciation by electing Brother de la Hous­ saye Temporary President of the Convention and agreed that all that had been claimed for Dixie friendliness was true.

Permanent officers of the convention were: President, Sumter T. Marks, Tulane ’14, a resident of New Orleans and for many years Chief of District X III (Georgia Tech, Mississippi, Tulane and Van­ derbilt); Secretary, William G. Kimmel, Dickinson ’19, Chief of Dis­ trict V. General Secretary’s Report. Delivering his first report as General 16

M ORE PROGRESS, 1 9 3 6 - 1 9 3 7

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Edgewater Gulf Hotel Site of the Ninety-Seventh General Convention.

Secretary, G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27, reviewed his activities dur­ ing the past year and the state of the fraternity. He announced the publication of three works, a new Handbook for District Chiefs, the 1936 edition of the Beta Ritual and the 1935 edition of the Code.

In the field of scholarship Brother Smith reported that the NIC Survey showed Beta Theta Pi nationally above the average of college men for the tenth consecutive year—the total length of time during which the survey has been conducted. Re­ ferring to achievements of individ­ ual members he reported that dur­ ing the past year, thirty-three Betas had been elected to Phi Beta Kappa, twenty-eight Beta freshmen to Phi Eta Sigma, seventeen Beta engineers to Tau Beta Pi and seventeen t o _______ Sigma Tau. In individual honors General Secretary won, the laurels went to Tau chapG. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27.

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ter at Wabash, where out of twelve men elected to Phi Beta Kappa, eight were Betas.

In keeping with the fraternity’s emphasis on the cultivation of the intellect, the General Secretary announced the appointment of Ar­ thur Day Warnock, Illinois ’05, Dean of Men at Penn State, as Schol­ arship Commissioner.

Liquor Policy. Referring to the difficulties caused in some chapters through the improper use of liquor, Brother Smith stated the policy of the fraternity in this matter: 1. Drunkenness on the part of a Beta is looked upon with definite disapproval. The loss of self control through overindulgence is not con■ sistcnt with the attributes ol urban­ ity. courtesv and dignitv which we > desire for our members.

2. hers to observe all the regulations 1#^'.' of the institution where' the chapter ■ ■ is located. llistorv reveals that the best I .. chapters are those which 1ia\c ruled l| j* 7 liquor out of the chapter house.

■ Group drinking In of college age almost invariably leads ' '• ' ' to excessive drinking.

(General T re a su re r's R ep o rt. T h e d eep est

regret

ol

the convention

was that General Treasurer Jim General Treasurer Gavin, DePauw 1896, could not be James L. Gavin, DePauw 1896. For present because of the serious ill­ the thirty-second consecutive year he could report “all bills paid and no ness of his father. His written report chapter on the delinquent list.” continued the unbroken record of announcements that all bills were paid and no chapters were on the delinquent list to the General Fra­ ternity. Expenditures had exceeded income by $800, but $6,000 had been spent for new publications and this was a non-recurring expense.

The number of initiates during the year had been 1,181, a decrease of

B

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111 from the previous year, but the total number of undergraduates paying annual dues was 3,481 compared with 3,467 the year before.

The Founders Fund showed only a slight increase for the year but the Baird Fund increased $13,600 to a new total of $236,000. It is interesting to note that the budget for the fiscal year of 1936-1937 was as follows: President’s salary ..................................................................$ General Secretary’s salary .................................................

General Treasurer’s s a la ry .................................................

Magazine Editor’s salary ...................................................

Presidents office and travel exp en se................................

General Secretary’s office expense....................................

General Treasurer’s office expense....................................

Assistant General Treasurer’s office expense.................

Alumni Organization expense ..........................................

Stationery and accounting supplies..................................

Shingles ..................................................................................

Beta publications ..................................................................

Trustees incidentals .............................................................

Inspection expense...............................................................

General incidentals .............................................................

Banta’s Greek Exchange .....................................................

Interfraternity Conference .................................................

Magazine ................................................................................

Convention expense.............................................................

6,000 1,000 1,000 2,500 2,500 1,500 1,500 750 500 700 1,000 5,000 1,100 3,000 1,200 125 300 7,000 9,500

Total ................................................................................ $46,175 The Board Reports. The Board reported that during the year it had been composed of President Francis W. Shepardson, Denison 1882, Brown 1883, General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27, Gen­ eral Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePauw 1896 and Vice-Presidents Ronald F. Moist, W est Virginia ’15, Charles B. Gutelius, Indiana ’05, and William O. Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14.

Announcement was made of the reappointment of Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18, as Editor of The Beta Theta Pi for 1935-1936, and of Frank G. Ensign, Beloit ’00, as Assistant General Treasurer. To fill

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The Board of Trustees, 1935-36 Left to right: Trustee Moist, General Secretary Smith, President Shepardson, Trustees Dawson and Gutelius. Absent: General Treasurer Gavin.

the vacancies in the Senate of Beta Theta Pi, caused by the expira­ tion of the terms of Hon. Willis Van Devanter and Hon. Jay N. Darl­ ing and by the death of Hon. Joseph W. Byrns, the Board recom­ mended the following candidates: Hon. Owen D. Young, St. Law rence 1894, business man and statesman; Hon. Charles P. Taft. II, Yale ’18, attorney and public minded citizen of Cincinnati, and Hon. John Gar­ land Pollard, Richm ond 1891, former District Chief and later Governor of Virginia, these three to serve for a three-year term expiring in 1939.

The Board announced the publication of a special volume, “Beta Bards,” edited by Francis Shepardson and containing the poems writ­ ten by Betas which have appeared in T he B eta T heta Pi. Approval also was announced for a new work by President Shepardson, “Kin­ ship in Beta Theta Pi.” Chapters Commended. The Chapters Commission, under chairman Charles B. Gutelius, Indiana ’05, reported on chapters placed under its supervision and commended the following for marked improve­ ment during the past year: Bethany, Carnegie Tech, Brown and West­ ern Reserve. While commending them for their efforts to meet the standards of the fraternity, the commission recommended that the fol-

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lowing chapters be continued under its direction for another year: Columbia, Rutgers, Mississippi, Colorado College, Chicago, Iowa and Johns Hopkins.

New Idea. An innovation at this convention was a series of “Dis­ cussion Sessions.” These were started with the hope of acquainting undergraduates with their fraternity, encouraging more persons to participate and to vary the usual convention program. The first was led by District Chief Robert H. Frazier, North Carolina T9, on the subject “Why a Constitution?” The second was under the direction of District Chief William A. Boekel, Idaho ’17, on “Chapter Finance” and the third, “Hell Week,” was directed by Trustee William W. Daw­ son.

Elections. Francis W. Shepardson, Dension 1882, Brown 1883, was elected President for his seventh consecutive term.This great tribute to the man whom many regarded as the greatest Beta of them all, expressed the unfulfilled hopes of the delegates that he would be the leader of the fraternity at its Centennial Celebration in 1939. In a brief and eloquent address of ac­ ceptance which made a profound impression upon the assembled Betas, President Shepardson thanked the convention for the continued and sustained expression of con­ fidence in his leadership. He placed before the delegates a stirring chal­ lenge for the highest type of lead­ ership in their respective chapters, to the end that all chapters might reach still higher standards of per­ formance and attainment looking toward the Centennial.

As Trustee for the term expiring in 1939, the convention selected A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18. “A. J.” as he was known to Betas every­ where had been for five years New Trustee Chief of the far western District A. J. Gustin Priest, Idaho ’18.

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XX composed of Idaho, Washington State and Whitman, and for four years Chief of the metropolitan eastern District V, made up of Columbia, Rutgers and Stevens. He was at the time of his election a partner in the law firm of Reid and Murphy, counsel for Electric Bond and Share and associated bolding companies.

Two New Chapters. The eigbty-seven became eighty-nine as two new chapters were added by the 97th General Convention. After lengthy reports from general officers who had investigated the pro­ spective groups, from alumni and representatives of nearby chapters, charters were granted to the Sigma Alpha Society at the University of British Columbia and to the Beta Sigma Phi Society at Lawrence Col­ lege, Appleton, Wisconsin.

The only opposition came from the delegates from the Virginia and Texas chapters who questioned the policy of the fraternity with regard to expansion, and expressed the need for a survey of institu­ tions where Beta chapters might be established before granting any more charters.

Legislation on Inactive Members. For a number of years a problem had plagued many chapters—what to do about the undergraduate members who entered professional fraternities, and found it difficult to maintan their active status in their Beta chapters. Under the rules of the Code such members could not resign from active chapter par­ ticipation without, at the same time, resigning their membership in the General Fraternity.

Many persons had maintained that while such members could not escape their financial obligations to the fraternity for a period of at least four years, some provision should be made permitting them to give up their active participation in chapter affairs without jeopardiz­ ing their status as Betas in good standing. The 97th Convention adopted two amendemnts to accomplish these two objectives: 1. Section 100 of Chapter VII of the Laws pertaining to the pay­ ment of dues was amended to provide that dues should be collected from all members who had not completed four college years even though enrolled in one of the professional colleges of the institution.

2. Section 12 of Article II of the Constitution was amended to per­ mit a member who had completed four college years and who was enrolled in a professional college to retain his membership in the fraternity although becoming an inactive member of his chapter.

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EVENTS OF THE YEAR Nineteen thirty-six was a political year. The Democratic Party with its “New Deal” had been swept into office in 1932 by voters frightened by economic depression and seeking any change which might bring back the elusive prosperity. Now, four years later, they were to decide whether to continue that administration in power.

It is interesting to note the members of Beta Theta Pi who occupied important positions on the political front in this important election year: William E. Borah, Kansas 1889, a member of Beta Theta Pi was seeking re-election to his sixth term as U. S. Senator from Idaho.

Robert M. La Follette, Jr., W is­ consin ’17, was serving his third term as Progressive Party Senator from Wisconsin and was support­ ing President Franklin D. Roose­ velt for re-election.

Robert R. Reynolds, North Caro­ lina ’06, lawyer, world traveler, author and statesman had been elected U. S. Senator from North Carolina in 1932, for the term 19331939.

Senator From Idaho William E. Borah, Kansas 1889.

Congressman Bertrand H. Snell, Amherst 1894, a Senator of Beta Theta Pi, had been a representative from the 31st New York district in the House of Representatives for twenty-one years. A natural leader, he rose to be Minority Leader and in 1934 was opposed for the Speak­ ership by Joseph W. Byrns, Vanderbilt 1891, probably the only in­ stance in history in which two members of the same fraternity con­ tested for this place of honor.

Congressman Charles A. Halleck, Indiana ’22, was elected in 1929 at the age of twenty-eight and became the ranking Republican office holder in the Hoosier state. A strong, uncompromising and vigorous

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opponent of the New Deal, he gained a reputation far beyond his own state as a leader of the youthful ranks of the Republican Party.

Guy Brasfield Park, Missouri 1896, was the fifth in the distinguished line of Beta governors of Missouri, the first being one of the Founders of the fraternity, Charles Henry Hardin, Miami 1841. Chosen governor in 1932, Park was the first Democratic chief executive of the state since World War I. Lewis O. Barrows, Maine ’16, became the third Beta governor of Maine in the September, 1936 election. An active Republican leader for many years, he succeeded another Beta, Louis J. Brann, Maine 1898, who had twice been elected to that high office on the Democra­ tic ticket.

David Sholtz, Yale ’14, was elected governor of Florida by an over­ whelming Democratic majority in November, 1932 for a four year term.

Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13, became the fourth Beta governor of Indiana when he was elected for the term expiring in 1937.

Philip F. La Follette, W isconsin ’19, the distinguished son of a dis­ tinguished father, was the second Beta to serve as governor of Wiscon­ sin. A Republican for most of his political career, he broke away from the party in 1934 and was a leader in organizing the Progressive Party.

Leslie Jensen, South D akota ’22, was the second Beta to be elected governor of South Dakota. Although running on the Republican ticket in a state which went into the Democratic column, he won his office by a comfortable majority.

Rolland B. Marvin, Syracuse ’20, was serving his fourth term as Mayor of Syracuse.

While the political fires were burning, Beta was enjoying another year of progress and achievement. From all over its domain came reports of continued recovery of chapters from the effects of the de­ pression. New chapter houses were being built again, old ones ren­ ovated, members were bringing honors to the fraternity in campus activities and scholastically Beta still led its rivals. It was a year in which two installations ended an expansion drought and the eightyseven chapters became eighty-nine.

Bethany’s 75th. “Old Psi” at Bethany held its Diamond Jubilee with one hundred seventy-five alumni and actives taxing the facilities of that small West Virginia town. Representing the General Fraternity were General Secretary G. Herbert Smith and Vice-President Ron-

M ORE PROGRESS, 1 9 3 6 - 1 9 3 7

aid F. Moist with Harold “Bing” Baily there in his official capacity as Chairman of the National Interfraternity Confer­ ence. Governor Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13, was the principal banquet speaker.

Reporting on the affair and referring to the officers and alumni present, an under­ graduate wrote, “We are proud of affili­ ations like these and men will do many things to insure the permanence of an institution like Beta Theta Pi. We wish that those who are predicting the decline of the Greek letter fraternity might have shared the weekend with us. Psi chapter has never been as strong or as well knit.”

Installation at British Columbia. For the second time in its history, Beta Theta Pi crossed the Canadian border to grant a charter and install a chapter. Gamma Omicron was installed at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, before a large gathering and with three-day cere-

At the Installation Left to right: New alumni counselor Dr. Gor­ don Burke, W ashington ’09; General Secretary Smith; Chapter President Gordon B. Morris; Frank G. Ensign, B eloit 1900, and Alumni Presi­ dent F. Temple Keeling, British Colum bia ’30.

25

The Old Main Tower at Bethany

monies starting October 21, 1936. Interested Betas traveled from Seattle, Portland and other west coast cities with General Secretary G. Herbert Smith and Assistant Gen­ eral Treasurer Frank G. Ensign representing the G en eral F r a te r n ity .

Brother Ensign conducted the examination of can­ didates for initiation and members of Beta Omega chapter at Seattle com-

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prised the initiation team. Dr. Gordon Burke, W ashington ’09, who had been “pater” to the Sigma Alpha Phi Society, took one of the parts in the ceremony, had the pleasure of pinning the Beta Badge on his own son and became the first alumni Counselor to Gamma Omicron chapter.

Beta Scholarship. With reports lagging a year behind, Scholarship Commissioner A. Ray Warnock, Illinois ’05, announced that Beta’s average for 1935-1936 was higher than any other of the fraternities with whose chapters Beta chapters ordinarily compete in rushing.

Its national average as computed by the N.I.C. was 2.73. Leading chapters in percentage above the all-men’s average were: Illinois, Kansas, St. Lawrence, Brown, Wabash and Missouri.

Beta Athletes. In his annual Beta football review, George H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, announced his All-Beta Football team for 1936: I.e. Donald F. Powell, Purdue ’38 l.t. Frank C. Lynch, Jr., Navy ’38 (Kansas) l.g. Charles D. Ream, Ohio State ’38 c.

George V. Moore, Oregon ’38 r.g. Richard E. Erwine, Miami ’37 r.t. Gene D. Gisburne, Pennsylvania ’37 r.e. Richard E. Johnson, W ashington ’37 q.b. Vernon R. Huffman, Indiana ’37 l.li.b. Fred L. Stalcup, Purdue ’37 r.h.b. Rodger W. Dougherty, W ashington State ’37 f.b. Lorin A. Berry, D enver ’37 In the spring he announced his All-Beta Basketball team of 1937: Forward, Walter H. Foertsch, Cornell ’39 Forward, John T. Gocke, W est Virginia ’37 Center, James F. Babcock, D enver ’37 Guard, Vernon R. Huffman, Indiana ’37 Guard, Earl J. Gocke, Washington and Jefferson ’37 Installation at Lawrence. A new star entered the Beta firmament as Gamma Pi at Lawrence College joined with Alpha Pi at Wisconsin and Beta Pi at Minnesota to complete an upper midwest “Pi Triad.”

At ceremonies on December 18-19, sixty-four alumni and nineteen ac­ tive members of Beta Sigma Phi, thirty-four year old local society, were initiated as the charter group. Traveling to Appleton, Wisconsin

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for the event were President Francis W. Shepardson, General Secre­ tary G. Herbert Smith, District Chief Charles P. “Stubby” Davis, Dis­ trict Chief Ray R. Knight, former District Chief Clifford Gregg and a host of other Betas from Wisconsin and surrounding states.

The installation fulfilled a dream of Elmer “Jenks” Jennings, North­ western ’12, a long time resident and business leader in the Fox River area, who had been a patron saint to the peti­ tioners and had never ceased to encourage them in their desire for a Beta charter. The feelings of the undergraduates were expressed by Donald Schalk, Law rence ’37, when he wrote, ’’Perhaps the most important thing Installation Officers which we as the under­ Left to right: President Shepardson; Chapter graduates gained from President Donald J. MacDonald, Law rence the installation was an in­ ’38; General Secretary Smith; Clifford C. Gregg and District Chief Davis. sight into the spirit and traditions of a great na­ tional fraternity. We were made keenly aware of our own limited horizons as a local group by the talks which ‘Shep,’ ‘Herb’ and the others of Beta fame gave. I know that then and there every member of Gamma Pi resolved to steep himself in a knowledge of Beta Theta Pi and to live as he had promised to live under the three stars.”

SO M E B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 3 6 -1 9 3 7

Louis H. Pink, St. Law rence ’04, was appointed New York State Superintendent of Insurance.

Kenneth Teasdale, Missouri ’17, was elected President of the Mis­ souri Bar Association.

Charles W. Deeds, Denison ’23, was elected Director and VicePresident of United Aircraft Corporation and general manager of

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United’s engine manufacturing division, Pratt and Whitney Aircraft.

William Howes Collins, Williams ’29, was appointed by the State Department to be advisor to the United States delegation to the fifth international Conference on Public Instruction at Geneva, Switzerland.

Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17, former Chief of District X III, was appointed director of the world famed Field Museum of Natural His­ tory in Chicago.

Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13, former Governor of Indiana, was ap­ pointed by President Roosevelt to be High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands.

Carroll Miller, Stevens 1896, became chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Frank A. Kemp, C olorado ’13, was named President and general manager of the Great Western Sugar Company, largest producers of beet sugar in the United States.

☆

Francis W ayland Shepardson

1862-1937

☆

P resident, Beta T h e ta Pi 1918-1937 He rests, he sleeps the dreamless sleep While cycles move, But in our hearts eternally we keep His faith and love.

BETA THETA PI has been blest more than most organizations of men with great figures who have given of themselves and have guided its destiny down through the years. None was greater or more beloved than Francis W. Shepardson, D eni­ son 1882, Brown 1883, whose sud­ den death occurred on August 9, 1937—just two short years away from the fraternity’s Centennial celebration for which he had planned so long.

Few men have possessed his genius for leadership. His purposes were so noble and his methods so sincere that he awakened in his fol­ lowers an intense desire to emulate him and to seek the better paths through this life. Beta Theta Pi was to him an instrumentality by which to express and develop the very highest and holiest of his dreams.

He used it, but above all, he was the embodiment of all that which he believed it might become.

Francis Wayland Shepardson was born at Cincinnati, Ohio, on Octo­ ber 15, 1862, son of the Reverend Doctor Daniel and Eliza (Smart) Shepardson. His ancestors were New Englanders, dating back to the earliest settlers of the colonies. A brilliant student, Dr. Shepardson re­ ceived his B.A. degree from Denison University in 1882. He went on 29

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to pursue graduate work and was awarded a B.A. by Brown Univer­ sity in 1883, M.A. by Denison in 1886, and Ph.D. by Yale University in 1892. At Brown, a recognition of his high scholarship was his elec­ tion to Phi Beta Kappa. Later he was instrumental in bringing a chap­ ter of that honary society to Denison, his Alma Mater. At the seventyfifth anniversary celebration of that institution in 1906 he received the honorary degree of LL.D., being selected by the faculty and trustees as the one alumnus to be honored on that occasion.

For a few years after college he was a teacher in the Young Ladies Institute, Granville, Ohio, whose president was his father, and from 1887 to 1890 was editor of the Granville Times. Further graduate study followed and in 1892 he went to the University of Chicago, be­ ginning a distinguished teaching and administrative career. For a number of years he was Dean of the Senior Schools and from 1897 to 1917 held professorial rank in the field of American history.

In the latter year he left the University of Chicago to become Di­ rector of the Illinois Department of Education and chairman of the state’s Board for Vocational Guidance. Returning to private life in 1921 he served for five years as Director of the Julius Rosenwald Fund until, in 1926, he heeded the urgent call of Beta Theta Pi for full time service.

His fine qualities of character and his unusual capacity for leader­ ship were recognized early, and time after time the fraternity honored him by appointment or election to positions of trust and responsibility.

Initiated into the Denison chapter, the Alpha Eta of Beta Theta Pi on March 19, 1880, he attended his first Beta convention in Cincinnati two years later and served as secretary. The General Convention at Biloxi in 1936 was the thirty-first which he had attended!

At the gathering held in Denver, Colorado, in 1906 he was elected a member of the Board of Trustees and his service to the fraternity was continuous from that time until his death. A year after his election to the Board he was chosen General Secretary, a position he held until 1917, raising that office to new heights of influence and constructive service. In 1918 he was elevated to the presidency in which position he was serving his seventh consecutive term at the time of his death.

During the two decades of his greatest activity, his contributions comprised the bulk of written Beta lore and history. In 1917, on the death of William Raimond Baird, he took over the editorship of

Francis Wayland Shepardson, Denison 1882, Brown 1883 President of Beta Theta Pi, 1918-1937

31

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T he Beta Theta Pi magazine at the request of the Board of Trustees, expecting to hold it only temporarily, but continued as editor of the “first college fraternity magazine” until 1931. His interesting narratives in the pages of the magazine following his many trips into every cor­ ner of Betadom not only gave his readers a clear report of the activities of the president, but brought them a vivid picture of the chapters, the undergraduates, the alumni and the colleges which he visited.

His major works included The Story of Beta Theta Pi (The Beta Book), 1927; Sentiment, Song and Story in B eta Theta Pi (Beta Lore), 1928; Individuals, Incidents and Inspirations in Beta Theta Pi (Beta Life), 1929; T he Centennial His­ tory of Denison University, 1931; Beta Theta Pi Catalogue, 1933; B eta Bards, 1936; Beta Kinship, 1936; and just before his death he had completed A History o f Alpha E ta Chapter. In addition to these writings he also edited four edi­ tions of the standard fraternity reference book, Baird’s Manual and was selected to write the artiAt Old Miami c le on college fraternities in the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Dr. Shepardson’s contributions to Beta Theta Pi were matched by his unusual service to the Greek-letter world. He had great hopes for the growth and development of the National Interfraternity Confer­ ence and took an active part in that group from the time of its first meeting in 1909. He was its first secretary and held that office until he was elected chairman in 1914. He became known as the spokesman for college fraternities and was invited to address student bodies and alumni and faculty groups on campuses from coast to coast.

But such a recital of the accomplishments of Francis Shepardson fails to reveal the intimate side of this wise and kindly man. In all sec­ tions of this continent there are men, now in their maturity, who re­ member the hour they spent with him in the intimacy of a fireside

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

33

scene in a Beta chapter house after the formal functions were over. It was on such informal occasions that he revealed his great knowledge of the fraternity, of its great leaders of past decades, of his hopes and aspirations for the brotherhood he loved so well. Humorous, kindly, wise and very human, he bound men to him and to the fraternity.

Dr. Shepardson was a thirty-second degree Mason, a Knight Tem­ plar and a Shriner and at the time of his death was the oldest member of Center Star Lodge No. 11, his membership dating from March 27, 1885. He was long identified with the Sons of the American Revolution and was president of the Illinois Society, 1908-1913, and again 19151918. His political allegiance was to the Republican Party and he was a member of the Baptist Church.

In 1884 he was married to Miss Cora Lenore Whitcomb. Both were present at Mackinac Island, Michigan, when, on the opening day of the Ninety-fifth General Convention, September 3, 1934, their Golden Wedding Anniversary was appropriately recognized by the fraternity.

Their only child, a son, John Whitcomb Shepardson, also a member of Beta Theta Pi, died in 1927.

The gathering in 1934 was the last Beta meeting which Mrs. Shep­ ardson attended as she died after a short illness in May, 1936. Her passing was a severe shock to Dr. Shepardson but, in characteristic fashion, he faced his sorrow and carried on the work which was his to do. He attended the Ninety-seventh General Convention at Biloxi in August, 1936, where he was again given an ovation by his Beta brothers as they re-elected him to his seventh consecutive term as President.

During his last year President Shepardson visited a number of chap­ ters and continued his active work for the fraternity. He attended the Interfraternity Conference in New York, the Board of Trustees meet­ ing in Virginia soon after Christmas, and was present at many other Beta gatherings.

In June, 1937, on the occasion of Gamma chapter’s Ninety-fifth An­ niversary, historic Washington and Jefferson College honored him with its LL.D. degree. On this trip he spoke to gatherings of alumni and ac­ tive Betas at Washington and Jefferson, and at Bethany. Leaving Beth­ any on June 6, he traveled with the General Secretary to Springfield, Ohio, where on Sunday night he addressed the active men and alumni of Alpha Gamma chapter as they celebrated the Seventieth Anniver-

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His Last Beta Meeting A gathering of the Trustees and Centenary Committee on June 25, 1937 at Oxford, Ohio.

sary of Beta Theta Pi at Wittenberg College. This was the last Beta chapter which he visited.

Dr. Shepardson presided over his last Beta meeting on June 25,1937, as the Trustees and members of the Centenary Committee met at Ox足 ford, Ohio, to formulate plans for the Centenary Convention, and plan a suitable fraternity memorial to be presented on that occasion.

During the summer he worked on his History of Alpha Eta C hap足 ter o f Beta Theta Pi, and had finished correcting the final proofs on the day of his death, August 9, 1937. On that evening, his work being com足 pleted and his desk clear, he left Granville on a bus en route to Colum足 bus, Ohio, where he proposed to take the train to Chicago for a short vacation before going on to the Convention at Mackinac Island. A few minutes after eight p . m . the bus made its regular stop at Pataskala, Ohio. He left the bus, walked a short distance, and was stricken and died as he entered the station.

THE SERVICES AT GRANVILLE The funeral services for Dr. Shepardson were held Friday, August 13, in the beautiful Swasey Chapel which crowns the campus of

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

35

his Alma Mater—Denison University. The services were in charge of Dr. Millard Brelsford, Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Denison, who spoke of Dr. Shepardson in his relation to the University and the community. He was followed by Dr. Willis A. Chamberlin, a retired professor at Denison, and as an officer of Phi Beta Kappa, he spoke of Shep’s influence on that organization. Speaking for Beta Theta Pi was a member of the Advisory Council and former Vice-President and Trustee, Brother John A. Blair, W abash 1893. Active and honorary pall bearers included officers, former officers and Beta leaders from all sec­ tions of the country.

The Committal Service was held in Granville on September twentysixth, when the ashes of Dr. Shepardson were committed to the earth in the presence of another assembly of Betas who had come to pay their last respects to their great leader. Some one hundred and fifty members of the fraternity, each wearing a Beta rose, stood in silent concourse as the services were conducted by Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15, at that time Chief of District XI. Short memorial addres­ ses were given by William L. Graves, Ohio State 1893, and Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02, the newly elected President of Beta Theta Pi. ☆ ☆ ☆ Mere words by an historian are inadequate in attempting to reveal the influence which Francis Shepardson had on the fraternity and on the men with whom he came in contact during his long period of ser­ vice to the fraternity. Far better it would be to allow some of these to speak from their hearts. Following are some of the tributes which were spoken at the memorial services which preceded the Ninety-eighth General Convention or were written soon after his death. Space will permit inclusion of only a few of these eloquent expressions and those who would seek more are referred to the Memorial Issue of T he Beta Theta Pi, Vol. LXV, No. 1, November, 1937.

M E M O R IA L R E S O L U T IO N O F T H E B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S

Francis Wayland Shepardson, Denison 1882, Brown 1883, Presi­ dent of Beta Theta Pi and universally acknowledged to be the fore­ most figure in the Greek letter world, has been called to his long home,

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depriving this fraternity of the greatest leader in its history and taking from all Beta workers their dear mentor and their much loved friend.

President Shepardson served Beta Theta Pi as a District Chief, as a Trustee, as General Secretary through ten magnificently fruitful years, as editor of our magazine, as our ritualist, as the compiler of those golden treasuries of our song and story, our sentiment and our tradi­ tion, The Beta Book, Beta Lore, B eta L ife and Beta Bards, and as president of the fraternity through the almost two decades which have passed since he was first chosen for that high office in 1918.

Through seven college genera­ tions he has been the personifica­ tion, the embodiment of the ideals, the spirit of Beta Theta Pi. What inspiration, what enrichment, what high spiritual leaven he has brought those countless wearers of our badge whom he has influ­ enced down the years, no man can ever know.

At Mackinac We must not grieve for him even though our Centenary Celebration at Old Miami will be sadly incom­ plete without his presence, for he believed his work was done; and we know that, in Rupert Brooke’s words, he went “proud and clear-eyed, to greet Death as a friend!” May we now be aware how happy they are to have him, how warmly they must have welcomed him, upon the Other Shore: his devoted wife, his Beta son; Charles J. Seaman, E. Bruce Chandler, Willys C. Ransom, William Raimond Baird, Francis H. Sisson and dear, saintly Willis O. Robb; and others, too, who wore the badge and bore the name. And surely there was one kindly and benign spirit whose smile of greeting must have been particularly sweet and tender: John Reily Knox, Miami 1839.

W e shall not, must not, mourn the closing of that high, abundant life, but the memory of Francis Wayland Shepardson, our “Shep,”

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

37

greatest of all the great lovers of Beta Theta Pi, we shall with rever­ ence and affection cherish forever in our inmost hearts.

T R IB U T E O F G O R D O N S. SM Y TH , P E N N S Y L V A N IA ’18

Brother President, Officers of Beta Theta Pi, Delegates to the Ninety-eighth General Convention, My Beta Brothers—Members All of a Great Fraternity: Our hearts are moved deeply today as we bow our heads in tribute to the memory of one whom we loved—and who loved us well. We seek for words to speak of this man—one of the greatest souls of earth—but, deep from within us as they may come, mere words cannot express our feelings.

Dr. Francis Wayland Shepardson was a cultured Christian gentle­ man, an inspired and inspiring leader, an understanding friend, an en­ thusiast for the fraternity cause, a man whose burning sincerity and warm personality won our devotion and loyalty. To all of us he was “Shep,” and the word carried with it a world of esteem and affection.

Consider for a moment the life of this man—our beloved leader—and understand the significance of the type of work to which he devoted himself. Consistently throughout his life the dominating force was service to the welfare of his fellow men, whether through education, fraternity or other avenues. As teacher, administrator, director of a great foundation, fraternity leader, he sought nothing but the finest and best in all his associations, and that can be said only of a man who is himself fine and true.

“Shep’s” last letter to me reported the passing of one whom he de­ scribed with a phrase he loved to use when he could do so justly: “He brought great honor to the badge we wear.” Who ever brought greater “honor to the badge we wear” than did “Shep” himself? To all of us whose lives he touched and to countless numbers of Betas who never even saw or heard him, he was the personification of all that is noblest in our order, the living symbol of the fulfillment of Beta idealism.

“Shep” was one of the most human of men. His heart reached for the stars and yet those who were privileged to have intimate association with him found him the most delightful of companions. I will never forget my first realization of one of his most endearing human quali­ ties. As a young Beta worker, to me he was one of the gods and I sat

38

MARCHING ALONG

At Muskoka, 1931 The Board of Trustees at the Ninety-Second General Convention, Left to right: Smyth, Moist, President Shepardson, Gavin, Blair, Baily.

at his feet when I could. One day I walked into the railroad station en route to convention, and there I met him and had two unbroken hours of fellowship with him. Soon I discovered his keen and delightful sense of humor. His eyes twinkled as he used his sly, gentle touches to drive home his points. He took delight in the humorous aspects of the com­ mon things we saw and experienced. Later I came to look forward to his sparkling wit at gatherings of district chiefs, at board meetings. I can picture him speaking informally to convention gatherings, here in this hotel and elsewhere, with gales of laughter greeting his sallies.

I can see the smiles on the faces of eager boys gathered around him before chapter house fireplaces. In my mind’s eye, I can reread his letters with their slyly humorous references. Yet his humor was always considerate and never unkind.

Always and ever “Shep” clasped the hand of youth. Mentally and spiritually, he never grew old but always retained his close touch with young men. He knew and understood the college boys of today as he knew and understood the college boys of his own generation. He saw eye to eye with them, he read their minds, he knew how to appeal to their hearts because, actually, he never grew away from them.

His hair turned silver gray and just at the end his physical strength faltered, but to the day of his death his eyes were clear and he had in his heart the song and the hopeful vision of youth.

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

39

“Shep” was an humble and modest man. Generous in his praise of others, he shrank from praise of himself. Just two weeks before his death he wrote to one of us, telling of a sermon he had heard in Deni­ son’s beautiful Swasey chapel. “The subject of the sermon was ‘Gideon and three hundred plus,’ ” he wrote. “It was wonderful in diction and dramatic and powerful in delivery. Such addresses uplift me greatly, making me long for power in speaking to men.”

Our “Shep,” whose golden diction and moving words have inspired and uplifted so many Beta hearts, longing “for power in speaking to men”! You who have heard him speak, do you remember the thrill that came to you as you first listened to him tell the Beta story? Do you remember the inspiration of his vision for Beta Theta Pi? Do vou recall how he touched your hearts when he spoke as if endowed with a di­ vine fire? And yet our “Shep,” who stirred our hearts so often as he led us to the heights, still longed “for power in speaking to men”!

Of all the things for which we love him, I think perhaps we will love him most for the influence he has had on thousands of individual lives.

Since his death one young Beta alumnus has written me: “In his last letter to me he said: ‘In hours of reflection I often think that there MUST BE in Beta Theta Pi very great latent power —something which, if given expression, would work great things in life.

There are not many who catch the vision—but those who have seen i t . . . are the ones who have made Beta Theta Pi what it is.

And then “Shep” wrote something that must speak “Shep” and “Jim” to our hearts today, “Go on with your good work and do not get discouraged.” Can’t you hear his familiar and well­ loved voice saying those words to us just now: “GO ON W ITH YOUR GOOD WORK AND DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED!”

40

MARCHING ALONG

My young Beta friend continued with “Shep’s,” letter: “I am always satisfied if, when I talk to a dozen, I can get ONE to see the vision.

You are BOUND to impress more than one to some degree, and so your helpful and inspiring words are like leaven. Some day a Beta will say to you or write to you, ‘I’ve never forgotten one thing you said— and then you’ll know that your seed has matured, and you’ll have your reward.’ ” “Shep’s words had made clear the vision to our alumnus’ eyes, for he added: “I wonder how many Betas have caught the vision through ‘Shep’s’ eyes. Those words will be a constant inspiration to me to talk to Betas when I have the chance, and to try to make them really care for Beta Theta Pi.” How many Betas have caught the vision of fraternity, of Beta ideals, of noble living, through “Shep’s” eyes? If we could but call the roll here, and if our voice could but carry to the far corners of Beta’s Broad Dominion, what a mighty army of Betas would rise and respond to the call!—the flower of Beta Theta Pi, the men who make this the great fraternity it is today, the men who will carry on for “Shep,” the men who will go on with their good work and not get discouraged!

A little while ago I sat in Swasey chapel with bowed head and with eyes wet with tears, as I joined in the service for our brother; and yet I was able to raise my head and smile, for I knew that he who was asleep would awake on the Other Side, joyously to grasp once more in fraternal grip the hands of Pater Knox and other Beta saints—and because I knew that “Shep” himself will live forever in our hearts.

Do you remember the beautiful prayer he always included in his ad­ dress at the beginning of convention? I hold it here, as written in his own clear hand. Dare I read a part of it once more, paraphrasing it, just for him? “We thank Thee, God, for his good example and brave testimony; for his faith which wrought righteousness and obtained promises; for the witness of his saintly soul; for the ascended spirit of our brother with whom we once took counsel together.”

He rests, he sleeps the dreamless sleep While Cycles move, But in our hearts eternally we keep His faith and love.

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

4.1

TRIBUTES FROM BETA HEARTS

By D r . S t a n l e y C o u l t e r , H anover 1871, Senator of Beta Theta Pi, author of “As Betas Now We Meet.”

It is impossible to appraise a life such as that of Brother Shepard­ son, with the sharpness of sorrow at his sudden passing still making one’s heart heavy. He lived true to himself and to his generation—and no one could do more.

I marvel at what he DID, but more at what he WAS. I wonder if his personality will not live longer in the hearts of Betas, than the great con­ structive work he did for the Fraternity. “Back of the work is always the worker,” and the worker is greater than the work.

I have met Dr. Shepard­ son at chapter visitation ceremonies, at fraternity banquets, and other gath­ erings and always won­ dered at the ease and grace with which he adapted himself to the spirit of the occasion.

Poise, dignity, good fel­ lowship, wisdom, humor, marked his bearing. He never struck a false note. It is not surprising that such demands were made upon his time and strength by chapter leaders, eager to have the neophytes come under his spell.

Personally his passing means much to me, for I antedated him only a decade, and had counted him as one of my own generation. I feel lonely, increasingly lonely as these veterans of Beta Theta Pi leave us.

When a great tree falls in a forest, you measure its greatness by the great emptiness its falling has produced. The whole landscape is changed.

42

MARCHING ALONG

To the Beta world the whole landscape has changed since “Shep" has passed on. Is there any one big enough, true hearted enough, un­ selfish enough to take his place? Will that great emptiness ever be filled?

I grieve because I have lost a dear friend. I grieve because count­ less hundreds of young men will not feel the inspiration of his presence this year, nor yet in years to come.

Nearly a century of Beta history has been recorded and in that cen­ tury no one has more perfectly exemplified its principles, or served it better. No one more deserves the love and honor which crowned his years. We place him with Pater Knox and his confreres, for he, too, was a great Beta and a great man.

Dear Friend, what more but “Hail and Farewell.” ☆

☆

☆

By J o h n C a l v i n H a n n a , W ooster 1881, General Secretary, 18841889; President, 1900-1903 I knew him intimately for nearly sixty years. We were initiated about the same time—he at Denison and I at Wooster, and we soon developed into kindred spirits.

While always loyal and progressive, his early attitude was rather boyish, but I have never known anyone to develop under responsi­ bility more than he did.

He contributed to the magazine then published in Cincinnati and soon developed what was for those days a wide acquaintance with members.

Fired with ambition to secure a doctor’s degree, “Shep” (a nickname I never used, but always called him Frank) sold out his little Gran­ ville newspaper and went to New Haven and became an admirer of William Rainey Harper, then at the peak of his fame as an original student of languages, and when Harper formed a coalition with Rockefeller to found the University of Chicago, he took Shepardson with him in 1892 as his private secretary. “Shep” remained in the fac­ ulty as an American history specialist and did much research along the line of personalities and migration.

At the New York convention in 1905 when Willis Robb and I were disturbed because Francis H. Sisson, becoming absorbed in other du­ ties was about to resign as General Secretary, which office he had ac­

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

43

cepted after I resigned in 1899, we both agreed that Dr. Shepardson was the man to succeed Sisson and I wired him and secured permis­ sion to nominate him.

But Sisson was induced to hold on another year and since “the boys” did not know Dr. Shepardson (for he had not attended a conven­ tion for ten years), I resigned the position as Trustee, to which I had just been reelected, and we elected him easily to fill my place.

The next year at Minneapolis he was present and with his winning personality was made General Secretary, an office which he held seven years when he was made President of the fraternity, which office he held till his death, in later years giving his whole time and talents to the office which he magnified and made of far greater importance than it had ever been.

His work of traveling and visiting chapters and reunions and inter­ viewing college authorities, his work in expanding the roll of chapters, his editing of the magazine where his wide acquaintance helped him, and his publication of the several volumes of Beta records and reminis­ cences—all these and the many brilliant speeches made by him mark him as an outstanding and even a unique figure in fraternity history.

Personally I shall miss him after sixty years of close and intimate ☆ By

W

il l ia m

L.

G ra v es,

☆

☆

Ohio State 1893, Trustee, 1914-1917

No memory of our beloved “Shep” is more vivid than my recollec­ tion of him standing with quiet dignity in convention assembly or banquet hall, waiting for the applause to die away before he should begin to speak. “Members of a great Fraternity—” you can hear his voice, can’t you, as we have all heard it a hundred times? And you can feel with me the thrill of pride that those opening words always gave the wearer of a Beta badge, young or old. Nobody ever equalled “Shep” in the ability to make us feel the worthiness of the ideal frater­ nity life he always preached, nor the abiding strength of the bond that ties into unity of purpose and emotion all Betas who deserve the name.

None of us ever saw Frank Shepardson stand before an audience of young men, whether that audience was a little group before the fire in some chapter house inglenook, or a great assembly at a reunion din­ ner, and heard him speak the trivial, the insignificant, the merely hu­ morous and entertaining word. It was perfectly evident that he saw in

44

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

45

every Beta gathering of undergraduate members of the fraternity to which his life was devoted, a precious and priceless opportunity that he must not allow to escape him. Others might joke and wisecrack and rouse the laughter; but though no man had a finer sense of humor than he, “Shep’s” words winged their way in high seriousness straight to the hearts of all his youthful listeners save the most insensitive. Many a time, at the end of a Beta dinner, with “Shep’s” speech as the fitting climax, boys have come to me with shining eyes and trembling voices, to say, “Gee! Billy, wasn’t that great? Isn’t he wonderful? If only I could be a Beta like that!” The young Beta never forgets such an experience, through all the years; and grown men, with silver in their hair, it may be, love and appreciate and work for Beta Theta Pi more enthusi­ astically because their great leader’s devotion and eloquence kindled a like devotion in them. ☆ By

G

urdon

G. B

la ck,

☆

☆

Washington ’01, Former District Chief

“Shep” gone? Why on my desk there lies a letter in his character­ istic handwriting, only partly answered, asking about a Beta memo­ rial. Thirty years ago I met him at the Niagara Falls convention that made him General Secretary, and few months have passed since with­ out a letter from him.

In all those thirty years, first as General Secretary, then as President, he has been the leader in Beta activities to so great an extent that now it is hard to think of the fraternity without thinking of him at the same time. In St. Louis, we always looked forward to his coming, the meetings he attended were enthusiastic ones, the messages he brought were eagerly heard, and Beta spirit always ran higher because of his presence. He was generous to us with his time, so “Shep” and Beta Theta Pi seem synonymous here.

I saw him grow gray in the service of the fraternity. Other positions he occupied with success and honor, in other fields he achieved marked success, other duties he performed well, but it was Beta that held his heart, and on it he lavished his own great talents and his time. He was there the crusader, with a definite mission, a seemingly compelling duty. He was the builder, he wanted to help make men, to make his fraternity the agency to that end. He brought it interest,

46

MARCHING ALONG

enthusiasm and sincerity; he idealized its friendships, true, unfailing friendship, he emphasized its power and stimulation, he upheld the Faith and Honor and Truth in daily life the fraternity tries to teach; he saw the vision with its possibilities and he would have us see it too.

How effective he was at the initiation, passing the grip he had re­ ceived from the dear Old Founder on to the latest initiate, three hands through nearly a hundred years. How inspiringly he unfolded the sig­ nificance of that initiation, and made Beta, not a fraternity, but THE fraternity, for so it was to him. He was eloquent and forceful as a speaker, with that in his voice that made you know it came from his heart. He rang true. Sentiment was a mighty part of him.

And yet he somehow always seemed at his best in the chapter circle, seated among the boys be­ fore the fire, singing Beta songs, telling Beta stories, giving bits of Beta history, mayhap a little from that of that very chapter none pres­ ent had ever heard, for his mind was a veritable storehouse of Beta Wise Counsel lore, giving too of his dreams for Beta’s future and making each one want to help make those dreams come true. All formality was gone there, then he seemed very close, very human—not the President but the comrade and the friend. And it was the same way when one could travel with him, by train or by car, he was the Good Companion, enter­ taining, interested in everything. Every sign, every name seemed to suggest a story; he was interested in Americana, he was a collector, he knew much of name origins, he was a genealogist in a way, family meant much to him, and with his sense of humor, he made the miles go swiftly by.

So to me he cannot be wholly gone. I will see him at each initiation, I will hear him at every banquet. I will treasure the memories of his fine face, so full of character, his wealth of sentiment, his great heart,

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

47

the charm of him, his versatility, his earnest, forceful pleading for the better things in life, especially in life in Beta Theta Pi, of his devotion to Beta, his belief in the Beta boys, his wholly delightful companionship, and of many happy hours together.

☆

☆

☆

FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON

1862-1937 The sting of Death is not for him who’s gone, Instead for us who, knowing him, live on.

For years he led from golden height to height, But now has mounted to the Infinite.

And left us here, to climb as best we may, All leaderless, unto that better Day. His stalwart form has vanished from our eyes, And from our ears his exhortation wise; But, left on many a page, his urge is writ To seize each hour and hold the best of it— The radiant joy of Life, where’er it springs, But only as the salt of higher things.

Thus shall the printed word and Memory Direct our growth to what he’d have us be.

—O

sm a n

C.

H

ooper,

Denison 1879

☆

Carrying On

1937-1938

☆ *

THE NIN ETY-EIG HTH GENERAL CONVENTION

THIS WAS “SHEP’S” convention. His spirit dominated the gathering just as surely as it had during the previous nineteen assemblies over which he had presided as the fraternity’s first officer. His death on Au­ gust 9 had first produced a shocked feeling that Beta was without lead­ ership—a condition which was only natural after the two decades dur­ ing which it had looked to him for guidance and counsel. But quickly came the realization that the greatest disservice to his revered memory would be to falter in the onward progress which he had urged with such skill and eloquence. Beta had produced leaders whenever lead­ ership was required—the Ninety-Eighth General Convention immedi­ ately assumed the responsibility of selecting the individuals with the ability, vision and foresight to insure that “Shep’s” dreams for that “great and good fraternity” would surely be fulfilled.

To the Grand. For the fourth time Wooglin called his followers to the spot which commanded the great inland waterways of the nation, Mackinac Island, Michigan. Three previous conventions had as­ sembled there at the world famous Grand Hotel—in 1924, 1933 and 1934. The dates were August 31 to September 3, 1937 and the rates were $7.50 per day including three elegant meals.

The assembly was called to order by the Senior Vice-President, Charles B. Gutelius, Indiana ’08, who had been designated Acting President by the Board of Trustees. Brother Gutelius immediately asked for a suspension of the rules so that a Memorial Service could be conducted for Francis Shepardson. A memorial resolution by the Board of Trustees was read by Trustee A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18, and tributes were given by: General Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePauw 1896; William A. Cornell, Denison ’38, President of the Denison chap­ ter who spoke for the undergraduate members of the fraternity; Dis­ trict Chief Lee B. Thompson, O klahom a ’25, who spoke for the younger generation of Beta workers, and Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsyl­ vania ’18, Editor The B eta Theta Pi. 48

The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan

50

M A RCH IN G ALONG

Selected as president of the convention was Robert M. Thompson, Minnesota 1895, a former District Chief and former Trustee. “Shep” had expressed the hope that the assembly would so honor “Bob T.” who was attending his twenty-eighth Beta convention. Chosen sec­ retary was Hardin R. Harmer, W est Virginia ’22, Chief of District VII. How We Were Doing.

In his report on the state of the fraternity, General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, D ePauw ’27, re­ ferred to the first report ever made by a General Secretary to a Beta con­ vention by Charles Duy Walker in 1873 when the fraternity was in its 34th year and comprised 27 chapters in twelve states.

Convention Veterans Brother Smith contrasted Left to right: Former Trustee Robert M. Thompson, Minnesota 1895; Former General that with the present Secretary Geo. Howard Bruce, Centre 1899, eighty-nine chapters in and Magazine Editor Gordon S. Smyth, Penn­ sylvania ’18. two countries and to the fact that during the past year he had traveled 19,374 miles on fraternity business, visiting thirtyone active chapters and seven alumni associations. He reported that 1,462 new additions to the rolls in 1936-37 had brought the total mem­ bership to 43,336.

His evaluation of the eighty-nine chapters indicated that twenty-six could be considered as ranking first on their campuses while twentysix others were tied for first. Only eight chapters were considered by the District Chiefs as being in a low competitive position. Marked for special commendation by the General Secretary were: Sigma Rho at Illinois Beta Phi at Colorado Mines Alpha Nu at Kansas Beta Zeta at St. Lawrence.

Just below the top four were: DePauw, Miami, Oklahoma, Pennsyl­ vania, Vanderbilt, Washington (Seattle), Washington and Jefferson

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and Washington and Lee. The Pennsylvania chapter, for the second time in three years, had been given recognition by the students and faculty on that campus for having the most outstanding record of any fraternity on that campus.

Chapters reported in difficulties were: Bowdoin (poor scholarship), UCLA (poor scholarship and finances), Chicago (poor pledge train­ ing), Yale (no real interest in the general fraternity), North Dakota (poor finances), Knox (poor leadership) and Mississippi (poor housing).

The Board of Trustees Reports. The Board announced that it had approved plans for a Campanile and Westminster Peals as a Cente­ nary gift to the Miami University campus, and that the celebration had been scheduled for August 3-8, 1939.

Walter L. Flory, Denison ’03, had been elected a trustee of the Baird Fund for the term 1936-1939 and J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08, a trustee of the Founders Fund for a similar term.

The Board reported the expulsion of twenty-eight members of seven different chapters for various causes but principally for non-payment of money owed the chapters.

A special Committee on Expansion consisting of G. Herbert Smith and William A. Dawson had submitted a lengthy review of the frater­ nity’s expansion policy and possibilities. The report concluded with the following statement: “We may say there are no institutions in which we are interested as conditions stand today. In the South, Lou­ isiana State deserves careful attention as well as Duke University and Georgia.”

The General Treasurer’s report having shown that the undergradu­ ate membership had increased to 3,909, the largest in history, the question was raised as to whether the chapters were becoming too large. Fifty-four chapters had memberships larger than thirty-nine, the number considered ideal.

Newton for President. The “Beta Bishop of New England,” Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02, was chosen by the convention to carry on “Shep’s” work as leader of the fraternity. His selection was a popular choice with Betas everywhere who recognized his great service to the brotherhood and his leadership qualities. Following his undergraduate career during which he was a chapter leader and an outstanding ath­ lete (football All-American) he served as president of the New Eng­ land Alumni Association (1903-1910) and attended the first of twenty-

The Sixth President of Beta Theta Pi Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02.

52

CARRYIN G ON, 1 9 3 7 - 1 9 3 8

53

seven Beta conventions in 1909. In 1910 he was elected to the Board of Trustees on which he served for five terms—from 1910 to 1924.

“Newt’s” business career had been equally meritorious. After grad­ uating from Wesleyan in 1902 with a Ph.B. degree, he studied law at Boston University where he received his LL.B. in 1905 and also the de­ gree of Master of Laws, graduating magna cum laude. He opened a law office in Boston specializing in corporation law and in the han­ dling of estates and wills. His legal talents were used many times in the service of the fraternity, one example being the drawing of the inden­ tures for the Baird and Founders Funds.

A leading Beta said of “Newt” following his election: “No matter in what capacity he attended a Beta gathering, his keen intellect, his sound common sense, his evident devotion to Beta Theta Pi have led men to turn to him for guidance and leadership; he was a real tower of strength in his chapter, in New England Betadom and in the councils of the general fraternity.”

A New Trustee. Selected to fill the other vacancy on the Board of Trustees was a man who was destined to serve the fraternity in its most important administrative office, Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17.

He had been a Beta worker for many years, having been Chief of Dis­ trict I in New England and District X III, then composed of Michigan, Northwestern, Illinois and Knox. His accomplishments as chairman of many important convention committees had clearly indicated his many talents and his potentialities as a great Beta leader. At the time of his election to the Board he was Director of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.

James L. Gavin, DePauw 1898 was elected to his twelfth consecutive term as General Treasurer.

Scholarship. Perhaps more than at recent gatherings, much emphasis was placed on scholarship at the Ninety-eighth General Convention.

Scholarship Commissioner A. Ray Warnock, Illinois ’05, in addition to his formal report, delivered an inspiring talk on the importance of the well-developed, disciplined and well-informed mind. This was accom­ plished by charts showing the ranking of each Beta chapter in relation to other Beta chapters and to their rivals on each campus. Speaking from the point of view of the alumni was Advisory Councilman H. Sheridan Baketel whose subject was “The Scholastic Requirements of the Business World.”

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M A RCH IN G ALONG

Awards. The North Dakota Award for excellence of chapter publi­ cations went to the DePauw chapter’s D elta Yelp and its editor Paul Van Riper, ’38. A close second was Alpha chapter’s The Alpha Bulletin.

To the Pennsylvania chapter went an “Award for Outstanding Achievement” in the form of a beautifully illuminated and appropri­ ately framed parchment. Its legend saluted the chapter for its “achivements during the college year 1936-1937 in scholarship, financial administration, intramural athletics, classroom and campus coopera­ tion and general chapter accomplishment.”

A similar award was presented to the Missouri chapter for “Sus­ tained excellence, with particular achievements in scholarship.”

Legislation. The Convention turned down a recommendation of As­ sistant General Treasurer Frank G. Ensign that would have imposed penalties on chapters as well as their members in case of delinquencies in the payment of members’ accounts. It also declined to charge gen­ eral fraternity officers with the responsibility for the collection of members’ accounts and to require suspension or expulsion for the non-payment of such accounts. It was felt that such financial matters should continue to be administrated at the local level, and that the task of maintaining a healthy financial condition in the chapters should not be shifted to the shoulders of the general officers.

OTHER E V E N T S OF 1937-1938

Celebrations and special events sponsored by various chapters drew large numbers of alumni together during the year and kept gen­ eral officers busy on Beta travels. Gamma chapter at Washington and Jefferson University celebrated its 95th birthday with nearly one hun­ dred undergraduates and alumni attending the banquet in the George Washington Hotel in Washington, Pennsylvania on June 4. Park J. Al­ exander, ’00, served as toastmaster and introduced President Shepard­ son, General Secretary G. Herbert Smith and District Chief Hardin R. Harmer, W est Virginia ’22. On the following day Dr. Shepardson was honored with a degree of Doctor of Laws by the college.

The Stanford chapter dedicated a new house on November 20 with five hundred alumni assembled for the dedication ceremonies and a homecoming dinner.

Beta chapter at Western Reserve announced the acquisition of a new

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Western Reserve Chapter House

chapter house in the Bellflower section of Cleveland, Ohio through the diligent work of alumni, trustees and a committee of forty. Leading in the campaign to raise funds were George E. Forbes, ’11 and Harold T. Ammerman, ’17.

Another new chapter house announcement came from Beta Beta chapter at Mississippi where dedication ceremonies were conducted on Thanksgiving Day, 1937.

N EW C H IEFS

The General Secretary announced the following appointments of new District Chiefs: F. Law Comstock, Union ’20, attorney and municipal judge of Gloversville, New York—District III. Howard A. Law, Pennsylvania ’35, statistician for the Tri-Continental Corporation of New York City—District V. Dr. Charles B. Gutelius, Indiana ’05, former Chief and Trustee of Indianapolis, Indiana—District XII.

M A RCH IN G ALONG

56

Arthur A. de la Houssaye, Tulane ’23, attorney and civic leader of New Orleans—District X III. Albert L. McPherrin, Northwestern ’35, in the investment business in Chicago—District XV. Jean Paul Bradshaw, Missouri ’27, attorney of Lebanon, Missouri— District XVIII.

NEW TON’S PLANS

President Clarence L. Newton, speaking at the Indianapolis Thanksgiving eve banquet, enumerated six aims for the good of Beta Theta Pi which he hoped to carry out during his administration: 1. A ten percent gain in fraternity loyalty, interest and fealty.

2. Reduction of chapter memberships.

3. More frequent chapter visits by general officers.

4. A thorough study of house mortgages and chapter finances.

5. A new approach to scholarship, making scholastic achievements more attractive to undergraduate members.

6. Progress toward 1939 and the Beta Centennial as a great day for all who watch the night.

CEN TENARY PLANS

The May, 1938 issue of The B eta Theta Pi carried an artist’s draw­ ing of the Beta Campanile, the proposed memorial to be presented to Miami University in 1939 to mark the passage of one hundred years in the life of Beta Theta Pi. The proposal stated that the bell tower would be about 125 feet high, surmounted by a Westminster Peal of bells. The bells would be electrically actuated by a clock mechanism which could be adjusted to ring at intervals suitable to the daily col­ lege program.

The Centenary Committee, under George Howard Bruce as chair­ man, proposed further that the fraternity establish a national center at Oxford where the archives of the fraternity could be suitably housed, and where memorabilia of the chapters and the General Fraternity could be stored and displayed. It was stated that the cost of the two projects had been estimated at $87,000 and contributions were solic­

CARRYIN G ON , 1 9 3 7 - 1 9 3 8

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ited. The committee pointed out, however, that no commitments would be entered into until the necessary funds were at hand and that there­ fore no pledges for future payment could be accepted.

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV E M E N T— 1937-1938

William O. Douglas, W hitman ’20, appointed Chairman of SEC— Securities and Exchange Commission.

Robert W. Sailor, Cornell ’07, elected President of American Alumni Council, composed of the leading university alumni workers of America.

Dr. Stanley K. Hornbeck, Colorado and D enver ’03, appointed Ad­ visor of Political Relations to Secretary Cordell Hull of the Depart­ ment of State.

Kenneth F. Burgess, Wisconsin ’10, elected President of the board of trustees of Northwestern University.

Ernest H. Kemper McComb, H anover 1895, Principal of Manual Training High School of Indianapolis, elected President of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.

☆

*

Nearing the Centenary

1938-1939

T H E NINETY-NINTH GENERAL CONVENTION

W ITH TH E Honorable Lewis O. Barrows, Maine ’16, Governor of Maine, present to welcome them and Senator William E. Borah, Kan___ _ sas 1889, an interested visitor, the Ninety-Ninth General Convention met at Poland Spring House, Po­ land, Maine on September 6,1938.

Temporary President H. Sheri­ dan Baketel, Dartmouth 1895, Ad­ visory Councilman and Baird Fund Trustee, as an “Old New Englander” welcomed the dele­ gates to that area. Chosen as per­ manent president of the convention was a former District Chief and member of the Board of Trustees, William W. Dawson, Ohio W es­ leyan ’14. Elected Convention Sec­ retary was District Chief Howard A. Law, Jr., Pennsylvania ’35.

In his address as President of Convention President Beta Theta Pi, Clarence L. Newton William W. Dawson, Ohio W esleyan

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referred to the troubled times which the world was facing (condi­ tions which were to erupt shortly into World War II) and called on the delegates to lend their efforts toward solving the problems of the asso­ ciation which had brought them there as the supreme legislative body.

Lloyd G. Balfour, Grand Consul of Sigma Chi fraternity, appeared before an early session of the convention to present a memorial plaque honoring the late Francis W. Shepardson. Paying high tribute to Dr. 58

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Shepardson as his friend and as the leader of the Greek world, Mr. Balfour presented a beautiful plaque wrought in enduring bronze and bearing, under an excellent likeness of “Shep,” the inscription: FRANCIS WAYLAND SHEPARDSON DENISON ’82, BROWN ’83 LEADER OF BETA THETA PI General Secretary 1907-1917 Editor of “The Beta Theta Pi” 1917-1931 President 1918-1937 *

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A follower of the vision, still In motion to the distant star 1862-1937 Officers Elected. Recognizing his great contributions to the frater­ nity as well as his growing stature in the college world, the convention reelected G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27, to another term as General Secretary.

For Trustee for the term expiring in 1941, the delegates chose a de­ voted Beta from Ohio, George M. Roudebush, Denison T5. Recognized as one of the leading attorneys of Cleveland, his service to the frater­ nity began when he held numerous chapter offices as an undergradu­ ate. His interest in Beta affairs did not falter with graduation but led him to serve on his chapter alumni board and as District Chief of District IX from 1932 to 1938.

Legislation. The Convention voted to repeal Article VII of the Con­ stitution (subject to chapter referendum) thereby abolishing the Beta Senate which had been created in 1934. It had been hoped that in such a group the talent and experience of distinguished members of the fraternity, other than general officers, might be utilized for the good of the organization. A four year trial, however, had proved that no matter how great their love and devotion to the brotherhood might be, their remoteness from the actual operations of the fraternity made it impossible for them to function as an advisory group.

In other actions the Convention voted to amend Section 12, Chapter

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I of the Laws, dividing the Committee on Credentials and Permanent Organization into two separate committees, and to amend Article II, Section 10 of the Constitution to authorize the Board of Trustees, with approval of a General Convention, to permit a chapter of Beta Theta Pi to initiate regularly enrolled students in an institution having no Beta chapter.

One situation which had brought about a desire for this latter legisla­ tion was a request by the North Carolina chapter to initiate students on the Duke University campus.

It was anticipated that through such action a nu­ cleus of outstanding men could be initiated hoping that later, if a petition re­ ceived favorable action, the fraternity could start on a firm foundation at Duke.

A Traveling Secretary.

In his third annual report Four From Idaho as General Secretary, G. Left to right: Ass’t. General Treasurer Frank G. Herbert Smith could speak Ensign, Beloit ’00; Hon. William E. Borah, Kan­ sas 1889; Trustee A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18; with authority about the Laurence DuflBn, Idaho ’39, Idaho Chapter U. S. college and fraternity Delegate. scene, having visited every chapter during his term and having made a total of 101 chapter visita­ tions. Since his election he had traveled a total of 59,233 miles, with 20,095 miles being added during the past year. Conditions for college fraternities, he said, were favorable, bringing the responsibility to con­ duct our affairs in a manner which will indicate that Beta is worthy of the confidence of college authorities.

He stated that while nine chapters had in the previous year been designated as “Excellent,” this number had more than doubled and now consisted of the following: Brown, California, Colorado, Colorado Mines, Cornell, DePauw, Illinois, Kansas, Kenyon, Minnesota, Mis­ souri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Pennsylvania, St. Lawrence, Van­ derbilt, Washington (Seattle), Washington and Lee and Westminster.

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Largest Balance. For the thirty-fourth consecutive year General Treasurer James L. Gavin was able to report “all bills paid and no chapter on the delinquent list.” He was also able to state that the bal­ ance in the treasury was $68,700, the largest in the fraternity’s history.

The Board of Trustees, he said, would recommend a transfer of $25,000 to the Founders Fund which had shown a gain of only $200 during the year. The Baird Fund had increased by $17,400 to a total of $278,000.

More Visitations. Chapters and alumni organizations had com­ plained in recent years of the diffi­ culty in obtaining speakers and the Board of Trustees announced plans for insuring more visitations and speakers for chapter and alumni gatherings. Trustee Clifford C. Gregg had been designated to serve as a clearing agent to assign speak­ ers and all requests were to clear through him.

The Board also reported a total of seventeen expulsions from the fraternity. Six of these were from the Yale chapter for failure to pay amounts owed the chapter and six Chairman Of Centenary Committee were from the Whitman chapter for Geo. Howard Bruce, Centre 1899, for­ mer general secretary. the same reason.

Centenary Plans. George Howard Bruce, Centre 1899, Chairman of the Centenary Committee, announced that a fund was being raised for the erection of a campanile on the Mi­ ami campus, and if the amount was sufficient, a memorial room and storage facilities for archives in connection with the Alpha chapter house.

Letters had been sent to a member of each alumni organization as­ signing him to solicit contributions from the other members. Active chapters were asked to contribute one dollar per member. Many groups had been slow to respond and results up to convention time showed that of a total quota assigned to alumni of $37,000, contri­ butions amounted to about $10,000. Returns from the chapters had

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just begun to come in and totaled $1,034 with special gifts amounting to $4,300. The committee estimated that erection of the campanile and bells would require a sum of $45,000 and urged delegates and alumni to return to their homes determined that at least that part of the project would be realized.

Chapter Size. Much attention of the convention was directed toward what many Beta leaders regarded as a serious problem—the continued increase in chapter size. Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, and John E. Baker, Miami ’04, had been designated as a committee to investigate this tendency. Their report showed that while in 1930 there were 29 chapters with membership in excess of 39 (considered an ideal num­ ber) in 1935 this number of chapters had increased to thirty-nine. In 1937 there were fifty such chapters. The number of chapters with fifty or more members had increased from four in 1930 to thirty in 1937. The conclusion was that the General Fraternity should con­ tinue to discourage chapters and alumni from erecting houses re­ quiring excessive memberships for maintenance, and that Beta Theta Pi should work through the NIC and local interfraternity groups to ob­ tain agreements which might reverse or retard the present tendency.

Chapters Praised and Chapters in Trouble. Chairman Charles B. Gutelius of the Chapters Commission recommended that Centre, Co­ lumbia and Chicago be released from its supervision because of marked improvements. Mississippi and Rutgers were to remain on the list for further attention and supervision.

Achievement Awards were presented to the Oklahoma and DePauw chapters for “sustained excellence.” DePauw was cited for its achieve­ ments in scholarship, financial administration, intramural athletics and general chapter accomplishments. Oklahoma was cited particularly for its scholastic record.

TH E FRA TER N ITY YEAR— 1938-1939

John Calvin Hanna. J. Cal Hanna, W ooster 1881, one of the great constructive builders of Beta Theta Pi’s first century, died in Chicago on September 16, 1938 in his eighty-second year. His contributions to the growth of the fraternity would require an entire volume to recount, but the bare facts of his service would show that he had been: District Chief 1882-1884 General Secretary 1884-1899

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Member Executive Committee 1892-1897 Member Board of Directors 1893-1894 Editor of Catalogue of 1899 Trustee 1899-1900 1903-1906 President 1900-1903 The convention of 1884 elected Brother Hanna General Secretary and for the succeeding fifteen years he was the voice of Beta Theta Pi. The fraternity had existed long enough to be recognized spicuous Creek

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to estimate—much of what the fraternity has become since then can be attributed to his leadership. The publi­

At His Last Convention J. Cal Hanna (left) and Wilbur H. Siebert, Ohio State 1888, at the Eighty-Sixth Gen­ eral Convention, 1925.

cation of the Constitution and

Laws of the Fraternity was under his direction. As General Secretary he published two editions of the “Secretary’s Manual” and devoted eleven years to the preparation of the Catalogue of 1899.

The name of John Calvin Hanna will be enrolled high among the immortal leaders of Beta Theta Pi. His learning, his knowledge of men, the wisdom of his advice, the richness of his fellowship, his abounding love for the fraternity and his abiding faith in the teachings of the Mas­ ter are a few of the characteristics which marked him a brother beloved.

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Fiftieth Anniversaries—Penn State, Denver and Nebraska. Seven of the ten men who founded Alpha Upsilon chapter at the Pennsylvania State College on October 4, 1888 returned on October 7-9, 1938 with over two hundred other Betas to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of that event. During the three day celebration which included several banquets, luncheons and an initiation, there were few prepared speeches but many in­ formal talks by the sons of Alpha Upsilon who had come from all points of the compass. President C la re n c e L . N ew ton represented the General Fraternity.

Far across the country, at the edge of the Rockies, another Golden Anniver­ sary gathering occurred in 1938 when fifty Beta years at the University of Den­ ver were marked. Only two of the founders of Alpha Zeta were present, At Denver Anniversary Left to right: Judge Hubert L. Shattuck, 1888; Judge Hubert L. Shattuck, Chapter President Robert Mead, ’40; W. Seward 1888 and W. Seward Iliff, Iliff, 1886.

1886, who told of the dis­ pensation granted to the Northwestern chapter to initiate men at the university, then a small college in a small frontier town. Over two hun­ dred undergraduates and alumni attended the banquet at the University Club in Denver where special bound volumes of “The Story of Beta Theta Pi” were presented to the “Men of 1888.” Denver became the fifty-second chapter to complete fifty years of Beta life.

The third chapter to reach this important fifty-year milestone in 1938 was Nebraska, the Alpha Tau of Beta Theta Pi. As was true at Den­ ver, the University of Nebraska was a frontier college in 1888, consist­ ing of only two buildings on a flat prairie when the Kansas chapter was given permission to initiate seven men there. Fifty years later a host of brothers returned to Lincoln to renew fraternal ties and listen to Pres­

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ident Newton tell of plans for the Centenary and challenge the men of 1938 to lead the way toward an even greater era.

Centenary Plans. As the time drew near for the fraternity’s one hun­ dredth birthday, John R. Simpson, Director of the Centenary, an­ nounced in the May, 1939 issue of T he Beta T heta Pi that the program plans had been completed. Owen D. Young, St. Law rence 1899, had consented to preside at the Centenary Day exercises on Tuesday, August 8, and other prominent speakers during the five-day celebra­ tion would include John W. Bricker, Ohio State ’16, member of Delta Chi and Governor of the State of Ohio; Charles P. Taft, Yale ’18 and James L. McConaughy, Yale ’09, President of Wesleyan Univer­ sity.

Brother Simpson warned that advance reservations indicated that a great host of Betas planned to descend on Oxford, Ohio for the event and that the limited facilities of that small college town would be sorely taxed.

N EW D ISTR ICT C H IEFS

The General Secretary announced the appointment of the fol­ lowing new District Chiefs: W. Walter Holt, Denison ’13, vice-president R. N. Nason Co., paint manufacturers of San Francisco—District X X III, consisting of the Cal­ ifornia chapters.

Charles W. Sheldon, Jr., D enver ’30, lawyer of Denver, Colorado— District XX, including the Colorado chapters and Utah.

George M. Brown, O hio ’31, Cleveland attorney—District IX con­ sisting of five Ohio chapters.

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV EM E N T — 1938-1939

Edward J. Noble, Syracuse ’05, Yale ’05, was appointed chairman of the nation’s first Civil Aeronautics Authority. This able head of the Life Savers Products Corporation was chosen to solve a new and dif­ ficult problem—the regulation and coordinated development of air transportation.

Elected General Superintendent of the Universalist Church, its spir­ itual head, was Dr. Robert Cummins, Miami ’19.

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At the 1938 annual meeting of the National Interfraternity Confer­ ence, Trustee A. J. G. Priest, Idaho T8, was elected to the Executive Committee.

Dean Herschel W. Arant, Yale ’11, of the Ohio State University Col­ lege of Law, was elected president of the Association of American Law Schools.

John A. Danaher, Yale ’20, was elected United States Senator from Connecticut. He had been As­ sistant U. S. Attorney General and Secretary of State in Connecticut.

Returned to the Senate for a sec­ ond term by North Carolina voters was Robert R. Reynolds, North Carolina ’06.

Re-elected as Republican Gov­ ernor of Maine was Lewis O. Bar­ rows, Maine ’16.

Howard Coonley, Harvard 1899, was chosen president of the Na­ tional Association of Manufac­ turers.

Charles Nordhoff, Stanford ’08, was the author with James Nor­ United States Senator man Hall, of Mutiny on the Robert R. Reynolds, North Carolina Bounty, Men Against the Sea, Pit’ 06 . cairns Island, and T he Hurricane.

Karl D. Gardner, Brown ’13, made president and general manager of W. T. Grant Company, a chain of variety stores operating coast to coast.

William O. Douglas, W hitm an ’20, became the eighth Beta to be­ come a Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

H. Birchard Taylor, Pennsylvania. ’05, was elected president of the Navy League of the U. S., pioneer organization for national defense.

The Tower Of “Old Main” Harrison Hall, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

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☆

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The Centenary ☆

O n e H u n d re d Years o f Beta T h e ta Pi

THE ONE HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY of Beta Theta Pi, celebrated at Oxford, Ohio on the Miami University campus August 4-8,1939, was, up to that time, the most pretentious event ever planned and car­ ried out by the fraternity. To succeeding generations it will be of less and less significance that the association should have endured for one hundred years—in fact, readers of these words may be plan­ ning the one hundred fiftieth or two hundredth anniversaries. Never­ theless, students of Beta history will do well to pay close heed to what was said and done at the Centenary. It was the greatest assem­ blage of Betas, over fifteen hundred, ever gathered together; the num­ ber included all the living greats, the builders of the fraternity during her second fifty years, her most devoted and gifted sons. What they said there illuminates the road down which we came; their words for the future reveal their hopes for what was to come. From the vantage point we now occupy we can judge how well those hopes have been realized or how great is the task still to be accomplished.

The great gathering “neath the elms of old Miami” consisted of two great parts, the One Hundredth General Convention and the Cen­ tenary Celebration intertwined together from the opening convention session on Friday, August 4 to the Centenary Exercises presided over

by Owen D. Young on the birthday of the fraternity, Tuesday, Au­ gust 8. The varied Centenary events, planned and supervised by Cen­ tenary Director John R. Simpson, Miami 1899 and Centenary Com­ mittee Chairman George Howard Bruce, Centre 1899, began with a great song fest in the college auditorium. General singing was led by Horace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894, composer of “The Loving Cup” and other Beta songs, and by Morris Ebersole, Cincinnati 1898, while special numbers were given by the Whitman and Miami chapter choruses. The only speaking on the program was a talk by Gordon S. 68

Centenary Leader Col. John R. Simpson, Miami 1899, Director of the Centenary Celebration,

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Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18, on “Beta Firsts and Beta Achievements,” a reminder to the oldsters and a revelation to the undergraduates of the varied fields of endeavor in which members of the fraternity had gained positions of eminence and leadership.

TH E CEN TENARY CHURCH SER VICE AND VESPERS

In keeping with the spiritual foundation on which the ritual and traditions of Beta Theta Pi have been erected, it is significant that a Sunday was included in the Centenary program and that the events of Sunday, August 6 were among the most important in the entire cele­ bration.

The day began with services in the Memorial Presbyterian Church with Rev. Arthur C. Wickenden, D enison ’15 pre­ siding. Before a packed-in congregation of alumni, u n d erg ra d u a tes. B e ta wives, sons and daughters, the sermon was given by the Rt. Rev. Robert N. Spencer, Dickinson ’03, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri.

Taking as his subject “The Counsel of the Heart,” Dr. Spencer referred to the troubled times facing the Centenary Church Service Leaders world as a time of twilight, Rev. Clarence A. Hanna, Bethany TO; Bishop Robert N. Spencer, Dickinson ’03; Rev. John w hen th e re was ju st B. Ferguson, Miami ’03; Rev. Arthur C. Wiekenough light to see by, but enden, Denison ’15. not enough light to judge by. He called upon his listeners to “obey the counsel of the hearts”—God’s primordial gift to every man born into the world. “It is,” he said, “what we call the image of God in man. It is something more than conscience that tells us the difference between good and evil, between right and wrong. It is what the Bible means when it says, ‘Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.’

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“Beta Eternal” Rev. John A. Blair, W abash 1893, speaking at the Sunday Vesper Service.

It is what Jesus meant when He said, ‘The kingdom of God is within you.’ It is what Shakespeare meant when he said, ‘To thine own self be true.’ We must never believe men when they say they do not know the difference between right and wrong. They do know, and when they choose the wrong, they are deliberately listening to other voices and going against the counsel of their own heart.”

The Scripture reading was by Rev. Clarence A. Hanna, Bethany TO, the prayer by Rev. John B. Ferguson, Miami ’03 and the Cente­ nary Anthem “Be Thou With Us” was sung, with words by Joseph M. Bachelor of Miami University. The choir was composed of members of the Alpha chapter.

At five o’clock in the evening Vesper Services were held in the beau­ tiful open air Nature Theatre of nearby Western College. There in a perfect setting of green foliage and rolling lawns Beta’s own “Johnny” Blair, Rev. John Allan Blair, W abash 1893, presided. With the Gamma Zeta chorus leading, the Centennial Hymn was sung and “Johnny” Blair delivered one of the great Beta addresses, “Beta Eternal” for which he is so justly famed. The theme of his inspiring message was that the idea of Beta Theta Pi, its ideals, can be immortal even though

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its rolls and records, its buildings, its outward forms, should be swept away. “Cynics deride fraternities,” he said, “as being mere devices to prolong adolescence. Rather are they evidences of the perennial freshness of vision which is part of youth. Arnold of Rugby once told some of his students that they would begin life’s pilgrimage with a morning vision—all things clear and beautiful. As they journeyed across the years, the dust of the highway would gradually obscure the golden light of dawn, until all seemed commonplace, even unlovely. But a fraternity preserves the morning powers, keeps the vision glowing.

Years mean little or nothing. We follow a path upon which light shines from within us. No true fraternity member ever knows the day when the light dies.

“Thus it is that Beta can be eternal. It is an ageless idea, and within ideas lie enshrined the spirits of men. . . . It is by this spirit that we shall continue to live, not simply by the love of brother for brother, but by the idea of love, the conception that love is possible and usable.

It is this id ea that is eternal! As long as we shall dare to believe in love, Beta Theta Pi will grow from more to more.”

Assisting Brother Blair in the Vesper Service were Rev. R. Ames Montgomery, Miami 1893, who gave the invocation and William L. Graves, Ohio 1893, who read the scriptural quotation, “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.” The words of the Centennial Hymn, written for the occasion, were by Rev. Blair.

CENTENARY INITIATION

On Sunday evening an initiation was conducted in the college auditorium under the direction of George Howard Bruce and with former Trustee A. J. G. Priest taking the president’s part. Eight pledges of the Alpha chapter, symbolic of the eight founders of the fraternity, were the initiates and never had a group of neophytes been wel­ comed into the brotherhood by a more distinguished ritual team.

Taking parts in the ceremony were these Beta greats: William W. Dawson, Robert Frazier, William Graves, Walter Holt, Howard Law, Stephen Penrose, Jr., A. J. G. Priest and G. Herbert Smith.

These officers and former officers were assisted by a group of under­ graduates from the DePauw chapter with singing by the Alpha chap­ ter quartet and by soloist Kermit Read Hanson, N ebraska ’38.

Centenary Celebration Speakers Left to right: Franklin S. Edmonds, Pennsylvania 1893; Judge H. Walton Mitchell, Penn State 1890; General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27; George Banta, Jr., Past President of Phi Delta Theta; James L. McConaughy, Yale ’09, President of Wesleyan University; Col! John R. Simpson, Miami 1899, Centenary Director; President Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02; Trustee Owen D. Young, St. L aw rence 1894; Alfred H. Upham, D elta K appa Epsilon, President of Miami University; Brigadier General Oliver L. Spalding, U.S.A., M ichioan 1895Rev. R. Ames Montgomery, Miami 1893; Dean Jay Glover Eldridge, Id ah o and Yale 1896; Rev. Frank E. Duddy, DePauw ’12. &

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The initiates of the Alpha chapter were: John C. Boldt, James E. Canright, William H. Condit, John E. Dolibois, Lewis H. Evans, Norman F. Heydinger, Paul V. Smith and William K. Wallace.

CENTENARY E V E PROGRAM

Following the closing session of the One Hundredth General Con­ vention on Monday, August 7 and a late afternoon garden party at the home of the President of Miami University, occurred the Cente­ nary Eve Program. Featured as speakers at this event were not only well known Betas but several distinguished guests, not members of the fraternity.

The opening address was by Alfred H. Upham, President of Miami University, a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. Dr. Upham again wel­ comed members of Beta Theta Pi to Oxford and in his remarks de­ scribed the physical appearance of Miami University in 1839, and told something of the life of students of that period.

Those who followed him included the Hon. John W. Bricker, Gover­ nor of Ohio and a member of Delta Chi and Mr. George Banta, Jr., Past President of Phi Delta Theta who spoke for the National Inter­ fraternity Conference. Mr. Banta referred to the leading role which Beta Theta Pi had played in developing interfraternity cooperation and enumerated the occasions through the years when the fraternity had made efforts to “get on” with its rivals. In concluding he said, “I am certain that we can look to Beta Theta Pi for the same leadership in the century to come that we have been privileged to receive in the century just past. I base this hope not only on actual performance but upon the spirit of the organization from the time of its conception.”

Two distinguished Betas delivered the principal addresses of the evening. They were Brigadier General Oliver L. Spalding, U.S.A., Michigan 1895 and Dr. James L. McConaughy, Yale ’09, President of Wesleyan University, Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut.

Brother Spalding compared the spirit which is found in a fraternity chapter with that at the West Point Academy—the loyalty of a cadet for the academy and his country—the loyalty of a Beta to his chapter and the general fraternity. He called upon members of the brother­ hood to hold fast to these loyalties and extend them to our country and to other peoples of the world.

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Centenary Eve Scene

With inspiring words, Dr. McConaughy pointed to three stars “which you and I may wisely keep ever bright, guiding lights in today’s gloom.” First, Betas should seek their brothers from all kinds of young manhood—never seeking conformity to one pattern but welcoming athletes, scholars, musicians, northerners, southerners, Canadians, lads from the farms and ships of Maine, each with his contribution to make to the brotherhood. Second, that though we are privileged to be among a selected few who have gained membership in an organization of men, we should resist intolerance and indifference to others and should be ready and willing at any time to render service where it is needed. The third star, he said, “speaks of youth, idealism, fidelity.” A fraternity, he pointed out, can degenerate into a club when mere physical com­ forts become more important than ideals and brotherly love. “If mate­

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rialism and soft beds, and good food, and comfort are all we stand for— all that Beta offers—let us disband and return to this campus tomorrow the torch which Pater Knox lit a century ago. But we know that that is not what Beta means. We know it makes men broader in their sym­ pathies, finer in their ideals, truer in their friendships.”

CEN TENARY DAY

The thrilling climax to five days of ceremonies, celebrations, con­ vention sessions, speeches and singing came on Tuesday, August 8, the one hundredth birth­ day of the fraternity.

Opening with the Cente­ nary Day Parade at 10:30 a . m ., with George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, as Chief Marshal, it con­ cluded with the Centenary Day Exercises in an open air setting on the campus with over one thousand The Beta Bells persons in attendance.

From large to small they were named “Beta,” “Theta,” “Pi,” “1839-1939.”

The parade was led by the Marshal and corps of General Fraternity officers and included all the chapter and alumni delegations, each with guidon bearing the appropriate coat of arms.

Presiding at the Centenary Day ceremonies was Owen D. Young, St. L aw rence 1894, chairman of the Board of Directors, General Elec­ tric Co. He first called upon General Secretary G. Herbert Smith who presented the Centenary Box containing important records of the fra­ ternity to be opened in the year 2039. The contents of the box which was placed in the American National Bank of Indianapolis, Indiana1 included: A Standard Badge The Ritual The Coat of Arms

Impress of the Great Seal The Beta Book Beta Life

1 In 1958 the box was transferred to a new vault in the Beta Theta Pi Adminis­ trative Office in Oxford, Ohio.

T H E C E N TE N A R Y

Baird’s Manual, 1935 The Centenary Program A Pledge Button The Code T he Song B ook

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The 1933 C atalogue Beta Lore Son of the Stars The Centenary Medallion The Centenary Photograph

Picture of the First Fifty Years—by J. Calvin Hanna Picture of the Second Fifty Years—by George M. Chandler Letter from President Newton to the President in 2039 Letter from General Secretary Smith to the General Secretary of 2039 Copies of the Centenary Addresses Special Issue Number One, 1938, of the Magazine Special Issue Number Two, 1938, of the Magazine The Flag of Beta Theta Pi. Following a memorable address by Dr. Franklin S. Edmonds, Pennsyl­ vania 1893, on the great opportunities which would exist in America during the next century, came the reading of the Centenary Ode, composed by William Henry Drawshaw, C olgate 1887 and read by H. Walton Mitchell, Pennsylvania State 1890: TH E CENTENARY ODE Come what may come, we bid the future hail, With faith that looks beyond our vision’s scope, By all we love and all we hope, By all we have of manhood’s might, Our spirits shall not quail, Setting our trust above, In that great Captain of the fight Whose banner over us is love.

O, Beta, we whose days too swiftly fly, Salute thee! While with hearts uplifted high Above the mortal mist of doubts and fears, We bid them hail, who shall behold thy face More beautiful when thou hast run thy race, Another hundred years.

And following these inspiring lines came one of the great events of the celebration, the presentation of the Memorial Bells by President

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The Centenary Parade Old Glory, the Canadian flag and the Beta Stars lead the way.

Clarence L. Newton, and accepted by Dr. Alfred H. Upham, President of Miami University.

The Peal of Bells, four in number, are pitched to ring the Westmin­ ster series of four notes for each quarter hour, with sixteen notes at the full hour followed by the striking of the hour itself on the largest bell. At the time of the Centenary they were hung in the East Tower of Harrison Hall—known through many decades as “Old Main”—the building in which Beta Theta Pi was born. Two years later they were transferred to the beautiful bell tower, the Beta Campanile, erected by the fraternity on the Miami campus and where the bells continue

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to ring out the hours over that peaceful college scene.

On August 8, 1939, however, the great moment came when, over a national radio network, the bells first rang and Betas heard their notes from coast to coast. Alumni and undergraduate groups in all sections of the land had gathered to hear this evidence of Beta’s celebration and the thrilling closing address by one of her famous sons, Charles P. Taft, Yale ’18.2

T H E O N E H U N D R E D T H G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

Almost submerged in the succession of Centenary events, the One Hundredth General Con­ vention was proof that the business of the fraternity must go on in spite of ceremonies and celebra­ tions. Fortunate indeed were the undergraduate delegates who, by acci­ dent of birth, came along at the right time to be se­ lected as their chapters’ representatives, but it also became their responsibil­ ity to see that Beta’s sec­ ond hundred years began auspiciously.

F ittin g ly , P re sid e n t Clarence L. Newton was elected president of this “Newt” Receives a Gavel memorable gathering with Trustee A. J. G. Priest, Id ah o ’18, presents an ivory gavel to Clarence L. Newton in apprecia­ District Chief Frank P. tion of his services as President of the One W eaver, M ich ig an ’26 Hundredth General Convention. being selected as secre­ tary.

2 The above is but a brief outline of the chief events of the Centenary. Students of Beta history are referred to the October and November, 1939, issues of Vol. LXVII of T he B eta T heta Pi for a more complete description of the program in­ cluding the principal addresses in their entirety.

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The important events and accomplishments of the One Hundredth Convention were: Charter for Duke. As authorized by the Ninety-ninth General Con­ vention, the Board of Trustees had granted permission to the North Carolina chapter to initiate undergraduates at Duke University in an­ ticipation of the establishment of a chapter there. At the One Hun­ dredth Convention a group of these initiates and other Beta transfers to Duke presented a peti­ tion for a charter which was granted by a vote of 88 to 1, Virginia voting in the negative.

AnotherTermfor “Newt.” Recognizing the inspired leadership which he had provided and his great services to the fra­ ternity, the Convention re­ elected Clarence L. New­ ton, W esleyan ’02 as Presi­ dent for the term expiring in 1942.

New and Retiring Trustees For Trustee, to fill the Left to right: Owen D. Young, St. Law rence unexpired term of George 1894; Robert H. Frazier, North Carolina ’19; M. Roudebush, the dele­ A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18; George M. Roude­ bush, Denison ’15. gates elected a loyal, hard working District Chief, Robert H. Frazier, North Carolina ’19, Chief of District VIII. At the time of his election Brother Frazier was an attorney in Greensboro, North Carolina, a member of the law firm of Frazier and Frazier.

To fill the other vacancy on the Board caused by the completion of the term of A. J. G. Priest, the fraternity turned to one of its most dis­ tinguished sons. For the term expiring 1942, the delegates elected Owen D. Young, St. L aw rence 1894, Chairman of the Board, General Electric Co. Besides his loyal services to his own chapter and to St. Lawrence University, Brother Young is perhaps best known for his work as chairman of the commission of financial experts which planned

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the settlement of World War I debts by the “Young Plan” of 1929. He also played the leading role in the organization of the Radio Corpora­ tion of America.

Expenses Grew—So did Income. As shown by the report of General Treasurer James L. Gavin, the operating expenses for 1938-1939 reached $41,088, an increase of $4,865, due to additional convention expense, increased visitation costs, the Duke colony organization and Centenary expense. Despite this, the income was $46,485 leaving a net gain of $5,396.

Additional Centenary expense of $5,500 and a planned west coast convention resulted in a record budget of $52,125 for 1939-1940, but it was the opinion of the Committee on Finance that no increase in dues would be necessary.

A Look Ahead. Believing that the end of one century of life and the start of another marked a point from which to survey the structure of the fraternity, the Board called for the appointment of three commit­ tees to study the administration, the financial structure and the heraldry of Beta Theta Pi. The committees were: Administration: Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, Chairman George B. McKibbin, Iow a W esleyan ’09 A. J. G. Priest, Id ah o ’18 Finances: Sumter D. Marks, Tulane ’14, Chairman James M. Fassett, C olgate ’18 John C. Whitten, N ebraska ’23 Heraldry: George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, Chairman John A. Blair, W abash 1893 Karl W. Fischer, Indiana ’25 Legislation. The Convention voted to change the design of the Shingle by substituting the chapter seal for the great seal of the fra­ ternity. This was accomplished by changing Section 70 of Chapter VI of the Laws.

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C E N T E N A R Y E V E N T S A C R O SS T H E L A N D

Not alone in Oxford, Ohio was the centennial year of the frater­ nity celebrated as alumni and undergraduates from coast to coast gathered at memorable events. In Portland, Oregon on April 22, 1939 the Centenary brought together one of the largest assemblages in the history of the fraternity. Nearly four hundred Betas attended the ban­ quet, representing thirty-one chapters and with delegations of active members from all the chapters in Districts XXI and XXII. Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898 addressed the gathering on Beta history and Beta lore.

Other centennial gatherings occurred in every section of the country including those in Long Beach, California and Colorado Springs, Col­ orado which were held on August 8 and those attending listened to the radio broadcast of the events at Miami.

These events culminated in the great New York City banquet on December 1, 1939 in observance of the one hundredth birthday and in honor of two distinguished Betas, Hon. Willis Van Devanter, D ePauw 1881 and Hon. William O. Douglas, W hitm an ’20, the Senior and Junior Associates of the United States Supreme Court. The at­ tendance of over seven hundred was the largest ever assembled in New York City and included representatives of seventy-seven chap­ ters. Toastmaster was the newly elected Trustee, Owen D. Young, St. L aw rence 1898 and principal speakers were William O. Douglas, Wen­ dell L. Willkie, Indiana ’13, president of Commonwealth and Southern Corporation and James L. McConaughy, Yale ’09, president of Wesley­ an University.

The Golden Jubilee of Beta Pi chapter at the University of Minne­ sota coincided with the Centenary of the fraternity and was cele­ brated at a week-end series of events in Minneapolis in November.

Fifty years of continuous chapter existence was the theme as General Secretary G. Herbert Smith gave the principal address at the banquet with the honored guest being a charter member, Charles S. Sommers, Minnesota 1890, who told of the initiation of the early members by representatives of Alpha Pi chapter at Wisconsin. The assembly lis­ tened to a transcription of the pealing of the Centenary bells at Oxford.

At the New York Beta Dinner Left to right: Wendell L. Wilkie, Indiana â&#x20AC;&#x2122;13, President of Commonwealth & Southern Corporation; William O. Douglas W hitman 20, Associate Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court; Owen D. Young, St. L aw ren ce 1894, Vice-President and Trustee ot Beta 1 beta Pi, who presided as toastmaster.

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IN S T A L L A T IO N A T D U K E

This ceremony was different than at other similar occasions be­ cause the men who composed the Beta Club of Duke University were all initiated Betas and there was no occasion for an initiation. Instead, there was held an installation banquet on October 6 with General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, President Newton and Vice-president Robert Frazier as speakers and representatives of the general fraternity. ☆ ☆ ☆ Thus ended the first one hundred years of Beta Theta Pi and also an era in the life of the fraternity. Unbeknown to the celebrants at Ox­ ford, the dark forces of World War II were waiting in the wings, ready to take over the stage with all their cataclysmic effects on the lives of the men there assembled and the organization which had brought them. The war years which followed were to have a profound effect on the Fraternity but again, as during the Civil War, Beta Theta Pi was to demonstrate that it could survive the most devastating of influences.

The W ar Years 1940-1946

Troubled Times Begin

☆

1940

ALTHOUGH several years were to pass before the full impact of World War II was felt, the first effects of the coming conflict were ap­ parent in 1940. Before the end of the year the fraternity’s president “because of these troubled times” felt it necessary to step down and allow a younger man to carry the heavy responsibilities; two District Chiefs were called into active serv­ ice and across the land active chapters saw the first of their mem­ bers depart for military duties. But for a while there was a semblance of normalcy, and life in Beta Theta Pi went on.

W ILLIAM E . BORAH, KANSAS 1889

It was a great shock to the na­ tion, to Idahoans and to his broth­ ers in Beta Theta Pi when death came on January 19, 1940 to that great United States Senator from Idaho. He had been an important controversial figure on the world scene and his name was probably better known than any other con­ In The Great Beta Tradition An informal picture of Senator Borah temporary American except Presi­ taken at the Ninety-Ninth General dent Roosevelt and former Presi­ Convention. dent Hoover.

No one ever questioned William Borah’s courage or his integrity of mind and heart. Year after year he took his stand upon vital issues 87

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wholly without regard for popular clamor or the influence of so-called “pressure groups.” Although a Republican he could never be classified as a “regular,” and while frequently mentioned as a presidential pos­ sibility, his variance with many party leaders on important issues and his residence in the politically insignificant state of Idaho, resulted in his being passed over at convention after convention.

William Borah was not a “joiner” and his membership in Beta Theta Pi meant more to him than his association with any other group. His visits to the Idaho chapter house in Moscow were always heart­ warming experiences for the active members there and his attendance at the Ninety-ninth General Convention at Poland Spring, Maine will long be remembered by those in attendance.

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

Appointments of three new District Chiefs were announced by General Secretary G. Herbert Smith: Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, attorney of Cincinnati, Ohio to be Chief of District X I (Centre, Cincinnati and Miami).

George M. Campbell, Union ’25, insurance executive and Beta alumni president of Buffalo, New York, to be Chief of District IV (Cornell, Syracuse and Toronto).

Ralph L. Lincoln, Davidson ’27, Virginia ’31, attorney of Marion, Virginia to be Chief of District V III (Davidson, Duke, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington and Lee).

H IS T O R IC G A T H E R IN G A T D A V ID SO N

A celebration of historic interest took place at Davidson College on February 17, 1940 commemorating the merger fifty years before of the Mystic Seven fraternity with Beta Theta Pi and fifty years of con­ tinuous existence for Phi Alpha chapter. During the fall of 1889 and the spring of 1890 the three remaining temples (Virginia, North Caro­ lina and Davidson) of the erstwhile strong and glorious Mystic Seven fraternity effected the union with Beta Theta Pi. The Davidson group first met as a Beta chapter on February 8, 1890 and it was this date that the 1940 event was designed to commemorate. President Newton was

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the honored guest and over one hundred Betas gathered for the initia­ tion and banquet. Also present was Karl W. Fischer, Indiana ’25, whose book T he Mystics ______ and Beta Theta Pi was first H / i\ ;{| presented at this occasion. if ;.j ON TH E POLITICAL FRONT

The importance of the year 1940 to members of the fraternity and to Betas ev­ erywhere is indicated by the amount of space de­ voted to the subject in The Beta Theta Pi for Novem­ ber of that year. An article

by Karl W. Fischer, In di­ ana ’25, told the dramatic story of Wendell L. Willkie, Indiana ’13, whose name had been placed in nomi­ nation as the Republican presidential nominee by a The Mystic Seven Altar brother Beta, Charles A. Owned by the Temple of the Sword and Shield, Halleck, Indiana ’22. A sec­ 1885. Now in the Davidson Chapter Hall. ond story by Brother Fischer reviewed the career of another member of the same chapter and class as Brother Willkie, Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13, who was also a presidential candidate in 1940. Mentioned frequently in past years for that high offce, McNutt came to the Democratic convention in 1940 to find that Franklin D. Roosevelt was certain to seek re-election.

When nominated for the vice-presidency, Brother McNutt withdrew in favor of the Roosevelt selection of Henry Wallace.

As proof that these brothers were following a path marked out by many others in the fraternity was a third article by Brother Fischer entitled, “Betas Have Always Been Interested in Politics.”

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F IF T Y YEARS AT W ESLEYA N

On May 11-12, 1940 the sons of Mu Epsilon were called back to Middletown, Connecticut to celebrate, with four of her founders, fifty years of Beta life. One hundred fifty undergradu­ ates and alumni gathered in the house at High and Church streets, made pos­ sible by William Raimond Baird, Stevens 1878, C o­ lum bia 1882, Mrs. Jennie Baird and Mrs. Florence Baird Meyer as a me­ morial to Raimond Duy Baird who was an under­ Mu Epsilon Greats Founders and charter members, left to right: graduate member of the “Pater” David J. Carlough, 1892; Harry M. Wesleyan chapter in 1908, Smith, 1891; Howard G. Bleakly, 1892; Frank­ and whose untimely death lin A. Galloway, 1892. occurred in 1911. Chapter founders who were the honored guests were “Pater” David Jacobus Carlough, 1892; Harry M. Smith, 1891; Howard G. Bleakly, 1892 and Franklin A. Galloway, 1892. Representing the General Fraternity was District Chief Richard T. Steele, ’21, and principal speaker was the president of Wesleyan University, Dr. James L. McConaughy, Yale ’09.

ANOTHER CEN TENN IAL

As an indication that chapters as well as the general fraternity can reach important milestones was the celebration at Beta Nu chapter in Cincinnati May 17-19, 1940. Because of events in the past, this chapter had the unique distinction of being able to celebrate a centen­ nial and a semi-centennial anniversary within the same year. Estab­ lished as the Beta Prime chapter on April 8, 1840 it was allowed to stagnate and was revived on May 19,1890 as Beta Nu. The Diogenes Club, which title the local Cincinnati alumni had used since 1877, had made elaborate plans for the celebration and the result was a gathering of two hundred at the Queen City Club ban­

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quet. Principal speaker was Thomas M. Girdler, L ehigh ’01, chairman of the board of the Republic Steel Corporation, and representing the general fraternity was one of Cincinnati’s most famous sons, VicePresident Clifford C. Gregg, ’17.

Chapter founders who were present were William R. Todd, Frank H. Constant and Frank E. French.

T W O G R E A T S PASS ON

The year 1940 was marked by the death of two men who had rendered great and inspired service to the fraternity, Eugene Wambaugh, Ohio W esleyan 1875, Harvard 1876, and George Howard Bruce, Centre 1899, both former General Secretaries of Beta Theta Pi. Dr. Eugene Wambaugh, professor emeritus of Harvard law school and widely known authority on international and constitutional law was the last survivor of that group of great Betas who rendered such conspicuous services to the fraternity during its so-called “reconstruc­ tion period.” Elected General Secretary in 1881 his greatest contribu­ tion was the development of a strongly centralized system of govern­ ment. He made it clear that the district chiefs were the chief as­ sistants of the general secretary and the representatives of the central authority. Brother Wambaugh became editor of The Beta Theta Pi 1885-1886, edited The H and B ook of 1886 which was a supplement to the C atalogue o f 1881, and served on the Board of Directors 1889-1890 and 1892-1893.1 George Howard Bruce, the eleventh General Secretary of Beta Theta Pi, died suddenly from a stroke suffered at his home, “Meadow Brae,” near Columbus, New Jersey, on August 29, 1940. He had served as District Chief, General Secretary (1917-1926), as a Fund Trustee, and as chairman of the Centenary Committee. Almost his en­ tire life had been spent with boys and young men, both as a teacher and devoted worker in Beta Theta Pi. As an instructor in science and chemistry, he served at Mt. Beacon Military Academy, Lawrenceville School, Hill School and Horace Mann School for Boys.

George Howard Bruce had a gift for seeing potential leadership in chapter delegates whom he met at conventions; he followed their ca1 See “Reconstruction and Reconsecration,” T he Beta Book, 1935 edition, page

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EUGENE WAMBAUGH, Ohio W esleyan 1875, Harvard 1876.

GEORGE HOWARD BRUCE, Centre 1899.

reers and brought many of them into active service for the fraternity as district chiefs. Nine of his appointees as chiefs became trustees, one succeeded him as general secretary, and two became presidents of the fraternity. He believed that since new leaders could always be found, trustees should serve only one term and district chiefs should serve four years—one college generation. In line with his oft-expressed belief that the general secretary should serve no more than three terms, he retired from that office in 1926, but he never really retired from serv­ ice to Beta Theta Pi until the day of his death.2

CAMPANILE CORNERSTONE LAYING

As a symbol that Beta Theta Pi is “building up” a fraternity as directed by John Reily Knox and his seven associates, the cornerstone 2 See eloquent tributes to Eugene Wambaugh and George Howard Bruce by Clarence L . Newton, George Chandler, Gordon S. Smyth and A. J. G. Priest in Vol. L X V III (1940), pages 205-211 of T he Beta Theta Pi.

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of the Beta Campanile was laid with appropriate ceremonies on No­ vember 10, 1940. Gathered on the Miami University campus were representatives of the board of trustees, members of the Alpha chapter and alumni from many sections of Ohio.

Speaking for the General Fraternity were General Secretary G. Her­ bert Smith and President William W. Dawson who, in closing his ad­ dress, “The Cornerstone of Our Democracy,” said, “We are meet­ ing here this afternoon as free men freely associated in a free organi­ zation. We have secured no permit from the state to erect this build­ ing or to gather here. We have spoken of the permanence of this campanile and of this stone which we are placing. Again we are speaking symbolically. You and I know that this structure is not permanent—that some day this stone will be opened and the de­ posit which we lay therein will be examined by other men in other The Campanile times. Let us hope and pray that Design of the tower which will hold the Centenary Bells. upon that occasion there will be an assembly of free men meeting in a free state and that this stone will be broken not by vandals who destroy, but only by those future builders who will be building a greater Miami University and a greater fraternity.”3

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

Appointments announced by General Secretary G. Herbert Smith: Stephen B. L. Penrose, Jr., W hitman ’28, youngest of three Beta brothers, he served as professor of philosophy and dean of men at 3 For the complete program of the Cornerstone Ceremony, see Vol. LXV III, No. 2, T he Beta Theta Pi, page 250.

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Whitman college. At the time of his appointment as Chief of District II he was assistant director of the Near East College Association with offices in New York City.

L. Thad Byrne, W ashington State ’25, a teacher in the John R. Rogers High School in Spokane and conductor of travel tours under the name of Byrne Circle Tours. Brother Byrne had served as secretary of the One Hundred First Convention and was destined to become editor of T he Beta Theta Pi magazine.

Elwood T. Starbuck, C hicago ’24, was a famed athlete at the Uni­ versity of Chicago under the great Amos Alonzo Stagg before moving to the Pacific Coast where he was manager of the estate planning de­ partment of the Wells Fargo Bank and Union Trust Company in San Francisco when he was selected to be a Chief of District XXIII. Kermit W. Arnold, DePauw ’37, was selected to replace Charles B. Gutelius, Indiana ’05, who asked to be relieved after long service to the fraternity. Brother Arnold, at the time of his appointment as Chief of District X II, was research director of the Associated Retailers of Indiana.

Robert N. Smith, Bow doin ’38, Maine representative for the Gen­ eral Tire and Rubber Company, to be Chief of District I. N E W CH A PTER HOM ES

In the spring of 1940 came the realization of the hopes of many years as Gamma Lambda chapter at Oklahoma A & M College dedi­ cated its magnificent new home at Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Early in the spring of 1941 a new fraternity quadrangle, costing $250,000 to erect, was dedicated at Lawrence College at Appleton, Wisconsin and Gamma Pi chapter was one of the proud groups to oc­ cupy it. National officers of Phi Delta Theta, Phi Kappa Tau, Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Phi Epsilon joined with representatives of Beta Theta Pi in the ceremonies.

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Dean W. Malott, Kansas ’21, selected to be Chancellor of Kansas University, the first Kansas graduate to be elevated to that office.

Dr. Seth R. Brooks, former National Alumni Counselor of Beta

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Theta Pi, assumed the pastorate of the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington, D.C. Ford R. Weber, Denison ’21, was named president of the Society of the Alumni of Denison University.

Bruce Blake, Chicago ’03, became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Washington.

Leroy B. Davenport, W estern Reserve ’12, elected president of the Cleveland Bar Association.

Arthur F. Douglas, W hitman ’24, elected executive vice-president of the Hotels Statler Corporation.

Filo M. Sedillo, Virginia ’32, elected Attorney General of the state of New Mexico.

Paul Peek, Oregon ’27, appointed Secretary of State of California at age 36, the youngest man at that time to have ever held this impor­ tant office.

T. Hale Boggs, Tulane ’37, elected Representative in the United States Congress from the Second Congressional District in New Or­ leans. He had been active in the effort to overthrow the Long political regime.

T H E O N E H U N D R E D F IR S T C O N V E N T IO N

For the second time in its history the fraternity held a convention on the west coast, the 101st General Convention convening at Hotel Del Monte, Del Monte, California, June 26-28, 1940. The only other gathering in that part of the continent had been in 1915, twenty-five years before, at the Oakland Hotel, Oakland, California. Since that time, Betas in the far west had looked forward eagerly to the next visit of Wooglin to the coast, and had worked hard in preparation for the 1940 gathering.

For many the convention began in the dingy darkness of the Dear­ born Street Station in Chicago where three special cars were loaded with alumni, wives, children and undergraduates for a five-day jaunt to California. The first stop was made at Colorado Springs where the local Betas had planned side trips to the “ghost” mining town of Cripple Creek, to the summit of Pike’s Peak and to a chuck wagon dinner in the Garden of the Gods. A second break in the journey oc­ curred at the Grand Canyon where most of the crowd engaged in

Hotel Del Monte, Del Monte, California

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sight seeing from the rim while twenty-five braver souls ventured into the depths of the canyon by mule train.

But it was not entirely a pleasure trip. There were frequent meet­ ings of the Board of Trustees en route when plans for the convention were made, and two gatherings of the District Chiefs were sand­ wiched in between stops.

At Los Angeles the local Betas escorted the special train group to a luncheon at the Los Angeles Biltmore with 200 in attendance. After the program, buses were waiting to take the group on a sight seeing tour of the area including stops at the largest movie studios.

On Wednesday, June 26, the convention opened in the auditorium of the Hotel Del Monte and the keynote of the gathering was sounded in the address of General Secretary G. Herbert Smith when he said that “this is to be a working convention since consideration of many important problems had been postponed the previous year because of the various Centenary functions.” He outlined many areas requiring serious thought including that of scholarship where the fraternity’s rank had declined during the previous year.

Selected as president of the convention was Walter Holt, Denison ’13, business executive of San Francisco and Chief of District X XIII. This was to be a memorable gathering for Brother Holt because, before the final session, he was to receive the greater honor of being elected a Trustee of the fraternity.

Chosen to assist Brother Holt as convention secretary was Thad Byrne, W ashington State ’25, later to become editor of T he Beta Theta Pi. A New Beta President. Coming as a complete surprise to the dele­ gates was the resignation of Clarence L. Newton as president of the fraternity. “Newt” pointed out that he had been elected to fill out the two remaining years in the term of Francis Shepardson and had served one year of the three year term to which he had then been elected. Brother Newton stated that, having filled the office for three years, he felt sure there were younger men who could carry on in the troubled times ahead.

Many of those present spoke eloquently of the great contribution which the retiring president had made to Beta Theta Pi down through his many years of devotion to the fraternity. Acceding to his wishes to

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be relieved of the responsibilities of the office, the Convention called upon a native son of Ohio to take the helm.

William Warren Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14, was a distinguished lawyer and teacher of the law and had been for over thirty years a de­ voted servant of the fraternity. Known to a legion of friends, both with­ out and within the brotherhood, as just plain “Bill Dawson,” he had

Beta Leaders Left to right: General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, General Treasurer James L. Gavin and newly elected President, William W. Dawson.

served for fifteen years as District Chief and as vice-president and trustee. He possessed a deeply sympathetic understanding of the prob­ lems and viewpoints of younger college men, and his election was received with warm satisfaction throughout the length and breadth of the fraternity.

“Bill” Dawson was the son of a Methodist minister and attended high school at Elyria, Ohio before entering Ohio Wesleyan University. After receiving his bachelor of arts degree there in 1914 he studied law at Western Reserve law school before entering the United States Army for service in France during World War I. Following the armistice he resumed his law studies at Western Reserve and at Harvard. He

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later became a member of the faculty of Western Reserve where he was professor of law at the time of his election to Beta’s highest office.

The fraternity’s new leader had amassed a wealth of experience which he brought to his new responsibility. For eight years he had been the effective Chief of District IX and had then served as vicepresident and trustee from 1932 to 1938. He had attended fifteen gen­ eral conventions and had served with distinction as chairman of many important committees. His speak­ ing ability had brought him the distinction of being selected as toastmaster at four convention banquets, and at the Ninety-ninth Convention at Poland Spring in 1938 he had been elected Conven­ tion President. Nowhere in Beta’s broad domain could the delegates have made a wiser selection than that of “Bill” Dawson, Ohio W es­ leyan ’14.

To serve with their new leader, the delegates re-elected General Treasurer James L. Gavin who had guided the financial operations of the fraternity for thirty-six years.

For vice-president and trustee, the New Trustee convention honored Walter Holt, W ALTER HOLT, Denison ’13, Dis­ Denison ’13, District Chief and trict Chief and Convention President.

San Francisco businessman.

Administration Plan Approved. An important report was received from the committee which had been selected the previous year to make a survey of the administrative structure of the fraternity. This committee composed of Otho E. Lane, chairman, A. J. G. Priest and George B. MeKibbin had studied the central administrative control through paid officials as used by other fraternities, and concluded: “We believe our system of volunteer executive administration has called to our service far better men than we could ever hope to secure upon a semi-commercial basis—on these convictions we reject the idea of the full-time Secretary. We deem the current plan of administration which

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in its essentials has remained unchanged since 1896, to be completely adequate.”

The committee recommended additional clerical help for the Gen­ eral Secretary but praised the District Chief plan and expressed the belief that none of these positions should be replaced by paid fraternity workers.

Where the Money Goes. In the absence of General Treasurer James L. Gavin, his report was read by Assistant Treasurer Ensign and showed that for the thirty-sixth year the record of “all accounts col­ lected, all bills paid” remained unbroken. Income for 1939-1940 had been $44,631 with expenses of $47,663 or a deficit of $3,032 largely caused by the extra expense of a west coast convention. The Financial Survey Committee, having been asked by many chapters for a break­ down of the expenditure of annual dues, submitted figures showing by percentages how the $7.00 annual dues were spent: Period 1936-1939 Convention exp en se.............................................................

Officers salaries and expense............................................

Magazine and editor’s sa la ry ............................................

Publications ............................................................................

Inspections..............................................................................

Incidentals ..............................................................................

Visitations ..............................................................................

Interfraternity Conference .................................................

Alumni Organization...........................................................

Stationery and Supplies.......................................................

Losses and Deductions .......................................................

Surplus ....................................................................................

Percent 21.52 19.12 22.51 5.43 5.31 5.85 1.91 .93 .13 1.44 2.82 13.03 100.00

The survey committee had asked the chapters if they favored a fixed charge payable at initiation in lieu of annual dues. The vote was No 60, Yes 18, No answer 7.

Funds for Campanile. The Centenary Bells had been hung in the tower of “Old Main” on the Miami campus but it was still the hope of the fraternity that a Beta Bell Tower, or Campanile, could be erected there as a permanent home for this symbol of the brotherhood’s devo­ tion to its birthplace. The Board of Trustees announced that it had

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$13,000 of the necessary $18,000 for the erection of the tower and the convention voted approval of taking the needed additional $5,000 from the General Fund. It appeared that the Campanile was to be a reality.

Willkie for President. One of the highlights of the 1940 convention was the news of the nomination in Philadelphia of Wendell L. Willkie, Indiana ’13, as the Republican nominee for President. During the afternoon and evening of the balloting the delegates’ attentions were divided between convention duties and the rising total of Willkie votes, and when Pennsylvania gave him seventy-two votes on what proved to be the final tabulation, a mighty Beta shout echoed through the Del Monte lobby.

Change the Colors? Over a period of many years frequent efforts have been made to change the Pink and Blue colors of the fraternity, and the One Hundred First convention was the scene of one of them.

A committee recommended that the colors be changed to Crimson and White and submitted color samples for the approval of the convention.

After a heated discussion participated in by many delegates and by Major George M. Chandler, long an advocate of a change, a roll call vote showed: undergraduate delegates—18 for change, 68 against; alumni delegates—3 for a change, 12 against, making a total of 21 for a change, 80 against.

W a r Comes!

*

1941

THE FA T E FU L YEAR of 1941 found die nation, still technically at peace, hoping that somehow the worst could be avoided and unaware that the closing weeks of the year would find the dread holocaust descending upon every phase of economic, social and fraternity life.

Even in the early months of 1941, chapters found their ranks depleted by the departure of brothers enlisting in services of countries already at war, by calls for others to various governmental activities and, north of the border, our Canadian chapters were already a part of a nation in active conflict. It is interesting to note the names of a few of the Betas from the United States chapters who first became involved in World War II: Michael G. H. McPharlin, Bow doin ’35, enlisted in the Royal Cana­ dian Air Force in 1939 and was the first enlistee from the United States to receive a commission in the R.C.A.F. Lt. David A. Van Epps. W isconsin ’38, joined the Canadian Air Force in 1940 and was sent to the Fleet Air Arm of the British Navy.

Assigned to the aircraft carrier Victorious he flew a plane bearing a Beta crest.

Charles G. Bolte, Dartmouth ’41, enlisted during the summer of 1941 in the 60th Regiment of the King’s Royal Rifles in England. He thus backed up his convictions voiced in a letter to President Roosevelt in the spring of 1941 (while Bolte was undergraduate editor of the Dart­ mouth Alumni M agazine) urging immediate entrance of the U. S. into the war.

The radio voice which informed the world of the Japanese attack on Manila on Sunday afternoon, December 7, 1941, was that of Ford Wilkins who was initiated by the St. Lawrence chapter and later trans­ ferred to Minnesota. While an editor of the Manila Bulletin, Brother Wilkins told the world of the attack and the sudden cutting off of his broadcast was one of the dramatic incidents of the early days of the 102

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conflict. It was many months before his friends learned that he had been made prisoner by the Japanese.

But during the early months of 1941, life in Beta Theta Pi went along almost normally and important events were occurring.

DEDICATIO N OF T H E CAMPANILE

The building committee under chairman John R. Simpson had done its work well, the necessary funds had been raised, the corner­ stone had been laid November 10, 1940 and on May 17, 1941 the time had come to dedicate the beautiful bell tower, the Beta Campanile, on the Miami University campus. Removed from their first resting place in the tower of Old Main, the Westminster Peal of bells were now to have a permanent home in a structure marking one hundred years of Beta life and achievement.

The campanile of colonial design was simple in its lines, the rising tower of brick suggesting puritan austerity, while the gleaming white cupola of the superstructure was of elegant gracefulness. Through the arched openings, the bells were clearly visible and every quarter of an hour throughout the day and evening their clear tones rang over the landscape combining beauty of sound with beauty of sight, and add­ ing one more delight to Oxford’s charm. The tower was designed by Charles F. Cellarius, Yale ’13, a leading architect in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The dedication service1 began at five on Saturday afternoon, but Betas began arriving early as the event provided a most suitable occa­ sion for a Midwest District Roundup. Representatives were present from Districts IX, X, X I and X II, which included all the chapters in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. This gathering had been arranged by Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, Chief of District XI, assisted by the other chiefs and by such chapter presidents as John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42, and E. Leland Webber, Cincinnati ’42, both of whom were to render distinguished service to the fraternity in later years.

The ceremonies were in charge of General Secretary G. Herbert Smith who first called upon Colonel John R. Simpson, chairman of the building committee. Brother Simpson told how, in the course of an address at a Chicago Beta gathering twenty years before, he had 1 “Dedication of the Campanile” by Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15, Vol. LXIX, T he Beta Theta Pi, November, 1941.

The Beta Campanile Dedicated May 17, 1941.

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Principals in the Ceremonies Left to right: Dr. Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15; General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’21-, Dr. Alfred H. Upham, Delta Kappa Epsilon, President of Miami University; Rev. Dr. R. Ames Montgomery, Miami ’03; Horace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894; Col. John R. Simpson, Miami 1899; Presi­ dent William W. Dawson, Ohio W eseyan ’14; Foster J. Cole, Miami ’24.

first expressed some ideas of how the fraternity might mark its one hundredth anniversary. He then traced the development of the Cen­ tenary plans and paid tribute to the many Betas, particularly George Howard Bruce and Francis Shepardson, who had played such impor­ tant parts in bringing the Campanile to reality. He spoke with great feeling of the work done by his fellow committee member, Foster Cole and of three non-Betas connected with Miami University who had played leading roles in the project, President Alfred H. Upham, Mr. Wallace Roudebush and Miss Mary Schlenck.

Accepting the campanile for the fraternity was President William W. Dawson, and accepting for the university was Dr. Upham who pointed out that as the new quadrangle of Miami buildings was com­ pleted the campanile would be found to stand at the very gateway to the University.

This was followed by the Dedication Poem, read by its author, Hor­ ace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894:

M A RCH IN G ALONG

FROM THE CAMPANILE i L ifts h e r e th is to w er a sta tely h eig h t F ro m w h e r e to g ain a b r o a d e r v ie w A cross a h u n d re d w ritten y ears O f h o w th e y w rou g h t, fr o m w h e n c e th e y d rew T h eir light, th eir fa ith , th o s e ch o se n fe w — T h e F o u n d er s o f a B ro th e rh o o d .

II

A n o th er cen tu ry w as you n g W h e n first th e y s e a r c h e d th e w estern skies T o fin d in th a t n ew firm am en t T h r e e stars—w h ich , to th e ir y o u th fu l ey es, O u tsh on e all els e in brillian cy.

T h ey sou g h t a n d fo u n d a n d u n d ersto o d — T h o s e P io n eers o f B ro th erh o o d . ill

T h ree stars th e y fo u n d . T o th eir a m a z e N o d a rk en in g d o u b t o f destin y C o id d d im su ch light—w h o se b ec k o n in g rays B a d e th em p ress on in p a th s u n b la z ed .

By sh arin g stren g th o f m in d a n d fa ith T h ey h e ld th eir w a y —n or fa lterin g sto o d — T h o se F ro n tiersm en o f B ro th e rh o o d .

TV

A n d th u s a cen tu ry is to ld :— A b r o a d e r sh arin g o f th e light T h a t sh in es fro m o u t our trinity; A fa irer ju d g m en t o f th e rig h t T o ic h o m sh a ll c o m e F ratern ity ; A h ig h er liftin g o f th e sight; A H u n d red Y ears o f B ro th erh o o d ! l ’e n v o i

N o w g iv e w e h e r e th is b e lfr y e d to w er T o g en era tio n s y et u n told, A nd, m a rch th e hou rs a n d y ea rs aw ay, W e h e a r th e b ells—th e b ells a re b o ld T o call fr o m o u t a fo r w a r d d a y T h e w o rth ier d e e d to b e en s c ro lled :— D em o cra cy a n d B ro th e rh o o d .

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As they listened to these beautiful sentiments, the large assembly could read the words on the two bronze plaques secured to the sides of the tower: THIS TOWER WAS PRESENTED TO M IA M I UNIVERSITY BY BETA THETA P I THE FIRST COLLEGE FRATERN ITY TO BE FOUNDED W EST OF THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS e

*

e

TH E PEA L OF BELLS IN THIS TOW ER WAS DEDICATED TO TH E SERVICE OF M IA M I UNIVERSITY BY BETA THETA P I ONE HUNDRED YEARS AFTER ITS FOUNDATION HERE ON AUGUST

8, 1839

The day of ceremonies was closed with a dedication banquet with John R. Simpson as toastmaster and George M. Chandler and Presi­ dent Dawson delivering the principal addresses. A guest of honor was Mrs. Maud Marshall Hassall of Keokuk, Iowa, daughter of Founder Samuel Taylor Marshall.

T H E ONE HUNDRED SECOND

The one hundred second General Convention of Beta Theta Pi was held August 26-29, 1941 at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan. In his opening address President Dawson pointed out that while the convention was being held on an undefended border be­ tween two great nations, symbolizing the fact that nations could live

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with each other peacefully, two of our chapters north of the border were in a nation at war. Our Canadian brothers had already felt the impact of the conflict.

“We are preparing for war,” he said, “and we are furnishing the sinews of war to others. Some of you are wondering whether you will be permitted to finish this college year; some of you resent any inter­ ruption of your college course. All of us, however, must assist in plac­ ing our fraternity on a war basis so that we may survive the crisis and make our contribution to our nation and our civilization.”

Many members of the fraternity, including a number of its officers had already been called to duty. Advisory Councilman and Historian, Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, had been recalled from retirement to serve in the Army War College; Advisory Councilman Major Clifford C. Gregg was called as a reserve officer into active duty in the Corps Area Offices in Chicago; District Chief, Major Lee Thompson, O klahom a ’25, was carrying on his fraternity activities though in service as Aide to Brigadier General Key. District Chief, Ensign William Cramp Sheetz, Pennsylvania ’34, was stationed at the Philadelphia Navy Yard and was able, for a while, to carry on his Chief’s duties. Chiefs Robert Smith, Albert McPherrin and Arthur A. de la Houssaye were all compelled to resign from fraternity office when called into active service.

“The Fraternity in Times of Emergency.”2 This was the title of an inspiring and timely message by General Secretary G. Herbert Smith which appeared in the Convention Program. A few excerpts will in­ dicate the extent to which Betas have participated in all of the nation’s conflicts since the fraternity was founded.

“In times of national emergency and crisis,” he wrote, “one early realizes now certainly this is a young man’s world, and Beta Theta Pi as an institution of young men is sensitive to conditions in these times.

Our fraternity has played an important part in every national emer­ gency since it was founded. . . . The first Beta soldier was Joshua Hall Bates, Cincinnati 1841, who was graduated from West Point and served in the Florida War against the Indians. He was later called into the service of his country as Brigadier General in the Civil War___ 2 See Vol. LXIX, T he Beta Theta Pi (October, 1941), pp. 3-6.

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“Fraternity records reveal that the record of Beta Theta Pi in the Civil War was one of great brilliancy. Three of the ‘boys of ’39’ played a part. Founder Ryan organized a regiment under a commis­ sion from the governor of Ohio and was made its Colonel. Founder Duncan was a Captain in the Confederate Army. Founder Gordon also wore the gray, having a confidential position in Johnson’s Brigade, C. S. A. “Baird’s statistics in the H an dbook o f B eta Theta Pi reveal that in the Federal Army Beta Theta Pi contributed ‘9 Brigadier Generals, 39 Colonels, 27 Lieutenant Colonels, 19 Majors, 72 Captains, 31 First Lieutenants, 13 Second Lieutenants, 33 Non-commissioned Officers and 19 Chaplains.’

“In the Confederate Army there were 2 Major Generals, 3 Brigadier Generals, 18 Colonels, 14 Lieutenant Colonels, 22 Majors, 75 Captains, 37 First Lieutenants, 18 Second Lieutenants, 22 Non-commissioned Officers and 13 Chaplains.

“In all, more than seven hundred Betas enlisted, representing thirtyfive chapters . . . these figures become impressive when it is recog­ nized that there were but 1,362 members of the fraternity in 1861, and only 1,580 by 1865.

“Baird’s statistics in the H an dbook on the War with Spain and checked by George M. Chandler, lists 148 Betas who entered the service in 1898.

“The completed record of World War I indicates that more than 6,000 members of the fraternity, including 2,642 officers, served in the struggle from 1914-1918, and every chapter was called upon for sacri­ fices. A review of the fraternity situation appearing in the December, 1918 issue of T he Beta T heta Pi is revealing: ‘The World War hit Beta Theta Pi hard. The patriotism of the Toronto chapter made a great impression. The story of the death of the heroic Mike Malone of the Canadian forces stirrred every Beta’s soul, and his cry “Never mind me, carry on,” was like a trumpet call. Our chapers have been badly disorganized. Our chapter houses have been closed or taken over for barracks. . . . But there has been only a single thought everywhere— better to lose every single chapter and close the books for Beta Theta Pi than to lose the war. Better to sacrifice every dollar invested in chapter houses than to shrink in the least from duty to humanity in the World War.’

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. . . “Now after twenty years of peace, during which time Beta Theta Pi has made great progress in ‘building up’ a fraternity on the princi­ ples of 1839, our brotherhood faces another emergency. Members of two of our chapters are now in the active service of their country. The remaining eighty-eight chapters, though their country is still at peace, are contributing members to the armed forces of a nation determined not to be the unsuspecting victim of the aggression of the Austrian fa­ natic and his associates. To date our undergraduate chapters have been touched but lightly, but each passing day adds to the roll of Betas in the armed forces of the two countries.”

This was the situation which confronted the fraternity and the na­ tion but the One Hundred Second Convention had its duties to per­ form. Honored with the presidency of the Convention was Major Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati 17, former District Chief, former Trus­ tee and who had recently served the fraternity as Director of Special Visitation. Chosen to serve with him as Convention Secretary was Dis­ trict Chief Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31.

The Board of Trustees Reported: —the reappointment of Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18, as Editor and Publisher of The Beta Theta Pi. —the appointment of George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, as Historian.

—that John L. Baker, Miami ’08, had been elected Trustee of the Baird Fund to succeed the late George Howard Bruce.

—the appointment of Horace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894, as editor of a new edition of The Songs o f Beta T heta Pi. —that the Beta Campanile had been completed at a cost of $31,428.57 and that the total contributed from the General Fund of the frater­ nity had been $6,000, the balance having been contributed by mem­ bers of the fraternity.

—that the first efforts were being made to study the problem of collect­ ing, cataloguing and preserving the archives and memorabilia of the fraternity. Malcolm G. Wyer, Minnesota 1899, of Denver, Colorado had been appointed chairman of a committee on Fraternity Archives.

—that they had accepted with regret the resignation from the Board of Owen D. Young, due to demands on his time required by the national emergency.

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Convention President Major Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17.

111

The New Trustee Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20.

Elections. Although it was not known at the time, the fraternity was approaching a period when its president would be called away to ac­ tive army service and it was fortunate that for its chief administrative officer the convention again turned to G. Herbert Smith who was re­ elected for another term as General Secretary. He was to lead Beta Theta Pi through some of its most trying years.

Robert H. Frazier, North Carolina ’19, whose term as Trustee was expiring, was re-elected for the unexpired portion of the term of Owen D. Young, St. L aw rence 1894, who resigned.

To be Trustee for the term expiring in 1944, the convention selected a man who had already demonstrated his devotion to the fraternity and who was destined to become its highest officer, Bertram W. Ben­ nett, Knox ’20. “Bert” Bennett had caught the Beta spirit while an un­ dergraduate at Knox College where he was a star athlete and campus leader, and he had never failed to answer the call of his brothers when there was a job to do. A regular attendant at general conventions, he had become a District Chief in 1929, and had represented the frater­ nity at many chapter and alumni gatherings. A resident of the Chi­

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cago area, he was at the time of his election, president of Caspers Tin Plate Company, the nation’s largest firm devoted to metal lithography.

His charming and lovely wife, Mary Elizabeth, a Knox College Tri Delt, was almost as well known in the fraternity as Bert, having attended many general conventions with him.

Preparing for a Storm. The report of General Treasurer James L. Gavin showed that while the income of the fraternity for the year had been $47,902 there had been expenses of $53,418, resulting in a deficit of $6,516, caused by the unusual cost of the west coast convention and a contribution of $6,000 to the Campanile Fund. He reported assets in the General Fund consisted of: Cash .........................................................................................$17,619 U. S. Bonds .............................................................................. 21,109 Misc..............................................................................................

765 $39,493 Brother Gavin predicted a balanced budget for the coming year but pointed out that this would de­ pend on the condition that war would not seriously disrupt the membership. “If necessary,” he said, “we should trim our finan­ cial sails to meet the storm.”

One Million Copies. A signifi­ cant report was given by Gordon S. Smyth concerning his ten-year editorship of The Beta Theta Pi. During that period one million copies of the fraternity magazine had been printed and the circula­ tion had increased from 7,500 to 18,500. Fifteen hundred chapter Editor of “The Beta Theta Pi” Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18. letters had told the story of the chapter life; six hundred alumni reports had been printed and the number of alumni receiving the maga­ zine had more than tripled. Two special issues had become permanent records of significant happenings in the fraternity’s history—the Me­

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morial to Francis W. Shepardson and the Story of the Centennial.

Anyone reading the volumes of the magazine developed under the guidance of Gordon Smyth cannot fail to discern his deep devotion to the fraternity. He was determined that the ideals and principles of Beta Theta Pi should be reflected in the pages of the magazine by the words and deeds of the members. The quiet dignity of the publication was in keeping with the rich traditions he sought to preserve.

Legislation. In order to clarify the procedure pertaining to resigna­ tions from the fraternity, the convention voted to add a paragraph to Section 38 of the Laws placing the power of approval and acceptance of all resignations with the Board of Trustees. The new paragraph read as follows: “The power of approval and acceptance of all resignations from the fraternity shall rest in the Board of Trustees. After acceptance and approval the Board shall report its findings to the next general con­ vention.”

EV EN TS OF 1941

With the General Fraternity having so recently observed its centen­ nial, it would naturally follow that a number of its oldest chapters would also be celebrating significant anniversaries.

One Hundred Years at Western Reserve. It was on August 26, 1841, at Western Reserve College, a small school of about one hundred stu­ dents located at Hudson, Ohio, that Beta chapter of Beta Theta Pi was first established. The chapter at Hudson was the third chapter of the fraternity and originally was called Gamma but acquired the name of Beta when the Cincinnati group (the original Beta) was declared “extinct.”

It was to celebrate this beginning that one hundred fifty followers of Wooglin gathered September 19-20, 1941 for an open house, lunch­ eons and a banquet. Principal speakers included President William W. Dawson and Thomas M. Girdler, L ehigh ’01, chairman of Republic Steel Corporation.

Another Centenary—Beta Kappa of Ohio University. The fourth chapter of Beta Theta Pi was established on November 9, 1841, by three members of the Cincinnati chapter, Charles Gilbert, Jr., Ripley Hoffman and John Culbertson. The Rev. Dr. William Holmes McGuffey, author of the famous readers, was president of Ohio University at

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that time and was assisted in the planting of the historic McGuffey Elms by James M. Safford, one of the first men initiated into the chapter.

At first the chapter was known as the Athens chapter of Beta Theta Pi; however its name was soon changed to Delta, Alpha being at Miami, Beta at Cincinnati and Gamma at Western Reserve. The H chapter was declared extinct by the convention of 1847 because of the forced closing of the university when the Mexican War took the ma­ jority of its men. Later the chapter was revived and in the Chicago convention of 1881, at which Ohio was not represented, the then re­ cently reactivated chapter at West­ ern Reserve was given the name of Beta, and since it was erroneously believed that the Ohio University chapter had been called the Beta chapter in earlier days, it was given the name of Beta Kappa.

Beta Theta Pi pioneered the fra­ At the Centenary ternity movement at Ohio Univer­ President William Dawson (left) greets sity and until 1862 was the only John S. McKown, Ohio 1876, oldest Greek-letter group there. An ac­ living alumnus of Beta Kappa chapter. count of its early history would tell of the struggle of determined men to establish the principles of Beta Theta Pi and nurture them through days of trial. It was because they were proud of their Beta heritage that the sons of Beta Kappa gathered for their one hundredth anniversary celebration November 7-9, 1941.

Present were President William W. Dawson, former Trustee Ronald F. Moist, whose son was a Beta Kappa pledge, District Chief W. F. Loveless, Denison ’25 and nearly one hundred fifty undergraduates and alumni. In addition to President Dawson, speakers at the banquet included John S. McKown, 1876, the oldest living Beta Kappa alum­ nus, and William L. (Billy) Graves, Ohio State 1893, who spoke of his early association with the chapter.

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N EW D ISTR ICT C H IEFS

With six district chiefs having entered the armed services, one answering a call to Washington and another to Newfoundland, the fraternity found it necessary to call on a record number of new chiefs to take over the responsibilities of that office: Kenneth H. Leathers, Maine ’37, District I. Norman W. Dakin, Centre ’30, wholesale radio business man of Rochester, New York, District IV. W. F. (Doc) Loveless, Denison ’25, employment supervisor, Ohio Bell Telephone Co., District X. Orr Goodson, N ebraska ’26, assistant director, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, District XIV. Warren T. Fifer, Northwestern ’16, assistant sales promotion man­ ager, Butler Brothers, Chicago, District XV. Howard W. Meagher, Minnesota ’33, Minneapolis representative Connecticut General Life Insurance Co., District XVI. Stanley R. Church, W ashington State ’31, Director of traffic safety, State of Oregon, District XXII.

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV E M E N T— 1941

James L. Whitten, Mississippi ’32, was elected on November 4, 1941 by the Second District of Mississippi as representative in the Seventy-seventh Congress.

Dr. Robert L. Johnson, Yale ’18, was inaugurated as the third presi­ dent of Temple University.

Frank S. Hogan, Colum bia ’24, chosen to succeed Thomas E. Dewey as District Attorney of New York City.

Dr. E. Wilson Lyon, Mississippi ’25, inaugurated sixth president of Pomona College, Claremont, California.

BETA A T H L E TE S OF 1941

Writing in T he B eta Theta Pi for December, 1941, George H. Casey, B ow doin ’19 cited the following Beta track stars: Quarter-mile—Alfred L. Diebolt, Jr., C olgate ’42 One mile relay—Roy B. Cochran, Indiana ’41

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100 yard dash—Kjell Qvale, W ashington (Seattle) ’42; Robert L. Owen, III, Yale ’41; Sylvester Johnson, Ohio ’41; Daniel J. Rob­ erts, Knox ’42 Middle distances—John R. McKinney, Jr., Oregon ’43; Robert Ho­ gan, California ’42 Mile and two mile—Ralph B. Dewey, California. ’43; Aaro E. J. Alapoti, Miami ’42 Hurdles—William W. Munn, O klahom a State ’42; Edward A. Sar­ gent, D uke ’42 Jumpers—Donald N. Boydston, O klahom a State ’42; Charles F. Bacon, Beloit ’42; Donald E. Deffke, W est Point ’42 (Colorado) Shot put—Warren A. Heaton, W ashington (Seattle) ’41; Richard A. White, North Carolina ’42

☆

A Brotherhood in Arms

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1942

“BETA THETA PI, in common with every other American institution, has but one compelling purpose—the winning of the war.” Thus spoke General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, and if Beta voices could have been heard from the far-flung corners of the world they would have swelled to a mighty chorus of “So say we all of us!”

1942 was to be a year of recovery from the shock of Pearl Harbor— a year which saw a nation turn reluctantly but resolutely from the habits of peace to the gathering of a mighty force for war. The effect on colleges and fraternity chapters was gradual but only the blind could fail to see that a great change was coming. In many hearts there was fear that the fraternity could not survive the shocks which were certain to come.

“The question that is in the hearts of many,” said Jim Gavin at a Chicago alumni banquet, “is, can Beta Theta Pi survive? We are all thinking tonight of Pearl Harbor, Manila, the Normandie, Singapore.

The United States, standing for law, order and freedom will survive, and I am just as sure Beta Theta Pi will come through the hour of stress. The chapters are strong, finances are good, alumni backing is staunch. Beta came through the Civil War, losing some chapters; we lost none in World War I; we’ll lose none in this war—Beta Theta Pi will survive!”

TH E FIR ST MILITARY LIST

Although war had not come to the United States until Decem­ ber 7, 1941, Betas had been joining the armed forces of this and other nations for many months before. By May, 1942, it was possible for The Beta T heta Pi to publish the names and last known addresses of over eighteen hundred members of the fraternity in military service—about one-third of the five thousand who had joined the armed forces up to 117

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At Chicago Alumni Dinner— February 1942 Seated left to right: George B. McKibbin, Iow a W esleyan ’09; President William Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14; Chicago Alumni President Orr Goodson, N ebraska ’26; Col. Thomas R. Gowenlock, Kansas ’09. Standing: Trus­ tees Walter Holt, Denison ’13, and Robert H. Frazier, North Carolina ’19; General Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePauw 1896; Major Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17; General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27; Trustee Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20.

publishing time of that issue.1 The list was headed by the names of fifteen wearers of the diamond who had already made the supreme sacrifice. Of these, three were of particular significance because they had given their lives during the very early days of the war; Lt. Frank S. Lomax, N ebraska ’39, U.S.N.R. USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 Ens. James W. Haverfield, Ohio State ’39, U.S.N.R. USS Arizona, Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 Ens. Thomas J. Cole, Jr., W estminster ’38, American Volunteer Group, Burma Road, January 29, 1942 The list included ten members of the fraternity who held the rank of Brigadier General or Major General in the United States Army, 'F o r the complete list, see Vol. LXIX, No. 6, T he Beta Theta Pi, May, 1942, pp. 553-588.

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headed by Brig. General John H. Hilldring, C olum bia ’16, Assistant Chief of Staff, G1 (Personnel). Included also were four Canadian Betas who held similar ranks, one of the best known being Major General C. S. L. Hertzberg, Toronto 05, Engineer in Chief, Canadian Army Overseas.2 Not in uniform but serving in important capacities in the American war effort were J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08, Assistant Director of Cen­ sorship; Dr. Fred W. Rankin, Davidson ’08, Chief Consulting Sur­ geon of the United States Army; Stanley K. Hornbeck, C olorado ’03, D enver ’03, Advisor on Political Relations to the Secretary of State and Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13, head of the all-powerful War Man­ power Commission.

Included was the story of a former Beta chapter president, Lt. Wil­ liam N. Fitzhugh, Texas ’38, United States Air Corps, who was among the intrepid American flyers from “Shangri-La” (according to Presi­ dent Roosevelt when asked the location of their base) who bombed Japan on April 18, 1942. As a participant in this gallant raid under General Doolittle he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and was also decorated by the Chinese Government.

Another Beta hero of the first hours of the war was Ensign John Perry Edwards, Kansas ’39, who was the pilot of the first plane to rise in the air against the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on the fateful Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. He was to be on duty at 10 a . m . but reported to his base two hours earlier and saw the Japanese planes approaching. He ran for the hangar, called together what men he could, got his plane into the air and immediately was engaged in combat. For his gallantry in action he was awarded the Navy Cross.

These are but a few of the long, illustrious line of Betas who had marched off to war—to be followed by scores of others. In an historical outline of this kind it is possible to mention only the few. Readers who seek an authentic and complete picture of the contributions of mem­ bers of the fraternity to the war effort are referred to the “Military Lists” published during the war years in The B eta Theta Pi. But even with many members leaving the campuses, most of the chapters were still functioning and alumni groups continued their activities.

2 By January, 1944, the number of Betas holding the rank of Major General or Brigadier General had increased to twenty-seven.

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SEV EN TY-FIV E YEARS AT W ITTENBERG

On January 8, 1867 Edward Thomson and Homer Mouser of the Ohio Wesleyan chapter came to Springfield, Ohio and met in the backroom of a bookstore kept by James W. Gunn, DePauw 1855, with five undergraduates, and formed Alpha Gamma chapter of Beta Theta Pi. To take a leading part in the three-day Diamond Jubilee on January 16-18, 1942 came another alumnus of the Ohio Wesleyan chapter, President William Dawson. He joined with District Chief W. F. “Doc” Loveless and a host of Alpha Gamma’s sons to celebrate this important milestone in the life of one of Beta’s great old chapters.

SIGMA RHO HONORS “ROSEY”

So great was the influence on the Illinois chapter of Clarence Jud_____________________________________ son Roseberry, Illinois ’05, (1 lilt m a m felt t he c h a p t e r should have b ee n na m ed " Si vj ma

Hose\ ." T o

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brate his forty years as a Beta, over one hundred alumni gathered on Feb­ ruary 28, 1942, at Cham­ paign, Illinois, to unveil a portrait of this devoted member.

It was in 1902 that Rosey came to the univer­ sity and became No. 26 on the Sigma Rho rolls—thus his service to that chapter had spanned its entire life.

From his undergraduate “Rosey” Portrait of Clarence Judson Roseberry, Illinois days when he served in ’05, unveiled at fortieth anniversary of his ini­ all the important chapter tiation. offices, he moved immedi­ ately into alumni activities on behalf of the chapter. He organized a building association and so closely supervised the chapter finances that

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Sigma Rho’s financial record closely paralleled that of the general fra­ ternity so far as “all bills paid, all accounts collected” were concerned.

He pulled, pushed and prodded the undergraduates to scholastic en­ deavor and encouraged them to participate in campus activities and athletics. He strove for a well rounded chapter worthy of the label “ex­ cellent,” and the Illinois chapter has achieved that goal many times during its history. The part which Brother Roseberry played in its splendid record was summed up by famed Thomas Arkle Clark, first dean of men, in a letter to Rosey in 1932: “You set for the Betas the highest standards of morals, of social cour­ tesy, of scholarship, and in some way you have had the good fortune, in most cases, to have the fellows come up to those standards. I take off my hat to you—Beta Theta Pi here and all over the country owes you a lasting debt of gratitude/’

TH E ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL CO NVENTION— TH E WAR CONVENTION— AUGUST 25-27, 1942

The One Hundred Third was truly a war convention. Originally scheduled to be held at Lookout Mountain, Tennessee, the gathering had been changed to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan because it was felt that the war time travel restrictions would be less severe in that area. It was to be the last Beta convention for several years, and its chief purpose was to prepare the fraternity for the blows which were to come.

There was a liberal sprinkling of uniforms among the assembled Betas when General Secretary G. Herbert Smith opened the first ses­ sion, and when he called for a showing of hands of all delegates who were at that time enlisted in the various reserves, almost every hand went up. One could not help thinking of what lay ahead for these young men and what lay ahead for the fraternity whose chapter halls they would soon be leaving.

There had been serious doubts in the minds of the officers and many undergraduate members as to the advisability of holding the conven­ tion at all. At its meeting in February the Board of Trustees had received a letter from one chapter (Amherst) calling for an immediate reduction in the cost of general fraternity operations, and a corre­ sponding reduction in the cost of membership for undergraduates.

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The letter suggested the elimination of conventions, all publications and visitations. The Board agreed that there must be a drastic cur­ tailment in operations but felt that the 1942 convention was necessary to obtain proper legislation for continuing fraternity administration during the war period. The officers also concluded that with the prob­ able elimination of conventions, continuation of the fraternity mag­ azine (reduced in number of is­ sues) was necessary as a force to hold the fraternity together, and for reports to the membership from the Board of Trustees and officers.

Thus the war convention of Beta Theta Pi convened to attempt to solve these problems: 1. What additional responsibili­ ties and powers must be granted to the Board of Trus­ tees if there could be no more conventions for the duration?

The supreme legislative au­ A Chief in Uniform thority, according to the Lt. (jg) William C. Sheetz, Jr., Penn­ Code, had always rested with sylvania ’34, Chief of District VI. the General Conventions.

2. What program would best assist chapters in financial difficulties due to reduced personnel?

3. How could the General Fraternity’s budget be balanced in the face of serious reduction in income?

4. What economies could be practiced by the General Fraternity?

5. What adjustments must be made in the programs of rushing and initiation due to accelerated college programs?

6. What economies could be instituted by individual chapters?

It was fitting and proper that a man in uniform be selected as presi­ dent of the One Hundred Third Convention and the honor went to a loyal Beta worker, Lt. Col. Lee B. Thompson, O klahoma ’25,

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Chief of District X IX composed of the Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas chapters. Elected convention secretary was Kermit W. Ar­ nold, DePauw ’37, Chief of District XII. As The War Drums Roll. “Beta Theta Pi, in common with every other American institution, has but one compelling purpose—the winning of the war!” Thus spoke G. Herbert Smith in his annual report as General Secretary. It was a stirring message in keeping with the times and it contained much sensible and practical advice for Beta undergraduates.

Secretary Smith pointed out that the war might be of long duration and that it was vital to the welfare of the nation that many men should be allowed to remain in college to complete their training for the future. “This war is different from any we have fought before,” he said, “demanding complete cooperation between the troops in the field and the scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and dentists behind the lines.”

Relating this fact to the situation in which undergraduates found themselves, he continued, “It is not for me to say which of you, as individuals, should be called to the armed forces and which of you should stay and complete your college course. But it would appear plain enough that patriotism—real patriotism, sans maudlin sensationalism—demands that you stick with your present job and give it all you have until such time as your local Selective Service Board decides that you can serve your country more effectively in some other pursuit. The nation needs trained brains!”

The General Secretary reported that several chapters had already been forced to become totally inactive while others were operating with greatly reduced personnel. Generally speaking, however, the con­ dition of the chapters was good and several, such as Johns Hopkins, North Dakota and Chicago had made notable improvements in spite of the trying times. Cited for its general excellence was the Kansas chapter while others deserving special praise were Beloit, Bethany, British Columbia, Centre, Cincinnati, Colorado Mines, DePauw, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa State, Lawrence, Ohio University, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Penn State, South Dakota, Washington and Lee, West­ minster and Williams.

Dawson and Law Elected. With the hope that war service would not call him from his leadership of the fraternity and in recognition of his outstanding abilities in the office, the convention re-elected William

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W. Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14, as President and Trustee for the term 1942-1945.

To serve with him on the Board of Trustees, the fraternity turned to one of its young workers, Howard A. Law, Pennsylvania ’35, elected Vice-president and Trustee for the term 1942-1945. Howard Law had served his chapter and the fraternity in many capacities: as investment counselor to the Baird and Found­ ers Funds, as representative to the National Interfraternity Conference, as Chief of District V composed of Columbia, Rutgers and Stevens chapters, and as a member of the Centenary Committee where he as­ sisted in raising funds for the Me­ morial Campanile. His most recent contribution had been in the prepa­ ration of a H andbook on the War Effort.

B

New Trustee Howard A. Law, Jr., Pennsylvania ’35.

Emergency Powers for the Board.

As recommended bv a special com­ mittee designated bv the Board of Trustees in compliance with a resolution adopted at the One Hundred Second Convention to study the

Code of Beta Theta Pi and make Reword Article 1 of the to provide that recommendations forIII, its Section clarification, and Constitution to consider the advisability in times the of national emergency the Board Trustees ofcould, by of amending Constitution to provide for the of governing the fra­ two-thirds omit a emergency, general convention and exercise ternity in times vote, of national the convention votedthe to:powers of that body, except those of granting charters or amending the Constitution. It further required the Board, in case of the omission of a General Convention, to transmit to each chapter an annual report of its proceedings and a report of the General Treasurer for the preceding fiscal year.

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The committee recommended several additional changes in the Code and the convention voted approval of: 1. Granting power to the Board of Trustees to approve or reject resignations from the fraternity.

2. Abolishment of the Beta Senate and the creation of an Advisory Council to be composed of former members of the Board of Trustees with the privilege of attending regular meetings of the Board, without vote, and to perform such other duties as may be designated by the Board of Trustees.

Thus with the government of the fraternity placed in competent hands, the convention turned to problems of the chapters, already made serious by the rapid wartime changes on college campuses.

Recognizing the power for good inherent in groups of men working together, one committee urged that each chapter should take the lead on its campus in the development of a worthwhile program of activi­ ties in connection with the war effort. It was hoped that such activities would prove to the public that the American college fraternity is a worthwhile part of American and Canadian college life in war time as well as in peace.

The convention urged each alumni organization to appoint a special committee to work closely with each chapter, to safeguard the chapter house, to maintain contact with brothers in the armed forces and to stand ready to assist in the re-establishment of normal chapter activities following the war.

The delegates further recommended that the Board of Trustees so­ licit funds for the purchase of one or more ambulances to be used in war service. Another suggestion was that a special card be prepared which would identify men as members of Beta Theta Pi, and that chapters make every effort to distribute these to their members in the armed forces.

Turning to finances, the delegates and alumni present apparently felt hopeful that near normal operations could be continued for at least one more year as they approved a budget of $42,000, based on an expected income of a similar amount. This reflected the optimistic hope that the majority of chapters could continue to operate at close to normal strength. The general treasurer had reported that the gen­ eral fraternity was entering the war period in good financial condition,

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with a net worth of $49,000, exclusive of the Baird and Founders Funds.

A New Editor. One of the great Betas of all time, Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania T8, chose the 103rd General Convention to ask for his release from duties as editor of The Beta Theta Pi, a responsibility which had been his for eleven years. During those years the maga­ zine of the fraternity had truly re­ flected the underlying reasons for the existence of Beta Theta Pi be­ cause Gordon Smyth was deter­ mined that it should do so. He steadily resisted the temptation and the pressure, even from with­ in the fraternity, to “modernize” or “dress up” the publication to emulate those of rival organiza­ tions. Under his guidance T he Beta Theta Pi did take on a fresh new look, but it never lost its dignity and, along with its reporting of the news, it continued to contain a rich measure of Beta ideals, lore and principles.

— ------- __ _ The Board accepted his resigna­ The Editor Relaxes tion with reluctance and in recog­ Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18, at nition of his great contributions to the Ninety-Seventh General Conven­ the fraternity adopted a resolution tion at Biloxi, Miss, in August 1936. which included these words: “He brought outstanding qualities to his work as editor. His knowl­ edge of the history, the traditions and the lore of our cherished fra­ ternity, together with his wide acquaintance among our members, particularly fitted him for his responsibilities. His love for the frater­ nity and his capacity in the art of friendship promoted his success, while his ability to write well and his talent in transforming the often shoddy writing of others into truly presentable material made of our magazine a journal of the highest order.

“With indefatigable industry he has labored. The annual circulation increased from 7,500 copies to 19,900 copies during his term. More than

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one million copies have gone out with the imprint of his name at the top of the editorial staff. He has walked worthily in the footsteps of those former editors—Charles Duy Walker, Willis O. Robb, William Raimond Baird and Francis Wayland Shepardson.

“Former Trustee A. J. G. Priest has well written and we unite with him in this expression, ‘You cannot compensate a man for such work.

Gordon has given the very stuff of life itself to Beta Theta Pi, and we have no way to recompense him.

The commendation of his Beta brethren means much, we may be sure, but his great compensation must be the inward voice which whispers now as it will whisper through the years, Well done!’ ” Thus another era in the history of “the first college fraternity mag­ azine” came to a close and the fra­ ternity turned to one of its de­ voted young members to assume the important and responsible po­ sition as editor. Selected for this honor was L. Thad Byrne, W ash­ ington State ’25, a man who had already proved his ability as a The New Editor writer and editor. While an under­ L. Thad Byrne, W ashington State ’25. graduate at Washington State Uni­ versity he was Assistant Editor of the Evergreen, the campus news­ paper; Editor of the Chinook, the college yearbook, and was a member of Sigma Delta Chi, honorary journalistic fraternity. For many years he had edited his own chapter’s alumni publication, the Gamma Theta Alumnus and had served as Chief of District XXI and as Secretary of the One Hundred First General Convention.

Honors and Appointments. The North Dakota Award for excel­ lence of chapter publications was presented to the Iowa State chapter for its publication Tri-Serp with Carnegie Tech taking second honors.

Awards for general chapter excellence went to the Kansas and Pennsylvania State chapters.

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Appointment of the following new District Chiefs were announced by the General Secretary: District District District District District District

I—Kenneth H. Leathers, Maine ’37 X III—Horace H. Hull, V anderbilt ’06 XIV—Orr Goodson, N ebraska ’26 XV—Warren T. Fifer, Northwestern ’16 XVI—Karl Diessner, Minnesota ’36 X X II—Stanley R. Church, Washington State ’31

And so, the “War Convention’’ became history. It had given the Board of Trustees the power to omit such gatherings if necessary and had granted it authority to legislate with proper reports of its actions.

The delegates had taken the first steps toward setting up special war committees of alumni to assist the chapters, and the officers had ad­ vised undergraduate members to remain in college as long as possible to complete their courses of study.

Many heeded this advice and although most college men were en­ rolled in reserve training units or were a part of one of the many ac­ celerated training programs, college life continued on many campuses and in many Beta houses. Even so, the picture changed constantly and often with startling suddenness. President William Dawson, only a brief two months after re-election, left his Cleveland home to accept assignment as a Major in the United States Army. Stationed at Camp Hood, Texas, at the Tank Destroyer Center, where also was located Lt. Col. Clifford C. Gregg, a former Trustee, President Dawson had made arrangements for his executive work for the fraternity to be taken over by other officers. It was hoped and expected that he could con­ tinue as president even though in uniform.

NEW M ILITARY STARS

The first military list of Betas serving in the armed forces, pub­ lished in May, 1942, had contained the names of ten with the rank of general. By December, 1942, five new names had been added to that impressive list: Brigadier Generals: Frank A. Allen, Jr., Kenyon ’20

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Addison D. Davis, Miami ’03 John R. Deane, California ’18 Donald J. Myers, C olorado ’18 Alden H. Waitt, M.I.T. ’14 Promoted from Brigadier General to Major General was John H. Hilldring, Colum bia ’16, Commanding General of the 84th Infantry Division.

TH E HISTORIAN REPORTS

Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, appointed Historian of the Fraternity following the One Hundred First General Conven­ tion, reported on the exact date of the founding of the fraternity—a fact about which there had been some doubt and controversy. It was known that the organization came into being on the day of graduation from Miami University of John Reily Knox, David Linton and Michael Clarkson Ryan. Brother Chandler’s research into the records of the university disclosed without doubt that Commencement Day in 1839 occurred on Thursday, August 8th which definitely established the birthday of the fraternity.

He announced further that the original badge of Founder Samuel Taylor Marshall and worn by him on the founding date had been given to the fraternity by Mrs. Maud Marshall Hassall, the sole surviving child of Marshall. This pin now rests among the treasured archives in Oxford, Ohio.

ANOTHER BETA SENATOR

The election of November, 1942, saw the elevation of Republican Kenneth S. Wherry, N ebraska ’14, to the United States Senate from Nebraska. Commenting on this event, Frederick H. Wagener, W ash­ ington (St. Louis) ’24, wrote in T he B eta Theta Pi, “Nebraska voters, by their votes, said to him, ‘We approve your outspoken and forceful language and we want your voice heard in the greatest legislative body in the world.’ His advocacy of the two party system, his demands for protection of individualism and assurance for private initiative and enterprise, his stirring call to his countrymen for a return to constitu­

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tional government found sympathy and Nebraska found a champion of its governmental philosophy.”

Thus Brother Wherry joined three other Betas in the Senate: Rob­ ert M. La Follette, Wisconsin ’17, Robert R. Reynolds, North Carolina ’06, and John A. Danaher, Yale ’20.

A N EW CO LLEG E PRESIDENT Another great honor was paid to a member of the fraternity in the closing months of 1942 with the elevation of General Secretary G. Herbert Smith to the presidency of century-old Willamette Uni­ versity at Salem, Oregon. This came as no surprise to his countless friends, both within and without the fraternity, who had watched the development of his career in the field of college administration.

Operations Under Difficulties

1943

CONSIDERING the completeness with which the United States and Canada turned to the war effort and the effect which that activity had on the colleges and on college-age youth, it is remarkable that B e t a --------------------— — — Theta Pi could remain a living force. It is significant that men whose every thought and action were directed toward the winning of the war could also fight and labor to keep alive something which was dear to their hearts.

And it was a struggle so far as the active chapters were con­ cerned. Reports early in 1943 in­ dicated that of the eighty-three, only twenty-eight claimed to be operating as usual. This statement, however, was usually followed by a description of the conditions under which they were operating and which were anything but “as usual.” Almost all fraternity houses, even those where many actives remained on the campus, A Beta General had been leased to the armed John H. Hilldring, Colum bia ’16, was forces or had been taken over by promoted from Brigadier General to Major General in late 1942 and placed the colleges. This forced the in command of the 84th Infantry Di­ groups which were remaining ac­ vision. tive to seek other meeting places such as in rented rooms or in the homes of alumni.

Another twenty-eight chapters reported that they were partially ac­ 131

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tive—many of them unable to pledge or initiate men but continuing to hold meetings attended by members remaining in college. Four­ teen chapters stated that they were active at the time of the report but were doubtful of being able to continue, and twelve reported that all activity had ceased for the duration of the war.

With these facts before them, the administrative heads of the fra­ ternity, the officers, the Board of Trustees and the District Chiefs and the alumni officers took immediate steps to assist the chapters and to prepare for the revival of in­ active groups when peace should come. In a War Resolution passed at its June, 1943 meeting, the Board of Trustees urged the chappjjpljk ters to cooperate with

J

A Beta Warrior Michael G. H. McPharlin, Bowdoin ’•35, first American to be commissioned in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Re­ ported missing in air action preceding the commando raid on Dieppe, France.

W

» mk

general fraternity if needed.

Initiations During the War. During the first year of war there had been much confusion, doubt and misunderstanding on the part of active members, officers and

M k -V jp f wM collect all possible delinquent accounts to augment the funds which would be needed during the post-war adjustment period; they were urged to keep in con­ tact with the alumni and were encouraged to request help from the

com as t tory chap prog

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Realizing that there must be clear rulings on such matters and a definite statement of policy, the Board sent to the chapters its deci­ sions. It ruled that men in college training programs of the Army and Navy were considered eligible for initiation if they were taking regular college work and were considered by the college to be regular students.

This, they said, applied to the V-12 program of the Navy and the A.S.T.P. program of the Army. The chapters were urged not to consid­ er men registered for specialized programs involving less than one 12-week term or one 16-week semester.

In further emergency action the Board ruled that chapters were to collect, prior to initiation from each initiate, the amount of $27, this sum to be paid to the General Fraternity to cover the membership fee, the Baird Fund fee and one year’s dues. Another ruling was there could be no “streamlining” of the initiation ritual; chapters were urged to use alumni members to assist in the ceremony or arrange for several parts to be taken by one man.

War Finances. Exercising the powers granted it for the war period, the Board of Trustees also took steps to see that the finances of the fraternity were adjusted to meet the emergency conditions. It voted to omit the 1943 General Convention, resulting in a saving of $9,000.

Curtailment of book publishing and other printing would remove another $4,000 from the normal budget, while other expenditures were destined to be cut as quickly as possible.

Without the need for a convention issue of T he Beta Theta Pi and with the annual issue containing the names of all active members by chapters no longer possible, the Board voted to reduce the issues of the magazine from eight to six. The budget for this curtailed publi­ cation was set at $15,500 and was to be met by $10,000 from Baird Fund income and the balance from the general fund.

The total budget was reduced from $42,000 to $19,000 and it was estimated that even with this deep cut, there would still be a deficit of $10,500 to be paid out of the reserves in the General Fraternity funds. Fortunately, the years of careful management of the organiza­ tion’s finances were now paying off and in spite of the rapid changes which occurred almost daily it was possible to say that the frater­ nity’s fiscal condition was sound.

This satisfactory situation made possible another emergency meas­ ure—the suspension of annual dues. The Board voted to amend Sec-

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Three Flying Lieutenants Left to right: Marvin F. Muir, Hanover ’43, of the Army Air Corps; William H. Hronek, Jr., W ashington State ’41, a Marine flyer in the Solomon area; Howard W. Kelly, Minnesota ’41, also of the Army Air Corps.

tion 100 of the Laws to provide that during the fiscal year of 1943-1944, annual dues were to be collected only from those members initiated during that year, instead of from all undergraduate members.

The Second Military List. The First Military List, published in The B eta Theta Pi in May, 1942 had contained the names of 1,500 of the 5,000 Betas in military service. The Second Military List, published in the issue of October, 1943 with a supplement in January, 1944, con­ tained 10,797 names. The tremendous task of assembling the names, rank and type of service had been undertaken by Trustee Walter Holt and Editor Thad Byrne. At the time of publication, Brother Byrne wrote, “The chapter secretaries, in almost every instance, have done a splendid and painstaking piece of work in collecting the names of mem­ bers of their chapters in military service, and in preparing them for publication. In this task they have received invaluable aid from that loyal group of Betas who are the ‘unsung heroes of the fraternity’—the Chapter Counselors and Alumni Financial Advisors—and in some cases where the chapter houses have been closed, the entire work has been done by the faithful alumni, and a host of Beta mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who spent hours compiling data from the far-flung corners of the earth.”

That Beta Theta Pi was doing its full share in providing leadership

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in the conflict was shown by the fact that, of the 10,797 members in uniform included in the list, 4,943 or 45.7% were commissioned officers.

The ranks held by these were distributed as follows: Army: Major Generals ......................................................................

8 Brigadier Generals ..................................................................

19 Colonels .....................................................................................

66 Lt. Colonels ..............................................................................

112 Majors .......................................................................................

282 Captains ...................................................................................

667 First Lieutenants ..................................................................

173 Lieutenants .............................................................................. 1,890 Navy: Captains .....................................................................................

Commanders ............................................................................

Lieut. Commanders .............................................................

Lieutenants ..............................................................................

Lieutenants (J.G.) ..................................................................

Ensigns .......................................................................................

3 18 77 394 349 885

The completed list gave names, rank and branch of service and were divided by chapters. A saddening note was the indication, by a black star preceding the name, that up to January of 1944, 114 Betas were known to have given their lives in World War II. Some Served at Home. Although the Military List contained the names of many alumni members (including the President of the fraternity) who were serving on the battle fronts, many had passed the age of active battle service and found places of importance on the home front.

Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13 as War Man-Power Chief had the task of mobilizing the man power of the nation on a truly “all-out” basis.

One writer stated, “Key to the war man-power situation is Paul V. McNutt, who perhaps is second only to the President himself in carry­ ing the burden of our war effort. As a matter of fact, some go even further in saying that he is the most powerful figure in America today.

He exercises more power over more men than any individual in our

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history. He is in a position to decide where every man shall work or serve in the war program.”

Of equal importance in the war effort was the position held by John J. McCloy, Amherst ’16, Assistant Secretary of War. Brother McCloy was a practicing lawyer until he became, in 1940, expert consultant to the Secretary of War, then Special Assistant to the Sec­ retary, and then in 1941 he was appointed to the Assistant Secre­ taryship. He was one of the earli­ est leaders to point to the danger­ ous position of the United States and to plead for greater prepared­ ness. He had a large part in plan­ ning the Anglo-American invasion of North Africa and was in charge of negotiations with the French following the campaign.

A powerful molder of public opinion was Jay N. “Ding” Dar­ ling, Beloit 1899, whose powerful cartoons appeared in the New York H erald Tribune and in many Man-Power Chief other newspapers. “Ding” had two Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13, mobi­ lized the man power of the nation. great loves—his country and wild life—and he used his talented pen in the service of both. For his crusade of many years for the conserva­ tion of natural resources he was awarded the Theodore Roosevelt Dis­ tinguished Service Medal, and for one of his famed war cartoons he re­ ceived the Pulitzer Prize in 1942.

Robert H. Frazier, North Carolina ’19, former Trustee, was ap­ pointed Chief Counsel in the Office of Price Administration.

E. Russell Lutz, Bethany ’22, held a key position in the nation’s wartime shipping effort as vice-president of American President Lines.

Kenneth A. Spencer, Kansas ’24, known as the “Henry Kaiser” of the midwest coal and mineral industry, was a leader in the production of necessary war materials as president of the Military Chemical Works, Inc.

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Another Beta leader in the vital minerals field was John D. MacKenzie, North D akota ’18, vice-president of the Federated Metals Di­ vision of the American Smelting and Refining Co. and general mana­ ger of their Selby plant, the only primary lead smelter and refinery on the Pacific coast.

Herbert J. Taylor, Northwestern ’17, president of the Club Alumi­ num Co., was appointed vice chairman of the War Department’s price adjustment board. His position involved the re-negotiation of billions of dollars worth of war contracts.

Many New District Chiefs. The call of war duties had removed many loyal Betas from the Corps of District Chiefs at a time when close contact with the chapters and alumni groups was badly needed.

Again, as in the past, there appeared the devoted men, some of them older than the average age of Chiefs, ready to step in where a job needed to be done. New appointments were: District I—George R. Struck, M.I.T. ’34, medical engineer specializ­ ing in X-ray equipment.

District II—Russell E. Ragan, W abash ’23, a member of the well known Beta Ragan family of Tau chapter, engaged in sales work in the office supply field.

District III—Capt. J. Edward McEvoy, Syracuse ’36, a member of the Department of Military Science at Syracuse University.

District X I—Ewart W. Simpkinson, Cincinnati ’19, life insurance underwriter of Cincinnati.

District X III—Horace H. Hull, Vanderbilt ’06, head of Hull-Dobbs Enterprises.

District XVI—John W. Forney, Minnesota ’34, advertising account executive of Minneapolis.

District X IX —Frank K. Bateman, O klahom a State ’27, Dean of Men, Central State College in Oklahoma.

District X X I—Joseph M. Tewinkel, W hitman ’23, Assistant Superin­ tendent, Spokane Public Schools.

Alpha Alumni’s Seventy-fifth. Beta’s oldest alumni chapter, Alpha of Chicago, celebrated its 75th birthday at a banquet at the Palmer House in Chicago early in the year by acclaiming a Beta candidate for mayor of that great midwest metropolis. One year before, this alumni group had presented its Award of Merit to George B. McKibbin, Iow a W esleyan ’09 and now greeted him as the Republican can­

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didate for mayor. Chosen as 1943’s Beta of Distinction was Holman D. Pettibone, Beloit 11, a Chicago civic leader. Featured speaker was Charles P. Taft, Yale 18.

TACKLING TH E PROBLEMS— TH E BOARD TAKES OVER

With the general convention cancelled, the Board of Trustees and the District Chiefs held meetings in Chicago at the Medinah Club in December, 1943. All rejoiced that President William W. Dawson had been able to obtain a brief leave from his army duties and he received congratulations from all the Brothers on his advancement to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Trustee Howard Law was pre­ vented from attending because of military service and sent word asking that his resignation be ac­ cepted because of inability to carry on his fraternity activities.

Other officers present were Gen­ eral Secretary G. Herbert Smith, General Treasurer James L. Gavin and Vice-Presidents Walter Holt and Bertram Bennett.

Having received a mandate War President from the last general convention, Lt. Col. William W. Dawson, Presi­ the Board faced the responsibility dent of Beta Theta Pi. of electing a new member to carry on in Brother Law’s place and to fill vacancies caused by the termi­ nation of the terms of two other Board members. After long and care­ ful consideration it was decided that in a time when grave war prob­ lems faced the fraternity it would be wise to select experienced leader­ ship and called upon Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18, to return to active fraternity work to fill the unexpired term of Howard Law as Vice-President. Brother Smyth had served as a District Chief, as a Trustee (1929-1932) and as Editor of The B eta Theta Pi (1931-1942).

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In accepting the honor, he made it clear that should Brother Law’s military service be terminated within the term, it would be expected that he should regain his place on the Board of Trustees.

The terms of Walter Holt, Denison ’13, as Trustee, and James L. Gavin as General Treasurer also expired and the Board gave care­ ful consideration to the filling of these offices. Brother Gavin had completed thirty-nine years as General Treasurer, and Brother Holt had served one three-year term as Trustee. Because of the wartime conditions and the need for con­ tinuity of experienced leadership, the Board prevailed upon Brother Holt to accept re-election. In so doing, it was generally agreed that the one term policy for trustees on which the Board had been op­ erating, was a good one, but that under the circumstances the fra­ ternity would be best served by continuity. Similar consideration was given to the office of General Treasurer, and Brother Gavin was re-elected, entering his fortieth year of service in that position, a record unequalled by any other man in the history of the frater­ nity.

Return to Duty Report on Finances. In general, Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18, the financial condition of the fra­ who was called back to the Board of ternity was good despite the war Trustees in the war emergency. conditions. Only one active chap­ ter (Yale) was delinquent in the payment of dues to the general frater­ nity and that debt was being gradually reduced. A greater number of initiates than anticipated had resulted in more income than had been expected but also produced a demand for an unexpected amount of printed matter, song books and shingles. Adjustments in the budget were made and still permitted the purchase of $30,000 worth of WarBonds from the general funds of the fraternity.

The Chapters. It was encouraging to see that despite great reduc-

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The London Beta Club Typical of groups formed in many areas, this club was composed of Betas sta­ tioned near London in 1943.

tion in membership many chapters were continuing to function. It was agreed that for the good of the fraternity and the good of the members, such activity should be encouraged. The Board and the District Chiefs agreed that where any undergraduates remained on the campus, the alumni war committees should work with them in maintaining chapter life. Where all undergraduates were removed from the campus, the committees were enpowered to supervise the chapter house and carry on all necessary functions of the active chap­ ter. The Board stressed the importance of setting up the war commit­ tees to give the maximum service not only in the maintenance of the chapter and property during the war but in the rehabilitation after the emergency when civilian students would return to the campuses in great number.

From all sections of the country came reports of active chapters and alumni groups participating, in the name of the fraternity, in such war activities as scrap collections, Red Cross and War Bond campaigns.

From all sides came reports of loyal and devoted alumni carrying on correspondence with Brothers on all the battle fronts, and assisting Betas enrolled in special training courses on campuses far from home and loved ones. The special war committees supervised the leasing of fraternity property to governmental units or, when that was not possi-

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ble, cared for and maintained the premises. The Mothers’ Club of Rho chapter published a monthly news bulletin called Beta Stars and Stripes for Northwestern Betas in service and The B eta Brew was published by the Western Reserve Alumni Association in the interest of the alumni and active members of Beta chapter. Out in the far west, A. C. Carpenter, W ashington State ’31, and his wife moved into the Washington State chapter house to maintain and look after the property.

In spite of all of these efforts some chapters were in financial difficul­ ties, and there were grave doubts concerning their ability to revive when peace should come. Among those reporting serious trouble were Chicago, Columbia, Florida, Hanover and Wisconsin. The Mississippi chapter had been a problem for many years because of inadequate housing and its plight became more acute due to war conditions.

Chicago had been in financial difficulties at the beginning of the war because there were too few active members to carry the load. Taxes and payments on loans remained unpaid and it was decided that rent should be paid directly to the General Fraternity rather than for the fraternity to take over title to the chapter house. It was apparent to all that survival of some of these chapters in the post war period would be doubtful.

Scholarship. That those men remaining on the college campuses were approaching their academic duties with real seriousness was shown by the General Secretary’s report that for the first two war years Beta was well above the all-men’s average. Confused conditions made it difficult to obtain reliable reports but on many campuses new scholastic records were being made. For example, the dean’s office at the University of Illinois reported that the record among the fifty-six social and professional fraternities was the highest in twenty years. The same report showed Sigma Rho chapter in first place among social fra­ ternities, topped only by two small professional groups.

Other chapters deserving mention for scholastic excellence were: Beloit, Bethany, Carnegie Tech, Case, Colorado Mines, Davidson Denver, DePauw, Iowa State, Kansas, Knox, Lawrence, Miami, Mis­ souri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania State, South Dakota, Washington and Lee, Westminster, West Virginia, Williams and Wis­ consin.

Awarded Highest Honor 1st Lt. David Crowder Waybur, California â&#x20AC;&#x2122;42, winner of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

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MORE BETA HEROES

Every neighborhood, every village, community, city and organi­ zation in America had its heroes and the entire nation paid them tribute.

Beta Theta Pi, like the others, had its heroes—every mail, every news­ paper, magazine article and radio broadcast seemed to include a name familiar to some chapter or some alumni group. The pages of The Beta T heta Pi during those months were filled with the heroic deeds of wearers of the diamond.

An example was the story of Col. Paul A. Gavan, Missouri ’27, who, when the going was tough in the hardest fighting at Guadalcanal, stepped into the breach and gathered up the sagging morale. For his actions there he received the Legion of Merit in the degree of Legion­ naire and the Silver Star. His citation was made a permanent record of the fratenity in the pages of the magazine.

Another member who brought great honor to the brotherhood was First Lt. David C. Waybur, California ’42, winner of the nation’s high­ est award—the Congressional Medal of Honor. The medal was pinned on this young 24 year old Beta by Lieut. Gen. Mark W. Clark on a muddy, shell-pocked field just behind the front lines of the U. S. ground forces in Italy. He was the first to receive this highest award in Italy and it came after his heroic action in which, armed only with a Tommy gun, he successfully withstood an attack by enemy tanks after it appeared that he and his men were hopelessly cut off.

Nineteen forty-three was a year of great trial for the nation, for its young men, its people and their organizations. It was also a year which showed the stuff of which men were made. It was a year when mem­ bers of Beta Theta Pi were distinguishing themselves in the service of their country at home and abroad. It was a year when many who could not serve their country in an active war capacity were serving the fra­ ternity to preserve its life and assure its continuity.

☆

A Few Carry On

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1944

N IN ETEEN FORTY-FOUR was a year of supreme military effort and a climactic year of great events on the world battle fronts. It was a year of island hopping in the Pacific, driving the Japanese back toward the homeland; it saw the capture of Rome, the Italian collapse and the Normandy landings. In this fifth year since Hitler had begun his con­ quests in 1939 it had become the mightiest struggle in which mankind had ever taken part. The United States with its great man power and industrial resources had become the dominant force of the allies but the effort required the cooperation of every citizen.

The military training programs on college campuses spilled out their graduates into the Pacific fleets, the invading forces, the air corps; and other young men refilled the classrooms. Many a surprised trainee found himself on a strange campus far from home and familiar faces, and on countless occasions it was the sight of a Beta pin or a Beta ring on some fellow classman that relieved the pain of homesickness. How fortunate it was for those displaced sons of Wooglin that here and there the fires of brotherhood were still burning!

At Northwestern, for example, with a Navy V-12 Unit established on the campus, all fraternity houses had been taken over as Navy dor­ mitories. A report from chapter counselor Harold “Hal” Brown ’22, however, indicated how the Betas were carrying on. A War Committee, composed of three alumni and two actives, arranged with the univer­ sity for the use of a classroom for meetings twice a month. The average attendance was twenty-five Rho chapter actives plus a sprinkling of members of other Beta chapters. In addition, the alumni sponsored monthly buffet dinners at a local hotel for members of the active chap­ ter and rushees—thus a curtailed rushing program continued in spite of war conditions. As a result, seven men were pledged and initiated late in 1943. Realizing that there would likely be a succession of rapid transfers, it was agreed that there should be a continuous rushing ac144

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Betas on Three Fronts Left: In the South Pacific, Lt. Robert H. Hull, Florida ’44, U.S.M.C.; center: A veteran of the Burma combat zone, Capt. James W. Hitchcock, Utah ’42, is deco­ rated for bravery; right: Capt. Robert P. Ramsey, W ittenberg ’27, a member of a Flying Fortress group in England.

tivity and the result was that Rho chapter was able to maintain an average membership of forty during this period.

How the Miami chapter operated in time of war was described by Lt. John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42, one of the eight men initiated at the Centenary Convention. Brother Dolibois had returned to the Miami campus while on a short military leave and described conditions there in a letter to the editor of The Beta Theta Pi. Upon arrival in Oxford he had telephoned the chapter president to find out if he could obtain lodging for the night, the Beta house having been taken over by the university. To his surprise he was told he would be staying at “the house” and later found that “the house” was the home of Dr. and Mrs. Heckert, the parents of a Beta who had opened their home to the chapter. Three civilian Betas had been given sleeping and study rooms; on Saturday nights there was “open house” for all Betas on the campus and their girls, and whenever alumni re­ turned to Oxford they were expected to stay at the Heckerts.

With this help the Alpha chapter was able to remain active—frater­ nally, financially and socially. Meetings were held each Sunday after­ noon for Miami Betas enrolled in the Marine and Navy programs, for

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Betas from other chapters and for alumni visitors. Twelve men were present at the gathering reported by Brother Dolibois. Rushing plans were discussed and one of the principal activities of the group was the production of the News Letter, a mimeographed collection of news items mailed regularly to all members of Alpha chapter serving in the armed forces.

Far across the nation, at the University of Washington in Seattle, another chapter carried on through the dark war years. The few remaining active members re­ maining on the campus were de­ termined to carry on the traditions of Beta Omega chapter, and were able to pledge a representative class although they lacked a house or chapter room. Without such facilities the initiation of the pledges presented difficulties but in March, 1944, a group of alumni took charge of the ceremonies and gave a banquet afterwards for seven new wearers of the dia­ mond. Toastmaster was Ray Eckmann, W ashington ’22, and speak­ ers included General Secretary G. Acted for Dawson Herbert Smith and District Chief Walter Holt, Denison ’13, who, as Stanley R. Church. senior Vice-President, acted for Presi­ dent William Dawson, absent on mili­ Similar stories could be related tary duty. about groups of active members all across the land—of Beta “clubs” formed in London, on Pacific islands or in the Aleutians and Greenland. Wherever men gathered, Beta found Beta and there were tales about the days back in the old chap­ ter house and of the days to come when the Brothers would gather in peace once again.

T H E TRU STEES GOVERN

The administration and direction of the affairs of the fraternity continued under the Board of Trustees during 1944 with regular re­

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ports to the membership through the pages of The Beta Theta Pi. Meetings were held in May at the Indianapolis Athletic Club and in November at the Edgewater Beach hotel in Chicago. All Trustees were present at both meetings, except for President Dawson, and included General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, General Treasurer James L. Gavin and Vice-Presidents Walter Holt, Bertram Bennett and Gordon Smyth. In the absence of the President, Brother Holt presided at all meetings as the senior Vice-President.

A letter had been received from President Dawson stating that since his war duties prevented him from carrying out his duties, the Trustees should feel free to accept his resignation. Feeling that there would be great need for “Bill” Dawson’s services when peace returned, the Board postponed action on the resignation and authorized any of the three vice-presidents to perform the duties of the president in his absence.

The Board also restated its policy of adhering to the one-term rule for Trustees and three terms of three years for the General Secretary.

However, in view of the unsettled conditions of the fraternity during the war, and feeling the need for experienced hands at the helm, it re-elected G. Herbert Smith for another term as General Secretary and Bertram W. Bennett for another term as Trustee.

Continuing changes due to war conditions brought several new ap­ pointments in the Corps of District Chiefs: District II—Lawrence R. Flint, Bow doin ’27, to replace Russell E. Ragan, W abash ’23.

District III—Richard S. Harriman, Jr., Syracuse ’43, to replace Capt.

J. Edward McEvoy, Syracuse ’36.

District V—Dr. Russell Greenwood, Rutgers ’38, to succeed the late Carroll S. Ragan, W abash ’01.

District X V III—Paul C. Battenfeld, W estern Reserve ’17, to replace Jean Paul Bradshaw, Missouri ’27, who resigned to become a candi­ date for Governor of Missouri.

District X X —Ogden E. Verner, C olorado C ollege ’18, to replace Charles W. Sheldon, Jr., D enver ’30.

The Trustees considered a request from alumni in the Spokane area who asked permission to rush, pledge and initiate members for chap­ ters at Washington State, Idaho and Whitman. Permission was granted

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providing such men met the requirements for membership under the Laws of the fraternity, the rules of the colleges and those of the Inter­ fraternity Conference. The General Secretary was also empowered to grant similar requests from other alumni groups.

Problems of certain chapters occupied much attention by the Board. Nearly all chapters were encountering difficulties brought on by war conditions, but circumstances on a few campuses were par­ ticularly serious, presenting doubts at to the possibility of survival in the post-war period. This was true at Iowa where there was a lack of alumni support, and at Mississippi where there were serious financial and housing problems. At Ohio University there was a bad housing situation, and at Wittenberg the chapter house had been lost during the depression years. It was decided that the alumni of the latter group should be asked it they were interested in maintaining a chap­ ter there and in regaining the lost property.

It was decided that, as in the previous year, dues should be collected only from those initiated during the school year of 1944-1945. The budget was set at $19,700, an increase of $725 over that of the previous year. Expenses had been drastically reduced but it was felt that the fraternity structure should be maintained on a skeleton basis. With no general convention, there appeared to be a need for continued meet­ ings of the Trustees, and for a meeting of the officers with the Dis­ trict Chiefs, therefore $2,500 was allocated for such gatherings with reduced amounts for printing, postage, inspection, visitations, shingles and stationery. The income of the general fraternity was estimated at $7,650 which would result in a deficit of $12,000 to be made up out of reserves.

A war period was hardly the time to be thinking of expansion but the fraternity’s leaders were giving thought to areas where Beta might look in peaceful days to the establishment of new chapters. One in­ stitution which had received much favorable comment, particularly by members on the west coast, was Willamette University in Oregon.

At their meeting in November, 1944 the Trustees expressed them­ selves in favor of that college as a possible site for a chapter of Beta Theta Pi, and instructed the General Secretary (who was President of Willamette University) to consider the best means of obtaining the men suitable for a petitioning group.

War Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePauw 1896, who in 1944 was serving his fortieth year as General Treasurer.

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Appointments and elections announced by the Board included: Sumter D. Marks, Jr., Tulane ’14, re-elected Alumni Counselor.

Dean A. Ray Warnock, Illinois ’05, re-appointed Scholarship Com­ missioner.

Frank G. Ensign, B eloit ’00, re-elected Assistant General Treasurer.

Walter L. Flory, Denison ’03, re-elected trustee of the Baird Fund.

J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08, re-elected trustee of the Founders Fund.

Trustees of Funds were: Baird Fund—A. J. G. Priest, 1942-1945; James L. Gavin, 1943-1946; Walter L. Flory, 1944-1947.

Founders Fund—John L. Baker, 1942-1945; James L. Gavin, 19431946; J. Harold Ryan, 1944-1947.

ALPHA IO TA S DIAMOND 1UBILEE

Alpha Iota chapter at Washington University (St. Louis) cele­ brated its 75th anniversary on April 1, 1944. At a time in the 1860’s when Beta Theta Pi had but nineteen active chapters, Washington University was a small school with 75 students. There were no frater­ nities there at that time but Shepard Barclay, Virginia 1869, a native of St. Louis, came home for summer vacation and organized a group to work for a petition for a charter. This became a reality in 1869 and Alpha Iota was established. The new chapter had a short life, however, the charter being withdrawn in 1879 to be reestablished in 1901.

At the celebration banquet, Gurdon G. Black, ’01, who had aided in the re-establishment, gave an address “Seventy-five Years Ago” in which he described the charter members and the early days of the chapter.

MORE BETA GENERALS

As the war progressed, reports continued telling of honors be­ stowed on members of the fraternity in all of the armed forces. One told of the advancement to the rank of Brigadier General of Brother John Y. York, Jr., W est Virginia ’13. He began his military career in the Reserve Officers Training Camp, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, in 1917. After graduating from many army service schools, the last being the Air

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Corps Tactical School in 1940, he became one of the pioneers in the development of Air Force material and in the training of industrial personnel engaged in the production of air craft for military use.

Other Betas added to the list of those attaining the rank of Brigadier General were: Karl S. Bradford, Virginia TO—Cavalry, U. S. Army.

Oliver L. Haines, California ’14—Inspector General’s Department, U. S. Army.

Edward R. Warner McCabe, Virginia 1896, Intelligence, U. S. Army.

Ray T. Maddocks, Knox ’16, Cavalry, U. S. Army.

James W. Spry, Utah ’21, Army Air Corps.

W E N D E L L L . W I L L K I E , 1 8 9 2 -1 9 4 4

Few members of the fraternity in the 1900’s had gained the world wide fame and renown that had come to Wendell L. Willkie, In­ diana ’13. His sudden death in a New York City hospital early in October, 1944, was a shock to the free peoples of the world and to his Beta brothers. Death was due to coronary thrombosis, a strepto­ coccic infection affecting the heart muscles to such an extent that the man whom millions of Americans regarded as their personal leader died in his sleep.

Wendell Willkie was born at Elwood, Indiana, and was educated at Indiana University, where he became a member of Pi chapter.

He served in World War I as an artillery officer, and later began the practice of law at Rushville, Indiana. His climb up the legal ladder was a rapid and brilliant Distinguished American Wendell L. Willkie, Indiana ’13. one. He became General Counsel

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for Commonwealth and Southern in 1929, and was made President of that corporation four years later.

Nominated for President of the United States on the Republican ticket in 1940, he polled 22,304,755 votes, more than any other Repub­ lican candidate had ever received. After his defeat he went on to na­ tional and international fame as the spokesman for millions of Ameri­ cans who thought and felt as he did on national and international policies. In 1941 he went to England to observe war-time conditions.

The following year he made a 31,000 mile tour of the Middle East, Russia and China as special representative of President Roosevelt.

He described his travels and observations on this tour in the best­ seller One W orld which sold 1,500,000 copies.

Wendell Willkie valued highly his right to wear a Beta pin, and was a frequent speaker at alumni gatherings where he told in vivid terms what his fraternity membership had meant to him. He was laid to rest on October 18, 1944, on a hillside overlooking the gently rolling prairie of his beloved Rush County in Indiana. Among his survivors were two Betas, his son Philip Willkie, C olum bia ’40, and a brother, Edward E. Willkie, Indiana ’18.

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV E M E N T— 1944

Norman M. Littell, W abash ’21, was appointed Assistant Attorney General of the U. S. in charge of the Lands Division. He represented the government in the litigation growing out of the “Teapot Dome” scandals in the Harding administration.

Robert K. McConnaughey, Denison ’25, Dartmouth ’26, was ap­ pointed member of the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08, a Trustee of the Founders Fund, was elected president of the National Association of Broadcasters.

Charles F. Boynton, W illiams ’28, became the youngest Episcopal Bishop when he was consecrated bishop coadjuter of Puerto Rico.

Donald B. Rice, O regon ’14, was elected president of Kiwanis Inter­ national, composed of 2,000 local clubs and 125,000 members.

Sumter D. Marks, Jr., Tulane 14, National Alumni Counselor, was elected president of the Louisiana Bar Association.

Dr. Darius A. Davis, Syracuse ’07, was appointed Executive of the War Prisoners Aid of the Y.M.C.A.

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Dr. Henry Roe Cloud, Yale ’10, recognized as the foremost fullblooded American Indian in the U. S., was made superintendent of the Umatilla Indian Reservation at Pendleton, Oregon.

Richard C. Patterson, Jr., N ebraska ’09, business leader and Assist­ ant Secretary of Commerce, was appointed Ambassador to Yugoslavia.

BETA AUTHORS

Even in war times Beta authors were busy, and the following works appeared in 1944: Military handbooks: H ow to B ecom e an Officer by Lt. Col. Arthur Vollmer, Iow a ’12, C hicago ’12; T he Navtj R eader by Lt. Wm. H. Fetridge, Northwestern ’28; Aircraft Carrier, by Lt. Robert A. Winston, Indiana ’29.

International Bearings o f American Policy by Dr. Albert Shaw, Johns H opkins 1884.

Marriage Is a Serious Business by Rev. Dr. J. H. Randolph Ray, C olum bia ’08, rector of “The Little Church Around the Corner.”

T he Broken Circle, a biography of Dr. Paul H. Doney, W esleyan ’21, written by his father, Dr. Carl Doney, Ohio State 1891.

ALL-BETA FO O TBALL TEAM OF 1943

While many of the outstanding athletes who would have gained fame on the gridiron were engaged in other activities far from home, the Navy and Marine Corps encouraged men in their college training programs to participate in varsity athletics. As a result it was possible to select a mythical eleven from among the Betas who had been out­ standing during the 1943 season. George H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, as­ sisted by Gordon Smyth and Karl Fischer, gathered information about Beta football notables and the report appeared in The Beta Theta Pi for March, 1944. Selected as the first eleven were: I.e. l.t. l.g. c. r.g.

Raymond J. Morse, Oregon ’35 Richard Eggers, Northwestern ’47 George L. Thomas, C olgate ’44 Harold J. “Jack” Tavener, Indiana ’44 Michael Marienthal, U.C.L.A. ’45

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All-American End Peter L. Pihos, Indiana ’45, selected as the nation’s outstanding end and pass receiver.

r.t. James E. Cox, Stanford ’44 (played at California) r.e. Peter L. Pihos, Indiana ’45 q.b. Gerry D. Austin, W ashington (Seattle) ’45 l.h.b. John W. Ziegler, Colorado ’46 (played at Colorado College) r.h.b. Wayne S. Nelson, Oregon ’44 (played for Navy) f.b. James K. Allerdice, Indiana ’47

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Honoring Dr. Hornbeck Left to right: Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898; Dale G. Davidson, W estern R eserve ’18; Newton C. Wing, Amherst ’06; Dr. Seth R. Brooks, St. L aw rence ’22; Dr. Stanley Hornbeck, C olorado ’03, D enver ’03; Irwin H. Wensink, L aw rence ’29; Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20.

GAMMA MAINTAINS ITS RECORD

An initiation of historic significance took place September 16,1944, at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The oldest continuously existing chapter in the fraternity was assisted in maintaining its unbroken record by another chapter. In July, 1944, when a new freshman class matricu­ lated at Washington and Jefferson under the college’s wartime accel­ erated program, Gamma chapter had only one active member. War­ time rules permitted each fraternity to pledge a fixed number depend­ ing on the size of the entering class, and Gamma was allowed to pledge three men. The only active member was able to pledge Harry Gillmore, Jr., Harry W. Purviance and Oliver W. Brown, Jr., and these men were initiated into Gamma by active members of Gamma Iota of Carnegie Tech.

Hornbeck to the Netherlands. The appointment of Stanley K. Horn­ beck, C olorado ’05, D enver ’03, as Ambassador to the Netherlands was the occasion for a reception honoring him and Mrs. Hornbeck on

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November 8, 1944. The event was held in Washington, D.C., and was attended by his many Beta friends and their ladies. As President of the Washington Alumni Association, Dr. Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22, spoke for the group and paid tribute to Dr. Hornbeck as a man of honor, as a scholar, as a world traveler and distinguished member of the State Department and as a loyal and devoted Beta.

Among other well known members of the fraternity who paid tribute to Stanley Hornbeck were George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, Dale G. Davidson, W estern Reserve ’18, Newton C. Wing, Amherst ’06, Irwin H. Wensink, Law rence ’29, and Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20.

Wartime Alumni Groups. A report from an air force prison camp somewhere in Germany told of the formation on August 8, 1944, of a Beta alumni chapter composed of Brothers unwillingly residing there.

Ranking officer in the group was Lt. Col. Melvin F. McNickle, South D akota ’36.

A similar organization developed at the Jacksonville, Florida, Naval Air Station where eleven wearers of the diamond from ten different chapters gathered at a Beta officer’s home for a Wooglin get-together.

War's End

*

1945

N IN ETEEN FORTY-FIVE was a year of victory. It began with the landing of U. S. troops on the island of Luzon in the Philippines and ended with the surrender of Japan on September 2. In between, Amer­ ican troops crossed the Rhine, Italy was surrendered and the German capitulation came on May 7. The greatest conflict ever waged on earth, reaching almost every corner of the globe with its death and destruc­ tion, came to an end in a series of tremendous victories for the allied might and men who still lived once again could think of a return to peace and normalcy.

For the fraternity it was another year of great heroics by its mem­ bers on the far flung battle fronts; a year of continuous struggle by many chapters to maintain some degree of activity. It was a year which saw the removal by death of three great leaders of Beta Theta Pi. WAR HEROES

With over fifteen thousand members of the fraternity included in the official Military List, plus many who probably were never reported, it would be impossible in a work of this nature to give an account of, or even list, the heroic deeds which brought honors to wearers of the diamond. Rather than slight any it would perhaps be better to list none, but some will be cited as examples of the many who brought honor to the brotherhood.

Major Everett P. Pope, U.S.M.C. On June 15, 1945, at the White House, the Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded to a member of Beta Sigma of Bowdoin, Major Everett P. Pope, Bow doin ’41.

When President Truman bestowed the nation’s highest military acco­ lade upon him, he became the second Beta in World War II to receive this high honor, and the third Bowdoin Congressional Medal of Honor man in history. Brother Pope was decorated for his heroic actions as 157

Much Decorated Beta General Brigadier General Frank A. Allen, Jr., Kenyon â&#x20AC;&#x2122;20, twice wounded in Italy, re­ ceived the Silver Star and the Bronze Star for heroic action.

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a Marine company commander while engaged against the Japa­ nese on Peleliu Island in September, 1944.

Lt. Carl L. Hoag, Jr. Receiving the Distinguished Service Cross, second highest award an army man could receive, was Lt. Carl L. Hoag, Jr., Stanford ’46. A navigator in a Flying Fortress over Germany he remained at his post although anti-aircraft fire had disabled two of the four motors and had seri■ ' * ously damaged the plane and all of the crew. For four hours he and the co-pilot battled to keep the craft in the and finally able to bring it back to its English base.

Death of a Hero. On March 28, 1945, a sniper’s bullet brought swift death to Lt. David C. Wayj bur, California '42, first American -! soldier to win the Congressional Medal of Honor in World War II and whose heroic actions were mentioned in the previous chapter.

Seriously wounded in the Sicilian . 5gg j a K campaign, he insisted on being al­ Air Hero lowed to rejoin the Third Division Lt. Carl L. Hoag, Jr., Stanford ’46, with which he had been serving hero of a thrilling air exploit over when decorated. He met his death Germany. in France. Brother Waybur was designated as “one of the greatest heroes in American military historymodest and unassuming, epitomizing the ideal soldier hero.” He was the son of Robert R. Waybur, California ’12, an executive of the Cali­ fornia Packing Corporation of San Francisco.

Coast Guard Exploit. Lt. Curtis Howard, Dartmouth ’34, was in command of a Coast Guard cutter which captured a German armed trawler which was attempting to establish a weather base in Green­ land. Since Europe’s weather originates in that area the Germans had made repeated efforts to establish a base there, and the feat of Brother Howard’s crew in capturing and bringing in the enemy craft was hailed as a significant event.

Japanese Prisoner Chaplain (Col.) Alfred C. Oliver, Jr., W est Virginia â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06, on the left, is shown describing the horrors of three years in a Japanese prison camp to Gen. Douglas MacArthur.

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Air Ace. Major Thomas B. McGuire, Jr., G eorgia T ech ’42, the na­ tion’s leading active air ace at the time of his death, with 38 Jap planes to his credit, was killed in an air battle on January 7, 1945, thus ending a thrilling air saga of the war. This Beta flyer, author of the Fifth Air Force instruction book, C om bat Tactics in the Southwest Pacific, had been awarded nine Air Medals, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, two Presidental Unit Citations and the Purple Heart. Following his death, Brother McGuire was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and became the third Beta to win this highest military honor.

Decorations. Among the many other Betas who received special war decorations were the following:1 Silver Star— S/Sgt. James W. Logan, St. Law rence ’45 Lt. William J. Kiefer, Illinois ’43 Lt. Charles S. Burton, Jr., O klahom a ’44 Lt. Fred Cannastra, St. L aw rence ’43 Lt. James L. Currier, Washington (Seattle) ’42 Capt. Henry W. Pliske, Ohio ’40 Capt. Stanley W. Parfet, C olorado Mines ’42 Capt. John F. Mitchell, Oregon State ’39 Bronze Star— Lt. George T. Hill, M iam i’43 Major John L. Yaple, Ohio State ’23 Lt. Wm. B. Pringle, W ashington & Jefferson ’34 Capt. Wm. A. Cornell, Denison ’38 Cpl. John N. Waters, W ashington State ’45 Lt. Marion C. Dietrich, Jr., Yale ’44 Pfc. Robert A. Anderson, Michigan ’46 Lt. Donald P. Nee, Bethany ’39 Comdr. Lawrence W. Snell, Michigan ’23 Pfc. Frederick B. Sang, Pennsylvania ’45 (killed in action) Lt. Col. Arnold T. Barber, North D akota ’37 'F o r a more complete list and with detailed accounts of many war exploits by members at home and abroad see Vol. L X X II (1944-1945) and Vol. L X X III (19451946) of T he B eta Theta Pi.

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Capt. Robert F. Braun, Law rence ’40 Lt. Bruce M. Sellery, U.C.L.A. ’44 S/Sgt. Herbert W. Larsen, Idaho ’44 Tech/4 Wilson E. Rice, Westminster ’36 James T. Nix, Jr., Pennsylvania ’41 Lt. Col. J. Roy Theriot, Jr., Tulane ’28 S/Sgt. Lawrence Flinn, North Carolina ’32 (killed in action) Lt. Thomas J. Fernley, II, Pennsylvania ’43 (killed in action) Capt. Walter M. Hart, Iow a State ’42 Distinguished Flying Cross— Lt. Norris Stettler, Id a h o ’41 Lt. Donald W. Hedges, Pennsylvania ’43 Lt. Wm. A. Knouff, Oregon State ’42 Lt. Thomas R. Clark, Jr., Yale ’40 (killed in action) Lt. Col. Carl Fleming, Jr., Virginia ’39 S/Sgt. Charles Clark, St. Law rence ’44 Major Marian E. Lowell, Utah ’42 Two Beta Admirals and Two New Generals. Beta’s first admiral in World War II was Lucius W. Johnson, Pennsylvania ’07, whose eleva­ tion from captain to rear admiral was announced early in 1945. Brother Johnson had had a long and distinguished career as a naval medical officer after being graduated from the University of Pennsylvania medi­ cal school. He was commissioned in the medical corps of the navy in 1908 and served as the head of the department of surgery in the naval medical school, and as chief surgeon in many naval hospitals. He was once editor of the U. S. Naval M edical Bulletin.

The second member of the fraternity to reach the rank of Rear Ad­ miral was also a navy medico. Winchell McK. Craig, Ohio W esleyan ’15, was the first medical officer in the history of the United States Naval Reserve to reach that high rank. His first duty assignment at the start of the war was that of chief of surgery, U. S. Naval Hospital, Corona, California. He had previously won world wide renown as a brain sur­ geon at the famed Mayo Clinic, and during that war he developed techniques in that field which added to his renown.

Key man in the Allied Military Government in Italy was Charles Merville Spofford, Northwestern ’23, Yale ’24. A graduate of the Har­

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vard Law School he became Chief of Staff of the Allied Military Government in the North African theater, and after the landings in Italy was promoted from colonel to the rank of brig­ adier general.

William T. Sexton, Kan­ sas ’22, became the thir­ tieth member of the frater­ nity to reach the rank of general. He was a gradu­ ate of West Point in 1924, and served with the field . b a s e s . In S e p t e m b e r . 1940

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mentioned as having the rank of Brigadier General, Awarded Legion of Merit Were advanced to the rank Brig- Gen. William T. Sexton, Kansas ’22. of Major General. They were John Y. Yock, Jr., W est Virginia ’13, and Lester J. Whitlock, Miami ’14.

TH E CHAPTERS

The year 1945 presented a mixed and varied picture so far as the chapters of Beta Theta Pi were concerned. The early months saw a continuation of the battle for survival by many which had maintained some degree of activity during the war years. The latter months, when hostilities had ceased, saw the beginnings of recovery and the first signs of what would become serious post-war problems.

Looking back on the war years, the record of the chapters is both

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surprising and remarkable. In 1941, when it became apparent that both Canada and the United States were to be involved in a titanic struggle for existence, it was assumed by fraternity leaders that with chapter houses converted to war purposes and undergraduates enter­ ing the armed forces, chapter activity must certainly cease. It had been forgotten that Beta Theta Pi had operated for half a century with­ out chapter houses and could do so again. It had not been foreseen that Betas in training programs on campuses all over the continent would seek and find a way to keep the Beta stars shining. No one fore­ saw the readiness and willingness of alumni to assume the responsibil­ ity for rushing, pledging and initiations.

It is a remarkable achievement that through the war years only onethird of the chapters, at one time or another, became totally inactive.

Beta Theta Pi’s great strength came from the traditional volunteer serv­ ices of its members. The district chief and chapter counselor system had met the test, and the fraternity was in a strong position as it faced the problems of recovery.

But a brief look at some of the chapters in early 1945 will indicate the conditions which existed with many that were attempting to main­ tain some degree of Beta activity.

Colorado. Beta Tau, having leased its house for military use, rented a small annex to serve as a chapter headquarters. The establishment of a Navy V-12 program meant that many actives remained on the cam­ pus and since the chapter was the only one on the campus possessing a house, a vigorous program of rushing and pledging continued during the war years. Several Beta transfers from other chapters took an ac­ tive part in maintaining Beta life on the campus, and some of these brothers were elected chapter officers. Assisting in these efforts were the alumni in Denver and the chapter’s Mothers Club whose members wrote regularly to the brothers on far away battle fronts informing them of activities at home.

Idaho. Gamma Gamma chapter started the school year with no ac­ tives or pledges on the campus and no alumnus, other than Dean J. G. Eldridge, Id aho 1896, within twenty-five miles. With encouragement from the Spokane alumni association he began a one-man rushing program resulting in the pledging of five men, four of them Beta sons.

One was called into service before he could be initiated but the other four were initiated by the Spokane alumni.

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Four Members of the 455th Bombardment Group A quartet of Betas in Italy, left to right: 1st Lt. Philip R. Theibert, Amherst ’46; 1st Lt. Earl B. Kent, Oregon State ’43; 1st Lt. Richard H. Hollrock, Brown ’42; and Lt. Thomas J. Goode, Davidson ’45.

Cincinnati. At Beta Nu the alumni were determined that the few actives remaining and the new men pledged should continue to re­ ceive a background of Beta lore. Afternoon gatherings called “Shep sessions” were instituted, starting with a showing of the Centenary film followed by talks on the general fraternity organization, the history of Beta Nu and personal Beta experiences described by some of the alumni present.

Rutgers. There were nine members on hand at the opening of spring quarter, three of whom were war veterans—the first of many who would form the nucleus of the post-war chapter. Of the twelve men who were initiated late in 1944 and early in 1945, four had already been called into the services.

Washington ( St. Louis). After contributing over one hundred under­ graduates to the armed forces, the chapter had built up a nucleus of eighteen members and ten pledges who would not be subject to further service. Participation in campus activities had been resumed and the chapter led all other fraternities by the sale of $56,000 worth of war bonds.

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Denison. A Denison tradition was not allowed to die because of war conditions. This was the banquet which had been held every year on January 16 to commemorate the disastrous fire which on that date in 1903 had destroyed the chapter house. In 1945, with its house being used by the college, the chapter occupied two rooms above a store in downtown Granville, Ohio—the same rooms in which the chapter found­ ers met in 1868 to form the Alpha Eta. The 1945 banquet was ordered from the local inn, coffee came from a nearby restaurant, table linen from a college dining hall and silverware from the Phi Gamma Delta house, also being used as a war-time women’s dormitory. Thus seven­ teen members plus some alumni held the Fire Banquet in the war year of 1945.

DePauw. Delta chapter, reduced to eight members, consisted of six Navy V-12s and two civilians. In spite of this situation, the group held a token celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the chapter. Without a house, the members could only look forward to a happier post-war day when all the men of Delta could gather for a belated Centennial.

Syracuse. The army had turned the house back to the university which was renovating it for chapter use as soon as enough men re­ turned to make its operation financially possible.

Chicago Alumni. The Alpha Alumni Chapter in Chicago had worked out an extensive plan for the entertainment of Betas in the armed forces when traveling through that city or when home on furlough in the area. So that such men could be guests of the alumni at any of their regular weekly luncheons, 180 alumni agreed to attend at least one luncheon per month, and contributed over $1000 for the entertainment expenses. Wendell Walker, C hicago ’19, headed the campaign and John A. Churchman, Purdue ’28, edited a monthly bul­ letin to keep all Betas in the area posted on the activities.

TH R EE GREAT BETAS DEPART

With the passing of such men as Francis Shepardson and J. Cal Hanna, the fraternity had experienced the loss of great builders and the requirement that others take over the responsiblities of leadership.

The year 1945 was to take a particularly heavy toll and further test the ability of the membership to carry on.

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John Allan Blair, W abash ’93. Beta Theta Pi lost one of its most eloquent and devoted sons through the sudden death on January 27, 1945 of the Rev. Dr. John Allen Blair—“Johnny” Blair to Betas from coast to coast. He had served the fraternity as District Chief, Trustee and Vice-President, and as the principal speaker at many general con­ ventions, chapter and alumni gath­ erings, had delivered some of the most memorable Beta addresses in the history of the brotherhood. In a heart warming eulogy Gordon S. Smyth wrote of him: “The strength of Beta Theta Pi has been in the quality of the de­ voted leadership she has received from the individuals who have be­ lieved in and loved the fraternity over more than a century of vig­ orous life. John Blair was one of the great Beta leaders of the past twenty-five years, with a deep and abiding faith in the ‘Beta Eternal’ of which he spoke so eloquently at the Centenary vesper service, and Leader Passes with the ability to transmit his John Allan Blair, W abash 1893. faith and love to others.. . . Above all, he loved and believed in young men; believing in them as he did, his words carried conviction and inspiration that reached their hearts and drew them closer to the fraternity.”

Frank G. Ensign, B eloit ’00. On Wednesday, June 13, 1945, Frank G. Ensign was laid to rest at Boise, Idaho. With his passing a devoted Beta concluded distinguished service to the fraternity which extended over a period of more than a quarter of a century.

He was best known to Betas everywhere as Assistant General Treas­ urer with the responsibility of guiding and supervising chapter finances.

He served with the great General Treasurer James L. Gavin, and took as much pride in the number of chapters with clean financial re­ ports as Jim did in reporting the healthy condition of general fraternity affairs year after year.

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Frank Goodwin Ensign B eloit ’00.

General Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePauu) 1896.

Frank Ensign had served Beta Theta Pi in almost every capacity— as District Chief and as a member of the Board of Trustees 1924-1927.

Following this he was chosen president of the 88th general conven­ tion at Bigwin Inn and was then appointed Assistant General Treasurer in which capacity he served until his death. Many an undergraduate and many a chapter learned the hard facts of financial life under Frank Ensign’s tutelage, and for this great contribution to the frater­ nity and its members, he will be long remembered.

James Lathrop Gavin, 1876-1945. “Beta Theta Pi reports all bills paid and no chapter on the delinquent list.” No more would this thrill­ ing announcement be heard from the man who made it famous at forty-one general conventions. “Jim” Gavin, DePauw 1896, died of a heart attack on Saturday, August 4, 1945 in Indianapolis, Indiana, while serving his thirteenth consecutive term as General Treasurer.

Thus the fraternity lost another of that great and inspired group of men who built the brotherhood during the first half of the twentieth century—Francis Shepardson, J. Cal Hanna, John Blair, Clarence L. Newton, Frank Ensign—and now Jim Gavin.

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He was a big man with a big heart and at the time of his passing was certainly the best known member of the fraternity and one of the most beloved. He was a man’s man, loving a man-size meal after which he could do eighteen holes of golf, and then hold a group of undergraduates spellbound with tales of his hunting and fishing ex­ ploits. Because of his large physical appearance and joviality he was a dominant figure at general conventions, and other Beta gatherings. But he did not accomplish his purposes through pressure or overbearance— rather he was the great conciliator and his diplomacy saved many a heated controversy from boiling over. He had a great and unbounded faith in the fraternity and he was determined that its financial founda­ tion would be strong enough to weather the fiercest storms. It was Jim Gavin who spoke out at an Indianapolis alumni gathering in the gloom and fear of the days after Pearl Harbor to point out that Beta Theta Pi had lived through two wars and would do so again. We can be thankful that in the months preceding his death Jim Gavin must have sensed the turn of the tide and the coming of peace—it was tra­ gic that he could not have lived with his brothers to see his prophecy of survival fulfilled.

It was during Jim Gavin’s period of service as General Treasurer that the financial strength of the fraternity was built. In 1904 when he first took office the net worth of Beta Theta Pi was $3,940 and in 1945 at the time of his death the general fund had assets amounting to $75,256. This, with the capital of the Baird and Founders Funds, gave the general fraternity a net worth of $573,467. When it is con­ sidered that this had been accomplished in spite of the worst financial depression in history and two world wars with their heavy drains on the treasury, members of the fraternity can understand the debt which the organization owes to James L. Gavin and the Fund Trustees.

In a moving tribute to the departed leaders delivered at the One Hundred Seventh General Convention, Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15, asking the question which was in the hearts of Betas everywhere.

“As one contemplates the passing of so large a company of stalwarts and great builders of Beta Theta Pi, leaders for whom all younger Betas had the most profound admiration, he cannot help but wonder whether men of comparable stature and consecration will rise up to take their places and continue to give the fraternity as able leadership as it has enjoyed in

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years gone by. But the fear is soon dispelled, for these men were inspirers of their younger brothers; they imparted to them an understand­ ing of what service to the fraternity may mean in terms of deep satis­ faction.”

And Brother Wickenden’s hopes were fulfilled, for other men did rise up, as they always have throughout Beta’s history, to carry on the business and traditions of the fraternity. These men may have differed in physical characteristics, their methods may not have followed some of the old pathways but they possessed one quality in common with all the departed leaders of the past, a sincere love for the fraternity and a determination to see it grow and prosper.

T H E BOARD CONTINUES TO GOVERN

As the war drew to a close, Betas everywhere began to think of once again gathering together in general convention, but in 1945 this was not yet possible and the Board of Trustees continued to exer­ cise its war-granted authority to govern the fraternity.

A meeting was held in October attended by five members, the only absentee being President William Dawson, still on active duty in Ger­ many. William E. Gavin, W abash ’11, brother of the late James L. Gavin, was present as Acting Treasurer, having been named by a mail vote of the Trustees. Others who attended were General Secretary G. Herbert Smith and Vice-Presidents Walter Holt, Bertram Bennett and Gordon Smyth.

Word had been received from President Dawson in WurtembergBaden, Germany that he expected to return to the United States by the spring of 1946, and that the Board was at liberty to do as they felt best regarding his high office in the fraternity. Paying high tribute to his ability and with the feeling that Brother Dawson could render great service in the post-war period, the Trustees re-elected him to the position of president for the term 1945-1948.

Brother Dawson had, in letters to his Beta friends, expressed a desire to spend some time on a speaking tour to acquaint the Ameri­ can people with some of the problems growing out of the war. Feeling that as president of the fraternity he could also render great service to the chapters in their efforts to resume regular status, the Board voted

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The New Trustee Col. Lee B. Thompson, O klahoma ’25, former District Chief.

to suggest a year of full-time service to the fraternity by Col. Dawson at a salary of $6,000 and traveling expenses.

A New General Treasurer. William E. Gavin, W abash ’11, a member of the law firm of Gavin & Gavin in Indianapolis had agreed to accept the position of Acting Treasurer, but had announced that he was not a candidate for the office of General Treasurer. Howard A. Law, Pennsylvania ’35, while a member of the Board, had been regarded by many as a future holder of the position and when it was learned that he expected to be returned to civilian life by the spring of 1946, he was elected General Treasurer, William Gavin agreeing to serve as long as was necessary.

A New Trustee. Gordon Smyth had agreed to serve on the Board of Trustees during the absence of Brother Law and now asked that some­ one be selected for a regular term as Trustee for 1945-1948. Selected for this high honor was Col. Lee B. Thompson, O klahom a ’25, who had served the fraternity in many capacities including those of Dis­ trict Chief and Convention President. A telephone call to his home

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determined that he had just arrived four hours before from the Philip­ pines, and that nothing could have brought more pleasure to his home­ coming than his election to the Board of Beta Theta Pi. Good Financial News. Instead of an anticipated deficit of $12,000, the fraternity for the third consecutive war year had operated in the black. A larger number of initiates than expected had resulted in an income of $22,000 with expenses of $16,000 resulting in a $6,000 sur­ plus. The Board again waived the payment of annual dues except for initiates during the college year 1945-1946. Payment from these was to be $27, consisting of $10 for the Baird Fund, $10 for the General Fraternity and $7 annual dues. The budget was set at $35,000 with expected income of $32,000.

Trustee Bennett was designated by the Board to go through the files of the late General Treasurer James L. Gavin, destroy material of no lasting value and arrange storage of the balance.

Administrative Office. One of the early suggestions concerning the need for a central office for the fraternity was made at this meeting by Brother Walter Flory who was attending as a Fund Trustee. During a discussion of the urgent need of a number of chapters for new chap­ ter houses, the matter of address lists for their use was presented. This brought the suggestion that the Board consider the possibility of a cen­ tral headquarters where the office work of the fraternity could be con­ ducted, where the records and memorabilia could be stored and where a complete mailing service could be maintained.

The passing of Brother Gavin had brought the problem into closer focus. Down through the years the business of the fraternity had been conducted in the homes and offices of its officers. As a result, all over the land in basements, attics and storerooms were piled boxes of fra­ ternity correspondence. Much of this had no lasting value, but some would be of vital importance to future officers if available. Looking toward the continued growth of the fraternity and increased demand for services to the chapters, it became apparent that a central office was a future certainty.

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ALPHA HONORS COLONEL SIMPSON

Col. John R. Simpson, Miami 1899, 50 years a Beta, was feted by Alpha chapter and alumni guests at a banquet on October 6, 1945 in commemoration of his half century of service to Beta Theta Pi. This great fraternity leader, Director of the Centenary Celebration and member of the Advisory Council of former trustees, responded to the honors paid him with one of the outstanding Beta addresses of the decade. Referring to his long association with the brotherhood, he de­ clared, “As I look back over the years since my initiation in 1895, I have come to one clear conclusion . . . my Fraternity owes me noth­ ing! . . . it has done so much more for me than I have ever done for it that the balance can never be dressed. . . . I urge you, each in your own way, and according to your capacity, to accumulate a similar debt in happy and unselfish service to your Fraternity. You will find it different from any other debt that you will owe in after life. The more you try to discharge it in further service the more it will accumulate—and the happier you will be! And another and important difference between this and other debt is that it will pay you interest instead of the other way around.”1

AMONG BETAS OF A C H IEV E M E N T— 1945

Major Elmer W. Sherwood, Indiana ’21, was appointed adjutant general of Indiana. Having served in both World War I and World War II, he was well known to members of the American Legion as a one-time editor of the National Legionnaire.

William B. McKesson, C olorado C ollege ’17, was re-appointed by Gov. Earl Warren to be judge of the superior court in and for Los Angeles county.

Dr. C. William Prettyman, Dickinson 1891, became the 21st presi­ dent of Dickinson College, having served on the faculty of his alma mater for 44 years. His father, the late Rev. Cornelius W. Prettyman, Dickinson 1872, was one of the founders of Alpha Sigma chapter.

1 For the complete address see page 192, Vol. L X X III, January, 1946, T he Beta Theta Pi.

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Richard B. Scandrett, Jr., Amherst ’11, was chosen as a member of the American delegation to the Reparations Commission in Moscow.

He was a nephew of the late Dwight W. Morrow, Amherst 1895, U. S. Senator, Amabassador to Mexico and partner in the banking firm of J. P. Morgan & Co. Stratford Lee Morton, W ashington (St. Louis) ’10 and Guy B. Park, Missouri 1896, former governor of Missouri, were prominent figures in the convention which adopted a new constitution for the state of Missouri.

Paul V. McNutt, Indiana ’13, who had occupied the office of War Manpower Commissioner, was appointed by President Truman to be high commissioner to the Philippines.

Reconstruction

(946

IT WAS A YEAR for rejoicing—1946—it was a year of homecoming, of returning to campuses and the old fraternity house, dimly but fondly remembered in the rush and horror of those years of war. It was a year for all men, undergraduates and alumni, to pick up the loose ends of those peaceful years before Pearl Harbor and try to go on as if war had not interrupted.

Of course that was not always possible. Some things would never be the same . . . but the Beta house was still there, or would be available soon, and the brothers were returning and the campus looked much the same as four years ago . . . and the coeds were prettier than ever. So it was a year of trying not to notice the empty chairs of brothers who would not return, a year of trying to adjust to civilian ways which to many battle-worn veterans suddenly seemed ridiculous and childish.

For the fraternity it was a year of help for chapters trying to return to an active status, a year of many changes among the officers, of returning the legislative powers to the General Convention, and an important change in the financing of the General Fraternity.

T H E CHAPTERS

Late in 1945, as members began returning, many chapters were able to resume some degree of activity. By the spring of 1946 this be­ came more evident, but a sampling of reports which came in from all sections of the continent indicate how varied were the conditions.

DePauw reported early in the year that the university still retained possession of the chapter house but would return it to the group in September. Service men had begun returning during the spring semester.

Lehigh was starting to rebuild with a nucleus of eleven undergradu­ ate members and four pledges—of this total of fifteen, eleven were returned servicemen.

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The Second Beta to Win Highest Award Major Everett P. Pope, B ow doin â&#x20AC;&#x2122;41, U.S.M.C., who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Truman. He is shown here (at extreme left foreground) with three other Medal of Honor winners. General Marshall and President Truman are in the second row center.

Western Reserve was back in its house with a chapter of thirty-two men.

Wisconsin announced that it was once more active with twenty-one members and five pledges. The chapter still was in war-time quarters but expected to regain the chapter house in August.

One chapter reported that special classes had started at the univer­ sity for returned veterans, bringing many new students to the campus.

Four of these men had been pledged and a spokesman for the chapter stated, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have formed a special pledge class for these men which features a change in some particulars, to more aptly suit their age and

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background.” Apparently the chapter had found that some of the juvenile horse play of the pre-war days did not set well with battle veterans!

Alpha Nu at Kansas reported that all of its officers were returned veterans and all were former officers in the air force, army or navy. The pledge class also consisted of a number of men with military service to their credit. The report continued to say that “almost without excep­ tion, the Alpha Nu veterans have shown a mature seriousness of pur­ pose and capacity for work which has already been of great value in keeping Beta Theta Pi in the position she has so long occupied here at the University of Kansas.”

Beta Nu at Cincinnati had fifty-four active members early in 1946, twenty-six of whom were veterans.

Chi chapter at Beloit stated that its house was still being used as a girls’ dormitory but that the chapter had obtained permission from the college administration to use the “isolated” living room as a meeting place. A return of the house in the fall had been promised.

A number of veterans had been welcomed back by Phi Alpha at Davidson which indicated a total of thirty-six actives with twelve pledges, nine of whom had served with the armed forces.

Fraternity life on the Oklahoma campus, according to a spokesman for Gamma Phi chapter, was slowly regaining normalcy with the return of many veterans. The chapter roll showed twenty members and nine pledges with meetings being held in a rented room in the Fine Arts Officer in the Honor Guard building. To help all groups in their Lt. Ned E. Bell, N ebraska ’41, Para­ efforts to reactivate, the Interfratroops, U.S.A., was one of nine officers temity Council had imposed a in the Honor Guard for General MacArthur at the time of the Japanese quota system for pledging. surrender.

The corresponding secretary of

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Gamma Theta at Washington State wrote of a “second birth” for the chapter with fourteen members admitting light into the dusty chapter room. All of the newly elected officers were veterans.

Only nine of the eighty fraternity men who had returned to the Colorado College campus in the spring of 1946 were Betas. To as­ sist this small group in reactivating the chapter, the alumni in Colorado Springs conducted three rushing parties and fifteen men were pledged. No fraternity houses were yet available but use of them by the various groups was promised for the fall semester.

At Williams all fraternity houses were still closed in the spring of 1946 but nine Beta actives were on the campus and held weekly meet­ ings. The college announced that a rushing period in August would be permitted with each house allowed a quota of twenty-two pledges.

Lambda Rho at Chicago had resumed operations in September, 1945, but had only a few members and no house. Two men were pledged and initiated in a joint ceremony with the Northwestern chapter, and when the house was regained from the university, a campaign of renovation was started. A spokesman for the chapter stated that the problem of chaperones for social events had been solved by the pres­ ence of eleven married members and their wives. These wives, he said, attended the Monday night chapter dinners and were expected to play a welcome part in the social life of the group.

TH E ALUMNI

Fortunate indeed was the fact that during the war years most of the alumni organizations had not only continued to function, but in many cases had assumed a degree of activity and responsibility far beyond their peace time practice. The devotion of men to Beta has never been more evident than during those troubled times when all over the land they filled in for the departed brothers to keep the fra­ ternity alive in their particular locality. A few examples will show how these groups were functioning in the first year of peace.

At a district reunion held in Spokane, Washington in March, the Whitman and Idaho chapters were reactivated with the initiation of five pledges from Whitman and nine from Idaho by the Spokane alumni group. The initiation was followed by a banquet with Ralph Edgerton, W hitman ’31, acting as toastmaster. Speakers included Dis-

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trist Chief Joseph M. Tewinkel, W hitm an ’23, former Chief Frank P. Weaver, Michigan ’26, and editor of die Magazine, Thad Byrne, W ash­ ington State ’25.

The Chicago Alpha alumni chapter started a campaign to “Give a Beta Serviceman a Break”—it was an effort to aid members of the fra­ ternity who were having difficulty finding a position to which they were suited when returning to civilian life. This alumni group was also privileged to be the first to officially greet President William Dawson on his return from active military duties in Germany. Brother Dawson spoke at the annual banquet in addition to “Bo” McMillin, Centre ’21, football coach at Indiana University.

The alumni of the Dartmouth chapter had raised $11,000 of a pro­ posed $15,000 fund to be used in refurnishing and reconditioning the chapter house. The house had been regained on March 1 with four­ teen veteran members present and a pledge class of twenty including veterans, civilians and navy trainees. In the plans for remodeling there was provision for a special room and a bronze tablet as memorials to chapter members who gave their lives in the war.

At St. Louis, in order to assist the chapters in that area as well as those in other sections of the country, the alumni conducted a rushing party in early September for seventy men who were planning to enter college in the fall. The campaign to obtain names of rushees had started many months before under the guidance of Arthur F. Hughes, W esleyan ’16 who was later to become a district chief.

The secretary of the Buffalo, New York alumni club wrote a letter to the editor of T he B eta Theta Pi calling attention to reports of poorly conducted initiations witnessed by several of its members. The group recognized the difficulties of the chapters in regaining normalcy after the war years, but deplored the poor impression which many initiates were taking away from the initiation hall, and suggested that alumni be called upon to assist in presenting the initiation ritual.

T H E BOARD CONTINUES TO GOVERN

There was eager anticipation all across the Beta domain as plans for the first post-war convention became known. In the spring of 1946, however, that gathering was still months away and the responsibilities

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for the government of the fraternity still rested in the Board of Trustees.

That group held its first peace-time meeting at the Pennsylvania Hotel on May 17 in New York City. Those present included President William Dawson, recently returned from his post in Military Govern­ ment in Germany, General Secretary G. Herbert Smith, Acting Treas­ urer William E. Gavin and VicePresidents Bertram W. Bennett and Lee B. Thompson. Others who at­ tended were: Lt. Howard A. Law, Pennsylvania ’35 and Thad Byme, W ashington State ’25, editor of The Beta Theta Pi. Trustees of the Baird and Founders Fund met at the same time and place.

Howard A. Law took the oath of office as General Treasurer with the understanding that he would suc­ ceed the Acting Treasurer at the close of the fiscal year on June 30.

It was only natural that the chief topic of the meetings should be the condition of the chapters as they strove to return to an active status.

New General Treasurer Long discussions were held concern­ Howard A. Law, Pennsylvania ’35, ing ways in which the general fra­ who succeeded Acting Treasurer W il­ ternity could be of assistance but it liam E. Gavin. was encouraging to learn how suc­ cessfully most chapters were working out their own solutions. Reports indicated that seventy-one of the ninety chapters had initiated 1,122 men during the latter half of 1945 and the early months of 1946. This was an average of nearly sixteen initiates for each active chapter and spoke well for the future.

The General Secretary reported that all chapters had been reacti­ vated except Amherst, Williams, Maine, M.I.T., Penn State, Han­ over and Colorado College, and that all of these expected to be in op­ eration by fall. At Johns Hopkins there was a serious housing problem

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with the college attempting to work out some arrangement between the various fraternities and the institution. The Washington and Lee chapter urgently needed a loan of $2,500 for rehabilitation and at Centre the chapter was without a house but the alumni were working on the problem.

Looking ahead, the Board gave serious consideration to three mat­ ters which would have important consequences for the future opera­ tions of the fraternity. It appeared that significant changes would soon be necessary among the highest ranking officers as President Dawson reported that since his return to the United States, Brother John H. Hilldring, C olum bia ’16, of the State Department had strongly urged him to return to his appointment in Military Government in Germany.

He therefore asked that the fraternity choose his successor at the next convention. Of equal importance was the statement by G. Herbert Smith who had served eleven years as General Secretary that he wished to end his services in that office.

The Board also gave serious thought to the possibility of establishing a central office but reaffirmed its opposition to Beta Theta Pi acquir­ ing professional officers. The group approved the plan of separating the office of Keeper of the Rolls from that of the General Secretary and “under the direction of the Keeper of the Rolls to establish a full time clerical office properly staffed with clerical help to give service to the various officers and to the chapters.” Brother Dawson suggested establishing such an office at Oxford, Ohio.

The Board also gave its unanimous approval to Kappa Gamma Rho local at Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, to petition for a charter.

T H E 107TH GENERAL CONVENTION

After the longest lapse between such gatherings since Civil War days, Wooglin’s legions assembled at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Is­ land, Michigan, on August 27, 1946 and convened as the One Hundred Seventh General Convention. Because of World War II there had been no such assembly since 1942.

In his report on the state of the fraternity, General Secretary G. Her­ bert Smith reminded the delegates of the great losses suffered by the brotherhood since its last gathering—losses of undergraduate and alumni members killed in action, and the passing of several great lead-

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War Secretary G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27, who served as General Secretary during the difficult years of World War II, takes on new duties.

New President Invested Trustee Bertram Bennett, Knox ’20, on the right, invests Dr. G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27, with the office of President of Beta Theta Pi.

ers of Beta Theta Pi. He paid tribute to James L. Gavin, DePauw 1896, for forty-one years as General Treasurer; to Frank G. Ensign, Beloit ’00, for many years as Assistant General Treasurer, and to John Allan Blair, W abash 1893, District Chief and Trustee.

He pointed to the responsibility of this first post-war convention to select new leadership for the fraternity, to take back the legislative powers from the Board of Trustees, and to pick up the strands of fra­ ternity life. He called upon the undergraduates to rebuild into the re­ cently reactivated chapters the traditional ideals and standards of scholarship, campus leadership, college-fraternity cooperation and that brotherly spirit which had characterized the Beta chapters before the war.

New Officers. “The Presidency.” In May, 1946 the Board of Trustees had been advised by Col. William O. Dawson, President of the frater­ nity, of his decision to accept the call of the State Department and return to his post in the military government of Germany, and of his

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desire that the next convention elect his successor. By unanimous vote the delegates conferred this highest honor in the fraternity upon G. Her­ bert Smith, DePauw ’27, who was completing his eleventh year as General Secretary. In an inaugural greeting, Vice-president Bertram W. Bennett reviewed Brother Smith’s distinguished career in the edu­ cational field and in the service of the fraternity.

“Herb” Smith was graduated from DePauw in 1927 and during the summer months following was engaged in field work for his alma mater.

In the fall of 1927 he entered the University of Illinois on a graduate scholarship, receiving his Master’s Degree in June, 1928. Immediately thereafter the late Thomas Arkle Clark, a great educator and a warm friend of the fraternity system, then Dean of Men at the university, appointed Brother Smith Assistant Dean of Men at Illinois. So suc­ cessful was he in this position that his alma mater called him back to Greencastle in 1932 as Dean of Men and Assistant Director of the Rec­ tor Foundation. In succeeding years at DePauw he served as Dean of Administration, Director of Admissions and Director of the Rector Foundation. During his years there he had been offered several at­ tractive positions with other institutions but had chosen to remain at Greencastle. When the call came from Willamette University at Salem, Oregon, however, he accepted and began his duties there as president in 1942.

G. Herbert Smith’s service to the fraternity had been equally fruitful and distinguished. As an undergraduate at DePauw he was particu­ larly active in his chapter and, following his move to the University of Illinois, he became an interested participant in the affairs of Sigma Rho chapter there. Upon his return to DePauw his interest was mani­ fested again in Delta chapter, and it is not strange that the efforts of this loyal Beta worker came to the attention of General Secretary Harold J. Baily who called Brother Smith into the corps of District Chiefs. In this capacity his distinguished service resulted in his being named Scholarship Commissioner and the fraternity’s fine scholastic record for the years immediately preceding the war was, in no little part, the result of his efforts.

In 1935 when Harold Baily retired from the office of General Sec­ retary, G. Herbert Smith was the unanimous choice of the conven­ tion as his successor and served in that position for eleven years. He was a tireless worker for the fraternity, visiting every chapter at least

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once and appearing as guest speaker at countless gatherings of under­ graduates and alumni. He was constantly thinking of ways to improve the brotherhood and his book Son of the Stars became the official pledge manual, leading thousands of young men to a better knowledge and understanding of the fraternity. It was Herb Smith’s lot to be the chief executive officer of Beta Theta Pi during the difficult war years a id the manner in which the fraternity weathered that storm was largely due to his planning and tireless effort. The brotherhood was at­ tempting to express its thanks when it elected Brother Smith to its highest office.

Brown for Secretary. To be General Secretary, the delegates selected an alumnus of Alpha chapter, Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31. While an undergraduate there he had achieved an outstanding record in scholarship and campus leadership, winning the Rutherford B. Hays Scholarship awarded by the Harvard Law School from which he earned his law degree in 1934. Following the Centenary Convention in 1939 he became Chief of District XI, serving until his enlistment in the navy in 1941. He was secretary of the 102nd General Convention and was chairman of the Beta Campanile dedication committee.

The convention chose well for Ed Brown possessed all of the personal qualities which the fraternity seeks in its officers—he had a great love for the fraternity and the ability to serve it well. His war ex­ periences gave him an understanding which he was to need in dealing with the post-war problems which were to come.

General Treasurer. The Board of Trustees having called upon How­ ard A. Law, Jr., Pennsylvania ’35, to fill out the unexpired term of the late James L. Gavin, the convention elected him to a full term of 19461949. Thus the transition from the man who had served in the office for so many years to its new occupant was accomplished. The frater­ nity recognized its debt also to William E. Gavin, W abash ’11, who served as Acting Treasurer in the interim and spent countless hours aiding in the transfer of the financial operations of the fraternity from Indianapolis to New York City.

A New Trustee. To succeed Walter Holt, Denison ’13, the delegates selected Elmer H. Jennings, Northwestern ’12, a diligent worker for the fraternity, a college leader and a successful business executive.

Brother Jennings had been the principal advocate and advisor of the Beta Sigma Phi local group at Lawrence College which successfully

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New General Secretary Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31.

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Elected to Board Elmer Jennings, N orthwestern ’12.

petitioned for a charter in 1936. Following the installation he became the chapter counselor and maintained a close contact with the gen­ eral fraternity, attending many general conventions. At the time of his election he was head of a large paper making firm at Kaukauna, Wisconsin.

Finances and a New Dues Paying Plan. The report of the General Treasurer showed that the fraternity had had another profitable year and that Beta Theta Pi had operated during the entire war period without once dipping into surplus. The Baird Fund during 1945-1946 had increased by $12,900 and the report indicated that the Baird and Founders’ Fund had combined assets of $585,000 with the general fund’s assets amounting to $75,000 with no debts.

Following the practice instigated during the war years of dispensing with annual dues from active members, the convention voted to con­ tinue that system. Instead of annual dues the delegates voted unan­ imously in favor of the payment of forty dollars by each new member, ten dollars of which would be allocated to the Baird Fund endow­ ment, as a life subscription to the magazine, and the balance of thirty

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dollars to the general fund. This payment, it was stated, would be in lieu of annual dues and would fulfill for life all financial member­ ship obligations to the general fraternity. Appropriate changes in the Code were approved in order to make this new plan official.

The budget adopted for 1946-1947 was for $69,075 with anticipated income of $69,500. The budget included office expense items of $3,000 for the General Secretary, $3,500 for the General Treasurer and $2,500 for the magazine editor, a total of $9,000 which was an important item in the minds of those who were thinking of the possibility of a central office for the fraternity.

Expansion. The One Hundred Seventh was a hard working conven­ tion under the able leadership of convention president Elwood T. Starbuck, C hicago ’23, west coast insurance executive, and convention sec­ retary Joseph M. Tewinkel, W hitman ’23, chief of District XXI. It considered many problems arising from the war years and it took several important steps leading to the future growth of the fraternity.

Led by Mark O. Hatfield, a delegation of five members of Kappa Gamma Rho, local society at Willamette University, appeared in sup­ port of its petition for a charter. Those present were deeply impressed with the able and sincere presentation made by young Hatfield and were probably not surprised in the years which followed to see him become president of his chapter, a district chief, Secretary of State for the State of Oregon and Governor in 1958.

The vote on the petition was unanimously favorable, the only nega­ tive votes being those cast for four unrepresented chapters.

Another important step was taken when the convention voted to allow Gamma Nu chapter at U.C.L.A. to initiate undergraduates at the University of Southern California in cooperation with the Beta Club at the latter institution. It recommended, however, that permis­ sion be not granted to the group to petition for a charter until the Los Angeles Alumni Association had presented an acceptable plan for a suitable chapter house.

The convention also went on record as favoring expansion of the fraternity in the South and in Canada.

Post-War Problems. A special committee studied the problems which had already appeared in some chapters, and would no doubt plague others, caused by the conflict of interests between the returning vet­ erans and initiates who had not seen war service. From some chapters

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Convention Scenes Top, left: Five proud pledges from Willamette University: Howard Blanding, Robert Fletcher, Mark Hatfield, Ray Fedje, Loren Hicks. Top, right: “Mother” Jones and the Iowa State delegates, Charles Johnson (left) and John McElhinney. Bottom, left: In “The Old Porch Chairs,” Advisory Council members “Dunny” Clark and “Jack” Ryan relaxing. Bottom, right: A welcoming committee at the dock.

came reports that returning men were not interested in chapter affairs while in others the problem seemed to stem from dissatisfaction on the part of the veterans with policies set up by those who had remained at home or who had been initiated during the war.

The recommendation of the committee was that the returnee should be given a warm welcome which should go beyond the usual “glad hand” and which should be continued until he is completely adjusted to his role in the chapter. The suggestion was also made that as many as possible of these men be assigned chapter duties and definite re­ sponsibilities, hoping that most of them would respond with a sincere

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interest in the affairs of the group. Failing in these, it would be neces­ sary for one or two members to have intimate and personal discussions with each veteran in an effort to win his cooperation. It was recognized that certain situations placed great responsibility upon the chapter officers, particularly the president, to prevent divisions before they appeared in chapter meetings. Such conditions had existed in most chapters at various times—the war had merely given them a name and had brought them to light. The chapters were advised to follow the advice of the late Francis Shepardson who once said, “We must draw the circle a little closer and carry on.”

Convention Guest. A popular guest at the convention was Mrs. C. R. “Mother” Jones who had been house mother at the Iowa State chapter for seventeen years. When the war forced the closing of the chapter house most of the members joined the navy and many were assigned to the Pacific area. “Mother” Jones, wanting to remain near these men, moved to California and secured a small apartment which she kept open all during the war for the use of the members whenever they had shore leave in that area. Recognizing their great debt to her for keeping the Beta spirit alive, members of the alumni association of that chapter made arrangements for her to attend the 107th General Convention where she was fittingly honored.

Beta Scholarship. How does a college undergraduate go about get­ ting a capable, skilled, well-informed mind? How can a Beta chapter help its members to acquire such minds? In his last report before re­ tiring from the position, Scholarship Commissioner A. Ray Warnock, Illinois ’05, gave his answers to the 107th General Convention.1 The chapter, he said, can make its house a home or club for scholars different from just a boarding house or dormitory. It should be dig­ nified and self-respecting in appearance, and show careful housekeep­ ing. It should have a library well stocked with readable books and good reference books; its library table should be supplied with a rich variety of current newspapers and magazines both of a general and professional nature; and the furniture should be inviting for com­ fortable reading.

1 For this complete article on the value of the trained mind and ways to cultivate it, see Beta Scholarship by A. R. Warnock, Vol. LXXIV, The Beta Theta Pi, De­ cember, 1946.

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It is in the study rooms, however, that habits of mind discipline are best formed. Habit is the important factor—habits of regular, uninter­ rupted concentration on studies, habits of promptness in preparing as­ signments and getting in themes and reports, habits of honesty—not cheating or borrowing—in doing work, and habits of being exact and thorough.

To cultivate the study habits of all chapter members, not freshmen alone, will require house rules, carefully enforced, and supervision by a faithful, even if at times annoying, committee on study rooms. To train habits of regular class attendance, and punctuality and alert­ ness, will require prodding by chapter officers and roommates. Habits formed in a fraternity house can project their values throughout life.

The above are but brief excerpts from Brother Warnock’s masterful report and those who heard it or read it later in the convention min­ utes realized how fortunate the fraternity had been to have just such a member acting in the capacity of Scholarship Commissioner. The scholastic record of the fraternity during his regime was proof of his effective efforts.

New Scholarship Commissioner. A. Ray Warnock was Beta’s second Scholarship Commissioner, the first having been G. Herbert Smith who was appointed in 1930 while he was Assistant Dean of Men at Illinois University. The convention which followed the creation of the posi­ tion voted to continue it permanently and thereby determined that there should always be an “educational advisor of the fraternity.”

To serve as the third Scholarship Commissioner during the post-war period of reactivation and reconstruction, the fraternity selected a Beta son of a Beta father, Earl Sneed, Jr., O klahom a ’34, whose record attested to the fact that he had been well grounded in the ideals repre­ sented by the Theta star. While an undergraduate he won an impres­ sive list of campus honors and so excelled scholastically that he was elected to Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa, the latter as the junior having the highest scholastic average in his class. Later, in the College of Law, he was elected to membership in Phi Delta Phi and the Order of Coif.

After receiving his law degree Brother Sneed engaged in private law practice in Tulsa until the outbreak of war when he entered the Air Force, attaining the rank of full colonel. He assisted in establish-

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Retiring Scholarship Commissioner Dean Ray Warnock, Illinois ’05.

New Scholarship Commissioner Earl Sneed, Jr., Oklahoma ’34.

ing and organizing the Will Rogers Air Base in Savannah, Georgia, bases in England and Italy, and became deputy Grand Commander of the Fifteenth Air Corps. With other fraternities determined to wrest from Beta its traditional position as scholastic leader, the fraternity needed a man with Brother Sneed’s abilities in this most important position.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AT INDIANA

A war-delayed celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the founding of Pi chapter, the tenth oldest in the fraternity, was held September 13-15, 1946 at Bloomington, Indiana. There is a remark­ able tie that binds together all Hoosiers and this is particularly true of the men who make up our Indiana chapters; and now it was Pi’s turn to once more draw the circle close for all the brothers who could return to this heartwarming gathering.

In charge of the celebration was A. R. C. Kipp, ’06, of Indianapolis, president of the alumni corporation, assisted by a large centenary committee. Representing the general fraternity were General Secre­

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tary Edward M. Brown, former General Secretary “Bing” Baily and District Chief Kermit R. Arnold. The many alumni were quartered in a men’s dormitory close to the Beta house and the festivities began with an informal Beta dorg on Friday evening. Late that night the en­ tire group assembled at the Well House in the center of the campus for a midnight sing, and on Saturday at breakfast, lunch and banquet in Alumni Hall the two hundred celebrants relived their undergraduate days.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AT WABASH

“Ye Mighty Men of Tau” they call themselves and nearly 250 of them assembled in Crawfordsville, Indiana on November 15-16, 1946 to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of that famous Hoosier chapter. It was the largest body of fraternity men ever to gather on that campus, and the event was the culmination of months and years of planning by chairman Russell E. Ragan, ’23, and a group which had determined to make it a memorable week-end.

From all over the continent they came, from sixteen different states

At the Wabash Centennial Left to right: Russell E. Ragan, W abash ’23, Chief of District XV and Centennial Chairman; Vice-President Elmer H. Jennings, Northwestern ’12; Kermit W. Arnold, DePauw ’37, Chief of District XII.

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and representing all age groups from Louis P. Cain of the class of 1890 down to a group of Tau pledges in the class of 1950. There were eleven father-and-son teams present and the class of 1894 had three of its four living members among the silver grays. Representing the general fraternity were Trustee Elmer H. Jennings, Northwestern ’12 and District Chief Kermit W. Arnold, DePauw ’37.

The chapel service on Saturday morning was almost an all-Beta affair with the special Tau homecoming tags sprinkled liberally through the audience and with the program conducted by Dean Byron K. Trippett, ’30, and the President of Wabash, Dr. Frank Sparks, DePauw ’35.

In spite of heavy rains, the afternoon homecoming game was a huge success with the “Little Giants” of Wabash triumphing over their arch rivals from DePauw, and the grand celebration came to a climax with the Anniversary Banquet that night. The principal address was by a well known Tau alumnus and a leading Indiana attorney, Joseph J. Daniels, ’11, who inspired his listeners with an account of the early his­ tory of the chapter and of the men who figured prominently in her early years.

OTHO E . LANE RECOGNITION

In tribute to his many years of devoted service to the fraternity Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, was the honored guest of Alpha chapter at several functions held in Oxford on October 5, 1946. At the initiation held in historic Harrison Hall, the site of the founding of the fraternity, he joined the eleven members of the “Otho E. Lane Class” in a reaffir­ mation of his fraternal vows. Later, at a banquet presided over by toastmaster Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40, General Secretary Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, paid tribute to this man whose devotion to the broth­ erhood had never failed during his fifty years as a Beta. In his re­ sponse, Brother Lane recounted for his listeners some of his inter­ esting fraternity experiences starting with his class of initiates which included John Knox Lansdowne and whose initiation was witnessed by Lansdowne’s grandfather, Pater Knox. The honored guest recalled that he was only fifteen years of age at that time and that his Beta an­ cestry included James P. Whitmore, W ittenberg 1896, a founder of the Wittenberg chapter, Francis Lane, W ittenberg 1896, a brother and George Vanderveer, Stanford 1896, a founder of the Stanford chapter.

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The “Otho E. Lane Pledge Class” and Its Sponsor Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, is shown in the back row, center.

Otho Lane was to have many more active years of service to the fra­ ternity but it was fitting that his chapter and the general fraternity should pause to do him honor on his fiftieth anniversary as a Beta.

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV EM E N T — 1946

Carrol M. Shanks, Washington (Seattle) ’21, became president of The Prudential Insurance Company of America at the age of 47. He had entered the legal department of that firm in 1932, had become its general solicitor, then executive vice-president before being advanced to one of the most responsible positions in American business.

Edgar L. Warren, Bethany ’26, was appointed director of the United States Conciliation service and thus became a leading figure in efforts to bring industry and labor together in a common understanding.

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George C. Brainard, Northwestern ’10, was elected president of Addressograph-Mnltigraph Corporation, one of the nation’s largest indus­ trial concerns.

Edward A. Baily, Amherst ’05, was elected a vice-president of Consolidated Edison Company of New York.

Charles P. Taft, Yale ’18, mem­ ber of President Truman’s War Re­ lief Control Board and prominent in many national organizations, was elected president of the newly formed National Social Welfare Assembly.

Dr. Howard B. Jefferson, D eni­ son ’23, was made president of Clark University, Worcester, Mas­ sachusetts.

W. Willard Wirtz, Beloit ’33, was appointed chairman of the Na­ Prudential’s New President tional Wage Stabilization Board.

Carol M. Shanks, W ashington (Seattle) Dr. Bennett T. Simms, Oregon ’ 21 .

State ’11, was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, the highest governmental position in that field.

Dr. James L. McConaughy, Yale ’09, was elected governor of Conecticut in November, 1946, defeating the democratic candidate, a brother Beta, Lt. Governor Wilbert Snow, Bow doin ’07.

James Preston Kem, Missouri ’10, was elected to the U. S. Senate from Missouri on the republican ticket, giving that state two repub­ lican senators for the first time since Civil War reconstruction days.

The Post-War Period 1947-194 9

☆

Tackling Post-War Problems

1947

THE YEAR 1947 marked further expansion and internal development of Beta Theta Pi. It opened with a new chapter on the west coast and, later in the year, witnessed further expansion in that area. It was a year which saw the sorrowful death of a former president of the fra­ ternity but the beginning of an eventful term of a new general secre­ tary. Nineteen forty-seven was a time of great improvement in the alumni organization of the general fraternity, but also brought serious post-war problems. It closed with a centennial at DePauw.

INSTALLATION AT W ILLA M ETTE

The installation of Gamma Sigma chapter at Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, on January 3-4, 1947 was unique in several respects.

For the first time in history, the Miami Triad of Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Chi and Beta Theta Pi joined together to install chapters on a campus at the same time with part of the ceremonies being observed jointly. It was also a rare experience in Beta Theta Pi to have its presi­ dent serving also as the president of the institution at which a chapter was being installed.

With the installing officers of the three fraternities seated on the stage, an audience of over 700 was called to order by G. Herbert Smith, as president of the university, at the Friday opening ceremony. Speakers included Mr. Barrett Herrick, member of the National Council of Phi Delta Theta, Dr. Henry McLean, Grand Annotator of Sigma Chi and Stanley R. Church, W ashington State ’31, Chief of District XXII. In his address Brother Church reviewed the early history of the 105-yearold institution and compared the pioneering spirit which led to its founding with the pioneer traditions and outlook of the three frater­ nities now expanding further into the west.

Following this joint gathering, each of the three fraternities pro­ ceeded to conduct its own initiation program at separate locations. The 197

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Installing Officers At Willamette Left to right: Sam C. Bullock of Sigma Chi; Dr. G. Herbert Smith, President of Willamette University; George Banta, Jr., of Phi Delta Theta; Stanley R. Church of Beta Theta Pi.

Beta activities began that evening with a banquet at the Marion Hotel in Salem followed by pre-initiation ceremonies. The formal initia­ tion was conducted the following morning in the Elks Temple with Dr. G. Herbert Smith in the president’s station. An undergraduate group from the Oregon State chapter participated in the opening scene and prominent west coast Betas took the other parts. Following the ceremony the newly initiated Brothers and two hundred other Betas gathered at the Marion Hotel for the installation luncheon where the speakers included President Smith, Elwood T. Starbuck, C hicago ’23, Thad Byrne, Washington State ’25, and other prominent alumni and active members of the newly chartered chapter. Mark Hatfield, W illam ­ ette ’48, who had so ably presented the case for Kappa Gamma Rho at the 107th General Convention, spoke for the undergraduates and left no doubt in the minds of his listeners that the new group would strive to advance the cause of the fraternity on that campus.

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After the Initiation Ceremonies The installation group outside the Elks Club in Salem, Oregon, immediately follow­ ing the initiation ceremony on Saturday morning.

The installation programs of the three fraternities having been con­ cluded, the scene shifted to Portland, 50 miles away, where facilities existed large enough for the closing banquet on Saturday evening in which all three groups were to participate. It was well that a large hall had been obtained for over six hundred members of the Miami Triad were present when the gathering was called to order by the toastmaster, Mr. Kern Crandall, an Oregon Sigma Chi and a prominent Portland attorney. The Honorable Earl Snell, Governor of Oregon and a member of the Oregon chapter, was one of the prominent Beta speakers, and the other fraternities were also ably represented on the rostrum. It was a fitting climax to a memorable week-end, demonstrat­ ing the possibilities of friendly inter-fratemity cooperation and giving great promise of the further development and expansion of Beta Theta Pi in the far west.

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He Was Beta’s War-Time President Col. William W. Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14, as he appeared after World War II in his position as Director of the Regional Government Coordinating Office for the United States Occupation Zone in Germany.

W ILLIAM WARREN DAWSON, OHIO W ESLEYA N ’14, 1892-1947

Beta Theta Pi lost one of its great leaders with the death of Col. William “Bill” Dawson at his post in Germany on February 10, 1947 after an illness of several weeks. In a moving tribute, A. J. G. Priest wrote: “Certainly our Beta realm was diminished with his passing, but the nation also was poorer, and poorer too were the German people whom he had been re-educating, firmly and patiently, in the processes of democracy. For this was a loss not only to cherished wife and rela­ tives and to devoted friends, but also to the community at large; this fine, creative mind had so much more to give.”

“Bill” Dawson had been a soldier in two wars, had a distinguished

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career as a teacher, becoming a full professor in the Western Reserve Law School in 1935. His service to the general fraternity began in 1924 with his appointment as Chief of District IV in which position he served until 1932 when he was elected Vice-President and Trustee.

This honor came to him as a result of noteworthy service as chairman of many important convention committees and as president of the Ninety-ninth General Convention.

Col. Dawson was elected President of the fraternity at the 1940 con­ vention held at Del Monte, California just before the nation was plunged into war. He was re-elected for a second three-year term at the war convention of 1942. Many Betas who experienced the trials through which the fraternity went during the years which followed, give much credit to the leadership of “Bill” Dawson for the fact that the brotherhood survived and emerged stronger than ever. It was hoped and expected that his services would be available during the difficult post-war period but this was not to be. High government officials brought pressure on him to continue in the vital rehabilita­ tion program in Germany and in May, 1946, he advised the Board of Trustees that the fraternity should select his successor as president.

He stated that it was the influence of Major General John H. Hilldring, C olum bia ’16, which had proved decisive, Brother Hilldring having appealed to his conscience and “Bill” Dawson having responded. In a letter to the convention that year General Hilldring said, “I am doubly sorry to have deprived you of ‘Bill’ Dawson’s presence.

However, I cannot apologize for this with complete sincerity. In my opinion, both ‘Bill’ and I are privileged in our opportunities to con­ tribute to the solution of the vital problems in occupied areas which may well hold the keys to future peace.”

And as we, many years later, view the prosperity and stability of West Germany we can well believe that the services of “Bill” Dawson which the fraternity lost were indeed given to a program which did hold the keys to future peace. It was he who fathered the rebirth of a democratic Germany. He did it by establishing a model government in the new state of Wurttemberg-Baden. With great patience and understanding he nurtured into democratic compactness a hesitant, apprehensive and doubting German populace which, for the most part, had known only the tyrannical administration of a Nazi dictator­ ship. The subsequent success of that pattern of democracy was the

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keystone, in the view of many Allied leaders, for democracy in all of West Germany.

T he Beta Theta Pi for May, 1947 (Vol. LXXIV, No. 6) carried the eloquent memorial by A. J. G. Priest, referred to above, as well as moving tributes from many Beta leaders who had known “Bill-’ Daw­ son intimately through the years of his fraternity service. Present day members will gain inspiration by reading the tributes to a man whose influence was felt by so many men, by many chapters and by the gen­ eral fraternity.

A BEGINNING AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

For many years it had been the dream of alumni living in the Los Angeles area that some day there would be a Beta chapter at the Uni­ versity of Southern California. This vision began to have reality early in 1946 when a few Betas on that campus held their first meeting.

The first three were Roy E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., a Stanford initiated Beta, Phillip Charley, W isconsin ’44, just out of the Canadian army, and Stanley Sebring, South D akota ’46, an ex-army pilot. These were soon joined by Dale Ablin, Idaho ’45, a dental student, Roger Jayne, Oregon ’44, and John Piers, Utah ’45.

From this small beginning events moved rapidly. Dr. Von KlienSmid, president of the university and a Sigma Chi, gave his encour­ agement and offered to serve as faculty sponsor. The General Con­ vention of 1946 gave permission to Gamma Nu chapter to initiate students at U.S.C. and gave the group permission to petition for a char­ ter providing that they had university approval, alumni support and provisions for a suitable house.

Through the efforts of Roy E. Naftzger, Sr., Stanford ’02, and many others, a suitable property was located in the fraternity area and a finance campaign was launched to raise $37,500 as soon as possible.

It is an interesting fact that the fifteen undergraduates who finally made up the original colony on that campus came from eleven different colleges across the nation. Beta history was beginning at U.S.C. TH E 108TH GENERAL CONVENTION

Once again the Wooglin clan journeyed to the far northeast for its annual gathering—to Poland Spring House at Poland Spring, Maine

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on September 1-4, 1947. A favorite son of that area and a well known Beta, Lewis O. Barrows, Maine ’16, former governor of Maine, wel­ comed the many Betas, wives and children to the state and was chosen temporary president of the convention.

The theme of the gathering was the multitude of post-war problems which certainly were not peculiar to Beta Theta Pi, but were very real nevertheless and presented a real challenge to the offi­ cers and the undergraduate delegates. The challenge to meet these difficulties was hurled at the Brothers in the opening moments of the convention in the report of General Secretary Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31. Re­ ferring to the rapidly in­ creasing size of many chap­ ters and the conflict be­ tween veterans and non­ veterans, he asked, “Can fraternal life and preserva­ tion of Beta ideals be as­ A Beta Welcome To Maine sured when chapters take Former Governor Lewis O. Barrows, M aine ’16, on the aspect of ‘country (right) welcomes President G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27. Governor Barrows acted as Tem­ clubs’? Can a fraternity porary President of the Convention. whose greatness has been founded upon the closest bonds of friendship, unfaltering fidelity and mutual assistance in the honorable labors and aspirations of life, com­ promise its standards and still maintain its greatness?”

He pointed out that in 1920 the ideal size of a chapter was consid­ ered to be 39. In 1938 the average had risen to 44 and by 1947 it stood at 60. In 1947 there were fifty chapters having more than fifty mem­ bers; eighteen chapters reported a membership of eighty or more with six having over one hundred. These large chapters, of course, were largely the result of war veterans returning, but the continuing growth of pledge classes indicated that this was a progressive trend.

To tackle these and other problems the convention organized itself

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under Convention President Orr Goodson, N ebraska ’26 and Conven­ tion Secretary Lawrence R. Flint, Bow doin ’27, Chief of District II. Brother Goodson was richly deserving of this honor because of his distinguished service as a district chief and, more recently, as Alumni Counselor.

Largest Income on Record. In his report as General Treasurer, Howard A. Law, Pennsylvania ’35, stated that because of the unusually large number of initiates during the first post-war year and because of the adoption of the single membership fee adopted by the previous convention, the general fraternity had enjoyed a record income. The total amount received into the General Fund was $85,400, exceeding expenses by $22,500. He pointed out, however, that such an excess was abnormally high and could not be expected in the years ahead.

In spite of the fact that the Baird Fund possessed assets totalling $468,000 the conservative policy of investment, low rate of return and rising costs of publishing the fraternity magazine made it neces­ sary to transfer funds from the General Fund to make up a deficit. The Fund Trustees voted to transfer some investments from real estate and mortgages to other forms of securities and the Board of Trustees was considering increasing the Baird Fund endowment.

Founders’ Fund assets amounted to a market value of $137,000 with chapter loans amounting to $66,000. Because of gifts during the year, two smaller funds had been set up within the Founders’ Fund to be known as the William B. Parmelee and the Alpha Lambda Chapter Memorial Funds.

A New General Secretary. One of the high points of the convention was a change in the leading administrative office of the fraternity. At the 107th General Convention, Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, had been elected to serve the last year of the term of G. Herbert Smith. It was hoped at that time that he would be able to continue for another full term in the position, but a business opportunity of unusual promise made it necessary for him to ask the convention to elect his successor.

For its most responsible executive office, at a time when problems re­ sulting from the war years were both pressing and troublesome, the fraternity chose Col. Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17, a former Dis­ trict Chief and former Trustee. At the time of his selection Cliff Gregg was one of the foremost citizens of Chicago, Director of the Chicago Museum of Natural History and known throughout the

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Beta world as a loyal and devoted worker for the fraternity. In addi­ tion to the offices which he had held, he had been prominent in Beta alumni organizations in Cincinnati, Boston and Chicago, and was the father of two Beta sons. Col. Gregg saw action in World War I as a lieutenant of infantry, and in World War II he helped to develop the tank destroyer forces at Camp Hood, Texas, and later served as a colonel on the General Staff in Washington.

To succeed Bertram W. Bennett as Vice-President and Trustee, the convention elected Edward M. Brown whose experiences and services were needed and who found that his business responsi­ bilities would permit him to serve in that capacity, even though it was not possible for him to con­ tinue as General Secretary. Thus the fraternity retained valuable ex­ perience and gained an executive officer who was to serve with great ability and distinction.

The New General Secretary The Board Reports. The report Col. Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17, of the Board of Trustees to the con­ Director of the Chicago Museum of Natural History and a former Vicevention gave important informa­ President of Beta Theta Pi. tion as to developments within the fraternity. Among the items reported were the following: 1. Appointment of former District Chief Orr Goodson, N ebraska ’26, to serve as National Alumni Counselor succeeding Sumter D. Marks, Jr., Tulane ’14, who was forced to resign because of the pressure of business.

2. With a view of possible expansion there, the Board of Trustees voted to recommend to the convention that a dispensation be granted the Georgia Tech chapter to initiate men on the cam­ pus of Emory University at Atlanta, Georgia.

3. Announced the appointment of William Scheetz, Jr., Pennsyl­ vania ’34, as Counselor of Chapter Finance.

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4. Requested District Chief Stanley R. Church, W ashington State ’31, to review chapter questionnaires to determine the extent of “Hell Week” practices and substitutes therefor and to make rec­ ommendations to the convention. A second assignment for Brother Church was to prepare a rushing questionnaire to be used with prospective members and the Board authorized the printing of a quantity for chapter use.

5. Requested Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, to make a study of the “Dorg Ceremony” and to make recommendations for an appropriate Dorg legend which could be used generally by the chapters.

6. Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15, was named to the position of Keeper of the Rolls and was authorized to set up a central clerical office which would be of service to the chapters and officers of the fraternity. (This was the beginning of a plan which would ulti­ mately lead to the establishment of the Administrative Office at Oxford, Ohio.)

7. Elected Knowlton Durham, Colum bia ’01, as a Trustee of the Baird Fund to succeed Walter L. Flory, Denison ’03, who had asked to be relieved of the responsibility.

A Charter to Southern California. The commitee on charters recom­ mended the granting of a charter to the petitioning Beta colony at the University of Southern California. Speakers in support of the petition included Burt N. Rogers, U.C.L.A. ’48; Roy E. Naftzger, Jr., Stanford ’47; Elwood T. Starbuck, C hicago ’23 and Stanley R. Church, W ash­ ington State ’31, all of whom felt that the establishment of a chapter there would further strengthen the fraternity. Speaking in opposition was Jas. Maxwell Fassett, C olgate ’18, who contended that the fraternity should not be bigger but better, and should improve its internal condi­ tion before adding additional chapters.

The vote on the petition showed eighty-five chapters voting in favor of granting the charter, four voted in the negative, and two were re­ corded in the negative due to the absence of their delegates. Chapters recorded on the negative side were North Carolina, Virginia, West­ minster, Yale, Cornell (absent) and Oregon State (absent).

Possible expansion in another area was made possible by a vote of the convention permitting the chapter at Georgia Tech to initiate un­

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dergraduates and established a colony on the campus of Emory Univer­ sity. It was recommended that at some future date the Board of Trus­ tees should invite such a group to petition for a charter. The vote for the establishment of the colony showed seventy-five chapters in favor and sixteen opposed.

Convention Tackles Problems. The One Hundred Eighth was a hard working convention. Tossed into its committee sessions were some knotty problems arising from the swollen chapter memberships and conflicts arising from factionalism developing from different viewpoints of veterans and non-veterans. Particularly in the field of pre-initiation practices, there had developed a great difference of opinion in the fra­ ternity as more mature veterans returned to view some of these prac­ tices as childish and beneath the dignity of grown men. Recommen­ dations and actions by convention committees on this and other mat­ ters included: 1. Following the disclosure that in spite of the law of the fraternity prohibiting it, twenty-four chapters still made use of the paddle in pre-initiation programs, the Committee on Pledge Training, under chairman Stanley Church, urged strong action to correct this situation. It recommended that this practice, and similar vio­ lations of the fraternity’s laws, cease immediately and that subse­ quent conventions take disciplinary measures against any chapter still found in violation. Rho chapter at Northwestern was singled out as a chapter which had produced an outstanding manual for the proper training of pledges and it was announced that this manual was available to the other chapters.

2. The Committee on Initiation and Ritual was equally concerned with this problem and in a strongly worded report rebuked the offending chapters for conducting parts of the initiation program outside the chapter houses without the required permission from fraternity officers. They condemned the practice of certain chap­ ters in conducting all-night programs for pledges, subjecting them to physical punishment through degrading practices, and continu­ ing juvenile “Hell Week” activities which had brought discredit to Beta Theta Pi and to the entire fraternity world. They urged the appointment of a special committee by each chapter to survey its own pre-initiation practices and report to the chapter of the

The Trustees At Poland Spring, Maine Left to right: General Treasurer Howard A. Law, Jr., Pennsylvania ’35; General Secretary-Elect Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17; Vice-President Lee B. Thompson, Oklahoma ’25; President G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27; Retiring Vice-President Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20; Vice-President Elmer H. Jennings, Northwestern ’12; Vice-President Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31 (outgoing General Secretary and Trustee-Elect).

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extent to which they conform to the laws of the fraternity and to the recommendations of the 107th and 108th General Conven­ tions. They suggested that if this did not result in reform by the offending chapters, then the 109th Convention should put some teeth into the law.

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further recommend, Mr ij^ B r ed that no chapter JHB should have an inM crease in size greater ■A Treasured Beta Heirloom than 50% of its aver­ The “Pater Knox Golden Wedding Loving Cup” age membership be­ being held by Major George M. Chandler, tween the years of Michigan 1898, Historian of Beta Theta Pi. 1936-1941. The group also urged more contacts between chapters and criticized some of the district chiefs for failure to hold district meetings and to make frequent enough visits to their chapters.

4. A committee recommendation was defeated which would have permitted chapters to allow any married veteran member to be placed on an inactive status. The Committee on Chapters urged that an Officers’ Manual be prepared for the guidance of chapter officers.

The Pater Knox Loving Cup. A fitting climax to the 108th General Convention was the presentation of the Golden Wedding Loving Cup,

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family bible and other memorabilia of Pater Knox to the general fra­ ternity by Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01. In October, 1946 he had received these objects from Mrs. Madge Miller Landsdowne, of Cincinnati, Ohio, widow of John Knox Landsdowne, last surviving grandson of founder John Reily Knox. Otho Lane and Knox Landsdowne were classmates and were initiated on October 10, 1896, in the presence of Pater Knox.

The loving cup had had an interesting history. In 1895 the sixty-one chapters then in the fraternity, gave it to Pater Knox and his wife on the occasion of their Golden Wedding Anniversary. The idea for such a remembrance began at the convention of that year and Francis Shepardson arranged for its purchase, engraving and presentation with a suitable letter from the chapters. Now that loving cup was to become a valued possession of the entire fraternity, first to be used in the Lov­ ing Cup Ceremony following the banquet of the 108th General Con­ vention, then to be returned for safe keeping in Oxford, Ohio and to be brought to each subsequent convention for a similar ceremony.

A L L B E T A FOOTBALL

Early in 1947 George H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, continued the cus­ tom of selecting an All-Beta football team from among the hundreds on varsity squads from coast to coast. The selection covered the fall season of 1946 and in his report Brother Casey noted the large number of returned veterans who had re-entered college in time for participa­ tion in the sport. Several chapters were singled out for special mention due to the number of their members on varsity squads. Three members of the California chapter were in the starting lineup for the big game with Stanford. Stanford chapter had 11 men on the squad while Vanderbilt contributed an equal number of regulars. Lawrence had 14 members or pledges on the varsity and the Washington chapter at Seattle had nine on the squad with five playing regularly. Beloit and Denison also had unusually large representations.

Brother Casey’s selections for the All-Beta first team were: I.e. l.t. l.g. c.

S. A. Gorski, Northwestern ’48 J. G. Goldsberry, Indiana ’49 A. L. Gerometta, W est Point (Illinois) ’48 R. Harris, Texas ’49

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L. W. Steiner, U .C.LA. ’49 F. S. Hamilton, Vanderbilt ’47 W. Smyth, Cincinnati ’47 F. W. Jenkins, Pennsylvania ’47 J. W. Newquist, Oregon ’47 F. L. Provo, W ashington (Seattle) ’48 E. Johnson, U.C.L.A. ’49 D. A. Samuel, Oregon State ’49 P. L. Pihos, Indiana ’47

Selected by a newspaper poll as the “Coach of the Year—1946” was Col. Earl H. Blaik, Miami ’18, West Point Mentor.

N EW D ISTR ICT C H IEFS

Frederic R. Mayo, Darmouth ’37—District I. Robert Goodwin, Rutgers ’43—District V. Donald M. Dougherty, Penn State ’38—District VII. Kermit W. Arnold, DePauw ’37—Reappointed Chief of District XII, following his war service.

J. Rose Cheshire, Jr., Vanderbilt ’34—District XIII. Kermit R. Hansen, N ebraska ’39—District XVII. Hal L. Muldrow, Jr., O klahom a ’28—District XIX. Arthur F. Wheeler, Beloit ’24—District X XIII.

INSTALLATIO N AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

On October 26, 1947, 350 alumni, undergraduates and pledges gathered at the Elks Club in Los Angeles for the installation of Gamma Tau chapter at the University of Southern California. It was a day long looked forward to by Betas in that western area and it brought to­ gether many of the fraternity’s leaders including President G. Herbert Smith, former trustees Morris R. Ebersole, Cincinnati 1898 and Walter Holt, Denison ’13, District Chief Arthur F. Wheeler, Beloit ’24, and the pater of the chapter, Evert L. Stancliff, N ebraska ’13. An indication of the westward movement of population which had been a part of the California picture was the fact that so many of these men who had worked so long for this new chapter had joined Beta Theta Pi at midwestern colleges.

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At the banquet which preceded the presentation of the charter and the initiation, there were addresses by the representatives of the gen­ eral fraternity and by the undergraduate leaders of Gamma Nu chap­ ter at U.C.L.A. and the new group, Gamma Tau. Dr. Rufus Bernard von KleinSmid, chancellor of the University of Southern California, who had been the sponsor of the Beta colony there, presented greet­ ings to the new chapter. Dr. von KleinSmid, a Sigma Chi of distinction, had promoted the interests of the group from the beginning and spoke of the honor which had come to the institution with the granting of a Beta charter.

In the principal address of the evening, President G. Herbert Smith stressed the importance of guarding against imposters who accept the badge of the fraternity but have neither the desire nor the spirit to become good Betas. He welcomed the new chapter as an example of the careful but progressive spirit of expansion which has character­ ized the growth of Beta Theta Pi. For “Morrie” Ebersole, Cincinnati 1898, the event was a second culmination of years of effort by that loyal alumnus to assist in western expansion. Twenty-one years before, in 1926, he had become the “pater” of the new Gamma Nu chapter at U.C.L.A. His efforts to as­ sist in the starting of that group had been long and arduous and now, many years later, his work had been equally sincere in behalf of the new Gamma Tau. Beta expansion has never been engineered from a “headquarters,” chapters have not been “organized” by professional organizers; rather, the fraternity has depended on loyal groups of alumni such as those in southern California to see opportunities for con­ structive expansion and to sow the seed and provide the conditions for healthy growth.

TH E ALUMNI G ET A BREAK

The 108th General Convention, under the stimulus of “Bing” Baily and Max Fassett together with the Committee on Alumni Affairs, directed that the Board of Trustees should select and commission a new officer to be directly responsible to the Board with the mission of looking after alumni affairs. Pursuant to the convention’s direc­ tive, the Board created the position of Alumni Affairs Commissioner

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and named to that office Russell E. Ragan, W abash ’23, formerly Chief of Districts II and XV. The Board also followed the mandate of the convention that it “designate one of its members who shall interest himself particularly in alumni affairs” and named Vice-President Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, former General Secretary, to that responsibility.

Having foreseen the confusion in terminology between “Alumni Counselor” and “Alumni Affairs Commissioner,” the Board changed the former title to “Chief Chapter Counselor,” this title being more descriptive of the work formerly carried on by the “Alumni Coun­ selor.” Taking on the duties of the position called “Chief Chapter Counselor” was Orr Goodson, N e­ braska ’26. He was charged with the supervision of the chapter counselors and chapter alumni with respect to their own active chapters. On the other hand, it was intended that as Alumni Affairs Commissioner, Russell Ragan The New Commissioner would be concerned with the orRussell E. Ragan, W abash 23, newly .

.

appointed Alumni Affairs

Commis-

gamzing and encouraging of Beta sioner of Beta Theta Pi alumni groups, made up of mem­ bers of many different chapters, and with suggesting programs and methods of operation through which they might function more effi­ ciently.

These changes indicated a recognition by the convention and the Board of Trustees of the splendid record of service achieved by the Beta alumni during the war years. It was obvious to all that much of the strength of the fraternity comes from men who carry their love for the brotherhood into their post-school lives and there was a real need to further extend and improve the organizations of these loyal Betas.

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At the DePauw Centennial Top, left: Scene at the registration desk. Top, right: DePauw’s beloved house­ mother, “Nanny” Brooks, conversing with alumni. Middle left: The Centennial initiates, Middle, right: At the initiation banquet. Bottom pictures show some of the alumni singing with N. D. “Doc” Noble, ’29, at the piano.

C E N T E N N IA L A T D E P A U W

A war-postponed celebration of the founding of Delta chapter in 1845 was held at Greencastle, Indiana on October 10-12, 1947 with

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one-third of the living members of the chapter present. Over three hundred gathered for the event which followed a “token” commemora­ tion attended by a few members in the war-torn year of 1945. It was there that plans were first formulated for a celebration later with C. Wendell Martin, DePauw ’39, as general chairman. He and his committee labored strenuously to make the event the most outstanding in Delta’s illustrious history and the result was one of the largest gather­ ings in the history of fraternities at DePauw.

Representing the general fraternity were General Secretary Clif­ ford C. Gregg, former Trustee A. J. G. Priest who delivered the prin­ cipal banquet address, former General Treasurer Warren D. Oakes, 1895, former Trustee Bertram W. Bennett, former District Chief Ker­ mit Arnold, ’37 and the present Chief of District X II, Wendell Mar­ tin, ’39.

The series of anniversary events included an initiation, a presenta­ tion by the alumni of a set of silverware to the chapter in honor of the regaining of a first place in scholarship and the presentation of a gift to Mrs. H. “Nanny” Brooks who had served as Delta housemother since 1934. The Saturday night banquet held in the Gobin Memorial Church was the climax of the celebration and followed a singing march from the chapter house participated in by over two hundred alumni, wives and undergraduates. In a thrilling and moving address A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18, recounted the early history of Delta chapter and its alumni, the record which, as the speaker recalled, caused William Raimond Baird to conclude that the DePauw chapter of Beta Theta Pi had produced more alumni of achievement and distinction than any other chapter of any American college fraternity. He then called upon the undergraduates to continue the ardor, the fervor and the courage of the emotions which characterized the early leaders of Delta chap­ ter. “I am constrained to believe,” he said, “that our somewhat compla­ cent United States of America could use rather more of the fervor which has inspired the men of Delta.”

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV EM EN T — 1947

Among the 48 winners of the first Rhodes Scholarships to be awarded since 1939, were two members of Beta Theta Pi. They were Franklin H. Worland, C olgate ’46, and Charles G. Bolte, Dartmouth ’41.

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Consecrated Bishop of Eastern Oregon, the four hundred and sixtyfifth bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church in the United States, was Lane W. Barton, Ohio State ’21, Kenyon ’22. One of the high church officials in charge of the ceremony was Bishop Stephen E. Keeler, Yale, ’10.

Norris Cotton, W esleyan ’23, elected as a member of the United States Congress from the Second New Hampshire district.

Charles P. Taft, Yale ’18, was the first layman ever to be elected President of the Federal Council of Christ in America.

In the United States Senate, Kenneth S. Wherry, N ebraska 14, was re-elected Republican party whip while in the House of Representa­ tives, Charles A. Halleck, Indiana ’22, became majority House floor leader of the 80th Congress.

William E. Kemp, Missouri ’14, a former District Chief of District X V III in 1922, was elected Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri.

Abe M. Goss, Idaho ’22, was elected to the United States Congress from the First District of Idaho.

Two Betas achieved fame by being named to the All-American basketball team for 1947. They were Edward Koffenberger, D uke ’47, and Anthony “Tony” Lavelli, Jr., Yale ’49.

☆

Progress in M any Areas

☆

1948

THE BETA YEAR OF 1948 was one which brought many changes in the laws and structure of the fraternity and progress in many direc­ tions. At the preceding two general conventions it was quite apparent that there was emphatic sentiment in favor of further expansion, of changes in the laws pertaining to pre-initiation ceremonies and for changes in the administrative structure of the organization. Progressive action in all these fields came during 1948.

NEW D ISTR ICT C H IEFS

Beta Theta Pi has long been the envy of other national fraternities because of the caliber of men which it attracts to its service. This has always been apparent in the men which down through the years have made up the corps of District Chiefs. The following list of appointees to that group in 1948 is of particular interest because from this group came a Vice-President and Trustee, an editor of The B eta Theta Pi, the first Administrative Secretary, a convention president and several others whose terms as District Chiefs were long and distinguished.

Joseph R. Carter, Penn State ’40, appointed Chief of District I to succeed Fred R. Mayo, Dartmouth ’37.

John F. Orsi, C olgate ’32, Chief of District VI. Brother Orsi was an All-American end and captained the football team at Colgate in 1931.

At the time of his appointment he was associated with Bendix Avia­ tion Corp.

Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20, long active in the Washing­ ton, D.C. alumni organization, to be chief of District VIII. Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40, who was destined later to become the first Administrative Secretary, started his official connection with the gen­ eral fraternity as Chief of District XI. Wendell Martin, DePauw ’39, following war service in the Counter 217

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Intelligence Corps, entered law practice in Indianapolis, Indiana and became Chief of District XII. John F. Sembower, Indiana ’34, new Chief of District XIV was a practicing attorney in Chicago and an instructor in journalism and law at the Indiana University ex­ tension center in East Chicago, Indiana.

Paul Van Riper, DePauw ’38, Chief of District XV was, at the time of his appointment, an in­ structor in political science at Northwestern University. This fol­ lowed a distinguished war career during which he served his country New Chief in the Army for four years, includ­ Carroll E. Black, W abash ’28, ap­ ing 21 months in the European pointed Chief of District XVII. Theatre of Operations, winning the coveted Croix de Guerre with silver stars.

Rodger L. Nordbye, Minnesota ’40, after an outstanding record as an undergraduate, graduated from the University of Minnesota magna cum laude and from the Harvard Law School cum laude. While a member of a leading Minneapolis law firm he was appointed Chief of District XVI. Carroll E. Black, W abash ’28, after an active career as an undergrad­ uate, entered business in Des Moines, Iowa and took over the respon­ sibilities as Chief of District XVII. Arthur F. Hughes, W esleyan ’16, assumed the duties of Chief of District X V III after making a distinguished record in Beta alumni work in the St. Louis area.

Samuel Milton Anderson, Jr., O klahom a ’39, became Chief of Dis­ trict XIX. After achieving a noteworthy military record in the 77th Field Artillery in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy he returned to law practice in Oklahoma City.

Dr. Robert C. Shattuck, D enver ’26. This distinguished member of

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the Denver medical profession was the son of a Beta, H. L. Shattuck, D enver 1889, and the nephew of O. F. Shattuck, Denver 1890, both of whom were charter members of Alpha Zeta chapter.

The start of his valuable service to the general fraternity came with his appointment as Chief of Dis­ trict XX.

W A R M E M O R IA L S

By the year 1948, many chapters throughout the Beta world had completed or were planning me­ morials to the members who failed St. Louis Beta Worker to return from service in World Arthur F. Hughes, W esleyan ’16, ap­ War II. Some took the form of pointed Chief of the district including specially designed chapter rooms Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Wash­ ington (St. Louis) and Westminster. while others were the dedication of particular rooms in the chapter house or memorial plaques on or in the house.

At the Ohio State chapter the devotion of a housemother was shown when Mrs. Mary Newman acknowledged her love and condolence to the group through the gift of a bronze plaque, dedicated to the seven members and six pledges of Theta Delta who gave their lives in the war. This was not an unusual gesture for this gracious lady who had been housemother to that chapter for fifteen years. During this period every man who had associated himself with Beta at Ohio State knew “Aunt Mary” and she knew him. Thus it was with grief that she, as well as the chapter, realized that some would never return to their frater­ nity home. To those the memorial plaque was dedicated and their inscribed names will live forever in that house.

At the Lawrence chapter, alumni of the Fox River Valley area, un­ dergraduate members and pledges paid tribute to the six Lawrence Betas who gave their lives in World War II at memorial services in the

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chapter house on Sunday, January 11, 1948. A bronze tablet, bearing the names of the chapter’s honored dead and flanked by their pictures was dedicated. The fund which resulted in the tablet was started by the Mothers’ Club of the chapter and the project was then taken over and completed by the alumni. Dedicatory speaker was the Rev. Dascomb Forbush, the father of two Beta sons and representing the gen­ eral fraternity was Trustee Elmer H. Jennings, Northwestern ’12.

T H E O N E H U N D R E D N IN T H G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

For the second time since the end of the war, Beta’s legions jour­ neyed to the huge but friendly Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich­ igan for the One Hundred Ninth General Convention. It was a large gathering amidst the fog and the mist and sometimes sunshine of the upper Great Lakes. Three hundred eighty-seven Betas were registered plus wives, sons and daughters with nine chapters having ten or more undergraduates on the convention roll; Miami, DePauw, Washington (St. Louis), Wabash, Southern California, Oklahoma, Ohio State, Iowa State and Cincinnati. Nineteen alumni associations had sent delegates.

Although some of the more troublesome problems so evident imme­ diately after the war had begun to ease, the convention met in an atmosphere of expectation and suspense. There were major questions of reorganization, expansion and ritualistic practice handed down from previous gatherings and many members were asking earnestly for ac­ tion in these areas. Before the delegates departed for home there was action—momentous steps were taken which were to affect the entire future of the fraternity. The establishment of a headquarters at Oxford, Ohio, the granting of a new charter and a start toward several others, and legislation concerning pre-initiation practices—these were impor­ tant happenings at the One Hundred Ninth.

Following the selection of Elwood T. Starbuck, C hicago ’23, as tem­ porary president of the convention, President G . Herbert Smith sounded the keynote of the gathering. “At this convention,” he said, “we will place the yardstick of Beta accomplishment alongside our chapters and see how well they measure up. . . . We must find and recognize our weaknesses and we must here gain strength and courage to correct them. We come to kneel at the Beta altar and to renew our vows.” He went on to point out that while Beta was the first fraternity

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to perfect a national organization, there was need to constantly im­ prove the structure so that the organization might remain strong and efficient. He called attention also to the chapters which had given little evidence of their Beta heritage and called upon the delegates to search themselves and ask the question, “Is my chapter a worthy Beta chapter?”

The State of the Fraternity. Honored by being elected permanent convention president was Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, and selected as convention secretary was John F. Sembower, Indiana ’39. Brother Brown announced that serving as parliamentarian would be the Hon. Charles A. Halleck, Indiana ’22, member of the House of Repre­ sentatives of the United States Congress.

A report on the state of the fra­ ternity was given by General Secretary Clifford C. Gregg who, on the positive side, could say that many of the unpleasant effects of the war were receding from chap­ ter life, that the size of chapters was slowly starting back toward ideal figures, and that the youngest chapters in the fraternity were General Secretary doing well. On the negative side Col. Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17, he called attention to the friction who reported on the State of the Fraternity. still existing in some chapters be­ tween veterans and non-veterans, to excessive drinking and poor scholarship evident in some groups and to bad initiation practices which were bringing unfavorable national publicity, useless annoyance to the officers of the fraternity and em­ barrassment to good Betas everywhere.

“In looking ahead,” he said, “we must keep in mind the high ideals of the fraternity. Each chapter must seek to be a contributor to the common good of all chapters. Petty discord must be abandoned in favor of mutual cooperation in the honorable labors and aspirations of

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life. If all our chapters hold fast to the vision unfolded before them, Beta Theta Pi approaches the future with confidence.”

Creation of a New Office—The Administrative Secretary. For many years there had been a growing recognition of the fact that a major change in the administrative structure of the fraternity would soon become necessary. Beta Theta Pi had always prided itself on its ability to attract members to serve as its officers on a non-professional basis.

Although Francis Shepardson had served in a nearly full-time capacity, almost all other officers had worked for the fraternity while holding positions in the professional or business world. As the organization grew in size and complexity, the burdens of such service became ex­ cessive and it had become more and more difficult to obtain the con­ sent of highly qualified members to allow their names to be presented as nominees for such positions as president, general secretary, general treasurer or even for membership on the Board of Trustees.

One serious problem had been the heavy burden of paper work as the number of chapters increased and the problems of guiding a great international organization mounted. Such appointed officers as the Scholarship Commissioner, the Assistant General Treasurer, the Chief Chapter Counselor and the Counselor on Chapter Finance found it ex­ tremely difficult to keep up with chapter correspondence and to pre­ pare duplicated bulletins for the chapters in their homes or offices.

Clearly there was a growing need for a central office, not for the for­ mation of fraternity policy, but a place where much of the paper work of the officers could be done for them, and where the records of the fraternity could be housed—these were now scattered from coast to coast in the homes, offices, basements and attics of the men who had served or who were now serving the fraternity.

It was recognized by the Board that extreme caution should be exer­ cised in making any change so there would be no danger of impairing the traditions of the fraternity. There was complete agreement that Beta Theta Pi had no desire to place itself under control of an “execu­ tive secretary” or create a staff of professional fraternity officials.

After asking the convention to approve the creation of the office of Administrative Secretary, to be selected and be under the supervision of the Board, it was stated, “Let it be clear from the outset that it is not intended that the Adminstrative Secretary be or become the executive officer of the fraternity.” The Board continued to point out that the

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Code clearly designates the General Secretary as the executive officer of the fraternity and that the Adminstrative Secretary would merely handle the routine records, reports, correspondence and other details now so burdensome and time-consuming for general officers. It was pointed out that the Board envisioned the employment of a young Beta in the position with the understanding that it would be a four or five year opportunity to gain valuable experience in administrative work.1 After listening to a long explanation of the needs, safeguards and a suggested plan, the delegates voted their approval of the creation of the office, its location to be at Oxford, Ohio, and empowered the Board to set the salary, choose the man and prescribe his duties. Thus one of the most progressive steps in the modern history of the fraternity was accomplished—a change which resulted in the establishment of the Administrative Headquarters at Oxford and consequences which fully justified the hopes of the Board of Trustees and the One Hundred Ninth General Convention.

Expansion. Sentiment in favor of the further expansion of the frater­ nity had been mounting year by year. The 108th General Convention had directed the Board of Trustees to create a “Special Survey Board of Expansion.” In keeping with this directive the Board appointed such a group consisting of G. Herbert Smith, chairman; George M. Chandler, M ichigan 1898; Bertram Bennett, Knox ’20; Howard Jeffer­ son, Denison ’23; H. H. Wallace, Toronto ’20. The highlights of their report to the 109th General Convention may be summarized as fol­ lows: Expansion by other fraternities since the war had been greater than at any other period. During this time Beta has added three chapters: Duke, Willamette and Southern California and in 1947 granted a dis­ pensation to Georgia Tech to initiate men at Emory University. The committee felt that Beta should continue to resist pressure to expand rapidly and should continue to investigate carefully the area and the institution before considering the granting of a charter. As a result of a survey of the United States and Canada the committee recommended: Southeast— 1, The granting of a charter to the Beta Club of Emory 1 For the complete recommendation of the Board of Trustees with a detailed statement of the scope of the Administrative Secretary’s duties, see Vol. 76, pp. 7173, T he Beta Theta Pi, October, 1948.

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University and 2, the granting of a dispensation to the Vanderbilt chapter to initiate men on the campus of the University of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee.

Southwest—Urged consideration of possible chapters at Southern Methodist University and at University of Arizona and suggested that the fraternity watch fraternity development at Louisiana State and the University of Arkansas.

Rocky Mountain Area—The committee felt that our present chap­ ters serve the fraternity’s needs but felt that the University of Mon­ tana and the University of Wyoming were still worthy of observa­ tion.

East, North and Central West—Urged the fraternity to give early consideration to a local group at Michigan State University which is seeking a charter and which has the support of Betas in the area.

West—The committee noted the numerous teachers colleges in Cali­ fornia which had been expanded into state universities but did not feel that such additions would strengthen the fraternity.

Canada—The survey group investigated the universities of Alberta, Dalhousie, McGill, Manitoba and Western Ontario but considered only Western Ontario as offering an immediate opportunity for expansion north of the border.

As a result of this report and recommendations and of its own stud­ ies, the Committee on Charters recommended the granting of a char­ ter to the Beta colony at Emory University. Representing the petition­ ing group were Clarke B. Weeks, Jr., Florida ’42, Emory ’49; Robert T. Cain, Emory ’49 and John T. Sparkman, Emory ’52. Speaking in be­ half of the potential chapter were representatives of the Georgia Tech chapter and Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02, who had visited the campus for the Board of Trustees. The roll call vote showed only Virginia voting in the negative and the Emory charter was granted.

A further recommendation called for the approval of a dispensa­ tion to the Vanderbilt chapter to initiate students at the University of the South with the view of establishing a Beta colony there so that a petition for a charter might be presented to a subsequent conven­ tion. Reports were given by G. Herbert Smith and by Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22, who had visited the campus. After considerable de­ bate concerning the fraternity system and the type of student found

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on the campus, the convention voted in favor of the dispensation, the only negative votes being cast by California, Lehigh, Virginia and Washington and Lee. The Convention was then asked to approve the action of the Board of Trustees in providing for the presentation of a petition at the next convention (the 110th) by the Beta Tau Society at Michigan State College. A number of delegates objected to this delay but it was pointed out that the mandate of the previous two conventions had required the Board to direct its attentions first to the South and that by the time this had been accomplished there was not time to conform to Code requirements so far as a Michigan State petition was concerned. With this explana­ tion the delegates voted approval of the recommendation.

In further expansion action, the convention approved colonization at Southern Methodist University and urged the Board of Trustees to proceed with efforts to establish Ohio Leader a Beta chapter at one of the recom­ George M. Brown, Ohio ’31, devoted mended Canadian universities.

Chief of District IX which included A West Coast Incident. The five Ohio chapters. convention received a complete report of an unfortunate occurrence at one of the west coast chapter houses resulting in national publicity most unfortunate to Beta Theta Pi. The incident involved a statement by a pledge that he was resigning his pledgeship because he had been told that he would be required to eat a portion of the flesh of a dog. The chapter was accused of killing a dog for that purpose.

In the course of a legal hearing the chapter admitted that a dog had been brought to the chapter house but stated that it had later been released and had run away. The pledge admitted that he had not seen the body of a dog at any time. In spite of the efforts of District Chief

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Arthur F. Wheeler and the other officers and alumni to present the true facts, there was an immediate flood of newspaper and radio news stories of a sensational nature from coast to coast.

Aside from the dog incident, there was further evidence that the chapter had violated the laws of the fraternity by conducting part of its initiation program outside the chapter house, and by engaging in pre-initiation practices which had been declared illegal by the frater­ nity. The Board therefore had re­ moved the charter from the chapter and had placed it on probation pending complete agreement that it would conform to the laws of Beta Theta Pi and would also agree to certain requirements of the univer­ sity. The report to the convention indicated that all of these require­ ments having been met, the charter had been restored.

It was ironical that this incident should have come at this particular time because it had a dramatic effect on an effort at this convention to obtain approval of a new “WoogWest Coast Chief lin Ceremony.” Major George M. Arthur F. Wheeler, B eloit ’24, Chief Chandler had been commissioned of District X X III which included the by the previous convention and by three California chapters. the Board of Trustees to write a ceremony which would become the official pre-initiation ceremony of the fraternity to replace the many varieties being used by the various chapters based on the legend of “Wooglin and his Dog.” The ma­ jority on the Committee on Initiation and Ritual under Chairman W. F. Loveless, Denison ’25, recommended approval of the Chandler ceremony but proposed that its use be left as optional by the chapters.

A minority group under the leadership of James M. Ratcliffe, Chicago ’46, submitted a report condemning such approval and stating that any ceremony might be abused and that the way to prevent such occur­ rences as that which had taken place on the west coast was to eliminate

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such pre-initiation ceremonies completely. After a long and heated debate, the minority report was adopted by a vote of 57-48 and ap­ proval of the ceremony was withheld.

Thus while it appeared from the actions of the Board and of recent conventions that there was a growing demand that the fraternity rid itself of childish practices which had brought discredit on the organiza­ tion, it was also clear that it would be very difficult to obtain ap­ proval of any uniform pre-initiation ceremony. The opposition seemed to come from some chapters whose ceremonies were unobjectionable and were steeped in historical tradition—these groups resisted any move which might ultimately become compulsory and would take away a valued chapter custom. They were joined by those who resist any effort by the general fraternity to legislate in an area which they believe should be left to chapter discretion.

The debate on these matters had its influence on the legislation which was finally adopted. Section 97 of Chapter VII of the Laws was amended: To eliminate all mention of the Wooglin ceremony, to prescribe the permissible forms of initiation and to provide ways in which chapters might obtain permission to use other forms of pre­ initiation ceremonies. Many delegates expressed disappointment that the void left by the elimination of the officially recognized ceremony had not been filled, but there was little doubt that it was the intent of the convention to prevent any reoccurrence of the incident on the west coast. There was an awareness that the public relations of Beta Theta Pi and of the entire fraternity movement had become a matter of great concern to all members.

Election of General Fraternity Officers. The terms of two officers having expired, it became the responsibility of the 109th General Con­ vention to elect a president to succeed G. Herbert Smith and a vicepresident to replace Lee B. Thompson. In its report the Committee on General Fraternity Officers pointed out how fortunate the frater­ nity had been to obtain the loyal services of outstanding men and nominated G. Herbert Smith for another term as president. The con­ vention unanimously approved him for the term 1948-1951.

For vice-president the delegates selected Elwood T. Starbuck, Chi­ cago ’23, a former district chief, a former convention president and presently serving as president of the San Francisco alumni association.

He was elected for the term 1948-1951. “Star,” as he was known to

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countless Betas, had also been honored as temporary president of the convention and had served ably as Chairman of the Charters Com­ mittee.

Slipping Scholarship. The report of Scholarship Commissioner Earl Sneed, Jr., O klahoma ’34, at the 1947 convention and again at the 1948 gathering showed the deplorable state of fraternity scholarship from a national viewpoint. Of the 59 member fraternities belonging to the N.I.C., only 16 exceeded the national all-men’s average for the school year 1947-1948. Only 690 or 37.5% of the 1,842 chapters of these groups could exceed the academic standing of the average male stu­ dent on those campuses.

Beta Theta Pi was the only large national fraternity to exceed the national all-men’s average but was able to accomplish it by only 7/100th of one percent, and while preserving a sixteen-year record for exceeding the average, could take little satisfaction in that ac­ complishment. In fact, the records The New Trustee showed an alarming slide in Beta Elwood T. Starbuck, Chicago ’23. chapter achievements scholasti­ cally. In the first post-war year that adequate records were kept (19461947), 50% of the chapters exceeded the all-men’s average. In 1947-1948 this figure had slipped to 46% and plainly something had to be done.

Other national organizations were determined to end the Beta scho­ lastic supremacy and ATO and Sigma Chi, as well as others, had re­ cently passed strict legislation governing the grade standing of prospec­ tive members and threatening loss of charters by chapters which continued to pull down the fraternity standing.

After considering this situation and interviewing representatives of many chapters in the scholastic doldrums, the Committee on Scholar­ ship made a number of recommendations. It singled out the Dartmouth

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chapter as deserving convention action and recommended that this group be placed on probation for one year. It was pointed out that this chapter had not exceeded the all-men’s average in 14 of the past 16 years and in the present school year was ranked 20th among 20 fra­ ternities on that campus. The committee further recommended that unless during the probationary period the chapter could raise its stand­ ing to at least one point above the average, the Board of Trustees should consider revoking its charter. After considerable debate the delegates voted approval of the committee’s recommendations.

The convention was also critical regarding a number of other chap­ ters whose records for many years showed a habit for poor scholastic achievement. A set of rules pertaining to study habits in the house, in­ vestigation of the scholastic standing of rushees and the organization of chapter scholarship committees was approved. There was real con­ cern that one of the great traditions of Beta Theta Pi was in danger and there was a determination that the record must be improved before the next convention.

Law Reports on Finances. General Treasurer Howard A. Law, Pennsylvania ’35, reported that assets in the General Fund totalled $115,890. He pointed out that initiations had been fewer than expected (1,813 rather than 2,030) but expenses were $9,100 lower than budg­ eted with a result of an unexpended income of $2,400. The Baird Fund, he stated, showed total assets of $501,400 at market value but that the income had been insufficient to cover the total publication costs of the magazine. Consequently, funds were being shifted into higher yield securities and the magazine was being curtailed and modified. The market value of the assets of the Founders Fund was reported to be $140,500.

James L. Gavin Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Board of Trustees was empowered by the convention to transfer $5,000 from the General Fund to the Founders Fund for the creation of a memorial fund to be known as the “James L. Gavin Memorial Scholarship Fund.” It was hoped that this sum would serve as a beginning of an expanding pro­ gram of establishing scholarships for worthy members of the fraternity.

It would serve as an aid to such men and as a memorial to the man who served forty-one years as General Treasurer of Beta Theta Pi. In granting approval for the establishment of the fund, the conven­

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tion provided that it should be administered by the Board of Trustees; that if possible the awards should not go to men in the same chapter until all chapters had been so honored and that candidates should have the recommendation of the chapter, the chapter counselor and the district chief.

The Board announced the election of Edmond B. Stofft, Knox ’20, of Chicago as Trustee of the Baird Fund to succeed A. J. G. Priest whose term had expired. It also announced the election of Ford R. Weber, Denison ’21, of Toledo, Ohio as Trustee of the Founders Fund to succeed John L. Baker whose term had expired.

Convention Highlights. One of the features of the convention was a stirring tribute paid to one of the great Betas of all time, Willis O. Robb, Ohio W esleyan 1879, by A. J. G. Priest at an evening gather­ ing. This memorable address was the third of a series which had be­ gun at the 1946 convention when Brother Priest’s subject was Pater Knox and was followed in 1947 with Convention Speaker a tribute to Francis W. Shepardson.2

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The opening remarks at the conven-

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tion banquet were given by Charles A. Halleck, Indiana ’22, a member of Congress and the principal ad­ dress was given by the Rev. Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22. Speaking for the undergraduates was Douglas Peters, N ebraska ’50.

T H E E M O R Y IN S T A L L A T IO N

On November 23, 1948, Beta Theta Pi “returned” to Emory Uni­ versity as Gamma Upsilon chapter. The word “returned” may not be 2 The series of ten addresses was published in 1956 under the title of T he Great Ones.

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exactly correct but at one time there had been a chapter of the Mystic Seven there, before the unification of that group with Beta Theta Pi. Thus, many regarded Emory as a place where it was right for Beta to be and the occasion of the installation of the new chapter brought offi­ cers, alumni and undergraduates from all the corners of Betadom.

In charge of the ceremonies was President G. Herbert Smith who said, “We believe that we are interested in the same ideals and educa-

At the Emory Installation President G. Herbert Smith addressing the banquet guests.

tion which Emory has upheld so magnificently for so many years in this part of the country, and so in joining hands in a small part with Emory, we hope to be able to add to the educational effectiveness of the work with the young people who come to this great university.”

Responding for Emory, President Goodrich C. White (a member of Chi Phi fraternity) replied, “There have been at least a few of us connected with Emory who for a good many years have wished that we might have a chapter of Beta Theta Pi. There are personal reasons why some of us have been interested in that possibility and there are reasons of a less personal sort growing out of our realization of the fine prestige that this fraternity has in the fraternity and academic

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world, leading us to feel that, as President Smith has so generously suggested, Beta Theta Pi and Emory belong together.”

The ceremonies had begun with a unique event—the reactivation of the Chapel of the Sword of the Mystic Seven, carried out by Karl W. Fischer, Indiana ’25, who had written extensively of that early group of chapters which became a part of Beta Theta Pi. The under­ graduate members of the group at Emory were initiated into that order first, followed by the formal initiation into Beta Theta Pi with President Smith taking the leading part in the ritual. Thus was culmi­ nated a series of events which began when four Beta transfer students on the Emory campus formed the nucleus of a Beta club which is now Gamma Upsilon chapter.

A M O N G B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 4 8

Dr. George B. Galloway, W esleyan ’20, was the author of the au­ thoritative book on the organization, functions and traditions of the Congress of the United States, Congress at the Crossroads. Brother Galloway was the son of Franklin A. Galloway, W esleyan 1892, one of the charter members of Mu Epsilon chapter.

Clyde S. Martin, DePauw ’05, was elected national president of the Society of American Foresters. At the time of his election he was chief forester of the Weyerhaeuser Timber Co., Tacoma, Washington.

Philip Young, St. Law rence ’31, was appointed to the Deanship of Columbia University’s School of Business Administration. Phil Young is the son of Owen D. Young, St. Law rence 1894.

An item in The B eta Theta Pi for March, 1948 opened with this state­ ment: “If, and when, the Territory of Hawaii becomes the 49th state of the Union, it will be due to the efforts of one man more than any other. That man is Joseph R. Farrington, W isconsin ’19, Delegate to Congress from Hawaii.” Unfortunately Brother Farrington did not live to see the culmination of his efforts but certainly his zeal as Dele­ gate and as publisher of the Honolulu Star Bulletin had much to do with Hawaii winning statehood in 1959.

David F. Crossen, W ashington and L ee ’31, received the “St. Louis Award” for his work in having 7,000 acres of the Weldon Spring Ord­ nance Works area in Missouri set aside for development into a game refuge and recreation region.

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Philip R. Mather, Yale ’16, was serving his third year as president of the National Health Council.

Major Gen. Harry C. Ingals, N ebraska ’10, U.S.A. (ret.) was elected president of R.C.A. Communications, Inc., a firm specializing in international radio communication.

James B. Herndon, Jr., Missouri ’20, was vice-president and treasurer of Hilton Hotels Corporation.

William T. Gossett, Utah ’25, was vice-president and general counsel of Ford Motor Co. H. Lawrence Miller, Jr., Kansas ’46, was selected as a Rhodes Scholar from the University of Kansas.

Arthur W. Towne, California ’16, vice-president and manager of Blake, Moffitt & Towne, San Francisco paper distributors, was chosen president of the National Paper Trade Association.

Expansion and Internal Development

*

[949

THE 1949 YEARBOOK of the Fraternity, issued as Special No. 2 of T he B eta Theta Pi for April, 1949 showed the undergraduate mem­ bership in ninety-three chapters, Gamma Upsilon at Emory having been added since the last previous list. The chapter rolls for the school year of 1948-1949 contained the names of 3,755 undergraduates who had been listed in previous years and the names of 1,794 new initiates, making a total of 5,549.

It was this group of young men who had assumed the responsibility of carrying on and furthering the ideals and principles of the fraternity and the record shows that in almost every corner of Betadom they proved a credit to the brotherhood. Beta Theta Pi retained its first place position scholastically among the leading old-line fraternities; in rushing the high quality of men who donned the pledge button was maintained; the alumni continued to show their lifetime devotion to the fraternity through tangible gifts which made possible more scholar­ ships and new chapter houses; and the association made progress through the improvement of its internal structure, shown by the estab­ lishment of an Administrative Headquarters.

Nineteen forty-nine, on the whole, was a year of progress and achievement. The year brought its problems too, as here and there chapters still engaged in activities which brought discredit on the fra­ ternity. Social drinking, which had increased rapidly in all facets of society, began to have its effect on college campuses and where ex­ cessive use of liquor was permitted there was often trouble. Distasteful pre-initiation practices were still to be found in some Beta chapters and often resulted in unfortunate publicity and poor public relations.

During the year these problems were faced by the fraternity officers and by the general convention. Sincere members were determined that all who wore the badge and all chapters would have to choose between maintaining the ideals and principles of the brotherhood and their right to be a part of Beta Theta Pi. 234

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NEW DISTRICT CHIEFS The corps of twenty-four district chiefs continued to render dis­ tinguished service as its members visited chapters, counseled with the officers and served as the eyes and ears of the general secretary. As men were forced to retire because of family or business pressure, others were ready to carry on.

General Secretary Clifford C. Gregg announced the following new appointments: District I—Harry M. Easton, Pennsylvania ’26, had served the fraternity in many capacities, and was secretary of the board of trustees of the New England As­ sociation of Beta Theta Pi at the time of his appointment. Brother Easton was destined for distin­ guished service as a district chief and later as a member of the Board of Trustees.

District III—Worth Probst, St. Law ren ce ’29, senior partner of Worth Probst and Associates of Rochester, New York to succeed New Chief Harry M. Easton, Pennsylvania ’26, Richard Harriman, Jr. New England Beta worker, is ap­ District IV—Charles E. Dykes, pointed Chief of District I. Cornell ’36. Although “Charlie” Dykes had been active in Beta affairs since his initiation, this marked his first official connection with the general fraternity. His service was to extend through a number of years as district chief and finally to an outstanding term as General Treasurer.

District V I—Magnus H. Corin, Penn State ’39, associated with Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. in Media, Pennsylvania.

District V II—Norman B. Ward, C olum bia ’13, long active in alumni activities in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area.

District X III—Clyde M. Kennedy, Jr., Georgia T ech ’23. With the addition of the new Emory chapter, it became necessary to divide the old District X III and Brother Kennedy became the first chief of a dis­

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trict which included Emory, Florida and Georgia Tech.

District XIV—W. Ford Reese, Tulane ’39, became chief of the other new district which included Mississippi, Tulane and Vanderbilt.

District XX—Charles E. Long, Jr., W ashington and L e e ’32, attorney of Dallas, Texas.

District X X III—Clarence R. White, Oregon State ’32, engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Corvallis, Oregon and active in Beta alumni work.

C O U N S E L IN G S E R V IC E S F O R U N D E R G R A D U A T E S

In the years which followed World War II, Beta alumni in many metropolitan areas responded to the need for assisting the younger members of the fraternity to find satisfactory places in the business or professional worlds. In some cities the arrangements were quite similar to employment bureaus with a central person or committee referring job-seeking Betas to alumni in the area who might have positions available. In other centers, however, there was a realization that merely finding a member a job was inadequate and that a plan involving more counseling and a greater effort to fit the applicant into the right job was preferable. Such a plan was developed in St. Louis and was called the Beta Counseling Service. Sixteen alumni representing a wide variety of businesses and professions made up a panel and meetings were held during which members of the panel spoke on various aspects of job seeking, followed by a period during which undergraduates could have consultations with alumni present.

These gatherings in St. Louis were so successful that they were held monthly and plans were made to conduct several at points outside the city so that members of other chapters in the district could benefit.

BETA ATH LETES

Early in 1949, George H. Casey, Bowdoin ’19, announced his se­ lections for an all-Beta basketball team of 1948. This squad included two players who had been selected on the official Helms All-American first team and several others who had been placed on various all­ conference teams: Forward—Anthony Lavelli, Jr., Yale ’49 (All-American)

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Forward—John D. Hopper, Dickinson ’48 Forward—Charles E. Hanger, California ’48 Forward—Morley P. Thompson, Stanford ’48 Center—Thomas B. Hamilton, Texas ’49 Center—Richard J. Harmon, Kansas State ’50 Guard—Andrew P. Wolfe, California ’48 (All-American) Guard—Joseph L. Bradley, O klahom a A i r M ’ 49 Guard—William Taylor, W ashington (Seattle) ’48 Guard—James M. Coleman, Dartmouth ’48

A CENTURY AT BROWN

Kappa chapter at Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island celebrated its centennial with fitting ceremonies on April 29-May 1,1949.

Under the direction of chairman Gordon Allen, ’50, the three-day list of events included an initiation, an informal reception at the chap­ ter house, an alumni banquet and formal dance. Principal speaker at the banquet held at Wayland Manor in Providence was former trustee A. J. G. Priest and bringing the greetings of the General Secretary was District Chief Harry M. Easton, Pennsylvania ’26.

In keeping with tradition, Kappa chapter commemorated the event with a money gift to Brown University and accepting on behalf of the institution was Dean of the University Samuel Arnold.

T H E ONE HUNDRED T E N T H GENERAL CONVENTION

One of the most beautiful areas along the route of the “California Zephyr” as it winds its way through the Colorado Rockies is Glenwood Canyon. It was to this spot that Betas from all parts of the conti­ nent found their way in early September, 1949 for the One Hundred Tenth General Convention. The scene was the historic Hotel Colorado at Glenwood Springs and present were 428 Betas who, plus wives, sons, daughters and guests made up a total registration of 505. Thirty alumni associations were represented by credited delegates and ten chapters had ten or more undergraduates present: Cincinnati, Colo­ rado, Colorado College, Denison, Denver, DePauw, Iowa State, Miami, Ohio State and Westminster. The temporary president was for­ mer district chief George M. Brown, Ohio ’31, and honored with the

The Colorado Hotel, Glenwood Springs, Colorado

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permanent presidency of the convention was Dexter J. Tight, D eni­ son ’12. Chosen as convention secretary was Paul P. Van Riper, DePauw ’38, Chief of District XVI. In his opening address President G. Herbert Smith pointed to the fact that Beta was returning to the Rocky Mountain area for the first time in twenty-one years, the convention of 1928 having met at the Broadmoor Hotel near Colorado Springs. In reviewing the “state of the fraternity” he paid tribute to the many Beta chapters holding lead­ ing positions on their campuses, but spoke with disappointment of those who were “smugly self-satisfied with mediocrity.” Even worse, he pointed out, a few chapters had engaged in activities which held up the name of the fraternity to public shame.

Such adverse publicity had not been confined to Beta chapters only, but had been caused by acts of chapters of other leading fraternities as well, bringing discredit on the entire fra­ ternity world.

Singled out for special com­ Convention Officers mendation among Beta chapters by Convention Secretary Paul P. Van President Smith were those at Kan­ Riper, DePauw ’38, (left) and Conven­ sas, Ohio State, Illinois, British tion President Dexter J. Tight, Deni­ Columbia, Colorado Mines, Car­ son ’12. negie Tech, Washington and Lee and Cincinnati. Reviewing the records of these outstanding groups, he called upon all chapters, and particularly those suffering from medi­ ocrity, to be more selective in choosing the kind of men who would uphold rather than destroy the standing and reputation of Beta Theta Pi. In his report, General Secretary Clifford C. Gregg continued the dis­ cussion of the unfortunate episodes which had brought discredit upon the fraternity. As the chief administrative officer, he had been closely involved in these affairs and spoke with great feeling about the harm which they had done. He pointed out that hazing episodes in

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chapters of other fraternities at Dartmouth and Brown had brought to a head the smoldering anti-fraternity feeling which had existed in many areas.

In reviewing the acts which had brought discredit on Beta Theta Pi he stated that they had, in most instances, resulted from excessive use of liquor. “This is not,” he said, “a matter which can be legislated upon by the general fraternity because of the difference in rules on var­ ious campuses. At those colleges where liquor is permitted in fraternity houses, the general fraternity must rely on the individual chapter and its members to conduct themselves as gentlemen.”

He referred to the low state of fraternity scholarship as compared to that of non-fraternity men and pointed out that this was adding to the discredit of the entire fraternity movement. Beta, he reported had for the 16th consecutive year surpassed the national all-men’s average but by only seven tenths of 1%.

The Board Reports. Resulting from a busy administrative year, the Board of Trustees reported these important developments: 1. Appointments: Counselor on Chapter Finance—Albert L. McPherrin, Northwest­ ern ’35.

Chief Chapter Counselor—Kermit W. Arnold, DePauw ’37.

Vice-President in Charge of Alumni Affairs—Elwood T. Starbuck, C hicago ’23. (Thus after only a two year trial the Board discon­ tinued the separate office of Alumni Affairs Commissioner and reverted to the former practice of designating a member of the Board to supervise alumni affairs.)

2. Changes in districts—these were made necessary by the addition of the Emory chapter.

District X III—now includes Florida, Emory and Georgia Tech.

District XIV—Vanderbilt, Mississippi and Tulane.

3. As instructed by the 109th General Convention, the Board had considered the publication of a new and elaborate brochure for use in rushing and in the training of pledges. Because funds were not available and because the book, Son o f the Stars, served the same purpose, it was voted not to proceed.

4. As recommended by the 109th General Convention, a rushing pamphlet had been prepared for use by the chapters.

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5. The Los Angeles alumni under Evert Staneliff, N ebraska 13, were authorized to conduct a song contest among Beta chapters through the use of phonograph records.

An Administrative Office and Secretary. The dreams of many mem­ bers and efforts covering a long expanse of years were realized with the announcement by the Board of Trustees of the purchase of property at Oxford, Ohio as the location of the new Administrative Headquarters of the fraternity. The two-story brick structure, known as the Powell property, adjoined that of the Alpha chapter, thus forming a pleasing and appropriate grouping of Beta structures at the birthplace of the fraternity. The structure had originally been a private residence but, more recently, had been the headquarters office of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, and thus had been equipped with a vault which would be valuable as a storage space for valuable documents. The building was in sound condition but would require some remodel­ First Administrative Secretary ing to suit it to the fraternity’s use Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40, Former and the Board also announced Chief of District XI. plans to furnish it with appro­ priate early American furniture and fittings in keeping with the Colonial style architecture on the Miami campus. Plans were also an­ nounced to equip the office with the most modern equipment includ­ ing duplicating machines, filing cabinets for mailing list stencils and fireproof cabinets for the storage of fraternity records.

Of equal importance was the announcement of the appointment of the first Administrative Secretary. He was Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40, whose selection was made under the rules and terms of employment laid down by the 109th General Convention. Brother Fey was an ad­ mirable choice, having served his chapter in all its important offices and having made a distinguished record as a district chief. He fitted the

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qualifications specified by the previous convention in that he was young, he regarded the position as an opportunity to gain valuable business experience and he possessed the talents necessary to organ­ ize the office and create an instrumentality for service to the frater­ nity. Time would prove that the Board had chosen wisely and well.

A Need for More Income. In his annual report General Treasurer Howard A. Law pointed out that because of heavier than expected expenses in setting up the fraternity mailing list in the new Administra­ tive Office, and because of heavier than expected expenses of the 1948 convention, the General Fund had operated at a deficit of $2,030 during the past year. He reminded the delegates that he had warned previous conventions that the abnormally high return on investments immedi­ ately after the war could not be expected to continue and this change in trend had begun to appear. He also pointed out that the demand for increased services to the chapters and to members was placing a heavy burden on the resources of the fraternity and that an increase in income was now required.

The General Treasurer announced that the Board of Trustees was recommending an increase in the membership fee from $30 to $35 plus $10 to the Baird Fund or a total of $45 for each initiate. After this recommendation had been referred to the proper committee and had received the approval of that group, it was approved by the general convention.

In discussing the Baird Fund, Brother Law revealed its present as­ sets as $463,911, the income from which was used to publish the fra­ ternity magazine. By transferring funds to common stocks, the income had been increased from $14,330 in 1946-1947 to $22,360 in 1948-1949, thus reducing the annual deficit for publishing T he B eta Theta Pi from $17,071 to $8,662. The Board, he said, hoped to further reduce the deficit but he pointed out that high returns on investments could not always be expected and that if publication costs continued to rise and if the quality of the magazine was to be maintained, an increase in the Baird Fund endowment would be necessary.

The report also revealed that the assets of the Founders Fund amounted to $168,846 with chapter house loans totalling $78,111.

Expansion in the North and the South. The Beta colony at the Uni­ versity of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee appeared at the convention seeking a charter and was represented by five Brothers who had been

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initiated by the Vanderbilt chapter: William B. Patterson, ’52, James D. Russell, ’52, Stuart F. Gast, Jr., ’52, John R. Good, ’52 and Lacy Harwell, ’50. After interviewing these Brothers and representatives of nearby chapters, the Committee on Charters recommended that a charter be granted and this received unanimous approval by the convention.

The Committee also recommended the granting of a charter to the Beta Tau Society at Michigan State College, Lansing, Michigan, with the stipulation that: In view of the current scholastic standing of the petitioning group, should the charter be granted, no one may be initi­ ated for a period of three years whose scholastic average was below the composite published all-men’s average for the two preceding quarters. Representing the Beta Tau Society were Ralph Lee, Presi­ dent, David L. Thorne, Lewis E. Legg and Donald R. Hibbert.

It was explained to the convention that the Committee on Charters felt that the scholastic stipulation was one which should be used in connection with all new chapters and after this explanation the dele­ gates voted unanimously to grant the charter.

The convention also voted approval of a dispensation permitting the Texas chapter to initiate students at Southern Methodist University for the purpose of forming a Beta colony and that upon approval by the Board of Trustees a petition for a charter should be presented to a sub­ sequent convention.

Disciplinary Action. As indicated by the reports of the president and general secretary, the most serious problem confronting the fraternity had to do with the unfortunate actions of certain chapters and the ques­ tion as to how these should be dealt with. The facts in these cases were presented to the Committee on Undergraduate Relationships and that group reported, “We believe that many of our difficulties stem from the excessive and uncontrolled use of alcoholic beverages. Each chapter is responsible for the control and reduction of both individual and group drinking.” The report continued by pointing out the Code re­ quirement that chapters shall abide by the rules and regulations of the institutions where they are located and recommended that any fla­ grant violation of this law should result in an immediate investigation by fraternity officials. The committee also recommended, with conven­ tion approval, that if the Board of Trustees found the charges valid, it should:

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a. Subject any individuals concerned to disciplinary action which may include expulsion, and/or b. Place the chapter concerned on a probationary status and c. Hold that chapter’s charter pending the action of the next general convention.

After hearing the evidence regarding incidents involving two chap­ ters, the convention voted approval of placing their charters in the hands of the Board of Trustees. The recommendation accompanying this action was that the Board should retain the charters pending an improvement in the situations or, lacking this, until it might call for the revocation of the charters at a subsequent convention.

More on Initiation Practices. Acting on reports from the general officers of the continuation of pre-initiation practices by certain chap­ ters which were bringing discredit on the good name of the fraternity, the convention then made some changes in the laws governing such ceremonies. The previous convention had voted down an effort to ob­ tain approval of an official pre-initiation ceremony and had revised Section 97 of Chapter VII of the Laws to eliminate all mention of the Wooglin ceremony, to prescribe the permissible forms of initiation and to provide ways in which chapters might obtain permission to use other forms of pre-initiation ceremonies. Now the 110th Convention changed this same part of the Laws (now Sec. I of Chapter IX in the revised edition of the Code) to give to the District Chiefs the power to grant or refuse permission to conduct any ceremony not specifically men­ tioned. Such decisions by the District Chiefs could be appealed to the Board of Trustees.

The 110th Convention also re-opened the controversial question of an official pre-initiation ceremony. It instructed the Board of Trustees to appoint a committee, under George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, as chairman, to draw up a uniform pre-initiation rituai based on Brother Chandler’s Wooglin ceremony but eliminating the use, actual or sym­ bolic of any animal as a part of the ritual. The convention also sug­ gested that the committee give consideration to the Kansas Dragon Ceremony as used by the Kansas chapter but voted down an effort to obtain approval of the Kansas ceremony as an official ritual. The com­ mittee was instructed to complete the new ceremony in time so that it could be supplied to the chapters by January 15, 1950. It was hoped that chapters which gave it a trial could report their findings to the 111th General Convention. All of this was accomplished only after

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heated debate and it was still clear that a large number of chapters re­ garded their own pre-initiation ceremonies as unobjectionable and that because such rituals were steeped in tradition and history, they would be given up only after a hard struggle. The fraternity was still without a uniform ritual and the battle was merely postponed until the next convention.

Code Revision. A Commission authorized by the 109th General Convention to review and revise the Code of Beta Theta Pi includ­ ing the Constitution and the Laws reported to the 110th. The group under A. J. G. Priest, chairman, was composed of twelve alumni members who through their pro­ fessional experience and long service to the fraternity were emi­ nently qualified to revise the Code of 1929. Included in their recom­ Two Beta Veterans mendations were changes which Left: Frank M. Lay, Amherst 1893, would bring the original incor­ Knox 1893, who celebrated his 60th poration record into conformance year as a Beta at the convention, and Robert (Bob T.) Thompson, Minnesota with the requirements of Ohio law 1895, who was attending his 39th Beta and many slight changes which convention. did not alter the substance but im­ proved the order and organization of the document. The official name of the corporation was changed from “The Beta Theta Pi Fraternity” to “Beta Theta Pi” in conformity with the custom of the past fifty years.

The official place of location of the corporation was changed from Cin­ cinnati, Ohio to Oxford, Ohio.

In approving the newly revised Code, the Convention paid tribute to Chairman A. J. G. Priest and to the following for their work on this important assignment: Peter Gunnar, Chicago ’47; Ben C. Grosscup, Jr., W ittenberg ’48; James M. Ratcliffe, Chicago ’49; and Dexter C. Tight, Denison ’48.

Election of General Officers. It became the responsibility of the 110th General Convention to elect officers to replace Vice-President Elmer H.

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Jennings, Northwestern ’12 and General Treasurer Howard A. Law, Jr., Pennsylvania ’35, whose terms had expired.

For Vice-President the delegates approved Earl Sneed, Jr., Okla­ hom a ’34, a Beta son and a professor of law at Oklahoma University.

At the time of his election Brother Sneed was Acting Dean of the Okla­ homa Law School and was serv­ ing as Scholarship Commissioner of Beta Theta Pi. For General Treasurer the Com­ mittee on Election of General Fraternity Officers recommended the re-election of Howard A. Law and the delegates paid tribute to his fine record in the office by unanimously concurring.

The North Dakota Award. This plaque which was presented to the General Fraternity by the North Dakota chapter in 1933 had been awarded each year since to the chapter judged to have the most outstanding chapter publica­ tion. Up to 1949 the award had New Trustee been won by nine different chap­ Earl Sneed, Jr., O klahoma ’34, was ters, DePauw having achieved the the newly elected Trustee and also distinction on six occasions. At the continued as Scholarship Commis­ sioner.

1949 convention the award went to the Indiana chapter with Hon­ orable mention to Denison, DePauw, Oklahoma, Iowa State, David­ son and Westminster.

The Sisson Awards. After a lapse of several years, the Sisson awards committee under chairman Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22, an­ nounced that the two trophies, symbolic of general chapter excellence, had been awarded to the Kansas and Ohio State chapters. This cere­ mony, however, was followed by a discussion as to whether these awards should be discontinued, the committee having reported the great difficulty of comparing chapters when the judges were confronted with many intangible and nebulous factors. It was clear that a majority of the delegates preferred that the awarding of the trophies be con­

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tinued and instructed the Board to appoint a committee to study the matter and report to the next convention.

Summary. Thus the 110th General Convention proved itself to be a serious and hard working assembly—one which reached a number of important decisions while postponing the final determination of others.

It was notable as the gathering which approved the purchase of prop­ erty for the Adminstrative Headquarters in Oxford, Ohio and the appointment of the first administrative secretary. It came to grips with the problem of certain chapters which had brought discredit on the fraternity and took disciplinary action against them. It took a firm stand against the excessive use of liquor in chapter houses or at chapter func­ tions. It reaffirmed the policy that chapters must abide by the rules and regulations of the institutions where they are located. It granted charters to a Beta colony at the University of the South and to a local fraternity at Michigan State University and took steps which would lead to a chapter at Southern Methodist University. It tackled the problem of pre-initiation practices but again refused to adopt a uniform ceremony and postponed the question for another year.

A N E W H O M E F O R T EX A S

On October 21, 1949 a dream of many years was realized for the Beta Omicron chapter at Texas, when a new $240,000 chapter house was formally dedicated with appropriate ceremonies in the presence of 250 Betas, their wives, parents and sweethearts. Erected after an in­ tense campaign of more than two years with the gifts of more than 250 Betas, it not only inaugurated a new era of fraternity housing at the University of Texas but symbolized an increased devotion of Texas Betas to the ideals of Beta Theta Pi. Filling a need which had existed for many years, the house became a reality through the devoted efforts of Charles I. Francis, Texas ’15, nationally known attorney of Houston; Hugh Lamar Stone, Texas ’07, retired general counsel of Gulf Oil Corporation; Raymond M. Myers, Texas ’15, and a group of Beta alumni from various chapters living in Texas. A Texas Beta Students Aid Fund was organized as a Texas cor­ poration and its tax-exempt status made it possible for the group to obtain many contributions of substantial size.

The house was not only one of the finest ever erected but the Aid Fund which made it possible was also unique. Its charter stated that

New Home of Beta Omicron, University of Texas

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the corporation was created for educational purposes, chiefly to aid members of the Beta Omicron chapter to (1) Achieve and maintain high scholastic standards; (2) To cultivate those qualities which make for good citizenship; (3) To promote those things of a civic, religious or educational nature which are for the general good of the Unisity of Texas, the state of Texas and the United States of America. To make sure that the scholastic purposes would be fulfilled, a lease was drawn between the Fund and the chapter providing that no Beta or pledge would be eligible to live in the house if his scholastic average was not above the all-men’s average. Five scholarships were also pro­ vided from the Fund.

G AM M A C H I R E C E IV E S IT S C H A R T E R

At an impressive ceremony of simplicity and dignity on Decem­ ber 2, 1949, the Beta colony at the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, began its existence at the Gamma Chi chapter of Beta Theta Pi. President G. Herbert Smith climaxed the services with the charter presentation, installation of officers and an address to the mem­ bers of the new chapter and guests.

Among those present were many members of the Vanderbilt chapter which aided in organizing the new group as well as undergraduates from many nearby Southern chapters. Among the well known Betas who joined in the ceremonies were Historian George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898; Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01 and John L. Baker, Miami ’04.

Welcoming Beta Theta Pi to the campus was Dr. Boylston Green, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of the South who, in his address, said, “We are particularly glad to welcome the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. In the 110 years of its history Beta has always been a Sewa­ nee type fraternity. . . . We feel that Beta Theta Pi, in joining the Sewa­ nee fellowship, in a real sense is coming to a place that for a long time, spiritually, has been its own home.”

Following the presentation of the charter, the signing of the official chapter roll book and the installation of officers, President Smith de­ livered the principal address of the afternoon. He recalled that he and George Chandler and other leaders of the fraternity had long looked upon the University of the South as a place where Beta should be.

“When the invitation came,” he said, “and I came to Sewanee and saw for myself that there seemed to be an opportunity for an additional

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chapter here, I was delighted.. . . I am sure that the men who have been initiated and have formed this colony and have now become the charter members feel privileged this afternoon. It is a privilege to constitute a new chapter of Beta Theta Pi, a fraternity that has had a long and honored history, and you have great opportunities as the men who constitute this chapter. You have the opportunity of taking a flame from this fire of the altar of old Miami kindled over 110 years years ago, to light a fire on Gamma Chi’s altar on this campus. We hope this will be an added light to the fraternity cause at the Univer­ sity of the South.”

After the installation proceed­ ings, all Betas gathered at the Gamma Chi chapter house for the chapter’s first official Loving Cup ceremony, followed by a talk by He Told of Pater Knox Otho E. Lane on Pater Knox and Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, who spoke the Knox Loving Cup. An evening at the installation of Gamma Chi banquet was then held at which chapter.

Major George M. Chandler pre­ sented the new chapter with a metal lantern from Miami.

Charter members of the new chapter were: John Haggard, Vander­ bilt ’50; John J. Palmer, Emory ’37, Vanderbilt ’37; James L. Bunnell, ’50; Lacy R. Harwell, ’51; George W. Dexheimer, ’52; Stuart F. Gast, ’52; John R. Goad, ’52; William B. Patterson, Jr., ’52; James D. Russell, ’52; and John H. Wright, Jr., ’52.1

SO M E B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 4 9

Alfred T. Sillier, W ashington (St. Louis) ’13, was elected VicePresident of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

1 For a complete text of the principal addresses and for a more detailed account of the installation program, see T h e B eta T heta Pi, Vol. 77, February, 1950, pp.

262-265.

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William F. Frye, Jr., W abash ’32, was appointed Assistant to the Sec­ retary of Defense and Director of the Office of Public Information, National Military Establishment.

Carlyle H. Black, St. Law rence ’08, was appointed President of American Can Co., the nation’s largest manufacturer of metal cans.

Louis F. Watermulder, Yale ’23, was appointed Administrative VicePresident of Lever Brothers Co. John J. McCloy, Amherst ’16, former President of the World Bank, was appointed the first United States High Commissioner for Germany.

C. Girard Davidson, Tulane ’33, was named by President Truman as Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

The 15th edition of Baird’s Manual of American C ollege Fraternities was published under the editorship of Harold J. “Bing” Baily, Amherst ’08, former General Secretary of Beta Theta Pi. Tracy S. Voorhees, Rutgers ’11, was appointed Under-Secretary of the Army, having been promoted from the position of Assistant Secre­ tary.

Malcolm G. Wyer, Minnesota 1899, was honored by the city of Den­ ver for his twenty-five years of service as City Librarian.

Byron K. Elliott, Indiana ’20, was elected Executive Vice-President of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. Edward H. Kruse, Jr., Indiana ’40, was elected as Representative to the 81st Congress.

The Fraternity In The Fifties in â&#x2013;

1950-1960

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Further Expansion

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ALTHOUGH a call to arms once more caused alarm to the active chapters, this time because of the Korean conflict, 1950 was a good year for the fraternity. The penalties and censorship dealt out by the 1949 general convention and directed at chapters which had brought discredit on the brotherhood, had begun to show results. Most of the erring chapters were showing marked improvement and although Beta had slipped from its lofty position in scholarship, there was every indi­ cation that she would soon return to her customary position as leader.

The yearbook of the fraternity published in April, 1950 as “Special No. 2” of The Beta Theta Pi showed the names of undergraduate members of 95 chapters, those at Michigan State and the University of the South having just been added. The total of 5,163 names of under­ graduates compared with 5,549 in the previous year, a decrease of 386, indicated that chapter size was slowly declining from the peaks reached after World War II.

B E T A T H E T A P I A N D W H O ’S W H O

In order to obtain a cross-section of the leadership which members of Beta Theta Pi were contributing in the fields of business, religion, science, finance, medicine, education and the creative arts, the editor of The B eta Theta Pi, Thad Byrne, Washington State ’25, made a study of W ho’s W ho in America, Vol. 25, for the years 1948-1949. His findings were published in T he Beta Theta Pi for May, 1950 and form an in­ spiring picture of the accomplishments of members of the fraternity.

To summarize, there were 784 Betas listed, seven of whom had been listed in every volume since the inception of this review of American leadership, 50 years before. The largest field of activity was business but there were also 25 college presidents, ten members of Congress, editors or publishers of a score of leading newspapers, etc. There were six father and son combinations represented. The total number of Betas 255

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listed—784—was greater than that of any other fraternity, the closest being 704 and the third place group with 535.

NUMBER TWO IN MICHIGAN Lambda chapter at Ann Arbor had been an only Beta child in the State of Michigan for 105 years—until January 5, 1950 when Gamma

Presenting the Charter General Secretary Clifford C. Gregg at the Gamma Psi installation.

Psi chapter was installed at Michigan State College, East Lansing, Michigan.

This important event, which resulted from the granting of a charter by the 1949 convention, culminated efforts which began on that cam­ pus in 1944 when seventeen men formed the Beta Tau Society. From the first, through contacts with Betas transferred to Michigan State during the war, they were imbued with the ambition to become a chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Through the efforts of James E. Gross, W ash­ ington (St. Louis) ’44; H. E. Bissell, Miami ’32; Joseph Beebe, Purdue ’25 and others, they were carefully coached as to the procedure of ob­ taining a charter. General Secretary Clifford C. Gregg and District Chief Russell Ragan met with them in 1947 and pointed out the obsta­ cles which lay in the path of a group so young, without a house and

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without alumni from whom financial support could be sought. When all of the difficulties had been recited, the group asked, “Is there any technical reason why, if we meet these requirements, we cannot be ready six months hence for a vote by the trustees in April?” The Gen­ eral Secretary was forced to answer that there was “no technical ob­ stacle” and apparently that was all the encouragement needed. By the spring of 1948 the group had obtained housing, it had strengthened its internal organization to meet Beta standards and had reached a place of importance in campus ac­ tivities. Although action on the pe­ tition was delayed by the conven­ tion for a year, it had still been a remarkable achievement.

The lack of alumni of the Beta Tau Society (there were only eight at the time of the installation) was more than made up by the great interest which the event created among alumni of the Michigan chapter and other Betas in Michi­ gan and surrounding states. The formal initiation was conducted

by Lambda chapter in conjunc­ tion with President G. Her­ Accepting the Charter bert Smith and General Secretary Ralph F. Lee, Jr., M ichigan State ’50, Clifford C. Gregg. Previous to this President of the new chapter, accepts the charter for Gamma Psi. event, Dr. John A. Hannah, Presi­ dent of Michigan State College, had entertained at a noon luncheon for the general officers of Beta Theta Pi and the Governor of Michigan, G. Mennen Williams.

At the installation banquet, with Noble D. Travis, Michigan ’24, acting as toastmaster, the charter was presented and the following were installed as chapter officers: Ralph Lee, president; Oris Op’t-Holt, vice-president; William Newberry, secretary; Albert Green, treasurer and Richard Byerrum and William Bissell as advisers. The principal address was given by President Smith.

The closing Loving Cup ceremony was memorable because of the

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use of the Pater Knox Golden Wedding Cup which had been presented to Pater Knox and his wife on the occasion of their golden wedding an­ niversary, November 27, 1895. At that time it was a gift of the sixty-one chapters in existence then and in October, 1946 it came back into the possession of the general fraternity as a gift from Madge Miller Lands­ downe, the widow of John Knox Landsdowne, the last surviving grand­ son of Founder John Reily Knox.

N IN E T Y Y EA R S A T B E L O IT

On June 9-11, 1950 the Beloit chapter, the Chi of Beta Theta Pi, celebrated the ninetieth anniversary of its founding. Over 150 under­ graduates and alumni gathered on the commencement week-end to relive chapter experiences and renew friendships made down through the years. At the Saturday evening banquet Holman D. Pettibone, Sr., ’11, spoke on “Chi Chapter Through Ninety Years,” telling the history of this fine midwestern chapter.

It was in 1859 that a Beta from the Wabash chapter moved with his family to the Beloit area and entered that college. He was Elisha Mor­ gan, Jr., and although no one seems to know whether he had authority to do so, he did initiate three men into the mysteries of the fraternity.

These early members were Lyman Winslow, Samuel D. Hastings and Orville W. Collidge. The next general convention, meeting at Colum­ bus, Ohio in August, 1860, made the whole thing official by granting a charter to the new group.

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

District IV (Cornell, Syracuse, Toronto)—William C. Altmann, Pennsylvania ’31, succeeded Charles E. Dykes, Cornell ’36, who be­ came Assistant General Treasurer. Brother Altmann, at the time of his appointment, was auditor and office manager of the Ithaca JournalNews.

District V (Columbia, Rutgers, Stevens)—Robert S. Trainer, Penn­ sylvania ’41, who was connected with the Bethlehem Steel Co. follow­ ing service as a lieutenant in the Air Corps.

District IX (Davidson, Duke, North Carolina)—Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18, a distinguished Beta who was destined to serve on

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the Board of Trustees, had once before acted as District Chief in the early Twenties. Now with the formation of the new District IX he was brought back into service for the fraternity. He was engaged in the practice of law in Raleigh, North Carolina.

District X II (Case, Denison, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, Western Re­ serve)—David O. Richards, Deni­ son ’45, research physicist with the Owens-Corning Fiberglass Corp. of Newark, Ohio. ® nati, Miami)—Thomas R. Shepard,

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member of the well known Beta Shepard family of Cincinnati. Following a distinguished war record

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in the Marine Corps, he organized his own insurance business in Cin-

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Michigan, Michigan State)—E. Leland Webber, Cincinnati '42. the time of his appointment was a senior accountant with the firm of

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Chief of New District Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18.

Ernst & Ernst.

District XV III (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota)—K. Warren Fawcett, Minnesota ’26, sales manager and partner, Luther Ford & Co., manufacturers of household products in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Previous to his appointment he had been an officer in the Minnesota alumni society.

THE 111TH GENERAL CONVENTION For the sixth time in its history, Beta Theta Pi crossed the long un­ fortified border between the United States and Canada to hold the One Hundred Eleventh General Convention at Bigwin Inn, Lake of Bays, Ontario from August 29 to September 2, 1950. The interesting experi­ ence of reaching an island resort by boat was further complicated by a Canadian railroad strike which forced some convention goers to

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Scene of the 111th General Convention Bigwin Inn, Lake of Bays, Ontario, Canada where 400 Betas gathered for the 1950 Convention.

seek varied forms of transporation from Toronto to the boat dock.

In his opening address, President G. Herbert Smith reminded the delegates that it was twenty-five years before, in 1925, that the frater­ nity had met for its 86th General Convention at that same place and that several present for the 111th had attended the previous gathering.

Included in that group were J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08; George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898 and Robert M. Thompson, Minnesota 1895, as well as a group of district chiefs who were destined to render distin­ guished service in high offices of the fraternity: Clifford C. Gregg, Gor­ don Smyth (banquet speaker), A. J. G. Priest and Clem B. Holding.

For the second time in a decade it became necessary for the presi­

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dent to refer to the fact that many members of the fraternity on both sides of the border were in military uniform. The Korean conflict had begun to have its effect on college campuses but would never be felt to the extent of World War II. In his report as General Secretary, Clifford C. Gregg revealed that he would not be a candidate for re-election to that important office.

Brother Gregg had served the fraternity during the trying readjust­ ment years of the post-war era and it was a great tribute to his efforts when his report showed the improved conditions in many aspects of the organization. “Beta Theta Pi,” he could say, “is stronger today than it was a year ago.” After failing to surpass the national all-men’s average by a narrow margin during the previous year, it now appeared that for the year 1949-1950 there had been an improvement. Among the chapters which had shown marked improvement, the General Secre­ tary cited Kenyon, Colorado College, Bowdoin, Lehigh, Lawrence, Dartmouth and Washington State. The latter chapter had been cen­ sored by the previous convention for misconduct and for its lowly 22nd place among 32 fraternities on its campus. In one year a remarkable recovery had occurred, resulting in the chapter returning to a leading position in campus activities and to first place in scholarship.

He was able to report an improvement in general deportment of the chapters but stated that several persisted in “Hell Week” activities which brought discredit to the fraternity, while others still tolerated the excessive use of liquor in chapter houses. He commended the fra­ ternity for the strong stand against such practices taken by the previous convention and was able to point out improvements which had re­ sulted.

Elected president of the convention was the popular District Chief, Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18, of Raleigh, North Carolina. As­ sisting him as the elected convention secretary was Carroll E. Black, W abash ’28, Chief of District XIX. The total registration was 471 with 395 Betas being present, the others being wives, sons, daughters and guests. Chapters with the largest delegations of undergraduates and alumni were Miami with sixteen present and Denison, Lehigh, Toronto and Ohio State with thirteen each.

Election of General Officers. To fill the important position of General Secretary, the convention turned to one of its most gifted and devoted members, Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22. Brother Brooks had served

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the fraternity in many capacities—as Chief of Districts If and III, as a member of the specially created Chapters Commission, as National Alumni Counselor, as Chairman of the Sisson Awards Committee and as an inspirational speaker at convention banquets and many other Beta gatherings. At the time of his election he was serving his twelfth year as Pastor of the National Universalist Church in Washington, D.C.,

New General Secretary Dr. Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22.

Elected General Treasurer Charles E. Dykes, Cornell ’36.

the nation’s leading church of his denomination. In addition, Brother Brooks had devoted much time to civic activities in Washington, D.C. and was regarded as one of the leading citizens of the nation’s capital.

Thus it was proven again that as guiding hands are removed from the fraternity by death or the demands of business or profession, new leaders come forward to carry on.

For Trustee—Dr. Robert C. Shattuck, D enver ’26, a Beta son and devoted Beta worker who had served as Chief of District XXII. In his home community of Denver, Colorado he was highly regarded by members of the medical profession.

For General Treasurer to succeed Howard A. Law who was forced

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to resign after serving one year of his second term because of the pres­ sure of business—Charles E. Dykes, Cornell ’36. Brother Dykes had served the fraternity as Chief of District IV, as Counselor of Chapter Finance and as Assistant General Treasurer. At the time of his election he was comptroller of one of the nation’s largest farmers’ cooperative purchasing organizations.

Scholarship. Scholarship Commissioner Earl Sneed’s report made official the sad news that the year 1948-1949 had been a year of sorrow in the scholarship history of Beta Theta Pi. For the first time in the sev­ enteen years in which the National Interfraternity Conference had published reports, the fraternity had fallen below the national all-men’s average. None of her rivals could boast of such a record and none had come close but the long record had come to an end. Fortunately, some of the chapters which had contributed most to the downfall had taken heed of the stern demands of the previous convention and, as had been indicated by the general secretary’s report, had made deter­ mined efforts to improve their records. Thus early reports seemed to promise that Beta would again exceed the all-men’s average and might once again return to first place among the older fraternities.

The scholarship commissioner announced that the winners of the Beta Theta Pi Fellowships, each in the sum of $500 were: James Douglas Harvey of South Dakota William Brown Patterson of Sewanee Rodney Davis Orth of Whitman Fifteen other undergraduates were announced as winners of scholar­ ships in the sum of $250 each.

Scholarship Legislation. That Beta’s fall from its long-time position of leadership in the fraternity scholastic world had had its effect on the delegates was the passage at this convention of a scholarship rule gov­ erning initiation. The Scholarship Committee, under Chairman K. War­ ren Fawcett, Minnesota ’26, interviewed delegates from many chapters including both those with good and bad scholastic histories, attempting to determine the causes for both conditions. As a result, the committee recommended and the convention approved an addition to Chapter X III of the laws of the fraternity: Section 5. Scholastic Requirement for Initiation: Every candidate for initiation into Beta Theta Pi must obtain, for the quarter or se­

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mester immediately prior to his initiation, grades not less than the minimum average grades required for graduation by the school or college in which such candidate is enrolled. Provided, however, that this requirement may be waived or modified by the Board of Trustees upon a showing of undue hardship to the chapter involved.

The reason for this legislation was that it had become apparent to all that one of the secrets of continuous scholastic success by many chap­ ters was a careful selection of pledges and that the pledging and initi­ ating of scholastic liabilities had been doing the chapters and the fra­ ternity no good. The delegates felt that the least an initiate could do would be to demonstrate that he was capable of doing the kind of col­ lege work necessary for his graduation.

Charter to Southern Methodist. Representatives of the Beta colony at Southern Methodist University appeared before the convention in support of their petition for a charter. The delegation consisted of: M. Kenneth Bercaw, Texas ’50; Wayne C. Allison, Texas ’51; Carson Lewis, Texas ’52 and Sam Thompson, III, Texas ’53. After listening to their account of the history and achievements of the Beta colony there and their prospects for the future, the convention voted unanimously to grant a charter. Thus the number of chapters in Beta Theta Pi would soon become ninety-six.

Once Again—Pre-Initiation Ceremonies. The burning question as to whether the fraternity would adopt an official pre-initiation ceremony, a question which had been passed along without an answer by the two previous conventions, came before the 1950 gathering. During the pre­ ceding year, copies of T he Dragon Cerem ony by George M. Chand­ ler, M ichigan 1898, had been circulated among the chapters for trial.

This was offered as a substitute for the Wooglin ceremony from which official sanction had been withdrawn and an exhibition of the new cere­ mony was performed at an evening session of the convention. This quickly became the most heated question before the assembly and there was much campaigning for and against in the corridors and hotel lobby. Again the opposition stemmed chiefly from those chapters with historic ceremonies who feared that the adoption of an official one would force them to discontinue practices steeped in tradition. To these were attracted those who felt that this was a matter which should be left in the hands of the chapters, so long as their practices did not vio­

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late any fraternity laws. There was also some feeling that the newly proposed ceremony was too long and would require an amount of time and rehearsal which would detract from the performance of the official ritual. All of these objections combined to assure the defeat of the proposal and the fraternity continued without an official ceremony.

The convention did approve the appointment of a committee to con­ tinue a study of the matter and to make proposals to the next conven­ tion.

The Sisson Awards. In 1924 Francis H. Sisson, Knox T892, Harvard 1893, former General Secretary, General Treasurer and President of the fraternity and Mrs. Sisson presented to the fraternity two beautiful silver loving cups. For several years these were awarded each year to the two chapters judged to be the most outstanding for the year. Soon, however, dissatisfaction arose over the methods of determining the winners and the cups were retired from circulation.

In 1948 the Board of Trustees appointed a committee to devise a more acceptable plan and a “Sisson reporting system” resulted. The cups were awarded again at the 110th General Convention for the first time in nearly twenty-five years and the chapters so honored were Kansas and Ohio State.

At the 111th convention the Sisson Award Committee composed of Seth R. Brooks, Chairman, Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, Charles H. Roberts, L eh ig h ’50 and Paul Van Riper, D e Pauw ’38 announced that the awards for general excellence were to go to Bethany and Wil­ lamette.

Later in the convention, however, the committee reported that be­ cause of the dissatisfaction which had been expressed with regard to the system used for choosing the winners, and because of the great difficulty encountered by the committee in complying with the rules, it was recommended that the awards be discontinued for one year and that the Board appoint a committee to investigate and revise the Sis­ son Awards questionnaire to eliminate its weaknesses. The convention voted approval of this recommendation and once again a plan to honor the “best chapters” was shelved.

Alumni Affairs. The report of the General Treasurer indicating the need for additions to the General Fund of the fraternity, the additional cost of operating the Administrative Office and the failure of the Baird Fund to provide adequate funds for the magazine brought several pro­

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posals so far as alumni were concerned. One of these was that all pres­ ent members of the Baird Fund (whose payment had amounted to $10 for which they were to receive the magazine for life) would be asked for an additional $10 subscription and that an appeal be made to all non-members of the Baird Fund for a subscription of $20. An­ other proposal was that a carefully planned and well directed appeal be made to all alumni for annual contributions, ft was further pro­ posed that a portion of the funds so collected be used for an expanded alumni program aimed at assisting, organizing and stimulating local alumni organizations.

Similar proposals had been made in previous years but had never been adopted. It had been felt that so far as finances were concerned, an alumnus owed his loyalty to his local chapter and that any demands made by the general fraternity would weaken and dilute such sup­ port. Many an alumnus felt, with justification, that with the payment of his initiation fee, his financial ob­ ligations to the general fraternity had been met and that any money which he felt he could so direct should go to the maintenance of his own chapter property. Most of the other large national fraternities, however, received large sums each year from annual alumni contributions, ranging from $3 to $5 or even more in some cases. It appeared that Beta Theta Pi was ready to try such a plan.

T H E F IR S T N E W E N G L A N D C O N C L A V E

An event which has become an annual highlight in that section of the country had its origin December 1-2, 1950 when the first New England Conclave was held at Kappa chapter at Brown University.

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This gathering was a result of recommendations at several recent con­ ventions that chapters should gather together more often for fellowship and for the exchange of worthwhile information.

Under the able leadership of District Chiefs Harry M. Easton of Dis­ trict I and Lawrence R. Flint of District II, forty-three delegates from the eight chapters met for business and for fun. Six committees were formed for the purpose of examining mutual problems and the reports from these groups were given orally and later mimeographed by the M.I.T. chapter for distribution to all the chapters.

A banquet and dance culminated this important first conclave and the good Beta Bishop, Clarence L. Newton, former President of the fra­ ternity gave one of his inspiring Beta talks at the dinner.

B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1950

The first four Beta Rhodes Scholars following World War II were: Allan H. Ainsworth, British Columbia ’46 Charles G. Bolte, Darmouth ’41 Franklin H. Worland, C olgate ’46 H. Lawrence Miller, Jr., Kansas ’46 To this group in 1950 were added: Ralph O. Simmons, Kansas ’50 Howard A. McKinley, St. Law rence ’49 John N. Turner, British Colum bia ’49 Charles Coe, O klahoma ’48, won the U. S. amateur golf champion­ ship at Rochester, New York.

The 1950 “Parents of the Year” were announced as Hon. William O. Douglas, W hitman ’20, as “Father of the Year” and Mrs. Henry Roe Cloud as “American Mother of the Year.” Mrs. Cloud was the widow of Dr. Henry Roe Cloud, Yale ’10, former superintendent of Haskell In­ stitute whose death had occurred February 10, 1950.

Willis H. Taylor, Jr., Stevens ’16, succeeded Dr. Robert C. Stanley, Stevens 1899, as chairman of the board of trustees of Stevens Institute of Technology.

Earl Sneed, Jr., O klahoma ’34, member of the Board of Trustees of Beta Theta Pi and scholarship commissioner of the fraternity was ap­

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pointed Dean of the law school of the University of Oklahoma.

Dr. Robert F. Chandler, Jr., Maine â&#x20AC;&#x2122;29, was elected the twelfth President of the University of New Hampshire.

Dr. John A. Perkins, Michigan â&#x20AC;&#x2122;36, professor of political science at the University of Michigan was elected the twenty-first President of the University of Delaware.

☆

A Year of New Leaders 1951

☆

TH E YEARBOOK of the Fraternity issued by the editor of T he Beta T heta Pi in April, 1951, contained the names of 4,828 active, under­ graduate members of the ninety-six chapters. This total was 335 less than the previous year indicating that the trend toward smaller size chapters was continuing. It was difficult to determine the exact number of living Betas but the efficient work of Administrative Secretary Ralph N. Fey and his staff at the Administrative headquarters had been able to add 5,000 names to the Magazine mailing list during the past year, bringing the circulation to 32,000, an all-time high.

Thad Byrne, Washington State ’25, editor of T he B eta Theta Pi, who had published his monumental work, Betas in W ho’s W ho in May, 1950, released a supplementary list taken from Volume 26 of W ho’s W ho in America. This report added 112 names of Betas who were in­ cluded for the first time plus nine who had been missed in the first compilation. Thus the total number of members of the fraternity so honored became 905.1

T H E A D M IN IS T R A T IV E O F F IC E IN O P E R A T IO N

The fact that, two years after its inception, the function of the Ad­ ministrative Office at Oxford, Ohio was still unknown to most Betas, was proof that it was being operated as intended. The officers and the convention which brought the office into being were determined that it should remain outside of the policy making phases of the fraternity, functioning as an efficient supplier of information and a means of re­ lieving the officers of the fraternity of burdensome paper work. The manner in which these purposes were being carried out was a tribute to Administrative Secretary Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40, to his able staff, Mrs. Margaret Apgar, Miss Iona Petry, Miss Mary Ann Weber, Mrs. 1 For a supplementary list of “Betas of Achievement,” see Vol. 78, T he Beta Theta Pi for May, 1951, page 472.

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Marcy S. Powell, Mrs. William Warren and others. Probably their best known service, so far as the average member was concerned, was in setting up, correcting and maintaining an accurate mailing list of all known living members. In addition, however, the office was beginning to perform, as had been hoped, as a clearing house for intra-fraternity

Scenes at the Administrative Office Left: Administrative Secretary Ralph N. Fey, Miami '40, explains the architect’s sketch for remodeling to Robert T. Howard, DePauw ’37. Right: Miss Iona Petry and Miss Mary Ann Weber, using the addressograph.

correspondence. The officers, for the first time in the history of the or­ ganization, were relieved of burdensome paper work and could spend more time in worthwhile travel and work for the fraternity.

The first two years had been a time of staffing and equipping an effi­ cient office and much remodeling was still to be done to convert the structure to the type of headquarters so badly needed. For example, one of the purposes of the office, as set forth in its “charter,” was to act as a depository for the fraternity’s archives. Much of this material was still unclassified and inadequately housed and much work was still to be done. It was hoped that soon the proper individual could be found to go over the accumulated correspondence of such great leaders as Francis Shepardson so that important papers could be sorted out and saved. It was hoped that a Beta library could some day be made a part of the headquarters building along with a display of memorabilia and his­ toric possessions of the fraternity.

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A NEW EDITOR TAKES OVER The May, 1951 issue of The Beta Theta Pi was the last under the editorship of Thad Byrne, Washington State ’25, and with the Sep­ tember, 1951 issue a new editor took on the responsibility for editing and publishing “the oldest periodical publication issued by a college fraternity.” The new editor was Columbus S. Barber, W est Vir­ ginia ’20, known as “Colin” to his host of Beta friends. He was well known to the fraternity because of his work as Chief of District VIII and as a leader among the alumni in the Washington, D.C., area.

Columbus Barber thus joined the distinguished group of de­ voted Betas who have served as editors of the Magazine since its origin in 1871 under General Sec­ retary Charles Duy Walker, V.M.I. 1869. Since that time many leaders of the fraternity have — — served as editors including Willis The New Editor O. Robb, William Raimond Baird, Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20. the beloved Francis Shepardson and, more recently, Gordon S. Smyth and Thad Byrne. The latter served from 1942 until August 1951, completing nine volumes. It became his task to tell the Beta story dur­ ing World War II and to supervise the publishing of the Beta Military List containing names and rank of all known Betas who had served in the armed forces. Under his supervision the Magazine had increased in scope and interest with numerous articles on Beta lore and history and others telling of the careers and accomplishments of many distin­ guished members. All across the land and in the far corners of the world Betas were drawn closer together by the touch of Thad Byrne in the pages of T he Beta Theta Pi.

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OUR NINETY-SIXTH CHAPTER—SOUTHERN METHODIST It was a great day for Texas, and for Beta Theta Pi, when a host of members gathered in Dallas, Texas on January 5, 1951 for the formal installation of the Gamma Omega chapter, the 96th of the Beta circle.

This was the culmination of the efforts of many southwestern Betas re­ sulting in a colony on the campus of Southern Methodist University.

Since the inception of that great institution there had been numerous efforts to bring a Beta group to that campus, and in the interim the school had grown in enrollment from 720 to 6,500 and as the Beta

Scenes at the S.M.U. Installation, Dallas, Texas, January 5, 1951.

Left: District Chief Charles Long, M.C. Center: A. E. Chester, Vanderbilt ’19, (right), president of the Dallas Alumni Association, presenting a Beta flag to Chapter President Kenneth Bercaw. Right: Bercaw accepting the official charter.

chapter was being installed a $10,000,000 building program was under way.

Starting with a luncheon for Beta officials at the Brook Hollow Coun­ try Club with W. Dow Hamm, O klahom a ’22 as host, there was a series of happy events marking the fraternity’s entrance into north Texas. An open house was held at the chapter house which was owned by Prof.

John Lee Brooks, Texas ’21, head of the Southern Methodist Eng­ lish Department, a loyal Beta who had contributed to the success of the Beta colony. Over the mantel was a still life painting of the Beta crest and a loving cup, a gift from the family of the late Albert Sidney

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Lewis, Vanderbilt ’17, who was the first to work for a Beta chapter at Dallas.

The formal presentation of the charter and the installation of officers of the new chapter took place in the evening at the Northwood Coun­ try Club with District Chief Charles E. Long, Jr., Washington and L e e ’32, acting as master of ceremonies. Representing the general fra­ ternity were President G. Herbert Smith, Vice-President Earl Sneed, Jr., and former trustee Col. Lee B. Thompson. Mr. Willis Tate, vicepresident of Southern Methodist University represented that institution and William Osborn was present in behalf of the Southern Methodist Interfraternity Council. The charter was presented by President Smith to M. Kenneth Bercaw, Texas ’51, president of the new chapter.

A silver loving cup was given to Gamma Omega by District Chief and Mrs. Charles Long and the gift was promptly used in the first official Loving Cup Ceremony by the newly chartered group. Thus after many years of hopeful waiting, Southern Methodist was welcomed into the mystic circle.

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

The demands of business and family responsibilities had made heavy inroads among the District Chiefs in 1950 and early 1951 and General Secretary Seth R. Brooks announced these new appointments to the group: Ralph P. Edgerton, W hitman ’31, judge of the Superior Court of the State of Washington. This outstanding Beta who later became a mem­ ber of the Board of Trustees became Chief of District X X III (Idaho, Washington State, Whitman).

Peter M. Gunnar, C hicago ’46. After an outstanding record in the Air Force during World War II which included the winning of the Distinguished Flying Cross and other honors, he studied law at Wil­ lamette University and entered the practice of law at Salem, Oregon.

District XXIV (British Columbia, Oregon State, Oregon, University of Washington, Willamette).

Evert L. Stancliff, N ebraska ’13—District XXV (California, U.C.L.A., Southern California, Stanford). Because of his record in important civilian positions during World War II, Brother Stancliff had received

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a Distinguished Service Award from his alma mater, the University of Nebraska, and for a long time had been active in Beta service in Southern California.

Thomas H. Sterling, O klahom a ’25—District X XI (Oklahoma, Okla­ homa A & M, Texas). At the time of his appointment, Brother Sterling was manager of the Oklahoma City division of the Oklahoma Natural Gas Co. Carl M. Grip, Beloit ’45, was engaged in graduate work at the Uni­ versity of Chicago following three years as assistant dean of men at Illinois. District XVI (Illinois, Knox, Michigan, Michigan State).

Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31, was at the time of his appoint­ ment, an officer and director of Sun Chemical Corp. of Long Island City, New York. This distinguished Beta was destined to serve the fra­ ternity as General Treasurer, Trustee and President. District V (Co­ lumbia, Rutgers, Stevens).

Donald M. Daugherty, Penn State ’38—District VII (Bethany, Car­ negie Tech, Washington & Jefferson, West Virginia). At the time of his appointment he was employed by H. H. Robertson Co. of Ambridge, Pennsylvania, and was assistant director of industrial relations and engineering.

John E. Anderson, C arnegie Tech ’36, succeeded Columbus S. Bar­ ber, W est Virginia ’20, as Chief of District V III (Johns Hopkins, Vir­ ginia, Washington and Lee). He was associated with the business ex­ pansion office of the National Security Resources Board in Washing­ ton, D.C. C. Kenneth Nelson, Ohio ’27, became Chief of District X X II (Colo­ rado, Colorado College, Colorado Mines, Denver, Utah). He was as­ sistant chief underwriter of the Federal Housing Administration in Denver, Colorado.

Carl J. Klein, W abash ’41, after an active college career, associated himself with the insurance business in Indianapolis where he also be­ came prominent in civic affairs. He was appointed chief of District XV (DePauw, Hanover, Indiana, Purdue, Wabash).

Donald R. Beaman, St. Law rence ’49, succeeded William C. Alt­ mann as Chief of District III (Colgate, St. Lawrence, Union). Follow­ ing a period as Assistant Alumni Secretary of St. Lawrence University, he became a teacher of Social Studies at Hoosick Falls high school in New York state.

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W. Clark Gordon, W esleyan ’45, became Chief of District II when Larry Flint was forced to resign because of business reasons. His chap­ ters included Amherst, Dartmouth, Wesleyan, Williams and Yale. At the time of his appointment he was special agent for the Provident Mutual Life Insurance Co. with offices in Hartford, Connecticut.

Peter J. Grant, Ohio State ’48, will be remembered as the undergrad­ uate speaker at the 1947 Convention banquet. Following a distin­ guished career as an undergraduate at Ohio State he served in the Army Air Force and then joined the Borden Company in a sales pro­ motion capacity. He was appointed Chief of District X II (Case, Deni­ son, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, Western Reserve).

Charles H. Kent, Ohio State ’41—District X III (Ohio, Ohio State, Wittenberg). After serving in all the important positions in his chapter, he served for four years in the army and then began the practice of law in Columbus, Ohio.

West Shell, Jr., Dartmouth ’44—District XIV (Centre, Cincinnati, Miami). After service with the Marine Corps he became sales manager of the Myers Y. Cooper Realty Co. of Cincinnati.

A N N U A L C O N T R IB U T IO N S S O L IC IT A T IO N

As a result of a recommendation by the 111th General Convention, the first solicitation of alumni for contributions to the General Frater­ nity was conducted by the Alumni Affairs Commissioner. The Board of Trustees was careful to point out that there is no provision in the Code for dues other than the original payment by an undergraduate, and that any financial payment subsequently would be in the nature of a “contribution.” It had been apparent for some time that the increased complexity of fraternity administration and the increasing demand by the chapters for various services from the general fraternity would make necessary an increased income.

The result of the appeal was gratifying. By March, 1951, contribu­ tions had been received from 3,792 Betas and friends of the fraternity.

The greatest number—2,569, gave the sum of $3 each; 618 gave $5 each; 134 gave $10; 12 contributed $25 and four gave $50 each. Up to that time the total sum received was $14,313, making it possible for the fraternity to again operate in the black.

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TH E 112T H GENERAL CONVENTION

In an area where much of the early history of the United States transpired, a new year of history for Beta Theta Pi began as the 112th General Convention convened on August 21, 1951. The scene was the Chamberlin Hotel at Old Point Comfort, Virginia, located at one of the world’s busiest ocean crossroads.

All types of naval craft from sub­ marines to aircraft carriers passed to and from the huge navy base at Norfolk, and each morning saw an assembly of freighters from the far corners of the world waiting to enter the busy Virginia ports.

Within a few miles was the site of the first Anglo-Saxon settlement in America as well as the historic points of interest, Yorktown and Williamsburg.

The delegates could learn much of American history here as well as the opera­ tions of Beta Theta Pi. The total registration was 488, an increase over the 471 present

Convention President Thad Byrne, W ashington State ’25.

,

.

„.

at tlle PreV10US convention at Bigwin Inn, Ontario. The number of Betas registered was 415, also an increase over the 395 at the 111th General Convention.

In recognition of his outstanding services to the fraternity as editor of T he Beta Theta Pi for the past nine years, the delegates honored Thad Byrne, Washington State ’25, by electing him permanent pres­ ident of the convention. K. Warren “Spig” Fawcett, Minnesota ’26, Chief of District XV III, was selected as convention secretary.

In his opening address on the “State of the Fraternity” President G. Herbert Smith, who would announce his retirement from that office at this convention, called attention to the Beta brothers who had once again given their lives on the field of combat. As in World War II, the Korean conflict had called our members from peaceful college pur­

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suits to fight for the freedom of another race on foreign soil. He then called upon the delegates to see to it that their chapters carry on for those who had died in the service of humanity and for the many great Beta leaders who had passed away since the last gathering of Wooglin’s clan.

Brother Smith announced that this convention would bring to a close his twenty years of service to the fraternity in an official capacity. He pointed out that during sixteen of the twenty years he had served on the Board of Trustees as General Secretary and President, and ac­ knowledged that it had been a rare privilege to serve the fraternity which he loved so much. He urged the delegates to carry their love for Beta with them after leaving the college campus, looking toward fur­ ther service as District Chiefs and general officers. “There is great re­ muneration for those who would serve Beta Theta Pi in this way,” he said. “The payment comes in the increasing appreciation of the power of our fraternity and the experience of ever widening friendship with the finest men you will ever know. Those who serve Beta Theta Pi find the more they do for the fraternity the more she does for them until at last, the debt of gratitude is so great that it cannot be repaid. That is my experience as I pass on to my successor the high office with which you have entrusted me for a little while.”

Report of the New General Secretary. In his first report as general secretary, Seth R. Brooks, St. Law ren ce ’22, paid tribute to the other general officers, particularly to the district chiefs, twelve of whom were new when his term started and four others who were appointed during his first year. For particular praise he chose Administrative Sec­ retary Ralph N. Fey, stating that it was his belief that no other frater­ nity possessed a more efficient or capable person in a like position. He reported that he had visited 25 chapters during his first year and called upon the fraternity to continue to work against excessive use of liquor in the chapters and the use of illegal “Hell Week” practices. On the general state of the fraternity he could say that although the Korean conflict had presented some problems, in general the fraternity was strong—that on at least 66 campuses our chapters were in first, second or third positions among the leading social groups. Contrasting with these, he stated that there were about ten problem chapters and that these were under close scrutiny by the Board of Trustees and that

to

-a

oo

The General Officers of Beta Theta Pi in 1951 Officers, including Trustees, District Chiefs, Fund Trustees and members of the Advisory Council of former Trustees, shown at the 112th General Convention at Old Point Comfort, Va.

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unless they quickly came up to Beta standards, there would be recom­ mendations concerning their charters.

Commenting on the increasing number of requests by married stu­ dents for an inactive status, the general secretary pointed out that such members were taking on a new obligation before they had dis­ charged the one they took when they became Betas. “Each man who becomes inactive,” he said, “leaves his share of the load to be carried by other chapter members. Moreover, the man who becomes a Beta and then asks to become inactive took a place in a delegation which some man who never became a Beta might have been thrilled to take and occupy as a Beta for his four years in college. As General Secretary I am opposed to inactive status except in most strenuous circum­ stances.”

How Many Betas? The report of the administrative secretary indi­ cated that 65,462 roll numbers had been used by the active and inac­ tive chapters. Subtracting the 11,172 known deceased would give the total of members believed living as 54,290 in August, 1951. He pointed out, however, that the last issue of the magazine had gone to approxi­ mately 36,000 Baird Fund and non-Baird Fund Betas. This meant that there were some 18,000 others whose addresses were unknown or were dead and not so marked on the fraternity records. He stated that it was his guess that there were probably between 5,000 and 8,000 unknown deceased members.

The State of the Treasury. In his first report as General Treasurer, Charles E. Dykes, Cornell ’36, was able to report that, largely because of the successful solicitation of alumni contributions, income for the past year had exceeded expenses and the assets of the fraternity had been increased. General Treasurer Dykes made a hit with the dele­ gates by aiding their understanding of the mysteries of organization finance through the use of large, easily read charts, a practice which has been continued at many subsequent conventions.

One interesting chart showed the trend in the fraterity’s total assets: Year

Total Assets

Increase

1918 1920 1930 1940

$ 9,067 50,226 250,468 458,455

455% 400% 83%

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Year

Total Assets

Increase

1950 1951

741,726 833,287

62% 12%

Brother Dykes pointed out that the growth in assets really started with the establishment of the Baird Fund in 1919. He also called atten­ tion to the fact that the 12% increase in 1951 over 1950 was greater in dollars than the 455% increase in 1920 over 1918.

It was revealed in his report that alumni contributions from over 4,000 members had amounted to $15,579, 13% of the total income for the year. As a result of this and of close adherence to the budget, a summary of operations for the year showed: Budget

Actual

Income Expense

$ 98,880 102,475

$119,260 102,405

Net gain or loss

$

$ 16,855

3,595 (loss)

Instead of a budgeted loss of $3,595, there was a gain of $16,855 as a result of greater income than expected from investments, initiation fees and alumni contributions. The question still remained, the gen­ eral treasurer pointed out, whether the general fraternity should con­ tinue to solicit annual contributions from alumni, thereby diluting their support of their own chapter’s financial needs. He revealed that a committee had been appointed during the past year to study the matter of a long range financial program.

Veteran Convention Attenders. Anyone who has attended a Beta convention will remember the annual custom of having all present rise and then be seated as the years are called off to determine who has at­ tended the most conventions. The tabulation at the 112th General Convention showed: J. Harold Ryan Robert M. Thompson Clarence L. Newton George M. Chandler A. J. G. Priest Richard T. Steele Harold J. Baily

42 41 34 30 24 21 19

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A similar procedure brought out the interesting fact that the follow­ ing men in attendance had been members of the fraternity for over fifty years: Charles L. Sommers Frank M. Lay Robert M. Thompson George M. Chandler Frank J. Laird Ben Neal Nat J. Perkins Clarence L. Newton

62 years 62 59 58 56 54 53 51

“A. J.” to the Presidency. It became the responsibility of the 112th General Convention to select a president to succeed G. Herbert Smith and a vice-president to take the place of Elwood T. Starbuck on the Board of Trustees. For the presidency the delegates turned to a de­ voted and gifted Beta who had served the fraternity in many capaci­ ties. A. J. G. Priest, Id ah o ’18, had emerged from Idaho as a leader of that chapter and immediately showed an interest in general fraternity affairs by becoming a District Chief in the area which included his own chapter and later in the New York area where his legal profession took him. While pursuing a distinguished career in the law he continued to accept responsibilites in the fraternity when Beta called upon him. His great gifts as a speaker soon made him known to members of the fra­ ternity everywhere and his brothers showed their confidence in him by electing him to the Board of Trustees and as a Trustee of the Baird Fund. Convention goers had been treated to his speaking ability and his great knowledge of the fraternity as shown by his series of ad­ dresses on “Beta Personalities” at five previous gatherings.2 Brother Priest was the author of the fraternity’s pledge ritual and had been a member of the staff of T he Beta T heta Pi for over twenty-five years.

For the vacancy on the Board of Trustees the fraternity recalled a successful business man who had previously served in the position, Elmer H. Jennings, Northwestern ’12. “Jenks,” as he was known to Betas everywhere, had been the principal author of the Officers’ Man­ ual and had served on the committee which arranged the purchase of 2 The complete collection of these ten addresses was published in 1956 under the title of T he G reat Ones by A. J. G. Priest.

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the property in which the Administrative Office is located. At the time of his election he was president of Thilmany Pulp and Paper Co. of Kaukauna, Wisconsin and was a member of the board of trustees of Lawrence College.

Expansion. In the year which preceded the 112th General Conven­ tion, the Board of Trustees had sent Col. Clifford C. Gregg, Cincin-

Presidents, Past and Present Left to right: Past President Clarence L. Newton, W es­ leyan ’02; President-Elect A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18; Re­ tiring President G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27.

nati ’17, to the University of Western Ontario to investigate that Cana­ dian institution and a local group there which was seeking a Beta char­ ter. At the convention the Committee on Charters and the convention as a whole heard Col. Gregg’s report and listened to others concern­ ing this area of possible expansion. Although some doubt was expressed regarding the housing of the local fraternity, the reports generally seemed favorable to the delegates. As a result they voted a recommen­ dation that the Board of Trustees grant permission to the Kappa Tau Sigma fraternity to petition for a charter.

The convention also heard reports concerning the local group at the University of Wyoming which had been seeking a charter for the past two years. It appeared that the local fraternity still did not measure up to the standards of Beta Theta Pi but the delegates passed a resolution citing the University of Wyoming as a desirable place for further ex­ pansion and called upon the Board to continue to work toward that goal.

It was also the desire of the convention that steps should be taken which might lead to the establishment of a chapter at the University of Arizona.

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Again—Pre-Initiation Ceremony. As a result of action by the previous convention, a commission of eleven had been appointed to make a study of pre-initiation ceremonies and practices. After unsuccessful efforts at three previous gatherings, this was another attempt to de­ velop and obtain approval of a standard ceremony to replace the abol­ ished Wooglin Ceremony. Chairman of the Commission Stanley R.

The Nerve Center at Oxford The Administrative Headquarters building at Oxford, Ohio following extensive remodeling.

Church, W ashington State ’31, supervised a demonstration of a pro­ posed ceremony at one of the evening sessions of the convention and presented the recommendation of the Commission that the convention approve the ceremony.

The Committee on Initiation and Ritual, after acknowledging the time spent by the Commission and the sincerity of its purposes, recom­ mended that the ceremony not be adopted. A heated debate ensued and it was finally decided that the ceremony should be given a trial.

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The Board of Trustees was instructed to make copies available to any chapter desiring to use it with at least one pledge class during the coming year and it was understood that such chapters would report to the next convention at which the question again would be presented as to whether the ceremony should receive official sanction.

Convention Notes. Iowa State chapter was announced as the winner of the North Dakota Award for excellence in chapter publications for the second succesive year. Placing second were DePauw and Michi­ gan State while honorable mention went to Davidson, Brown, Wesleyan and Lehigh.

E. Leland Webber, Cincinnati ’42, was announced as the newly ap­ pointed Assistant General Treasurer in charge of chapter finance.

The Board of Trustees announced the election of the following offi­ cers for the year 1951-1952: Administrative Secretary, Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40; Historian, Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898; Archivist, John L. Baker, Miami ’04 and Editor of The Beta Theta Pi, Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20.

Beta Basketball Stars—1951. In T he Beta Theta Pi for November, 1951, George H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, selected his 1951 All-Beta Basket­ ball Team as follows: 1st Team f. f. c. g. g.

C. C. Barclay, Oregon ’53 R. W. Knostman, Kansas State ’53 S. C. Ward, Law rence ’52 R. G. Pierce, N ebraska ’51 E. J. McHugh, Yale ’52 2nd Team

f. D. A. Sears, Yale ’53 f. R. J. Dougherty, Penn ’52 c. J. S. McMahan, Jr., Penn State ’52 g. T. E. Powers, Colum bia ’51 g. G. R. Waugh, Kansas ’50 World War II Military List. Since the first Military List of Betas who served in World War II was published in 1947, editors of The Beta

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Theta Pi continued their efforts to complete the list. In a list3 dated August 15, 1951, editor Columbus Barber showed that with the addi­ tion of recently added names, it appeared that 11,131 members had served in the armed forces and that 466 had given their lives. In the November issue of the Magazine he listed, by chapters, the names of those departed brothers.

Walter L. Flory 1880-1951.

“When Walter L. Flory, Denison ’03, was called to the stars on July 3, 1951, Beta Theta Pi lost a great hearted and devoted lover and Cleveland lost an outstandingly effective and deeply loved citi­ zen.” So wrote A. J. G. Priest in a stirring tribute to this great Beta.

At Denison, Walter Flory came under the influence of Francis Shepardson and thus developed an interest in, and an affection for Beta Theta Pi which seemed to grow with the passing of the years.

After serving his chapter as presi­ dent he became an effective Dis­ trict Chief and was a frequent at­ Former Baird Fund Trustee tendant at Beta conventions (the Walfer L Flory> Deniwn >03 1950 gathering at Bigwin Inn was his 22nd). His greatest contribution to the fraternity came during the years from 1936 to 1947 when he served as a Trustee of the Baird Fund. His wisdom and insight into financial matters helped to shape the financial structure of the fraternity and to guide it through the diffi­ cult war years.

His contribution to the city of Cleveland was outstanding. Said the Cleveland Press at the time of his passing, “Some men enter the af­ fairs of a community only to take from it more than they invest. Others progress with it and for it, leaving it enriched. One of these was Walter L. Flory.” s See T he B eta Theta Pi, vol. 79, November, 1951, pp. 247-53.

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AMONG BETAS OF A C H IEV E M E N T — 1951

Dr. Deane W. Malott, Kansas ’21, who had been chancellor of die University of Kansas since 1939, was elected president of Cornell Uni­ versity.

John Marshall Butler, Johns H opkins ’23, was elected to the United States Senate from the State of Maryland on the Republican ticket.

John F. Merriam, Chicago ’25, selected as president of Northern Natural Gas Co., Texas-to-Minnesota pipeline firm and thus, at age 46, became one of the youngest corporation heads in the nation.

Another youthful Beta executive was William N. Deramus, III, Michigan ’36, who, at age 33, was made president of the Chicago Great Western Railway Co. Francis M. “Chub” Rich, Illinois ’25, was made general superin­ tendent of Inland Steel Corpora­ tion.

Charles E. Wilson, Carnegie T ech ’09, president of General Motors Corp. was presented with Business Leader the 1950 Brotherhood Award of Charles G. Mortimer, Jr., Stevens ’22, the National Conference of Chris­ vice-president and director of General tians and Jews.

Foods Corporation.

Charles G. Mortimer, Jr., Stev­ ens ’22, a vice-president of General Foods Corp. was elected a director of that well known manufacturing firm.

Herbert L. Brown, Jr., Cincinnati ’34, became managing editor of Changing Tim es—The Kiplinger Magazine.

Stanley S. Kresge, Michigan ’24, trustee of the Kresge Foundation, announced the granting of a $2 million gift to the Harvard school of business administration and $1,500,000 to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

A. Ray Warnock, Illinois ’05, was serving as chairman of the National Interfraternity Conference.

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287

Charles W. Bryan, Jr., W ashington (St. Louis) ’12, was chosen pres­ ident of Pullman-Standard Car Manufacturing Co. Thomas A. Bartlett, W illam ette ’51, became the Beta Rhodes Scholar for 1951. He won his scholarship in the competition with other candi­ dates held in Spokane, Washington.

George W. Auxier, Miami ’30, was appointed executive secretary of the National Production Authority.

Major General L. J. Whitlock, Miami ’14, was appointed Comman­ dant of the Army General School, Fort Riley, Kansas, the largest school of its type in the United States.

John F. Sembower, Indiana ’34, was elected president of the Ameri­ can Business Law Association, comprising 1,600 professors and in­ structors in business law subjects in U. S. colleges and universities.

☆

1952 ☆

TH E 113TH YEAR of Beta Theta Pi was a good year for the fraternity as it was for the entire Greek world. Antifraternity agitation seemed to be abating. Even the hostile motion picture, “Take Care of My Little Girl” which was intended to be harmful to the fraternity and sorority concept was so radically slanted that it probably did more good than harm. (It is interesting to note that the daughter of the producer of the film was pledged to a sorority a year after the picture was released!)

Of the 96 Beta chapters it could be said that a majority would be classed as being in first, second or third position on their campuses. It would appear that much progress had been made toward the elimina­ tion of the chaotic conditions which prevailed in many chapters in the post-war years.

The trend toward smaller chapter size which had started in 1949 was continuing in 1952 as the Year B ook of the Fraternity published in May of that year showed the total number of undergraduate members in the 96 chapters to be 4,385 or an average of close to 45 members per chapter. This was a decline from the total of 4,828 shown in the 1951 list and showed a healthy return to the ideal size of chapter as con­ trasted with those in the years immediately following World War II. In those years chapters with 90 or more members were not uncommon and it was feared that a permanent trend in that direction might have been started.

Records at the Administrative Office in Oxford indicated that 67,055 members had been initiated since the fraternity was founded in 1839.

These same records showed that there were approximately 54,000 members living in 1952. Serving that number, involving correspond­ ence with alumni organizations, with chapters and with the fraternity officers was proving every day the value of an administrative office.

That establishment had, by 1952, been welded into an efficient tool by Administrative Secretary Ralph Fey and its postage bill of $1,500 for 288

1952

289

the past year gave evidence of the volume of letter mail and parcel post required to service the wide spread organization.

In the field of alumni solicitation alone was the value of the office proven beyond doubt. In the years of 1951 and 1952 the office handled two mailings at a cost of $2,279 for one and $1,102 for the other. The request for contributions to the General Fund produced 3,982 returns in 1951 for a total of $15,150. The solicitation in 1952 brought responses from 4,486 alumni for $14,940. Efforts to increase the Baird Fund en­ dowment were equally rewarding. In response to an appeal from the Administrative Office, 3,037 members of the Baird Fund added $10 each to their life-time Magazine subscription while 446 non-Baird Fund members added $4,890. Thus a total of 5,167 alumni made con­ tributions in these two years to both funds.

A CENTURY AT NORTH CAROLINA

Eta chapter, the twelfth oldest in Betadom, celebrated its one hun­ dredth birthday on April 18-19, 1952 in an historic gathering at Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the previous year of 1951 there had been an anniversary marking one hundred years of fraternities on that campus so it can be seen that Eta chapter of Beta Theta Pi had had a share in the development of such groups almost from the beginning. It was the third fraternity chapter to be chartered there and from 1852 to 1855 it prospered and was considered to be the leader of fraternities at Chapel Hill. With the graduation of the class of 1855, however, the chapter be­ gan a steady decline and became inactive four years later in 1859.

Following the Civil War the university authorities enacted a ban against fraternities and this was maintained until ten years later in 1884 when such groups were allowed to return to the campus provid­ ing they furnished a list of members to the faculty and that no liquors were to be allowed in the houses. At this time a chapter of the Mystical Seven was established on the North Carolina campus and when that organization was absorbed into Beta Theta Pi, Eta chapter was reacti­ vated. In spite of several difficult experiences and setbacks it has pro­ gressed to become one of the outstanding chapters of the fraternity.

To mark the first hundred years, President A. J. G. Priest brought an official greeting from the fraternity and alumni returned from a wide area to participate in the two-day celebration.

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SIGMA RIIO’S GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

Few chapters have had as distinguished a history in Beta Theta Pi as Sigma Rho at Illinois and few chapters have had as devoted an alumnus as Clarence J. Roseberry, ’05. Both were honored at the F if­ tieth Anniversary Celebration of the founding of the tllinois chapter, February 29-March 2, 1952 at Champaign, Illinois. Founders of the

At the Illinois Celebration Charter members Thomas I. Fullenwider, ’02 (right) and Wallace K. Wiley, ’04.

chapter, alumni and their wives and children returned by the score to the site of this famous chapter. “Rosey” said he was retiring after 44 years of devoted service and while few believed that he could “retire,” all agreed it was a reason for all of them to express their love and appre­ ciation to this man who had guided one of the outstanding chapters for so many years.

Charter members Thomas I. Fullenwider, ’02, and Wallace K. Wiley, ’04, were there to tell of the beginning and President A. J. G. Priest paid tribute to the chapter’s contributions to Beta Theta Pi in the main address. He told of the establishment of a local society called Sigma Delta by Frank H. Holmes, Knox ’01; Henry C. Morse, Knox ’01 and Carroll Ragan, W abash ’01 which was to become Sigma Rho chapter and to hold a high place from that time on in personnel, in scholarship and in campus activities.

Other general fraternity officials who were honored guests at the event included Assistant Historian Karl W. Fischer, Indiana ’25; As­ sistant General Treasurer E. Leland Webber, Cincinnati ’42 and Dis­ trict Chief Carl M. Grip, Beloit ’45.

1952

291

ROMODA BECOM ES SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSIONER

The type of man whom Beta has called upon to occupy its highest office in the field of scholarship is an indication of its interest in the cul­ tivation of the intellect. This was again proven with the appointment of Joseph J. Romoda, St. L aw rence ’33, to be Scholarship Commis­ sioner. Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, valedictorian, B.S., M.A., Ph.D., these were but a few of the attainments of this man who was destined to hold many important positions in the fraternity’s admin­ istrative organization.

At the time of his appointment, Brother Romoda was Dean, Col­ lege of Letters and Science, St. Lawrence University, his alma mater. Following four years in the U. S. Navy, with the rank of Lieut.

Commander, he had been a news­ paper reporter, high school faculty member, instructor in the School of Education, Syracuse University, and executive secretary to the New York State Council of Super­ intendents. As an outgrowth of his Scholarship Commissioner directorship of the St. Lawrence Joseph J. Romoda, St. L aw ren ce ’33.

University Institute on Delin­ quency and Crime, the governor of the state appointed him a member of the New York State Citizens Committee of 100 for Children and Youth. Brother Romoda had also been closely associated with his chap­ ter as Chapter Counselor and a Trustee of the alumni organization.

T H E 113T F I G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

For the seventh time in its history and the second time within three years, the fraternity convened for its annual gathering at a point north of the Canadian border. As in 1950, the convention was held at Bigwin Inn, Lake of Bays, Ontario—a beautiful island setting in one of

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The Dining Hall, Bigwin Inn

Canada’s most picturesque areas. All ninety-six chapters were repre­ sented, and the location proved significant because it was at this gath­ ering that a third Canadian chapter was added to the chapter roll of the fraternity. The total attendance was 483, of which 407 were mem­ bers of the fraternity, the balance being wives, sons, daughters and guests. Thirty alumni associations were represented by official dele­ gates. Thirty-four Betas present had attended five or more conventions including J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08, who had attended 43; Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02, who had attended 36; President A. J. G. Priest, Id ah o ’18, who had attended 25 and Richard T. Steele, W esleyan ’21, who had been present at 22.

The Beta who had been a member longer than any other present, Charles Moderwell, W ooster 1889, was honored with the selection as

1952

293

Temporary President. Chosen Permanent President was a man who had served the fraternity long and well, Dr. Arthur C. Wiekenden, Denison ’15. Brother Wiekenden had been a District Chief, Chaplain of the Centenary Convention in 1939 and Keeper of the Rolls from 1946 to 1949. At the time of the 113th General Convention he was Direc­ tor of Religious Activities at Miami University. Selected to serve with him as Convention Secretary was District Chief Harry M. Easton, Pennsylvania ’26.

The State of the Fraternity. The reports of both President A. J. G. Priest and General Secretary Seth R. Brooks indicated that the fra­ ternity had completed a successful year. Brother Brooks reported that from his numerous visitations and correspondence with district chiefs and chapters he would esti­ mate that of our 96 chapters, 60 would have been in first, second or third places on their campuses; 20 would be very near the top; 10 would be far down the list and 6 would be considered real prob­ Elected General Treasurer lems.

Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31.

Both reports indicated again that antifraternity propaganda seemed to have declined during the year, but that foolish acts by a few of our chapters and of other fra­ ternities had again brought discredit to the entire fraternity movement.

It was necessary for the General Secretary to report that in spite of legislation against such practices, a few Beta chapters continued to use the paddle and engage in other pre-initiation customs in opposition to the laws of the fraternity. Such practices had also worked during the year to bring discredit to the entire organization.

New Officers. It became the responsibility of the 113th General Con­ vention to select a new General Treasurer to replace Charles E. Dykes,

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Cornell ’36, who could not continue for another term because of pres­ sure of business responsibilities, and a Vice-President to replace Earl Sneed, Jr., whose term had also expired. For General Treasurer the delegates selected Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31, who had served the fraternity as Chief of District V. After practicing law in New York City, Brother Bonney had served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy and at the time of his election was SecretaryTreasurer and Director of Sun Chemical Co. of Long Island City, New York.

For Vice-President and Trustee, the fraternity turned to one of its most popular members, noted for his wit, story-telling ability and wise counsel, the well loved Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18. Brother Holding had served faithfully as Chief of District IX and at the pre­ vious Bigwin Inn convention in 1950 had been honored with the selec­ tion as President of that gathering.

The Money Picture. Charles E. Dykes, Cornell ’36, served only one three-year term as General Treasurer but will be long remembered by delegates and other convention-goers for his enlightening charts. These graphic arrangements of figures admitted light in the dark regions of finances which so many lay brothers had always found obscure. His report for 1952 showed that while there had been a small operating loss for the year, the financial picture of the fraternity was good. In 1951 there had been a large gain, due largely to alumni contributions, and an appropriation from that sum had been made to permit a ma­ terial increase in the magazine budget for 1952. Adding this appro­ priation gave the following picture of the year’s operations:

Income Expense

Budget

Actual

Change

$112,935 117,850

$109,887 115,905

$ -3 ,0 4 8 -1 ,9 4 5

4,915*

Net gain or loss* Appropriation from 1951 income Net gain for the year 0 Asterisk indicates loss.

6,018*

6,796 $

1,881

$

+ 1,103

10,440

+3,644

4,422

$+2,541

1952

295

Another interesting chart showed the trend of income and expense: 1918 1920 1930 1940 1950 1951 1952

Total Incom e

Total Expense

$ 16,000 34,900 50,500 55,500 97,800 119,260 109,900

$ 22,400 26,500 45,000 56,700 98,400 102,400 115,900

All Time

Gain or Loss $

6,400s 8,400 5,500 1,200* 600* 16,900 6,000*

$245,500

As the above figures show, in most years the income had exceeded the expense, while occasionally the reverse had been true. The inter­ esting point is that since the beginning, or since financial records have been kept, income has exceeded expense by $245,500.

A comparison of what the fraternity owned in 1952 as compared with 1951 showed: 1951

1952

Change

Cash Investments Chapter Loans Real Estate All Other

$ 76,207 528,418 161,514 56,095 11,638

$ 99,385 573,096 155,230 66,527 10,811

$+23,178 +44,678 -6 ,2 8 4 + 10,432 -8 2 7

f■

Total

$833,872

$905,049

$+71,177

1 T,

: trend in total assets could be shown as follows: Year 1918 1920 1930 1940 1950 1951 1952

Total Assets $

9,067 50,226 250,468 458,455 741,726 833,872 905,049

Increase i#

*

455% 400% 1?

83% ' 62% 12% 9%

Fraternity Scholarship. The first report of Scholarship Commissioner Joseph J. Romoda, St. L aw rence ’33, given to the convention, presented

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one graphic reason for the criticism of the American fraternity system which had been so noticeable since the end of World War II. The fig­ ures cited were taken largely from reports of Col. Ralph W. Wilson, Scholarship Counselor for Sigma Chi, and covered a study of 32,735 fraternity chapters in the period 1929-1950. The reports indicated that forty-seven percent of these chapters had scholastic averages which were above the average college man student; and con­ versely, fifty-three percent of this large number of chapters were be­ low the all-men’s average.

The scholastic record of Beta Theta Pi for the year 1950-1951 had a dark and a light side. Fortytwo chapters were above the all­ men’s average on their campuses, representing a percentage of 47.7 of the 88 chapters. It appeared that this would be one of the high­ Assistant General Treasurer est, and probably the highest of E. Leland Webber, Cincinnati ’42. any of the large national frater­ nities. On the other side of the ledger was the adverse statistic show­ ing that 52.3 percent of the 88 chapters were below the all-men’s average.

Chapter Finances. Little has been said in this history concerning the valuable financial assistance given to the chapters by the devoted Betas who have occupied the office of Assistant General Treasurer. This omis­ sion is because the nature of the operations of the office have to do with the details of chapter financial operations, but should not be re­ garded as a detraction from the great contribution which these men have made.

Among the activities of the Assistant General Treasurer are: the ob­ taining and analysis of annual budgets, monthly financial statements, correspondence with the chapters concerning chapter finance and the preparation of an annual report concerning the general picture of ehap-

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297

ter finance operations. It is suggested that anyone seeking aid in such matters should refer to the reports of the Assistant General Treasurers in the convention minutes printed in The B eta T heta Pi. The report for 1952 was given by Assistant General Treasurer E. Leland Webber, Cincinnati ’42.

A New Canadian Chapter. It was a happy coincidence and of real significance that the third Canadian Beta chapter should be voted its charter at a convention held in that country. Reports had been coming to the General Secretary and to the Board of Trustees for a number

Petitioning Group Representatives of Kappa Tau Sigma, University of Western Ontario.

of years concerning the excellence of the University of Western Ontario as an institution of higher learning and of the high quality of a local fraternity there known as Kappa Tau Sigma.

Probably the highlight of the convention discussion concerning the petition of that group was the enthusiastic endorsement of the college and of the local by Col. Clifford C. Gregg, former General Secretary, who had visited the location and reported on the high scholastic stand­ ing of the group. It was indicated that Kappa Tau Sigma had always been above the all-men’s average since its founding in 1933 and that its scholastic average during the 1948-1949 year was 95.10, or close to an A average. Impressed with these facts and with the character and enthusiasm of the group of six petitioners which appeared before the convention, the delegates voted unanimously to add the 97th chapter to the roll of the fraternity.

The only other business concerning charters which came before the gathering was the disappointing news that a local group at the Univer­ sity of Wyoming which had been given permission to petition this con­

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vention had fallen down in scholarship and chapter finance and had decided it would be useless to apply.

Pre-Initiation Ceremony. One last footnote should be added to the efforts of the previous five or six years to gain approval of an official pre-initiation ceremony to be used by all chapters. It was reported to the 113th General Convention that during the year 16 percent of the chapters made use of the ceremony shown to the 112th General Con­ vention. It was recommended that the 113th “approve the continued experimental use of this ceremony by those chapters that desire to do so.

Convention Notes. Probably no issue had produced more heat and oratory and less action at earlier general conventions than the annual effort to change the fraternity colors. The 113th proved no exception and once more the Committee on Miscellaneous Affairs and the assem­ bled delegates listened to the old sad story of the anguish of social chairmen trying to arrange table decorations using pink and blue, the horrible results of using those delicate colors in printed programs and menus, to say nothing of the shame felt by basketball teams forced to appear in public clad in those dainty, feminine tints.

Once more these sad stories were related, but when cooler and wiser heads reminded the delegates that the fraternity’s colors had been taken from the sunrise (a phenomenon which many there had probably never viewed) and that those colors were steeped in 113 years of tra­ dition they voted to leave them just as they were.

A tradition of Beta conventions for the previous six years had been the annual address of A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18, on “Beta Personalities.”

At the 113th convention, President Priest continued the series by speak­ ing to delegates and guests on “Major Wyllys C. Ransom, Michigan 1848.”

Another event of that evening wTas the presentation of the Beta Badge worn by William Raimond Baird, Stevens 1878. The badge was presented by Baird’s nephew, Clarence G. Campbell, Boston ’05, to the editor of The B eta Theta Pi, Columbus S. Barber, W est Vir­ ginia ’20, and it is to be passed along to succeeding magazine editors.

Following this, two brothers of the inactive Wooster chapter, Ray W. Irvin, ’08, and Charles M. Moderwell, 1889, presented in honor of J. Calvin Hanna, W ooster 1881, the first thirty-eight volumes of The B eta Theta Pi bound in red with gold stampings, to be added to the

Fraternal Fifties at the 1953 Convention Front row, 1. to r., Clarence G. Campbell, Boston ’05; Charles M. Moderwell, W ooster 1889; Horace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894; Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02. Back row, 1. to r., Frank M. Lay, Amherst 1893; Stanley K. Hornbeck, C olorado ’03; Ben E. Neal, Syracuse ’01; Herbert E. Jackman, Syracuse ’03.

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Editor’s library and thus serving to complete the set of volumes so frequently needed for reference in that office.

The brothers from Wooster also presented to the fraternity a beauti­ ful portrait of J. Cal Hanna painted by Louis Szanto of New York City.

As requested by the donors, this portrait now hangs in the Adminis­ trative Headquarters in Oxford, Ohio.

The North Dakota Award for the best chapter publication went to Nebraska with North Carolina second and Iowa State third.

The James L. Gavin Memorial Scholarship was presented to Wil­ liam B. Holliday, Ohio State ’54, Emory ’54. This was presented to Brother Holliday to enable him to carry out an assignment to work closely with the Emory chapter during the school year 1952-1953.

INSTALLATIO N AT W ESTER N ONTARIO

On October 12, 1952, the dream of every Canadian Beta for a third Canadian chapter became a reality when the group known as Kappa Tau Sigma at the University of Western Ontario became the Delta Alpha of Beta Theta Pi. The absence of President A. J. G. Priest due to illness was a disappointment but it was fitting that the installing officer, assisted by District Chief Paul Van Riper, should be former General Secretary Clifford C. Gregg. It had been he who had paid an official visit to that campus and to the petitioning group and had been one of their principal spokesmen at the convention which granted the charter.

Officially welcoming the fraternity to that campus was Dr. F. Stiling who said, “The university authorities have been approached over the past few years by various national organizations with regard to affili­ ation with Kappa Tau Sigma; there was no reluctance when Beta Theta Pi sought entrance.”

The installation ceremonies included a church service at Huron Col­ lege, the initiation ritual, the installation banquet and the Loving Cup Ceremony. New chapter officers installed were William McMurray, President; Kenneth Graham, Vice-President; Ralph Thorneycroft, Sec­ retary; and Robert Haynes, Treasurer. In his banquet address Col. Gregg said to the new chapter, “This charter is yours, so long as the conduct and character of your members are consistent with the pur­ poses and ideals of our Fraternity as expressed in its Constitution, Laws and Rituals. We anticipate that it will be yours forever. Men of Delta

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Thames Hall, University of Western Ontario

Alpha, it is up to you to make history, and to make it read as you want it to read—shape your own destiny and follow Wooglin’s path. You must live in the house that you build, you have the finest materials—it is your choice.”

It would appear that the men of Delta Alpha have so far made the right choice for, during the eight years which have elapsed, they have been a credit to Beta Theta Pi.

CHARLES E . WILSON

The appointment of Charles E. Wilson, Carnegie ’09, to be Sec­ retary of Defense was an event of great interest to Betas everywhere.

This was part of the pattern outlined by President Eisenhower pre­ vious to his election when he promised to bring into the federal admin­ istration the “business brains” which had led to the greatness of our economy.

Charles Wilson, No. 3 on the Carnegie chapter roll book, had been

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President of General Motors since 1941 and had been credited by most informed people with the production “miracles” which were accom­ plished by that firm through the war years. At the time of his appoint­ ment he was sixty-two years old and already had had a career matched by few men. At eighteen he had completed a four-year electrical engi­ neering course in three years. At twenty-one he designed the first auto-

Secretary of Defense Charles E. Wilson, Carnegie ’09.

New Chief of District V III Irwin Harold Wensink, L aw ren ce ’29.

mobile starter made by Westinghouse and four years later was made head of the company’s automatic electrical equipment department.

This interest in the automotive industry eventually led him to Gen­ eral Motors and in 1919 he was made engineer and sales manager of the Remy Electric Company, a General Motors subsidiary. Two years later, he was made chief engineer and it is likely that it was at this time he first began the organized planning and study of production. His promotion to the presidency of the Delco-Remy Corporation preceded his election as a vice-president of General Motors. In 1939 he was made Executive Vice-President and the following year became Acting Pres­ ident in the absence of William S. Knudsen, who became director of

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the nation’s defense program. In 1941 when Mr. Knudsen resigned, Charles E. Wilson was made President. Eleven years later, under quite similar conditions, once again the President of General Motors took leave to answer the call of his President.

NEW DISTRICT CH IEFS

John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42, alumni secretary of Miami Univer­ sity, was one of the eight pledges of the Miami chapter who were initi­ ated at the Centenary Convention, the class being symbolic of the eight founders of the fraternity. After a distinguished career as an under­ graduate he served in the army and at the end of the war was assigned to interrogation of high Nazi officials previous to the War Crimes Trials. His appointment was to be Chief of District X II (Case, Denison.

Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, Western Reserve).

Harold L. Brown, Northwestern ’22, succeeded Paul Van Riper, DePauw ’38, who resigned to accept an appointment in Washington, D.C. “Hal” had already served the fraternity well as Chapter Coun­ selor to the Northwestern chapter and had been prominent in Beta alumni affairs in the Chicago area. He became Chief of District XVII (Beloit, Chicago, Northwestern, Lawrence, Wisconsin).

George L. Herpel, Vanderbilt ’43, replaced Arthur Hughes, W esleyan ’16, one of the hardest working and most loyal chiefs ever to work for the fraternity. Brother Herpel had served as President of both the St. Louis Vanderbilt Club and the St. Louis Beta Club. At the time of his appointment as Chief of District XX he was sales manager of the C. V. Mosby Co. of St. Louis. (Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Wash­ ington [St. Louis], Westminster.)

Irwin H. Wensink, L aw rence ’29, had served the fraternity as Sec­ retary and later as President of the Washington, D.C. Beta Alumni Association and had been a regular contributor and staff member of T he B eta Theta Pi for many years. At the time of his appointment as Chief of District V III he was in charge of the Washington office of George Banta Company, Inc. To replace Sherwood Bonney, elected General Treasurer, the Gen­ eral Secretary announced the appointment of William T. Louth, D e­ Pauw ’48. This popular young Beta was, at the time of his appointment, an executive of Medallic Art Co. of New York City and was Treasurer

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of the Beta Club of New York. He took over the supervision of Dis­ trict V (Columbia, Rutgers, Stevens).

Chalmers G. Davidson, Davidson ’28, a member of the faculty of Davidson College and a well known North Carolina author succeeded Clem B. Holding as Chief of District IX (North Carolina, Davidson, Duke).

Frederich E. Breuleux, Cincinnati ’39, became another in the long line of Cincinnati Betas who have devoted time and talents to the fra­ ternity. Assistant Manager of the Delta Oxygen Co. of Memphis, Ten­ nessee, he became Chief of District XI (Mississippi, Sewanee, Tulane, Vanderbilt).

Mark M. Myers, Indiana ’40, became the new Chief of District XXI which included Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Southern Methodist. This transplanted Hoosier became an enthusiastic Texas Beta when business took him to that state and he worked tirelessly in the efforts to start a chapter at Southern Methodist University.

James M. Black, Case ’39, was associated with the Avery Engineer­ ing Co. of Cleveland, Ohio. He had been active in the Cleveland Beta Alumni organization and was appointed Chief of District X II which included Case, Western Reserve, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan and Kenyon.

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV E M E N T — 1952

Charles Patrick Taylor, British C olum bia ’52, was selected to re­ ceive the 1952 Rhodes Scholarship for British Columbia. He thus fol­ lowed two other Rhodes Scholars from his chapter, Allan Ainsworth 1946 and Chick Turner 1949.

Arthur A. Wasserman, M.I.T. ’51, after a period of study at the M.I.T. Engineering Practice School at Oak Ridge, Tennessee was granted a Rhodes Scholarship.

William Wade, Jr., Vanderbilt ’52, in the annual college all-star game, led the South to a 35-7 victory over the North in the Shrine charity game in the Miami Orange Bowl.

Fred A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31, was appointed by Governor Val Peterson of Nebraska to fill the unexpired term of Senator Kenneth C. Wherry, N ebraska ’14, whose death was a loss not only to the people of Nebraska but also to the nation. Thus an outstanding Beta replaced a great Beta senator.

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Edward L. Lipscomb, Mississippi ’27, was elected President of the Public Relations Society of America.

Robert G. Mayfield, Missouri ’33, was elected executive secretary of the General Board of Lay Activities of the Methodist Church.

Ted P. Axton, Purdue ’41, was selected as the “Young Man of the Year” by the Indiana Junior Chamber of Commerce. At the age of 34 he was president of the Lafayette Savings Bank of Lafayette, In­ diana.

Howell H. Brooks, Jr., DePauw ’29, was appointed president of Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by its board of trustees after serving for a year as acting president.

Arthur F. Wheeler, Beloit ’24, was selected for the 1952 Distinguished Service Award by the Beta Theta Pi Alumni Association of Southern California.

Dr. Charles E. Odegaard, Dartmouth ’32, was named Dean of the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Frederic W. Ness, Dickinson ’33, administrator and teacher at New York University and who had also taught at Yale, U. S. Naval Academy and University of Cincinnati, became Dean of Dickinson College.

☆

1953 ☆

TH E YEAR OF 1953 was to be an eventful one in the history of the fra­ ternity. It marked several important anniversaries and it saw Beta Theta Pi officially, particularly at its annual convention, put emphasis upon the question of the right of its chapters to hold charters without maintaining the standards which had been developed during the one hundred fourteen years of the fraternity.

CEN TEN N IA L AT OHIO W ESLEYAN

Theta chapter, the fraternity’s fourth oldest in continuous exist­ ence, celebrated its one hundredth birthday on April 25-26, 1953 at Delaware, Ohio. Three hundred persons gathered for a buffet lunch­ eon and dinner in the University Union on Saturday and a chapel ser­ vice on Sunday. Arrangements for the celebration were under the di­ rection of John Summers, ’07, of Columbus, Ohio and Wheeler J. Welday, ’14, of Smithfield, Ohio.

The reunion and centennial brought up-to-date Samuel R. Thornberg’s “History of Theta Chapter” and the centennial gift to the univer­ sity was a set of exhibit cases for the historical collection of a great Beta, Frank W. Gunsaulus, 1875. Speakers during the two days included President A. J. G. Priest, General Secretary Seth R. Brooks, Bishop Lewis O. Hartman, 1899, Welles K. Stanley, 1895 and the toastmaster at the banquet was Admiral Winchell M. Craig, ’15 (Ret.). A detailed account of the affair was recorded for the pages of T he Beta Theta Pi

by Assistant Historian Karl W. Fischer.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AT HANOVER

The second 1953 centennial was celebrated by Iota chapter at Hanover College, Madison, Indiana, on May 22-23. The program be­ gan with an initiation on the historic Beta Rock located one-half mile 306

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from the chapter house in a wooded glen. This was followed by a serenade on the campus which thrilled the crowd of more than 500 alumni, students and visitors. The Iota Betas turned the clock back more than seventy years as they sang, “As Betas Now We Meet,” (lyrics written by Stanley Coulter, 1871, when in Hanover), to the air “America” instead of “How Can I Leave Thee” as most chapters do

Scene of Centennial Initiation “Iota Rock” showing the founding date of the Han­ over chapter.

now. They liked it so well that they have sung to that tune ever since!

The Hanover celebration was, in part, a father and son affair since George H. Prime, ’27, was general chairman and his son, Morton S. Prime, ’55, was chapter chairman. Frank M. Fisher, ’08, was a mem­ ber of the alumni committee while his son, Frank M. Fisher, Jr., ’55, was on the chapter committee.

President A. J. G. Priest was the banquet speaker and responding for the active chapter was its president, Walter F. LaFeber, ’55. The chap­ ter published a history of the centennial which takes its place with the memorable works which tell the histories of the Indiana Beta chapters.

F IF T Y YEARS AT PURDUE

Although a long way from a centenary, the fiftieth milestone was equally important for Indiana’s “youngest” chapter. Beta Mu at Pur­

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due called back more than 250 of her sons to mark a half-century for the chapter whose motto translates as “Machinery is King.” Again the busy Beta president, A. J. G. Priest, was on hand to represent the gen­ eral fraternity and Karl Fischer was there to remind the brothers of the historical events which led to the chartering of Beta Mu in 1903. The anniversary program told of that early beginning when the first Pur-

At Purdue’s Fiftieth President A. J. G. Priest pre­ sents fraternal fifty card to Harry H. Baugh, ’07, one of the founders of Beta Mu chapter.

due Betas were initiated by the DePauw and Indiana chapters and the new group received its early encouragement from a great Han­ over Beta, the beloved Stanley Coulter, 1871, who was a Purdue dean.

A N EW HOM E FO R A N EW CH A PTER

It was of interest to the entire fraternity when news from Western Ontario told of the quarters which were to become the first home of that group as a Beta chapter. The news was interesting also because their new location was different from that of most chapters.

The building made available was at one time a part of Huron Col­ lege, founded in 1863 and the source from which came the University of Western Ontario. The old buildings had been vacant for many years and the property, purchased by a local contractor, was slated to become the site of apartment buildings. Sensing a situation with fa­ vorable possibilities for both the chapter and the contractor, the active group, with the aid of the alumni, negotiated to rent that part of the college which had been the residence of the head of the institution.

The house was found to be admirably suited to the needs of the chapter

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and furnishings were supplied from the old quarters and from the alumni.

A coat of arms design for the new chapter was developed through the historical research and aid of Historian George M. Chandler. Here again, the early beginning at Huron College supplied the design.

T H E 114TH GEN ERAL CONVENTION For the third time in its history the fraternity journeyed to the Pa­ cific coast for a general convention. The 114th General Convention con­ vened at the Huntington Hotel in Pasadena, California on September 1, 1953 for the largest gathering of Betas ever assembled. There were only a few in that throng who had been present at the 1915 gathering at Oakland but there were a number who were at the Hotel Del Monte in 1940. In 1953 many of those who journeyed from the middle west and east were of the opinion that the brothers in California must have been preparing for the 114th during all of those thirteen years since the Del Monte gathering—such was the magnitude of the reception.

The actual registration showed that 841 persons attended but with the large number of Betas in California and particularly in the Los Angeles area, the number of undergraduates, alumni, wives, sons and daughters who came to the Huntington for some of the special events was close to 1,200.

The western delegates and visitors came by automobile but for one large delegation the convention began in a Chicago railroad station where they boarded a “Beta Special.” Two bed-room cars plus an ob­ servation car which soon became a Beta headquarters provided plenty of space for Board of Trustees meetings, District Chief gatherings and general fellowship of undergraduates, Beta wives, sons and daughters.

Administrative Secretary Ralph Fey was on board to see that all wheels were turning smoothly and there was general agreement that he had planned a great introduction to the 114th. The “Special” made a one-day stop at the Grand Canyon and then proceeded to Pasadena where it was met by a California delegation fortified by a Spanish band. Leading the welcomers and the key man in the entire program of California hospitality was District Chief Evert L. Stancliff, N e­ braska ’13, a long time resident of Los Angeles. Brother Stancliff had worked long and hard for a Beta convention in his adopted area and

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it was fitting and proper that he be honored by election as Temporary President of the convention. One of the unusual and spectacular events which he and a host of Southern California Betas arranged was an outdoor Fiesta Night which included a Spanish-type dinner served around the hotel pool and attended by over one thousand persons all adorned with gay Spanish hats and sashes. A Mexican band and danc-

Genial Host Evert L. Stancliff, Nebraska ’13, who welcomed the Betas to California and was elected temporary president of the convention.

ers, notables from the state government and the movie industry were there to welcome the Betas to the area.

Besides Brother Stancliff, credit for the unsurpassed hospitality should go to scores of members, among them Roy E. “Ted” Naftzger, Jr., Southern California ’48; Howard J. Wallace, Colorado Mines ’04; Bert Murman, California ’33; Robert Cook, M.I.T. ’30; George C. Tur­ ner, Yale ’30; Judge Arthur S. Guerin, Idaho ’24; Arthur Wheeler, B e­ loit ’24 and William R. (Billy) Mills, Syracuse ’18.

However, the 114th General Convention was not all entertainment under the warm California sun. There was serious business to be at­ tended to and the gathering was a notable one for many reasons. One of these was that for the second time in history an undergraduate was

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selected as Permanent Convention President. He was Thomas K. Brown, W hitman ’53, an outstanding member of that chapter who had served as its president and also as president of the Whitman student body.

In his annual address President A. ]. G. Priest recalled some of his memorable Beta experiences of the year. These included attendance

Brothers at Pasadena President A. J. G. Priest, Id ah o ’18, and Joel L. Priest, Jr., Idaho ’22.

at the centennial celebrations at Ohio Wesleyan and Hanover; the outstanding Northwest Beta Sing at Seattle; the initiation of five mem­ bers of the Oklahoma chapter into Phi Beta Kappa and numerous chapter visitations. The theme of his inspirational address to the dele­ gates could be found in a letter which he read, written by the great Beta president, Francis Shepardson, to Gordon S. Smyth, Pennsylvania ’18, some years earlier: Dear Gordon: A line of affectionate greeting this time. You have brought me much and I am happy that Beta Theta Pi drew me near to you. There are many reasons for saying, “I’m glad I’m a Beta.”

It is a great fraternity! How many hearts have been made happier by it—how many lives enriched! I looked for a few minutes today into a Beta mother’s heart through a lovely let­ ter. God only knows what might be done with our fraternity if we knew how. We must try hard!

Ever in —kai— Shep

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The 1953 convention was a memorable one, not alone because it was held in a section of the country in which few such gatherings had oc­ curred, but because of the important nature of its business. Before it was ended there would be an election of two important fraternity officers, an effort would be made to enlarge the Board of Trustees, it would be the first of several conventions to debate the troublesome Syracuse situation, an attempt would be made to place a scholastic requirement on all chapters and two amendments to the Constitution would be passed. Being involved in this formidable list of problems, there were many of those present who saw little of the California scenery!

Money Matters. The General Treasurer, Sherwood M. Bonney, re­ ported that although the total assets of the fraternity had increased $160,000 during the year to a record total of $1,021,000, and although expenses were actually $2,000 below those budgeted, there was an op­ erating loss of $1,500. This had resulted from a drop in alumni contri­ butions below those anticipated. While in 1952 the contributions from that group had totalled $47,800, the sum received in 1953 had been only $29,400. The three-year total receipts from alumni amounted to $85,700.

The General Treasurer pointed out that holding the Pasadena con­ vention so far from the center of Beta undergraduate population would mean a cost to the fraternity of about $11,000 more than the previous convention. The convention expense item would appear on the new budget and he indicated that unless there was an increase in alumni contributions it would be necessary for the fraternity to make some change in its financial system if it was to regain a healthy current po­ sition. This would require a further curtailment of the magazine, a re­ duction in services to chapters and members or an increase in initia­ tion fees.

The treasurer’s report was carefully studied by the Committee of General Fraternity Finance and in its report to the convention it lauded Brother Bonney for his careful handling of the fraternity’s fi­ nances. Recognizing that much of the financial difficulties were caused by the increasing cost of the magazine, the committee suggested a re­ duction in the quality of the paper on which it was printed. The com­ mittee failed to make any recommendation regarding a possible in­ crease in alumni contributions or an increase in initiation fees, and no

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action on either of these was taken by the convention. Apparently the matter was to lie left to the Board or a subsequent convention to work out a solution.

The Committee on the Fraternity Magazine suggested that many copies sent to chapter houses were wasted and recommended that only four copies be sent to each house with one copy going to the home of each undergraduate member. The Board agreed to give careful con­ sideration to these suggestions as possible economy moves.

General Officers at the 1953 Convention

More Trustees? A determined effort was made at the 114th General Convention to increase the size of the Board of Trustees by changing the number of vice-presidents from three to five. The fraternity had always selected its trustees on the basis of ability, interest and possible contribution to the organization rather than by place of residence. It had been noted, particularly by members in the western part of the continent that for many years most of the trustees lived in the middle west and east—in fact, during several periods there had been a heavy concentration of officers on the eastern seaboard.

The attitude of the General Fraternity had been that Beta Theta Pi should never become sectionalized and that the situation should never develop that a general officer would feel that he “represented” a partic­ ular area. It was felt that the system of District Chiefs, who were ac­ tually general officers, made certain that there would always be such an officer in every section of the fraternity. This plan, however, did

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not satisfy many of the brothers in the western areas. While they ad­ mitted that the fraternity should not become sectionalized, they felt that the organization had become too large in number of members and area for the size of the present Board and that if the size was increased there would be more likelihood of Trustees being selected from the west. They felt that the restrictions of time and distance meant that members of the Board had been prevented from attending many west­ ern Beta gatherings and that chapter visitations by Trustees in the west had been too infrequent.

Since the 114th General Convention was meeting on the west coast, the group advocating the change felt that this was an opportunity to gain support for the new legislation. Backing was quickly obtained, not only from western delegates but also from many in other sections of the continent who believed that such a change would be for the good of the fraternity. Legislation to bring it about was proposed by two com­ mittees.

The Committee on Nomination of General Fraternity Officers, under District Chief Magnus H. Corin, Penn State ’39, as chairman, first pro­ posed that the Constitution be amended to provide for two new gen­ eral officers to be designated as vice-presidents, one to be selected by the 114th General Convention and the other by the 115th. The com­ mittee then nominated Evert L. Stancliff, N ebraska ’13, of Los Angeles to fill the new office. This proposal was declared out of order by the convention president who pointed out that a constitutional amend­ ment creating a new trustee would require the approval of two-thirds of the delegates to that convention and approval of two-thirds of the chapters within a period of three months following publication of the minutes of the convention. Thus there could be no nomination until a new office was actually created.

A second effort was then made by the Committee on Constitution and Jurisprudence under Chairman Peter M. Gunnar, C hicago ’46, who was Chief of District XXIV including British Columbia, Oregon, Oregon State, University of Washington and Willamette. Brother Gun­ nar had been one of the principal advocates of a change in structure which might make possible more western representation on the Board of Trustees. His committee held hearings which were well attended by undergraduates and alumni and all phases of the question were de­

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bated. The matter was again debated when the committee recom­ mended to the convention that the size of the Board should be in­ creased. But when the discussion ended the final vote was 28 for— 76 against.

The Syracuse Affair. Another matter of great importance which con­ fronted the 114th General Convention had to do with the Syracuse chapter. Beta Epsilon, founded in 1889, had presented a curious con­ trast during its sixty-four years of existence. It had produced many great Betas—members who were not only outstanding as under­ graduates but who had continued to serve the fraternity as alumni.

At the same time, the chapter had had a long record of poor scholar­ ship—in fact, in the twenty years preceding 1953, it had not once equalled the all-men’s average at Syracuse. In addition to this de­ ficiency, the group had, in recent years become involved in serious difficulties with the university.

Several of its members had been Northwest Chief accused of law violations by the Peter M. Gunnar, Chicago ’46, one of city officials, the chapter had been the leaders in the movement to in­ placed on social probation several crease the size of the Board of Trustes. times by the college authorities and the group had been in continual financial difficulties.

The situation had become so serious that the university notified the General Secretary that unless the fraternity took steps to straighten out the chapter it would be necessary for the college to consider removing it from the campus. Confronted with this set of circumstances the Gen­ eral Secretary asked former General Treasurer Charles E. Dykes to head a committee which should go to Syracuse and investigate.

The report of this special committee and a recommendation from the Board of Trustees was turned over to the Committee on Charters,

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headed by District Chief K. Warren Fawcett, Minnesota ’26. The Board had decided that this was the proper committee to consider the matter because the possible withdrawal of a charter was involved and the committee was, by law, composed of a delegate from each dis­ trict in the fraternity. The sessions of the committee were attended by many interested persons in addition to the committee members—

Convention Workers Administrative Secretary Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40, and District Chief Carl M. Grip, Beloit ’45, prepare the convention hall.

delegates and non-delegates, a delegation of Syracuse alumni which had traveled across the nation and alumni from other chapters. All had a chance to be heard on the question of what could be done to aid this chapter. But while the atmosphere was one of helpfulness, there was the realization that the time had come for a showdown. It was being said that Beta granted charters but never removed one—that a number of chapters down through the years had been perpetual trouble spots, taking the time of the general officers and of conventions without an apparent desire to reform and change their ways.

The Board of Trustees felt that the time had come when the chap­ ter, if it was to retain its charter, must show concrete evidence of im­ provement. At the same time there was the realization that the Gen­ eral Fraternity, because of unusual circumstances, had not been able to give the chapter full support in recent years. Several district chiefs appointed in that area, because of business or personal reasons, had not been able to visit the chapter regularly and it could be said that the chapter had lacked the aid and cooperation to which it was en­

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titled. It also appeared that the support of its own alumni had been lacking or divided in effort. The committee was told that these two de­ ficiencies had been corrected. Paul Van Riper, DePauiv ’38, then a member of the Cornell University faculty, had become District Chief and, during the past year, had visited the chapter over twenty times and had devoted countless hours to its problems. The delegation of Syracuse alumni stated that there had been a rebirth of interest and that the alumni were now organized in support of the chapter as evi­ denced by financial aid already given.

All this was heartening news but both the Board of Trustees and the committee felt that the time had come for definite evidence that the chapter itself was sincerely desirous of becoming a creditable part of the fraternity. To obtain this evidence, a set of standards was proposed which the chapter was to attain by the close of the 1953-1954 college year and, in the event such standards were not met, the Board was to recommend revocation of the charter to the next convention. The re­ quirements proposed were: 1. The chapter must attain a scholastic average for the year equal to the all-men’s average at Syracuse University.

2. All the chapter’s accounts payable and all of its accounts receiv­ able from members for the 1953-1954 college year must have been paid.

3. The chapter shall not have been placed on social probation at any time during the 1953-1954 college year.

When these proposals of the Board and the Committee on Charters reached the convention floor there was another extended debate. There were those who felt that the record of the chapter was such that im­ mediate withdrawal of its charter was justified. There were also those who felt that the requirements were too harsh and that the next convention would be reluctant to revoke the charter if Beta Epsi­ lon had failed to meet one or more of the standards by a small margin.

The final vote however was 75 in favor of the proposal and 32 against.

The Syracuse chapter had its work cut out for it, and well understood the requirements placed upon it, but the delegation left the convention with the good wishes and encouragement of the entire fraternity.

Scholarship Legislation. Each convention of the fraternity had been confronted by the fact that certain chapters were habitually at the bot­

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tom of the scholastic heap. Some groups seemed to have a tradition for poor scholarship and, year after year, the reports of the Scholarship Commissioner showed that these chapters were a scholastic liability to the fraternity. Many persons felt that, since one of the aims and pur­ poses of Beta Theta Pi is devotion to the cultivation of the intellect, the time had come to threaten the continued existence of chapter char­ ters unless minimum standards were attained.

California Welcome “Ted” Naftzger, U.S.C. ’48, president of the host alumni organization, greets Rev. George Davidson, Kent/on, ’

02.

To bring this about, an effort was made at the 114th Convention to obtain an amendment to the Constitution which would require each chapter to meet or exceed the all-men’s average on its campus once in every consecutive three years. If a chapter failed to equal this standard for three consecutive years it would be placed on scholastic proba­ tion. Any such chapter would be given the following two years in which to achieve the standard in at least one of the two years or be re­ ferred to the Board of Trustees for “appropriate action.”

The effort, however, was doomed to failure at this convention. The Committee on Constitution and Jurisprudence reported that there had not been sufficient time to consider such important legislation and to prepare a proper amendment with other Code changes which it might cause. The committee recommended that the 114th General Conven­

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tion report that it was the sense of the assembly that such legislation be considered and that a committee be appointed to draft the legislation for presentation to the 115th General Convention. The delegates con­ curred and it appeared that the fraternity would have to wait another year for further consideration of this important proposal.

Other Legislation. Maintenance of active membership—Article III, Section 4 of the Constitution was amended to provide that no member may resign his active membership in any chapter while a student and still maintain his membership in the fraternity at large, except by spe­ cial authority from the Board of Trustees. This legislation was in­ tended to combat the growing tendency on the part of active chapter members to seek an “inactive status” allowing them to enjoy the social privileges of a house without assuming any of the responsibilities of chapter operation. This was partly due to the growing number of men who married during their college years and who thus wished to with­ draw from active chapter affairs. It was the feeling, however, by the general fraternity that such men had taken on an obligation to assume a fair share of chapter responsibility and that while the “inactive status” was proper for hardship cases, the members responsibility to the chapter should not be escaped easily.

An amendment of Article V, Section 3 of the Constitution provided the method under which the General Secretary was to poll the chap­ ters on proposed changes in the Constitution and Laws.

Both of these amendments were later ratified by the necessary twothirds of the chapters.

New Officers. The 114th General Convention was charged with the responsibility of electing a General Secretary and a member of the Board of Trustees to replace Robert C. Shattuck whose term had ex­ pired.

The Committee on Election of General Fraternity Officers recom­ mended, and the convention concurred unanimously in the re-election of Dr. Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22, for another term as General Secretary. It had become clear to all that Brother Brooks was taking his place among the great Betas who had occupied that high office. His ability as an inspirational speaker, his devotion to the fraternity, his un­ tiring efforts to visit chapters and alumni groups—all these had drawn

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attention to his priceless value to the fraternity. Great relief was felt by all when he agreed to assume the enormous responsibilities of the office for another term.

For the vacancy on the Board of Trustees the convention turned to another Beta whose efforts for the fraternity had been tireless, particu­ larly in the New England area. He was Harry M. Easton, Pennsylva­ nia ’26, who, at the time of his election, was serving as Chief of District

New Board Member Harry M. Easton, Pennsylvania ’26, former Chief of District I, elected Vice-President and Trustee.

Replaces Jennings Judge Ralph P. Edgerton, W hitman ’31, former District Chief, elected Trustee to fill unexpired term.

I which included the Bowdoin, Brown, Maine and M.I.T. chapters.

Since his college days at Pennsylvania he had been a trustee for the New England Association of Beta Theta Pi, Chief of District I from 1948 to 1953 and had served as Secretary of the 113th General Conven­ tion.

Thus the 114th Convention became history. It had been notable in a negative way by turning down a proposal to increase the size of the Board of Trustees, and by postponing an effort to put “teeth” into the

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fraternity’s scholastic requirements. On the positive side it had come to grips with the long unsatisfactory record of the Syracuse chapter; it had passed other needed legislation and it had chosen new officers wisely.

Those in attendance would not soon forget the unsurpassed Califor­ nia hospitality or the hectic debates of the convention. Among the memories which delegates took away with them were the banquet ad­ dresses of William T. Gossett, Utah ’25, and, for the undergraduates, that of William G. Barber, Texas ’54. President A. J. G. Priest delivered another of his series of convention addresses on great Beta personalities, this one on Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898.

JE N N IN G S R E S IG N S

In October, 1953 the General Secretary notified the fraternity that Elmer H. Jennings, Northwestern ’12, had resigned from the Board of Trustees because of the pressure of business, service to Lawrence Col­ lege and the building of a new hospital at Kaukauna, Wisconsin.

Brother Jennings had served the fraternity at two different times on its Board of Trustees and his resignation was accepted with deep regret and with great appreciation for the time which this head of a large manufacturing business had devoted to Beta. His term was 1951-1954 and, with one year remaining, the Board selected Judge Ralph P. Edgerton, W hitm an ’31, to serve during the unexpired portion. Brother Edgerton, a highly respected member of the legal profession of the State of Washington, was a District Court Judge in Spokane, Wash­ ington at the time of his election and had been serving the fraternity as Chief of District X X III (Idaho, Washington State, Whitman).

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

Albert H. Kelsey, Yale ’45, served two years in the Air Force, par­ ticipating in twenty-four combat missions in Italy before returning to Yale to finish his college courses in 1948. He served as president of the chapter and then joined W. E. Kelsey and Sons of Hartford, Connecticut as Secretary of the firm. He was appointed Chief of Dis­ trict II which includes Amherst, Dartmouth, Wesleyan, Williams and Yale.

Carl A. Frische, Miami ’28, after graduation, received his M.S. and

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Ph.D. degrees at the University of Iowa. In 1933 he joined the Sperry Gyroscope Company as a research director and the Sperry Bomb Sight and die Sperry Automatic Gyro Pilot were developed under his di­ rection. In 1953 he was appointed Chief of District III including Col­ gate, St. Lawrence and Union chapters.

Charles E. De Vange, W hitman ’33, replaced Ralph P. Edgerton as Chief of District X X III when Brother Edgerton was elected to the Board of Trustees. De Vange served as deputy prosecuting attorney for Spokane County, Washington and later established a law practice at Colfax, Washington.

A M O N G B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 5 3

John C. McCloy, Amherst ’16, former High Commissioner of Ger­ many, was elected Chairman of the Chase National Bank.

William B. Patterson, Jr., Setvanee ’52, was selected for a Rhodes Scholarship and applied for admission to Magdalen College, Oxford University.

James F. McWilliams, British C olum bia ’53, became the fifth mem­ ber of the British Columbia chapter to win a Rhodes Scholarship.

Frank M. Anderson, Minnesota 1894, and Charles F. Keyes, Minne­ sota 1896, were honored by the University of Minnesota with “Out­ standing Achievement Awards.” Brother Keyes had been prominent for many years in Minneapolis civic affairs and Brother Anderson had been a prominent member of the faculties of the University of Minne­ sota and Dartmouth College.

Philip Young, St. Law rence ’31, Dean of Columbia University’s School of Business, was appointed Chairman of the Civil Service Commission in the federal government.

Thomas A. Bradshaw, Colorado ’28, was elected President of the Provident Mutual Life Insurance Company of Philadelphia.

C. Wendell Martin, DePauw ’39, former Chief of District XV was elected to the Indiana State Senate.

E. N. Beesley, W abash ’29, was elected President of Eli Lilly and Company, leading pharmaceutical firm of Indiana.

Albert D. Baumhart, Jr., Ohio ’31, former congressman from the 11th Ohio District, became Executive Director of the Republican National Committee.

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Dr. Thomas Koritz, Illinois ’48, was chosen as one of America’s ten outstanding young men of 1953 by the U. S. Chamber of Commerce.

One of the achievements resulting from his research was a method of artificial respiration adopted by the army, the Y.M.C.A., the Boy Scouts and other organizations.

F. Trowbridge von Baur, Amherst ’29, was appointed General Coun­ sel of the Department of the Navy.

☆

1954 ☆

THE YEAR 1954 was one in which the fraternity came to grips with some of its vital internal problems and reached important decisions con­ cerning them. It was a year which saw the selection of a new president to lead the organization for the next three years and one in which other important changes occurred among the general officers. It was a time of far reaching legislation growing out of an incident in which a chap­ ter chose to ignore the wishes and policies of the majority of chapters and members. Further steps were taken questioning the right of chap­ ters to hold charters without maintaining standards set by the gen­ eral fraternity and the year marked an important start toward a strict scholarship requirement for all chapters.

M ARX B E C O M E S A S S IS T A N T G E N E R A L T R E A S U R E R

Few general fraternity offices have required more hours of work, detailed correspondence and devotion to the organization than that of the Assistant General Treasurer. This office was created for the pur­ pose of giving financial guidance and aid to the chapters. For many years these groups were left largely on their own so far as their financial operations were concerned, but gradually the chapters themselves be­ gan to seek advice from the general fraternity and soon there evolved a uniform bookkeeping system which the chapters were urged to adopt.

The men who have occupied the position of Assistant General Treas­ urer have seldom been given adequate credit for the volume of de­ tailed work required to render this chapter financial supervision. In­ cluded among those who have served with devotion and distinction are Frank G. Ensign, Beloit ’00; William C. Scheetz, Jr., Pennsylva­ nia ’34; Albert L. McPherrin, Northwestern ’35; Charles E. Dykes, Cor324

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nell ’36 and E. Leland Webber, Cincinnati ’42.

With the resignation of Brother Webber, the fraternity turned to the Rocky Mountain area for the services of a young Beta who had already demonstrated his loyalty to the fraternity through his services to the Denver chapter. Le Roy J. Marx, Jr., D enver ’49, had a warinterrupted career in college, but, upon his return to the Denver cam­ pus, was honored by his chapter with its presidency. Thus he be­ came the leader of that chapter through a difficult post-war adjust­ ment period and the manner in Assistant Treasurer which he discharged his responsi­ Le Roy J. Marx, Jr., D enver ’49, who succeeded E. Leland Webber, Cin­ bilities marked him as a man ca­ cinnati ’42. pable of future assignments. At the time of his appointment as Assist­ ant General Treasurer by the Board of Trustees he was a member of the faculty of one of Denver’s high schools.

FIR ST CONCLAVE FOR XXI

On March 20, 1954 in Dallas, Texas there took place a significant addition to Beta history in the Southwest. On that day the men from the chapters composing District XXI (Texas University, Oklahoma Uni­ versity, Oklahoma A. & M. College and Southern Methodist University) gathered in the ballroom of the Baker Hotel for their first District Con­ clave.

This event was the culmination of over a year’s planning by the Dis­ trict Chief Mark M. Myers and representatives from the chapters who met in February, 1953 to form a “Beta District Day Board.” Commit­ tee sessions were held during the day for consideration of mutual chap­ ter problems and reports were made to the general assembly. A con­ clave banquet was the feature event with Rev. Balfour Patterson, Texas

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’36, leading the singing and an address by Trustee Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18. Winners of the “Outstanding Beta” awards were Edward D. Holstein, O klahom a A. ir M. ’54; Jack R. Coleman, Southern M ethodist ’54; Le Roy Birdwell, Texas ’55 and William Reed, Okla­ hom a ’55.

TH E 115T H GENERAL CONVENTION

For its 115th gathering, the fraternity returned to the place of its birth at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. All 97 chapters were repre­ sented as well as 22 alumni organ­ izations and the total registration was 744. Visitors were housed in several of the beautiful new dormi­ tories on the campus with the convention sessions being held in Symns Hall. Many of those pres­ ent had their first opportunity to view the historic site of the Beta founding in “Old Main” and to visit the Administrative Head­ quarters and the Beta Campanile which so effectively adds its beauty to the Miami campus. It was one of the most important gatherings in the history of the Where It All Began “Old Main”—Miami University. fraternity because of the mo­ mentous problems which were debated—problems which could not have remotely occurred to the Eight who gave birth to Beta Theta Pi one hundred fifteen years before.

The temporary president was Albert C. May, Carnegie ’21, a promi­ nent Cleveland alumnus, and the permanent presidency of the con­ vention went, significantly, to a Miami graduate, Carl W. Frische, Miami ’28, former chief of District III. Secretary of the convention was Irwin H. Wensink, L aw rence ’29, chief of District VIII. Among the distinguished Betas present were Horace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894, com­ poser of “The Loving Cup” and other famous Beta songs; Charles M.

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Moderwell, W ooster 1889; Ray W. Irwin, W ooster ’08; Wilbur Henry Siebert, Ohio State 1888, one of the founders of that chapter, and Louis F. Ruf, Rutgers 1885.

Bennett New President. The convention was charged with the re­ sponsibility of selecting a president to succeed A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18, who had rendered distinguished service to the fraternity since his elec­ tion to the office in 1951, and who had indicated that it would not be

New Officers The newly elected president and vice-president, Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20, and Judge Ralph P. Edgerton, W hitman ’31, (center and right) receive congratula­ tions from retiring President A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18, (left).

possible for him to consider re-election to another term. For the tenth president of Beta Theta Pi, the delegates followed the tradition of se­ lecting a man who had rendered many years of service to the fraternity, was steeped in its traditions and devoted to its purposes. Elected was Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20, for the term 1955-1957.

Bert Bennett had followed a distinguished undergraduate record in campus activities and athletics at Knox College with a successful career in business, rising with Caspers Tin Plate Co. of Chicago to its presi­

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dency in 1938. During these years he had maintained close and active contact with the fraternity through attendance at twenty-one general conventions and had served as a district chief and as a vice-president and trustee from 1941 to 1947. He had been honored with the presi­ dency of the 96th General Convention and had been a member of the important Survey Commission appointed to review the expansion pol-

The Treasurer Speaks General Treasurer Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31, at the convention rostrum, shown with convention sec­ retary Irwin H. Wensink, L aw rence ’29.

icy of the fraternity. His ability had been recognized by Knox College through election to its board of trustees.

The convention was also called upon to elect a vice-president and chose Ralph P. Edgerton, W hitman ’31, who had been appointed to serve the last year of the term of Elmer H. Jennings, N orthwestern ’12, who had been forced to resign because of business pressure. Ralph Ed­ gerton, a judge of the Superior Court of the State of Washington, had previously served the fraternity as chief of District XXIII. More Money Needed. The report of General Treasurer Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31, indicated that while Beta had entered the million dollar class the previous year, and while the assets of the fra­ ternity had increased by $33,000 in 1954 over 1953, there had been an operating loss of $3,800. This paradox was explained by the fact that of total assets of $1,054,000, the sum of $975,900 was in such funds as the

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Baird Fund and Founders Fund, only the interest from which could be used for such purposes as publication of the magazine, loans to chapters, etc. All of the operating money of the fraternity had come from the General Fund and this had proven insufficient in recent years. In spite of alumni contributions during the past four years from 15,127 alumni amounting to $102,141, there had been operating losses for the past three years.

The general treasurer recommended three procedures: (1) Continue solicitation of alumni contributions.

(2) Make every effort to reduce expenses.

(3) Consider increasing membership fees.

After considerable debate, the Committee on General Fraternity F i­ nance suggested that the membership fees be increased from $30 to $40 but stated that it felt this would allow the discontinuance of alumni solicitations except for Baird Fund memberships. Those who had never become members of that fund would be asked for $20 for lifetime subscriptions to the magazine and those who had made $10 pay­ ments would be asked for an additional $10. The convention concurred in these recommendations and the General Fund was thus assured a substantial increase in income.

The Kenyon Affair. The events leading up to and connected with the initiation of a member of the negro race by the Kenyon chapter re­ sulted in one of the many controversial matters with which the conven­ tion was concerned. For a number of years the enemies of college fra­ ternities had centered their attack on what they referred to as the “dis­ crimination” practiced by these groups. Actually, the fraternities had, like many other groups and organizations, merely been exercising their rights as free men to select their own members. Like other fraternal and religious bodies they had adopted a set of characteristics, stand­ ards, beliefs and circumstances with which members could agree in order that the entire group could live together and work together in a close-knit fellowship. Some college social fraternities had apparently felt that persons belonging to certain races, or because of basic reli­ gious beliefs and customs, so differed in their thinking that it would be difficult for them to live in close fraternal fellowship with those of other races. This practice of limiting membership to those of similar racial, religious and cultural backgrounds was certainly not different

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from that of the Masons, Knights of Columbus, Newman Clubs, Cam­ pus Lutheran societies or neighborhood bridge clubs. Most college fra­ ternities also felt that while their chapters had great freedom in the choice of their initiates, such members should be persons who would be acceptable to all their chapters, to all members, both undergraduates

Oldsters at Miami Left to right: Louis R. Ruf, Rutgers 1885; John L. Baker, Miami ’04; George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898; Robert L, Murphy, W ash­ ington (St. Louis) ’02 and Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01.

and alumni. If such was not true, the organizations could no longer be regarded as fraternal brotherhoods.

The constitution of Beta Theta Pi imposes no restrictions with re­ gard to race, color or creed upon those who are considered for member­ ship. The organization therefore had had among its members Japanese, Italians, Jews, Germans, Hawaiians and many others of varied racial backgrounds. It had had members of different religious faiths, Protes­ tant, Catholic and others. At the same time the fraternity had recog­ nized that while the day might come when those of the negro race might be freely accepted as brothers, that time had not yet arrived.

It had been recognized by devoted members of the fraternity that in many areas where Beta chapters were located, persons of that race were not yet accepted in a close social relationship with the white race and that until this comes about any effort to circumvent such a tradition might do great damage to this close-knit association of men.

It was felt by many that individual members and chapters had taken upon themselves obligations to refrain from any act which might be harmful or in opposition to the wishes of all the other members or to other chapters.

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There was no legal barrier to the course of action which the Kenyon chapter had chosen to take. Rather, there was the belief by many, that the act was harmful to the fraternity and that the procedures attending the initiation were subject to censor.

At the convention the matter was referred to the Committee on Chapter Affairs with K. Warren Fawcett, Minnesota ’26, as chairman.

Sessions of the committee were attended by large numbers of under­ graduates and by members from all sections of the country—in fact, such a large number attempted to attend the final session of the group that it was necessary to hold the meeting in the convention hall. Under the rigid time schedule for a convention it was difficult for the commit­ tee and the chairman to allow all those who so wished to be heard and still provide time for the committee to deliberate and prepare a report to the convention.

Evidence presented by members of the chapter involved and by general officers indicated that in the spring of 1954 the chapter had notified the general secretary that it planned to initiate a member of the negro race and inquired if there was any legal reason why it could not. He replied there was no Code restriction against such action, pro­ viding other requirements had been met, but that such an act might be harmful to other chapters and to the fraternity at large. He requested that they consult with their alumni and that they delay the initiation until one of the general officers could come to Gambier, Ohio to dis­ cuss the matter with them, and pointed out that the president of the fraternity would be in Cincinnati that week-end and could be with them within twenty-four hours. At the same time, the Cincinnati chap­ ter asked the Kenyon chapter to postpone action until a group of un­ dergraduates could visit them. All of these requests were refused and the chapter proceeded with the initiation. Evidence was presented to the committee which cast doubt on whether all members of the chap­ ter had been notified of the special meeting at which a vote was taken regarding the proposed action, and doubt was also expressed as to whether the Code requirement of an unanimous affirmative vote had been met.

Within the time limits imposed by the convention schedule, all who so wished were heard and the courses of action proposed were varied. There were those who demanded that all members of the chapter should be expelled from the fraternity and the chapter’s char­

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ter withdrawn. Others felt that, since no law of the fraternity had been violated, the chapter should be censored by the convention for the man­ ner in which it had conducted the affair. It was this course which the committee voted to follow.

In its report, the group recommended that “this General Conven­ tion strongly censure the manner and methods of the Kenyon chapter” for refusing to consult with its alumni body although requested to do so by the general officers, for refusing to postpone the action for twenty-four hours to allow a discussion with the president of the fra­ ternity or to postpone action until the matter could be discussed at the 115th General Convention. It also recommended that “the Board of Trustees should be authorized by this convention to appoint a commit­ tee of alumni of the Kenyon chapter empowered to take such action and carry into effect such recommendations as, in the opinion of such committee and the Board of Trustees, shall be necessary to bring to the present active members of the Kenyon chapter an appropriate realization of the significance of their membership in a great inter­ national fraternity.”

When the report reached the convention floor there ensued another long and spirited period of debate with the same widely different views being expressed. There were many who felt that the proposed action was far too mild but the majority decided that a middle course was the best policy and after a roll call vote the recommendations of the com­ mittee were adopted.

Resulting Legislation. The Kenyon affair produced a desire on the part of the delegates to change the procedure under which persons were approved for membership and to insure that individual members and individual chapters should work together as a harmonious body.

There was first an attempt to obtain legislation requiring that pros­ pective members be approved by a secret ballot at a regular m eeting of the chapter. This was first proposed by the Committee on Chapter Affairs but the Committee on Initiation and Ritual voted not to make such a proposal to the convention. The matter was then taken to the Committee on Constitution and Jurisprudence and that group pro­ posed an amendment stating that a prospective member must receive an affirmative, unanimous, secret vote at a chapter meeting duly called. When this proposal reached the convention floor a heated de-

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At the Convention Banquet Left to right: President-elect Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20; Piesident of Miami University John David Millett (Phi Delta Theta); Toastmaster John R. Simpson, Miami 1899; Retiring President A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18; General Secretary Seth R. Brooks, St. L aw rence ’22, and the undergraduate speaker, Ira Marks, Bethany ’55.

bate resulted with a number of chapters arguing strongly against a re­ quirement of a secret ballot. It was apparent that the majority con­ ducted their balloting in that way but others had long traditions of other methods and apparently the delegates decided not to force the issue and the word “secret” was removed. (Article III, Section 1, Con­ stitution.)

The second piece of legislation was a proposal to deal with action by a chapter which might be detrimental to the welfare of the general fraternity. The Committee on Constitution and Jurisprudence pro­ posed an amendment to Chapter X II, Section 8 of the Laws stating that when criticism of an act of any chapter has been directed to the general secretary, he “shall give such advice or make such orders as he may deem advisable, w hich orders must h e com plied with until the B oard o f Trustees or the G eneral Convention shall act in connection

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with such m atters.” After considerable debate, this change was ap­ proved by the convention and subsequent attempts to have the matter reconsidered were defeated.

The third change in the laws of the fraternity required a waiting pe­ riod between pledging and initiation. Section 6 was added to Chapter X III of the Laws requiring that, except upon written approval of the general secretary, no person can be initiated who has not been pledged for at least sixty days.

Syracuse. As it had at the previous gathering, the complex and per­ plexing problem of what to do about the Syracuse chapter appeared on the agenda of the 1954 convention. The Board of Trustees had been required by the 114th General Convention to recommend revocation of the charter if the three standards set by that assembly had not been met by the close of the 1953-1954 school year. Although official figures were not yet available, it appeared that the scholastic requirements had not been met and the Board therefore recommended revocation.

This motion, however, was defeated by both the Committee on Char­ ters and the general convention.

It was apparent that the delegates were in the mood to give this chapter another year in which to meet the minimum standards which had been set. The testimony of District Chief Paul P. Van Riper, DePauw ’38, who had spent countless hours with the group, carried great weight. While it appeared from his report and that of others that the chapter had not equaled the all-men’s average in scholarship, the fact remained that the official university figures were not available and this weakened the case for those who advocated drastic action.

The result was that the life of the chapter was extended for another year, with the question of the charter again to come before the Board for action during the summer of 1955. Meanwhile the charter was re­ turned to the chapter so that it would have full autonomy again in meeting the requirements. The convention further stipulated that the chapter would not only have to meet the requirements during 19541955 but also during two out of three of the following years, or the charter was to be considered revoked automatically.

Scholarship. Scholarship Commissioner Joseph J. Romoda, St. Laivrence ’33, announced the winners of ten $200 scholarships and the $500 James L. Gavin Memorial Award which went to Walter F. La Feber, Hanover ’55. Brother Romoda’s report was a mixture of praise

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and criticism. The fraternity as a whole had, in 1952-1953, achieved its best scholastic year since the war with 59 per cent of its chapters above the all-men’s average. Ten chapters were first on their campuses and fifteen were in second place. Only three other leading fraternities had 50 per cent or more of their chapters above the all-men’s average: Alpha Tau Omega—55.5 per cent; Kappa Alpha Order—53 per cent; Sigma Chi—50 per cent.

Two Editors Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20, editor of “The Beta Theta Pi” (left), greets Horace G. Lozier Chicago 1894, editor of the Beta Song Book.

Contrasting with the high scholastic standing of the general frater­ nity was the record of a number of chapters involving poor scholar­ ship. For many years district chiefs, scholarship commissioners, gen­ eral officers and convention committees had used every available method to lift these groups out of the scholastic doldrums. It appeared that some chapters had a tradition for poor scholarship and many felt that all should be required by fraternity law to meet a minimum standard.

The Committee on Scholarship under Chairman William A. Yardley, Ohio State ’44, decided that each chapter should be required to equal or surpass the all-men’s average on its campus at least once in each five years or find its charter in jeopardy. It offered this proposal in the form of a resolution which was approved by the convention. The reso­ lution stated that the all-men’s average on a campus should be the mini­ mum scholastic goal of all chapters and that each chapter must meet

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or exceed such average once in every consecutive three years or be placed on scholastic probation. Any chapter placed on such probation­ ary status would then be given the following two years to achieve the goal or face appropriate action.

Unfortunately, the press of other convention business resulted in a failure to change this resolution into proper legislative action. Its advo­ cates promised to see that a constitutional amendment would be pre­ pared for presentation to the 116th General Convention so that the scholastic requirement could become a law of the fraternity.

Thus ended the 115th General Convention, a gathering whose deci­ sions would have far reaching effects on the future history of the frater­ nity. Its sessions had been filled with heated debate and spirited differences of opinions, but those who had been there left the Miami campus feeling that when the shooting and the tumult had ceased, the right decisions had been made. Betas will fight hard for their beliefs but in the end will always reach a conclusion which is the best for all.

Beta of the Year John J. McCloy, Amherst ’16, with the plaque desig­ nating him as the “Beta of the Year.”

M cCLOY HONORED

The second 1954 award of “Beta of the Year,” an annual presenta­ tion of the Beta Theta Pi Club of New York, went to John J. McCloy, Amherst ’16. This selection each year, while sponsored by the alumni organization of New York City, does represent the wishes of Betas

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across the nation for all chapters and alumni groups are polled for their votes. One award had already been made in 1954 to Charles E. Wil­ son, C arnegie ’09, and the reason for the second was that Brother McCloy had been High Commissioner for Germany and being in Europe made it impossible for him to be present sooner for the award.

Presiding over the presentation banquet at the St. Regis Roof was New York Beta Club President For­ rest Heath, M ichigan ’27. He pointed to John McCloy’s long and distin­ guished record as Assistant Secre­ tary of War, President of the Inter­ Beta Leader Passes national Bank for Reconstruction, Dr. Charles B. Gutelius, High Commissioner of Germany and Indiana ’05. his recent elevation to the chair­ manship of the board of Chase National Bank. The annual award of a plaque to the chapter which initiated the Beta of the Year was accepted by Clyde Nash, Amherst ’54, president of Beta Iota.

C H A R L E S B . G U T E L IU S , 18 7 8 -1 9 5 4

One of the great Indiana Beta leaders, Dr. Charles B. Gutelius, Indiana ’05, died of a heart attack in Indianapolis, July 26,1954. He had come from Bluffton, a small Indiana town, which had produced over one hundred Betas including a number who had rendered distin­ guished service to the fraternity. After serving for a number of years as a district chief in the Indiana area, he was elevated to the Board of Trustees in 1931 and was re-elected to a second term in 1934. As senior vice-president in 1937, at the time of the death of President Francis Shepardson, he was appointed acting president by the Board and served until Brother Shepardson’s successor was chosen at the next convention.

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SEVENTY-FIVE YEARS FOR BETA ETA Beta Theta Pi came to the campus of the University of Maine as the first social fraternity in the State of Maine in 1879. Seventy-five years later, in the fall of 1954, alumni gathered at Orono from all over New England to mark this important anniversary. Representing the general fraternity were Vice-President Harry M. Easton and District Chief Weston B. Haskell, Jr., while the principal banquet address was given by Columbus S. Barber, editor of The B eta Theta Pi.

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

Louis S. Torgeson, Oregon ’42, a Beta son of Arthur C. Torgeson, Iow a ’12, succeeded Peter Gunnar as Chief of District XXIV which in­ cludes chapters in the Pacific Northwest.

E. Weston Colbrunn, Jr., W ashington (St. Louis) and DePauw ’50, was appointed Chief of the renowned District XX to succeed George Herpel who was forced to resign because of business pressure. At the time of his appointment he was a member of his family’s firm which specializes in apartment management and sales in St. Louis, Missouri.

Richard M. Babcock, St. Law rence ’42, a Beta son, had been promi­ nent in the affairs of Beta Zeta chapter and in the alumni association of St. Lawrence University. He was appointed Chief of District III which included his own chapter and Colgate and Union.

Weston B. Haskell, Jr., Maine ’43, succeeded Harry Easton as Chief of District I when the latter was elected to the Board of Trustees. He was engaged in the advertising department of the First National Bank of Boston when he took over supervision of the Beta chapters at Bow­ doin, Brown, Maine and M.I.T. John R. McClung, Kansas State ’37, succeeded Evert L. Stancliff as Chief of District XXV which included chapters at California, U.C.L.A., Southern California and Stanford. At the time of his appointment he was connected with the advertising agency of Kirschner & Company of San Francisco.

Samuel J. McCartney, Jr., Dickinson ’41, followed a distinguished career on the Dickinson campus with service in the Navy as a Lieu­ tenant Commander. He succeeded Magnus H. Corin as Chief of Dis­ trict VI. William A. Yardley, Ohio State ’44, after serving as Assistant Dean

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of Men at Ohio State University, moved to the deep south where he became Director of Guidance, Southwestern Louisiana College at Hammond, Louisiana. He was appointed Chief of District X I which in­ cluded chapters at Mississippi, Sewanee, Tulane and Vanderbilt.

Robert A. Cronberg, Washington & Jefferson ’42, associated with a manufacturer of paper boxes in Chicago, was appointed Chief of Dis­ trict XVI to replace Carl M. Grip, Beloit ’45.

William O. Littick, Ohio W esleyan ’50, a Beta son and a product of a chapter which has produced an impressive line of Beta leaders, was selected to head District X II which includes chapters at Case, Denison, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan and Western Reserve. “Bill” Littick was as­ sociated with his family’s newspaper publishing business in Zanesville, Ohio.

SO M E B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 5 4

Richard G. Lugar, Denison ’54, became one of 32 young men, and the only one from Ohio, among 419 applicants chosen for 1954 Rhodes Scholarships. His major had been economics and he planned to con­ tinue that course of study at Oxford.

Another Beta chosen for a 1954 Rhodes Scholarship was Ivan R. Feltham, British Colum bia ’52, thus becoming the fifth member of that chapter to be so honored.

Col. Clifford C. Gregg, Cincinnati ’17, former General Secretary, was elected President of the Chicago Y.M.C.A., the largest chapter of that organization in the world.

Clem D. Johnston, Centre ’16, was elected President of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. At the time of his election he was the operator of extensive business enterprises at Roanoke, Virginia.

Herbert J. Taylor, Northwestern ’17, chairman of the board of Club Aluminum Products Co. of Chicago, was chosen president of Rotary International.

H. Pearce Atkins, Cornell ’36, was appointed Dean of Men at the University of Rochester.

Lawrence E. Walsh, C olum bia ’32, was appointed U. S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York. On the opposite side of the continent, James A. Fee, W hitm an TO, was appointed Judge of the Circuit Court of Appeals.

☆

1955 ☆

“ONE OF ITS BEST YEARS” was the way the general secretary de­ scribed 1955 so far as Beta Theta Pi was concerned. It was a year which saw the fraternity move ahead on all fronts under strong leadership. It was a year which marked important anniversaries for several chapters and a year of serious questions regarding two of its older chapters. The year will be remembered as being the one in which important legislation was enacted regarding the scholastic standing of chapters—a decision which would have far reaching effects in future years.

F IF T Y Y EA R S A T C A SE

A unique re-initiation featured the fiftieth anniversary of the found­ ing of Lambda Kappa chapter at Case Institute of Technology in Cleve­ land, Ohio. The celebration was held on January 15,1955 to commemo­ rate the birth of the 89th chapter of Beta Theta Pi on February 22, 1905. During the afternoon a chapter initiation team re-initiated five members of the chapter who were holders of “Fraternal Fifty” cards.

Those so honored were George M. Mills, ’07; Gustav E. Kittleberger, ’01; Eugene R. Russell, ’05; Arthur C. Wiles, ’07 and Clem L. Voglesang, ’08. Each of these and several other alumni were presented with small copies of the Loving Cup suitably engraved for the occasion.

Serving as toastmaster at the banquet was former district chief James M. Black, ’39, with Brother Kittleberger being designated as “honorary toastmaster.” Representing the general fraternity was President Ber­ tram Bennett who gave the principal address. John F. Burton, Jr., ’57, presented an interesting review called “Historical Highlights of Fifty Years.”

A C E N T E N N IA L A T K N O X

The Knox chapter, the Xi of Beta Theta Pi, celebrated the centen­ nial of her founding with a three-day program April 29-May 1, 1955 at 340

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Galesburg, Illinois. It was an all-college affair with most of the students on the campus talcing part in many of the social events. The occasion gave the chapter an opportunity to honor two of its sons who have rendered distinguished service to the fraternity. They were Bertram W. Bennett, ’20, president of Beta Theta Pi and Edmond B. Stofft, ’20, former trustee of the Baird Fund. Principal speaker at the banquet honoring these brothers was J. Eugene Conklin, ’27. The Sunday morn­ ing service, held in historic Beecher Chapel, was conducted by another Beta, Dr. Alexander B. Allison, Amherst ’28. More than 300 alumni, wives, sweethearts and parents took part in this historic celebration which was arranged by a group headed by Robert K. Clark, ’19, of Peoria, Illinois.

O N E H U N D R E D T E N Y EA R S A T M IC H IG A N

Because war conditions in 1945 had prevented observance of the 100th birthday of Lambda chapter at the University of Michigan, the celebration was held on May 20-21, 1955 marking 110 years at that in­ stitution. Lambda Betas from the four corners of the continent and whose years dated back to 1903 gathered in Ann Arbor to relive the years of one of the fraternity’s great chapters. Featuring the alumni meeting which preceded the social events was the launching of a fi­ nancial drive for a new chapter house with several substantial gifts being announced.

The alumni award which is made annually to a Beta of Achievement went to Harry J. Loynd, Utah ’21, president of Parke, Davis & Co. of Detroit. Walter B. Rea, a Michigan Phi Gamma Delta, Dean of Men, spoke on “The University and Fraternities,” and Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15, professor of religion at Miami University gave an address on “The Eye of Wooglin.”

A N D 100 Y EA R S A T V IR G IN IA

This year of anniversary celebrations included a notable one at University, Virginia June 10-12 where Omicron chapter at University of Virginia marked its 100th birthday. Due to the illness of A. J. G. Priest, past president, the general fraternity was represented by Vice-President Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18, and by District Chief Irwin H. Wensink, L aw rence ’29.

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The centennial began with an informal gathering on Friday evening at the chapter house and culminated at a banquet on Saturday night at the Monticello Hotel. Attached to the banquet menu was a repro­ duction of the menu and program of Omicron’s banquet on Decem­ ber 14, 1889, on the occasion of its union with “Hands and Torch” chap­ ter of the Mystic Seven Fraternity. One of the toasts at that banquet was given by Col. Charles Scott Venable, No. 64 on Omicron’s chapter roll, grandfather of Charles Venable Minor, ’22.

A high point of the celebration was the announcement that the Vir­ ginia Castle Foundation, a non-profit, charitable, educational corpora­ tion to assist worthy students was off to a constructive beginning. The first board of directors of the Foundation were all members of Omicron chapter ranging in age from Harrison C. Berkeley, ’04, to Waverly Berkeley, III, ’55.

TW O D EV O TED BETAS

The fraternity lost two of its devoted servants in 1955 through the passing of Robert M. Thompson, Minnesota 1895, on May 27 and H. Sheridan Baketel, Dartmouth 1895, on July 7.

Robert Thompson was known throughout Betadom, and particularly to convention-goers, as “Bob T.” No individual had devoted more time and thought to the fraternity than he. The brotherhood was his life and he strove constantly to improve it. An attorney and insurance agent and a resident of Minneapolis for 77 years, he had served as chapter counselor of the Minnesota chapter since his graduation and had been a member of the house corporation’s board for fifty years. “Bob T” had served the general fraternity as district chief and trustee from 1904 to 1910. He was a leading figure in the establishment of the North Dakota chapter and also had a leading part in the installation of chapters at Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Lawrence. He and his wife Nella became known to thousands of Betas through their at­ tendance at 41 general conventions. This was a record second only to that of J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08.

H. Sheridan Baketel was known as “Bake” and he also could count his Beta friends in the thousands. Writing about him, A. J. G. Priest said, “. . . he came close to the Greek ideal: vigorous mind, warm heart, splendid physical presence, the gift of humor and that deep fraternal

1955

Veteran Worker Robert M. Thompson, Minnesota 1895.

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Distinguished Beta H. Sheridan Baketel, Dartmouth 1895.

feeling which often characterizes the rare spirit.â&#x20AC;?

His careers in the medical world and Beta Theta Pi were equally distinguished. Graduated from Dartmouth College Medical School in 1895, he did post-graduate work at Harvard Medical School and in London and Paris. After practicing in New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York City, he became professor of preventive medicine and hygiene at the Long Island College of Medicine where he originated in 1915 the first course ever given in Medical Economics.

H. Sheridan Baketel was a devoted lover of his fraternity and served her in many capacities. He was appointed a district chief by General Secretary Francis H. Sisson in 1900. He was elevated to the Board of Trustees as a vice-president for the term 1923-1926 after having been a member of the editorial board of The B eta Theta Pi. He served as a trustee of the Baird Fund and attended 21 Beta conventions, starting at Niagara Falls in 1894. He was elected president of the 83rd conven­ tion at West Baden, Indiana, 1922, and also of the 92nd convention at Hot Springs, Virginia in 1932. His service as a district chief covered five different districts and twice more during his lifetime he was elected to the Board of Trustees. He became known throughout the

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Convention Site Bedford Springs Hotel, Bedford Springs, Pennsylvania.

fraternity as an inspirational speaker and a polished raconteur and was the feature speaker at many Beta gatherings.

TH E 116TH GENERAL CONVENTION

For only the third time in its 116 years, the fraternity gathered in the State of Pennsylvania for its annual convention. The other occasions were in 1876 in Philadelphia and in 1851 in Pittsburgh, and now in 1955 the undergraduate and alumni delegates, officers, wives, sons and daughters assembled at historic Bedford Springs, a stage-coach stop

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between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh during colonial days. The event was the 116th General Convention held from August 30 to September 2 with over five hundred persons present.

It was a working convention. In spite of an excellent golf course, a nearby lake for swimming and the temptation of walks along the beauti­ ful Alleghany Mountain trails, there was much significant accomplish­ ment for the good of the fraternity. If there was a keynote, it was schol­ arship. Alarmed at the loss by the fraternity of its lofty position at the top of all old-line fraternities in scholarship, the officers asked for legis­ lation. The delegates concurred and a scholarship standards law was passed, completing the work started by the previous convention.

Honored with the temporary presidency of the convention was Ray W. Irwin, W ooster ’08, distinguished and loyal Beta alumnus from Cleveland. Chosen permanent president was Charles E. Dykes, Cor­ nell ’36, former district chief and former general treasurer. Elected convention secretary was John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42.

In his annual report, General Secretary Seth R. Brooks could say that, in general, Beta Theta Pi had had one of its best years. Except for a few instances, the deportment of the chapters had been good and the relations between them and college authorities had brought credit to the fraternity. The results of rushing had, with few exceptions, brought men into the organization who should be a credit to Beta. In­ tramural achievements had been outstanding.

Unfortunately, the excessive use of liquor by some members and chapters had resulted in a few incidents which, in one case, brought tragedy and in others discredit upon the name of the fraternity. He warned that unless there was a change in the character of some of the social events known as “The Miami Triad,” it would be necessary for the leaders of the three fraternities involved to prohibit their contin­ uance.

In his address to the convention, President Bertram W. Bennett could also point to the accomplishment of the fraternity during the past year but warned of the consequences of the attacks then being launched at the entire fraternity structure. “We are conscious,” he said, “of movements now afoot, operating under the guise of one proposal or another, but which appear to have as their ultimate goal the abolish­ ment of the whole fraternity system as it now exists.

“Such a situation requires,” he stated, “that fraternities justify their

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The State of the Fraternity President Bertram W. Ben­ nett, Knox ’20, addresses the 116th General Convention.

existence which means living up to their ideals and purposes and co­ operating with the institutions where their chapters are located.” He referred with regret to the fact that Beta had, during the past year, lost its position as the leader in scholarship among the older social frater­ nities.

Improved Finances. The action of the 1954 convention in increas­ ing the membership fee from initiates by $10 had had a marked effect on the finances of the general fraternity. After experiencing operating losses during the previous three years, General Treasurer Sherwood Bonney was able to report that the year of 1955 would show a gain of $23,000. Contributing to this gain, in addition to the increase in fees, were the lower cost of the 1954 convention held at Miami University as compared to the Pasadena gathering, and alumni contributions to the Baird Fund which enabled the Magazine to operate in the black.

Solicitation of alumni had continued in 1955, principally in support of the Baird Fund. Although letters were sent to a total of 36,400 only 1,638 responded, the lowest number in the five years that such ap­ peals had been made. The sum realized, after deduction of mailing expenses, was $15,136 which, with undergraduate payments, raised the Baird Fund total to an all-time high of $824,800. Many persons felt that

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solicitations of alumni by the general fraternity weakened the support which was so badly needed by the active chapters from that group, and it was hoped that the finances of the general fraternity were now on such a basis that further appeals would be unnecessary.

Two New Officers. The general treasurer s report, which showed the happy condition of the fraternity’s finances, must have brought great satisfaction to Sherwood M. Bonney for it was his final report as the occupant of that office. It became the responsibility of the 116th General Con­ vention to select his succes­ sor and it turned to a man who had demonstrated his devotion to the fraternity and his ability to guide it in financial matters. The new general treasurer was Ford R. Weber, Denison ’21, who for seven years had been a trustee of the Found­ ers Fund and thus had had much to do with the invest­ ments of the fraternity’s assets. A civic leader of Toledo, Ohio, he was a part­ ner in the investment firm New General Treasurer Ford R. Weber, Denison ’21. of Foster Bros., Weber & Co., a trustee of Denison University, Toledo Museum of Art and the Toledo YMCA, of which he was a former president. After having served as president of the Deni­ son chapter, he continued to maintain his interest as an alumnus, serv­ ing as treasurer of the alumni organization.

With the completion of the term of Clem B. Holding, North C aro­ lina ’18, as vice-president and trustee, it became the duty of the dele­ gates to elect his successor. For this position the convention turned to the corps of district chiefs and elected K. Warren Fawcett, Minnesota, ’26, Chief of District XVIII. Brother “Spig” Fawcett had for nine years been a member of the board of trustees of the Minnesota Alumni Society

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and had served six years as a district chief, also being elected secre­ tary of the 112th general convention. He had occupied the chairman­ ship of a number of important convention committees, two of which had dealt with highly controversial matters—these included the group at the Pasadena convention which first dealt with the Syracuse chapter and that at Miami which considered the Kenyon affair.

New Trustee K. Warren Fawcett, Minnesota ’26.

Scholarship Legislation. Probably the most important accomplish­ ment of the 1955 convention was the enactment of an addition to the Laws of the fraternity setting up a scholastic standard which chapters must achieve in order to retain their charters. This requirement had been approved by the previous gathering in the form of a resolution but there had not been time to properly word it as an addition to the Code. It remained for the 116th General Convention to pass this farreaching legislation.

The new Section 7, Chapter X III stated that the minimum goal of all chapters should be the local all-men’s average. It provided that each chapter should attain this goal at least once in every consecutive three years or be placed on probation. Any chapter placed in such position would be given the following two years to reach the standard and any

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who failed to accomplish this would be referred by the scholarship commissioner to the board of trustees “for appropriate action.”

Thus each chapter was required to reach a minimum standard at least once in each five years. This was the type of legislation which had been adopted by several other leading fraternities and had resulted in the marked improvement in their scholastic averages. This move­ ment was evidence that fraternities had come to the realization that

“Cultivation of the Intellect” Scholarship Commissioner Joseph J. Romoda, St. Law ­ rence ’33.

their position in the eyes of the public and of college authorities had been severely damaged by the failure of their members to live up to their declared devotion to the cultivation of the intellect. It had been difficult to refute the unjust charge that a fraternity member was just a “play boy” when he failed to attain the scholastic position of even the average male student on the campus. Laws sometimes do not provide a solution to a problem but Beta Theta Pi was ready to give this ex­ periment a thorough trial.

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Charter Troubles. Two chapters found their charters in jeopardy at the 116th General Convention. They were the Chicago chapter, which had experienced serious internal difficulties for many years, and the Syracuse chapter whose destiny had received so much consideration at the previous two conventions.

It will be recalled that the 1954 gathering had enacted three re­ quirements which the Syracuse chapter was to have achieved by August 1, 1955 or lose its charter, and it had further stipulated that the same standards were to be met in at least two of the following three years. It now appeared that the standards having to do with finances and deportment had been met but again there was doubt concerning the scholastic requirement since the official university figures had not been available on August 1 or at the time of the convention. The Board of Trustees recommended that the time of determination be ex­ tended until the official figures were available and that if, at that time, it appeared that the requirements set forth by the 115th General Convention had not been met, the charter would automatically be re­ voked.

The convention refused to approve this recommendation. It declared that since there was doubt concerning the scholastic requirement and since it appeared that the chapter had either attained the all-men’s average or had failed by no more than a few hundredths of a percentage point, “it was the sense of this convention that the Syracuse chap­ ter met the requirements for the 1954-1955 school year imposed on it by the 115th General Convention.” It stipulated further, however, that the same requirements should be met in the following two years and ordered that, if there is no official university all-men’s average for any period of time covered by the legislation, the average of the pre­ vious four years should be used. Thus the life of the chapter was ex­ tended for at least one more school year.

The problems connected with the Chicago chapter were also of long duration. As a city chapter it had always had problems inherent in sit­ uations of that kind but, in addition, had had difficulties peculiar to that institution. As the University of Chicago had become more and more a graduate school it became more difficult for social fraternities to at­ tract the type of undergraduate making up most of the membership elsewhere. The Beta chapter at Chicago had dwindled in size and with the reduction in number had come mounting financial troubles.

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A lessening of alumni support had resulted in the deterioration of the chapter house and furnishings. The group was in debt to the general fraternity and no payments had been made on the loan for many years.

Fraternity officials visiting the chapter came away with the feeling that there was little knowledge or interest in Beta lore and that the apathy of the group gave little promise of improvement.

Having struggled with these problems for many years, it was finally

Thanks to A. J. Trustee Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18 (left) and former President A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18, who com­ pleted his series of conven­ tion addresses on “Beta Per­ sonalities.”

the reluctant opinion of the Board of Trustees that the fraternity should withdraw from that campus and it recommended to the con­ vention that the charter be revoked.

Present at the gathering were delegations from the active chapter and the alumni organization who presented a strong plea for the con­ tinuance of the charter. Leading the alumni was the talented young attorney, James M. Ratcliffe, Chicago ’46, well known to convention goers in recent years for his speaking ability. He and other members of the delegation pled with the convention to allow this eighty-seven

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year old chapter more time to work out its problems. He pointed out that great changes were being made in the structure of the University of Chicago; that a return to importance of the undergraduate colleges was imminent. This, he contended, would mean that more undergradu­ ates of the type sought for Beta chapters would be attracted to the campus, and he assured the delegates that there would be renewed alumni support of the chapter. Undergraduate members of the chapter also spoke before the convention, voicing their desire for a continuation of the charter and promising improvement in chapter financial matters and administration.

Editors Old and New Former Magazine editors Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20 (left), and Thad Byrne, W ashington State ’25 (right), with the newly ap­ pointed editor Robert T. Howard, DePauw ’37.

As a result of these declarations, the delegates refused to accede to the Board’s recommendation and the chapter was given another chance. The charter was placed in the hands of the Board of Trustees and the Board was instructed to appoint a special committee which was to set up standards which the chapter must attain within a period of time to be specified by the Board or face the possible revocation of its charter. Originally the motion was worded so that the Board was required to revoke if the standards had not been met but this was changed to provide that “the Board may revoke the charter.” Thus the final decision was left in the hands of the trustees to exercise their discretion depending on future developments.

A New Editor. One of the principal occurrences of the convention was the announcement of the appointment of Robert T. Howard, DePauw ’37, as editor of The Beta Theta Pi. In this position he suc­ ceeded Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20, who was acclaimed by the convention for his outstanding work as editor since 1951.

“Bob” Howard called himself “a newsman by trade,” having worked on T he Indianapolis News and others papers before coming to Miami

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University in charge of publicity. With his appointment the editorial center for the Beta magazine moved to the Administrative Office of the fraternity at Oxford, Ohio and, for the first time, the publication had an official home.

Legislation at the 116th General Convention also made changes in the nature and use of the magazine. An amendment to the Laws au­ thorized the editor to omit the directory of officers, chapters and alumni organizations from some regular issues. This would provide badly needed pages for more news without increasing the cost. Another im­ portant amendment legalized the mailing of members’ copies to their parents at the home address with several copies continuing to be sent to each chapter house.

Other Convention Happenings. The convention recommended that chapters elect no more than one set of officers each year “as more con­ sistent with sound administrative practices.”

It was decided that the fraternity would publish the convention ad­ dresses on “Beta Personalities” by A. J. G. Priest, Id ah o ’18, under the title of The Great Ones.

The North Dakota Awards for excellence of chapter publications went to the DePauw chapter for a publication using a newspaper format and to Nebraska for magazine style.

The Assistant General Treasurer was authorized to issue a “Financial Management Handbook” for use by the chapters.

Because of a recent chapter house fire, an amendment to the Laws was passed prohibiting the use of fire and inflammable material in the initiation “Cauldron Scene.”

Over five hundred Betas and guests were present at the convention banquet where the main speaker was Fred A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31, who at that time was deputy assistant to the President of the United States. The undergraduate speaker was Raymond F. McCallister, DePauiv ’56, whose subject was ‘Inventory of Beta Theta Pi.”1

W ITTEN BER G ’S N EW HOME

The homecoming week-end of October 14-15, 1955 at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio had a special significance for Alpha Gamma chapter for it marked the dedication of its beautiful new house.

1 See Vol. L X X X III, No. 3, T h e Beta Theta Pi, January 1956.

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This was the culmination of efforts begun back in 1946 and which, for a number of years, seemed to move with discouraging slowness. Be­ tween 1946 and 1952, only $17,000 had been raised and then a group of alumni determined to get action. Andrew Nicholoff, ’48, president of the alumni association, was one of the driving forces and he was aided by such men as Ben C. Grosscup, ’16, John P. McKenzie, ’26, William Beard, ’40 and many others. As a result of their efforts and the contributions of Wittenberg Betas from coast to coast, it was possible to turn over the key to the chapter of a modern, $100,000, debt-free structure.

The principal dedication address was given by Brother Grosscup and representing the general fraternity were President Bertram Ben­ nett and General Treasurer Ford R. Weber.

BETA A TH LETES

The athletic editor of The Beta Theta Pi, George H. Casey, Bow­ doin ’19, named his all-Beta football team for 1955 as follows: I.e. l.t. i-gc. r-gr.t. r.e. q.b. l.h.b. r.h.b. f.b.

Utility

John K. Stewart, Stanford ’56 John Raventos, Oregon ’58 Tom Mooney, Miami ’56 Robert J. Bond, Ohio State ’56 James Welch, Wash. State ’56 Robert G. Marshall, Stanford ’56 James R. Reinke, W isconsin’57 William G. Beagle, Dartmouth ’56 Mike W. Monroe, Washington ’56 Jim Hunter, Missouri ’56 John J. Bartkiewicz, Indiana ’56 Terry Roberts, Missouri ’56

C O M P O SE R H O N O R E D

Horace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894, composer of “The Loving Cup” and other Beta songs was thrice honored by the Chicago chapter dur­ ing the year. On May 1 a dinner was given in his honor at the Lambda Rho chapter house. Addresses paying tribute to his great contributions

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to the fraternity were given by James Ratcliffe, ’49, assistant dean of the Law School and Dean Wendell Harrison, vice-president of the Uni­ versity of Chicago. Andrew Moore, ’56, chapter president, presented Brother Lozier with a silver loving cup bearing the inscription: “We see the milestones backward run, when on this cup we gaze.”

One month later, undergraduates and alumni of the chapter joined

Chicago Honors Composer Horace G. Lozier, Chicago 1894 (seated) surrounded by Merle Coulter, ’15; Wendell Walker, ’19; Albert Long, ’09; James Ratcliffe, ’46; and Andrew Moore, ’56.

to win the 45th annual University of Chicago interfraternity sing with their rendition of his “The Loving Cup.” On that same evening, a bound volume commemorating the events of the May dinner and the sing was presented to him. It contained photographs, signatures of those attending the event and letters from Betas in all sections of the continent.

SCHOLARSHIP— 1954-1955

It is significant that the college year of 1954-1955, which marked important scholarship legislation by the fraternity, was one of great

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achievement in that area. A report from Scholarship Commissioner Joseph J. Romoda showed that 60 per cent of the chapters were above local all-men’s averages. This in itself was an outstanding performance but what made it a great year was the combination of that fact with the report that twenty chapters were in first place on their campuses and eight others placed second. In 1953-1954 there had been only eleven first-place chapters.

The twenty which were supreme on their campuses were: Kansas, Willamette, Illinois, Miami, Oklahoma, Beloit, Bethany, M.I.T., West­ minster, Georgia Tech, Wabash, Williams, Kenyon, Missouri, Wesleyan, Colorado Mines, Southern California, Davidson, Lawrence and Stevens.

Many of these twenty are traditionally strong scholastically and down through the years have maintained a tradition for good scholar­ ship, helping Beta Theta Pi to keep its high place among all college fra­ ternities. Great credit must also go to certain groups who arose from the depths during this year. One example was Southern California which, in 1953-1954 was 19th out of 28 chapters on its campus and 15 per cent below the all-mens’ average. This chapter for 1954-1955 was first on its campus, 10 per cent above the all-men’s average. Colorado for 1953-1954 was 24th of 24; for 1954-1955, above the all-men’s average and 8th of 24. California rose from 24th of 43 to 10th, also surmounting the all-men’s average. Mississippi climbed from 13th on campus, 23 per cent below the average, to 5th and 6 per cent above.

The chapters which were below the all-men’s average could take heart from the improvement of eleven which in one year came from below: Wabash, Case, Southern California, Washington (Seattle), California, South Dakota, Colorado, Carnegie, Maine, Dartmouth and Mississippi.

Considering the stricter legislation enacted at the last convention which would jeopardize the charters of laggard groups, it was a time for all “below” chapters to change their ways.

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

Howard J. Maxwell, Dickinson ’47, lawyer in Hartford, Connecticut, was appointed by the general secretary to be chief of District II in­ cluding chapters at Amherst, Dartmouth, Wesleyan, Williams and Yale.

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Edward M. Power, III, Washington b- Jefferson ’33, advertising agency owner of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and a Beta son, took over direction of District VII with chapters at Bethany, Carnegie Tech, Washington & Jefferson and West Virginia.

Andrew Nicholoff, W ittenberg ’48, former president of the Witten­ berg chapter and later president of the alumni association of that chapter, was appointed chief of District X III which included chapters at Ohio University, Ohio State and Wittenberg. Born in Sophia, Bui-

New Ohio Chief Andrew Nicholoff, W ittenberg ’48.

garia, he came to the United States in 1938 and graduated from Chi­ cago Marshall High school. At the time of his appointment he was a staff maintenance officer in the headquarters of the Air Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Field, Dayton, Ohio.

Arthur P. Burris, Minnesota ’28, succeeded K. Warren Fawcett as chief of District X V III when the latter was elected to the Board of Trustees. Brother Burris had maintained an active interest in Beta affairs while serving his firm at widely separated points. He had been elected president of the Kansas City alumni association (1942) and of the New York City Beta Club (1947). A graduate of Minnesota’s elec­ trical engineering school, he was, when appointed, a director and sales manager of Electric Machinery Manufacturing Co. of Minneapolis.

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A M O N G B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1955

Charles G. Ashbrook, Denison ’21, was announced as new presi­ dent of The North American Life Insurance Company of Chicago.

Alvan M. Muldrow, O k la h o m a ’33, was appointed Secretary of State of the State of Texas by Governor Allen Shivers.

George F. B. Smith, Amherst ’25, was elected president of the Con­ necticut Mutual Life Insurance Company of Hartford.

Harold Johnson Warner, Oregon ’13, was elected by his fellow su­ preme court justices to serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Oregon for the term 1955-1957.

J. N. (Ding) Darling, Beloit 1899, retired cartoonist of national fame, became the second person to receive the Iowa Award of the Iowa Centennial Foundation. The only other man to receive the honor was former President Herbert Hoover.

George W. Davis, California ’18, was elected president of the Invest­ ment Bankers Association of America.

James A. Fee, W hitman ’10, was elevated by President Eisenhower from the United States District Court in Portland, Oregon, to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Byron K. Trippet, W abash ’30, succeeded Dr. Frank H. Sparks, DePauw ’35, as president of Wabash College.

Newly announced Rhodes Scholars were Michael P. Hammond, Law rence ’54 and Oliver T. Johns, M.I.T. ’56. Brother Hammond had just completed a year’s study in India on a Rotary International scholar­ ship. He planned to study theology at Oxford.

Donald G. Schlundt, Indiana ’55, outstanding basketball player, was elected to the Helms Hall Basketball Hall of Fame. He had twice placed on the All-American team.

☆

1956 ☆

TH ERE W ERE no startling events to record in the fraternity’s history for 1956 but that in itself was a good sign, for it meant that some of the controversies and some of the problems of recent years had abated.

The continued rise in the economic curve of the two countries worked in favor of the brotherhood. Several new chapter houses were built while many others were remodeled or renovated and the finances of the general fraternity had never been better. The only cloud on the horizon was the increased harassment of fraternities which was being felt on many campuses. This was to demand more and more attention by fraternity officers in future years.

TH E BOARD M EETS

Much of the time and thought of the Board of Trustees at its mid­ year meeting in Washington, D.C., January 20-21, 1956 was devoted to the possibilities of future expansion of the fraternity. Present were President Bertram W. Bennett, General Secretary Seth R. Brooks, General Treasurer Ford R. Weber, Vice-Presidents Harry M. Easton, Ralph P. Edgerton and K. Warren Fawcett. Also attending were Ad­ ministrative Secretary Ralph N. Fey and Former Trustee Lee B. Thompson.

While no new expansion plans were approved, the Board restated its interest in any petitioning group which would add to the strength of the fraternity. It pointed out, however, that the high Beta standards required that any college or institution must rank high academically and that any local group must have strong alumni backing and ade­ quate housing. Very often it was discovered that undergraduate mem­ bers who were quite insistent on further expansion had given little thought to these requirements.

Many other important matters were acted upon by the trustees. The Grand Hotel at Mackinac, Michigan was approved as the site of the 1956 convention with Poland Spring, Maine being selected for the 359

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Center of Betadom Administrative Headquarters Building, Oxford, Ohio.

gathering in 1957. Appointments were approved of J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08, and W. Cooper Willits, Pennsylvania ’36, as trustees of the Founders Fund and the Baird Fund, respectively.

The mass of archives and correspondence stored at the Administra­ tive Headquarters in Oxford, Ohio had presented a perplexing prob­ lem for many years. Boxes of letters and other documents shipped there by former officers were occupying valuable space while awaiting sort­ ing and classification. While it was recognized that much of this ma­ terial would have no permanent value, there could be no thought of destroying it until someone with a knowledge of the fraternity could sort it over and decide what should be retained in the permanent ar­ chives. To approach this task, the Board turned to a devoted former officer, Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15, former Keeper of the Rolls and recently retired from the faculty of Miami University. As a resident of Oxford, Brother Wickenden could devote whatever time he wished to this important work.

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Since many changes had been made during recent years in the Con­ stitution and Laws of the fraternity, the Board appointed a committee to study and review the Code, looking toward a possible new edition.

Chairman of the group was Ben C. Grosscup, W ittenberg ’16, and other members were Former President A. J. G. Priest and Richard T. Steele, W esleyan ’21, a former district chief.

Travel accident insurance was approved to cover all officers of the fraternity while traveling on fraternity business, including accredited chapter delegates en route to and from general conventions.

BETA ATH LETES

The annual round-up of Beta basketball stars for 1956 by George H. Casey in T h e B eta Theta Pi produced first and second teams con­ taining names familiar to all fans of the winter indoor sport: First Team: Joseph B. Sturgis, Pennsylvania 56 James F. Barton, W ashington (St. Louis) ’57 Jack Parr, Kansas State ’58 Dallas Dobbs, Kansas ’56 Chester Forte, Colum bia ’57 Second Team: Ronald Judson, Dartmouth ’57 Jack Hawken, W ittenberg ’56 George Hannah, C olorado ’56 F. Tobias Julian, Dartmouth ’56 Don Ohl, Illinois ’58

CH A PTER NEW S

A cross section of news items from the chapters indicated that im­ portant events were taking place on the local scenes. At Northwestern, the opening of the famed “Waa-Mu Show” found another Beta, Jon Larson, ’57, joining the list of Betas who have chairmaned this leading college production. . . . Gamma Xi at Florida celebrated its twentyfifth anniversary by moving into a beautiful new three-level chapter

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house at Gainesville, Florida. . . . Georgia Tech maintained a six year record as the top fraternity scholastically at that institution by plac­ ing first among twenty-six fraternities. . . . Michigan State made a significant gain in sleeping and study facilities through the purchase of a new house. . . . A trophy called the Outstanding Fraternity Award was presented to Alpha Upsilon chapter at Penn State for the third consecutive year. The award is based on leadership in scholarship, sports, activities and social functions. . . . Through the cooperation of the active chapter, alumni organization and the Mothers’ Club a major renovation of the Utah chapter house had been completed. . . . At the interfraternity sing on February 21 Gamma Omicron chapter at Brit­ ish Columbia won permanent possession of the coveted Hausser Cup, having won it more times than any other fraternity chapter during its sixteen years’ existence.

SEV EN TY-FIV E YEARS AT COLUMBIA

Alpha Alpha chapter at Columbia university celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of its founding with a banquet on March 7 at the Columbia Men’s Faculty Club. Eighty-five alumni, along with the entire active chapter, attended the dinner following an informal gath­ ering at the chapter house.

A highlight of the program was the presentation of the Knowlton Durham Trophy to John H. Cowie, ’21. The cup is awarded each year to the Alpha Alpha alumnus who best fulfills the criterion of “Unfal­ tering Fidelity.” Knowlton Durham, ’01, one of the staunchest alumni supporters of the chapter, was toastmaster. Representing the general fraternity was District Chief William T. Louth, DePauw ’48, and speak­ ers included Maurice T. Moore, ’18, chairman of the board of trustees of Columbia University; Nicholas McD. McKnight, dean of students, and Federal District Judge Lawrence E. Walsh, ’32.

Also present at this historic event were the Hon. Richard C. Patter­ son, Jr., N ebraska ’09, C olum bia ’11, former United States Ambassador to Yugoslavia, and District Attorney Frank Hogan, ’24. The oldest living alumnus of the chapter, the Hon. Townsend Scudder, 1888, unable to attend, sent a congratulatory message. The oldest alumnus present was Fred H. Chuff, 1897.

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F IF T IE T H AT IOWA STA TE

The strains of “The Alumni’s Return” rang loud and clear as more than 200 Betas, parents and friends gathered to celebrate fifty years of life for Tau Sigma chapter at Iowa State College, April 14-15. It was significant that three members of the first class of initiates, Ira Sieben, Ralph McElhinney and Lester Hammer, all Iow a State 09, were there to celebrate their 50th anniversiaries as Betas and receive their Fra­ ternal Fifties cards.

The chapter first welcomed the returning alumni and guests at an in­ formal luncheon on Saturday noon at the chapter house, then held an

At Tau Sigma Anniversary Fraternal Fifties: 1. to r.; Ralph McElhinney, Roscoe Hammer and Ira Sieben, all Iow a State ’09.

initiation at the Ames Country Club while Beta wives and sweethearts held a tea at the chapter house. President Bertram W. Bennett was honor guest and principal speaker at the banquet preceding the ball at the Country Club on Saturday night.

ANOTHER BETA CABINET MEM BER

The appointment by President Eisenhower of Fred A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31, to be Secretary of the Interior meant that two mem­ bers of the fraternity would be members of that important body—the other being Charles E. Wilson, Carnegia ’09. Fred Seaton actually was not new to cabinet activities for as Deputy Assistant to the President he had, along with Philip Young, St. Law rence ’31, chairman of the Civil Service Commission, often participated in cabinet meetings.

His appointment was greeted with virtually unanimous approval

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Time magazine summarized him as “razor-sharp, affable, cool, sensi­ ble. . . . popular at the Pentagon, at the White House, with both Repub­ licans and Democrats on capitol hill and with the press corps which has found him straightforward and helpful . . . perhaps the most po­ litically promising member of the cabinet.”

Brother Seaton, a former district chief, had always shown a keen in­ terest in Beta affairs. He was the son of the late Fay N. Seaton, Minne­ sota ’08, Northwestern ’08 and brother of Richard N. Seaton, Kansas ’34.

Cabinet Member Fred A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31.

He was the banquet speaker at the 116th General Convention in 1955 and impressed that gathering with the clarity and conciseness of his explanation of the nation’s foreign policy.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

So keen was the competition that a four-way tie was declared for the James L. Gavin Memorial Scholarship. Ordinarily the fraternity gives eleven scholarships: a $500 Gavin Award, and ten $200 Found­ ers’ Fund Awards. In 1956 there were four applicants so outstanding that the committee voted to combine three of the Founders’ Fund

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scholarships with the Gavin Award to make four awards of $275 each.

The recipients were: John L. Ray, Missouri ’57; Stephen E. Blomgren, W esleyan ’57; Bernard P. Lucich, W estern R eserve ’57, and Paul W. Hetland, Minnesota ’56.

Winners of the remaining $200 scholarships were: Emilio A. Roncace, W. ir J. ’57; J. Richard Emens, II, DePauto ’56; Michael Dinnocenzo, Union ’57; Volney G. Sigmund, W illam ette ’57; Robert G. Newhouse, Idaho ’56; Jerome M. Pool, Oregon ’57, and James E. Roberts, Knox ’57.

Members of the awards committee included Scholarship Commis­ sioner Joseph E. Romoda, General Secretary Seth R. Brooks and Wil­ liam E. Alderman, Miami ’44.

T H E 1 1 7 T H G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

The 117th was said by old-timers to have been one of the least spectacular of the fraternity’s annual gatherings. The absence of heated controversy, however, gave more time for good fellowship and some of the other aspects which can make attendance at a Beta convention a never to be forgotten experience.

There were 495 Betas and guests registered at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan from August 27 to 30 and for many it was a familiar locale. The fraternity had first come to this historic island in the upper Great Lakes in 1924, and had returned on eight other occa­ sions, for its attractions were many. There were the remains of the early wars and conquests of colonial days; there was the absence of motor driven vehicles and the almost forgotten dependence upon horse-drawn conveyances, bicycles or one’s own feet. For many, the friendly walls of the Grand Hotel brought memories of the many great Betas who had worked there in previous years for the good of the fra­ ternity. There were many warm friendships renewed on “the longest porch in the world.”

The lack of controversy did not mean that complacency was evi­ dent. There was still deep concern over weaknesses which were ap­ parent in some areas—laxness in pledge selection or pledge training; inefficiency in chapter administration, including finance; irresponsible conduct on the part of a few chapters, particularly in regard to the liq­ uor problem—all these were to receive attention by committees and the convention as a whole.

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Selected as temporary president was a loyal Indiana Beta, Russell E. Ragan, W abash ’23, who had served the fraternity in many capacities.

Elected permanent convention president was Ben C. Grosscup, W it­ tenberg ’16, a Beta stalwart in the Seattle area. Brother Grosscup, a practicing attorney, had given parliamentary aid to many a harassed committee chairman, had served three times as Marshal of conventions and was attending his eleventh such gathering. To aid him, the dele­ gates chose Edward M. Power, III, W. &■ J. ’33, Chief of District VII, as

They Kept Things Going Convention President Ben C. Grosscup (standing) checks procedure with Convention Secretary Edward P. Power, W. & ]. ’33 and his two undergraduate assistants, George R. Turner, Vander­ bilt ’57 and John Burton, Cornell ’57.

convention secretary. Thad Byrne, W ashington State ’25, former editor of T he Beta Theta Pi, was approved as Marshal.

Dangers From Without. A considerable portion of President Bertram W. Bennett’s address to the convention was devoted to the attacks on social fraternities which were being felt in many areas and which were growing in intensity. He referred to the large number of Beta alumni who seem to lose interest and appear indifferent to the needs of their chapters and the general fraternity. “This,” he said, “is alarming to us in Beta Theta Pi and to the administrations of all our social fra­ ternities in the light of attacks being made upon us by our adversaries, who would seek to destroy the fraternity system. . . . The so-called ‘pressure groups’ in our society are determined to revolutionize our so­ cial structure. . . . They would disregard the rights of the majority and even seem bent on destroying the very things they profess to protect. . . . I know something of the organizations that can be rallied to the sup­

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port of a movement designed to curb and eventually destroy the longestablished customs and privileges of our social groups which have existed on our college campuses for so many years.

“The college fraternity,” he continued, “has been challenged before; it has been driven underground and has existed sub rosa, but always it has risen stronger than before. In order to be able to do this there must be some intrinsic value to such organizations, and I believe the major­ ity of college administrators recognize this and realize that the college

“Bert” and “Jenks” President Bertram W. Ben­ nett, Knox ’20, and former Trustee Elmer H. Jennings.

Northwestern ’12.

fraternity can contribute much to the development and training of the individual, and to the social and cultural life on the campus.”

In view of these threats, however, President Bennett pointed out that fraternities and fraternity members must continue to present and exemplify the high ideals and the noble purposes for which the organi­ zations were founded. He reminded the delegates of their responsi­ bility to guard well the entrance to their chapter halls, to seek those members who will be urbane in deportment, courteous in expression and steadfast in friendship. “Our goal,” he concluded, “should be a Fra­ ternity in which every chapter is a living example of its idealism—every member worthy of wearing the badge and bearing its name—every fraternity house a real home, and whose chapter hall is an inspiration

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—every chapter altar a place of consecration—a fraternity which will stimulate young men to high endeavor and out of which will come men of high ideals and trained for leadership.”

The State of the Fraternity. “So far as the undergraduate chapters are concerned, I feel it cannot be disputed that we are closing one of the best years in our history.” Such was the encouraging statement

by General Secretary Seth R. Brooks in his sixth annual report as the holder of that office. He was able to estimate that seventy-two Beta chapters would be considered in an unquestioned commanding posi­ tion on their campuses.

As contrasted with this bright picture, there were about six chap­ ters which had caused real apprehension and grave alarm. Excessive use of liquor had been the cause of several unfortunate incidents in­ cluding two automobile accidents which claimed the lives of chapter members. In spite of the request by the presidents of Sigma Chi, Phi Delta Theta and Beta Theta Pi that chapters participating in Miami Triad parties avoid actions which could lead to trouble, such a gath­ ering on one college campus resulted in severe criticism by the admin­ istration.

In commenting about some of the problems confronting the frater­ nity, the General Secretary discounted the oft claimed handicaps of a city chapter. He pointed out that we have about 27 such chapters, con­ stituting over one-fourth of our chapter roll and that this group has al­ ways included some of our strongest chapters. “City chapter or no,” he said, “we are all part of the same glorious heritage. Every chapter and every Beta has the same possessions, i.e. the name of Beta Theta Pi, our history, our grip, our songs, our traditions, our library, our badge, our magazine, our general officers, our alumni and our convention. The difference in the complexion of individual chapters and the variety of gifts or handicaps we have, add up to what makes us a great General Fraternity. We are not a National Fraternity but a G eneral Fraternity with chapters in the United States and Canada. No chapter is an or­ phan. No chapter should expect special treatment. Every chapter has the rich endowment of Beta Theta Pi and can enter into that noble inheritance.”

Assets Reach New Peak. The report of General Treasurer Ford R. Weber showed that, at book value, the assets of the fraternity had reached $1,211,300 with a market value of $1,785,000, both new all-

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Tribute to Robb Ray Irvin, W ooster ’08 (on the left) and Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, are shown with the oil portrait of Willis O. Robb, Ohio W esleyan 1879, which they presented to the fraternity.

time highs. The General Fund, deriving its income from membership fees, jewelry royalties and sales of publications, had reached $107,200, an increase over 1955 of $10,200. The Baird Fund, created as a perma­ nent endowment for the Magazine, and holding the largest classifica­ tion of assets, almost entirely in stocks and bonds, amounted to $888,000 an increase of $63,200 for the year. The Founders’ Fund, used as a helpful source of assistance to the chapters in supplementing locally se­ cured financing in housing and remodeling projects, amounted to $196,500, an increase of $4,900.

The income for the year had been $5,000 greater than expected while the expenses had been lower than bugeted, resulting in an operating gain for the year of over $25,000. This followed a gain of $23,000 in the previous year, indicating that the fraternity was once more back on safe financial ground after three years of deficit.

New Scholarship High. The Scholarship Commissioner, Joseph J. Ro­ moda, was able to say that Beta Theta Pi had reached a scholarship peak in the year 1954-1955 with twenty of its chapters in first place on their campuses. These chapters were Kansas, Willamette, Illinois, Miami, Oklahoma, Beloit, Bethany, M.I.T., Westminster, Georgia Tech, Wabash, Williams, Kenyon, Missouri, Wesleyan, Colorado Mines,

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Southern California, Davidson, Lawrence and Stevens. In addition to these, eight others were in second place.

Contrasted with these were several chapters which found themselves in serious scholastic difficulties. This was of particular importance be­ cause of the strict legislation passed by the previous convention re­ quiring every chapter to meet the all-men’s average at least once in every five years or risk losing its charter. The Commissioner pointed to those chapters which would have been in serious trouble if such a rule had been in effect previously.

The list included chapters at Columbia, Cornell, North Da­ kota, Northwestern, Tulane, U.C.L.A., Dickinson, Stanford, Yale, Vanderbilt, Colgate and Union.

It appeared that the shock, several years previously, of see­ ing Beta slip from its traditional place of scholastic leadership, plus the stimulus of strict legisla­ tion, had produced a decided im­ provement in the case of many chapters. It was also apparent that the fraternity would reach a time of difficult decision in 1960 when the first five years under Re-elected this new plan would have ex­ Seth R. Brooks, St. L aw ren ce ’22. pired.

Two Officers Chosen. The 117th General Convention was a time of difficult decision for General Secretary Seth R. Brooks. This great leader who had been such an inspiration to the fraternity was conclud­ ing his second three-year term in that office. It was known to many that he had continued to serve Beta Theta Pi at great personal sacrifice, for even with the help of the able staff at the Administrative Office, the burden was extremely heavy. Under the administrative structure of the fraternity, the bulk of correspondence with the chapters, the other general officers and individual members crossed his desk. The pressure upon him to visit chapters and speak at Beta functions in all sections

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of the country was enormous and he had seldom refused if time and his church duties would permit. Because of this wearying load he had sought to retire from the office, but when his corps of district chiefs and the other general officers passed a unanimous resolution asking permis­ sion to present his name to the convention for another term, he agreed.

His election by the convention was by acclaim and the delegates showed their affection and regard for him by greeting him with a stand­ ing ovation.

O

New Trustee Joseph J. Romoda, St. Law rence ’33.

The fraternity was also fortunate in being able to add to its Board of Trustees a man of great stature and ability. Joseph J. Romoda, St. Law rence ’33, dean of the College of Letters and Science at his alma mater, had served Beta Theta Pi as its Scholarship Commissioner and was now being given an opportunity for further service. The conven­ tion elected him a vice-president for a three-year term to succeed Harry M. Easton, Pennsylvania ’26, whose term had expired. Brother Romoda consented to continue in his scholarship post in addition to his duties as a trustee.

Problem Chapters. Though this convention may have been unspec­ tacular, it was far from complacent with regard to a few chapters which

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had been in trouble during the year. Upon the recommendation of the Board of Trustees, the delegates ordered that the special committee of alumni continue to supervise the Pennsylvania chapter until the next convention. The special committee which had been appointed as a result of action at the previous gathering to work with the Chicago chapter was commended for its efforts. This committee was asked to continue to supervise the chapter and to report to the 1957 conven­ tion. The Iowa chapter was censored for its part in a Miami Triad party which had resulted in probation for all three fraternities involved.

The convention approved a requirement that the chapter meet certain standards during the year or face the possibility of having its charter placed in the hands of the Board of Trustees.

Perhaps the most significant evidence of the feeling of the convention with regard to wayward chapters was its attitude toward Syracuse. By action of the 116th Convention, that chapter’s charter was automatically revoked as of August 1, 1956, when by that deadline it had failed to meet goals established for it by that convention. The 1956 Convention voted down a proposal that it go on record as recommending renewal of this charter by a subsequent convention. It was quite apparent that the road back to a place in Beta Theta Pi was not going to be smooth and easy for Syracuse—it was going to have to prove its worthiness and then go through all the same steps required of a local group seeking a charter.

The 1956 Convention did authorize the Board of Trustees to permit initiation of eligible pledges of the former Syracuse chapter by the Cornell chapter, providing the latter chapter requested the premis­ sion.

Expansion Policy. Although there was no new charter requiring the consideration of the convention, there was considerable time and at­ tention paid to the expansion policy of the fraternity. Placed before the Committee on Charters was a report of the special Survey Committee on Expansion appointed by the Board as directed by a previous con­ vention. After considering the report, the committee made several recommendations: 1. That the Survey Committe continue to encourage and foster the establishment of new chapters where such additions would be advan­ tageous to the general fraternity.

2. That expansion be encouraged in those areas where established

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chapters feel that additional chapters will add to the strength of their area. Special attention should be devoted to the Southeast, Southwest and Canada.

3.

A plan be adopted under which undergraduate members, chap­ ters and alumni can take the correct steps which could lead to further expansion in those areas.

North Dakota Awards Accepting the plaques for winning chapter publications were Norborne A. Brown, Jr., Sew anee ’57 (left) and Gilbert R. Ladd, Washington & L e e ’57.

Other Convention Happenings. The North Dakota awards for excel­ lence of chapter publications went to Sewanee in the newspaper for­ mat class and to Washington and Lee in the magazine format class.

A portrait of Willis O. Robb, Ohio W esleyan 1879, was presented to the fraternity by Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, and Ray Irvin, W ooster ’08, following a description of Robb’s service to the fraternity by Former Ambassador to the Netherlands Stanley K. Hornbeck, Colorado and

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Denver ’03. This was the third portrait by the widely-known artist, Louis Szanto, to be presented to the fraternity and hangs with the other two, those of J. Calvin Hanna, W ooster 1881, and Major George M. Chandler, Michigan 1895, at the Administrative Office.

Featured speaker at the convention banquet was Philip Young, St. Law rence ’31, Chairman of the United States Civil Service Com­ mission and assistant to President Eisenhower in personnel manage­ ment. Speaking for the undergraduates was Frank Mitchell, Oklahoma ’56, whose subject was “This Is What Beta Is To Me.”1

NEW HOME FOR CARNEGIE

An impressive addition to Pittsburgh real estate was dedicated on October 12, 1956 with the dedication of a new house for the Carnegie Tech chapter. Eighteen study rooms were included in the structure, each accommodating two men. Dining facilities accommodated 60 men but by combining the dining and living rooms it would be possible to serve 125 when the occasion demanded. A large recreation room and lounge in the basement could also serve as a chapter meeting room.

Principal speaker at the dedication banquet was General Secretary Seth R. Brooks while other speakers included Albert C. May, Carne­ gie ’21, one of the founders of Gamma Iota; Max Stevenson, Carnegie ’24, president of the Pittsburgh Alumni Association; Dr. J. C. Warner, president of Carnegie Institute of Technology; District Chief Edward M. Power, III, and Chapter President Richard Smith, ’57.

WASHINGTON AND L E E CEN TENN IAL

The one hundredth birthday of Alpha Rho chapter at Washington and Lee University was celebrated on November 10 as a part of the homecoming events at that institution. The first gathering was at a re­ ception in the chapter house following the game with the University of the South and was attended by alumni, parents and college officials.

The centennial banquet, held in the evening at the Mayflower Hotel, was attended by 150 guests.

Representing the general fraternity and delivering the principal ad1 For the complete texts of these two addresses, see T he Beta Theta Pi, Vol. 84, January, 1957.

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dress was President Bertram W. Bennett. Also present was District Chief Irwin H. Wensink, Law ren ce ’29, and for the university, Presi­ dent Francis P. Gaines, Dean of Men Frank J. Gilliam and University Dean Leon Sensabaugh. The program also included an address by Dr. Daniel Blain, ’20, who represented the fifth generation of pis family to attend Washington and Lee. He was the grandson of Danial Blain, Washington and L e e 1858, Number 1 on the original Rho chapter founded in 1856 and was himself the first person listed in the Alpha Rho roll book when the chapter was reactivated in 1917. Master of ceremonies at the banquet was Fred Vinson, Jr., ’48, while Russell Ladd, III, ’57, president of the active chapter, aided the alumni in planning the celebration.

JO H N R. SIM P SO N , 18 7 6 -1 9 5 6

When Col. John R. Simpson, Miami 1899, died on December 5, 1956 at Sea Island, Georgia, the nation lost an outstanding citizen, while Beta Theta Pi and Miami University were deprived of a devoted son.

Perhaps the best remembered service which “Jerry” Simpson ren­ dered the fraternity was as director of its centenary but his contribu­ tions were varied and covered many years. He first came to prominence as president of the 1913 convention held at Nantasket Beach, Massa­ chusetts. Six years later he was elected to the Board of Trustees where his wise counsel aided in the development of the strong administrative structure of the organization. His detailed study of the size of chap­ ters was used at a guide for many years. His planning of the Centenary Celebration in 1939 had much to do with the success of that great event and the dignity and beauty of its program was a reflection of his own character.

Colonel Simpson’s outstanding achievements in World War 1 brought him the Distinguished Service Medal as well as one of the most honored awards of the French government. Following the war he entered upon a business career which led to many positions of prominence. These included the presidency of the Fiduciary Trust Company of New York City and directorships of such firms as the Tricontinental Corporation, Electric Bond and Share Co. and the McCall Corporation.

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Great American—Great Beta Col. John R. Simpson, Miami 1899.

He was one of Miami University’s favorite sons. Having received all of the honors which that institution could bestow, he reversed the process by presenting the school with a guest house, in honor of his father, which is used to house distinguished visitors to the university.

NEW D ISTR ICT CH IEFS

Walter J. Allan, Colorado ’22, succeeded Mark M. Myers, Indiana ’40, as chief of District XXI which includes Oklahoma, Oklahoma

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State, Texas and Southern Methodist. He was prominent in the efforts which brought a Beta chapter to Southern Methodist University and is the owner of Allan Engineering Co. of Dallas, specializing in auto­ matic gas heating and air conditioning equipment. He has been notable in Dallas Rotary Club activities for many years.

Dr. H. Pearce Atkins, Cornell ’36, dean of men at University of Rochester, succeeded Paul P. Van Riper as chief of District IV includ­ ing Cornell, Toronto and Western Ontario.

New Texas Chief Walter J. Allan, C olorado ’22.

Mark Hatfield, W illam ette ’43, became chief of District XXIV while campaigning for the position of Secretary of State of Oregon. He was known to many Betas as the leader of the delegation which success­ fully petitioned the convention of 1947 for a charter. He was victorious in his quest for the secretaryship of the state and later was elected Governor.

Arthur R. Miller, Law rence ’49, served his chapter as president and also became president of the Lawrence College Alumni Association.

At the time of his appointment he was a representative in the Chicago area for Thilmany Pulp and Paper Co. of which Former Trustee Elmer H. Jennings was president. He became chief of District XVI which includes chapters at Illinois, Knox, Michigan and Michigan State.

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J. Moreau Brown, Dartmouth ’39, manager of educational grants in the Educational Relations Services Department of the General Elec­ tric Co. at Schenectady, New York, had received his master’s degree at St. Lawrence University and had served as director of admissions at that institution. He became chief of District III including chapters at Colgate, St. Lawrence and Union.

James K. Johnson, Washington State ’50, of Spokane, Washington was appointed chief of District X X III, a position which was left vacant by the tragic death of Charles E. De Vange. Brother Johnson had served Beta in the Pacific Northwest area as president of the Spokane alumni association.

SO M E B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 5 6

Sidney Maestre, Missouri ’13, of St. Louis, Missouri received the “St. Louis Award,” the highest honor that city can bestow, for the leading part he played in the successful campaign to win approval of a $110,000,000 civic improvement bond issue.

Charles P. Taft, Yale ’18, son of the late President William Howard Taft and brother of the late Senator Robert A. Taft, was elected Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Featured on a cover of Tim e magazine was the Reverend Theodore F. Adams, Denison ’21, who began a five year term as president of the Baptist World Alliance. He is Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia.

Dr. Charles C. Higgins, South D akota ’19, was named chairman of the board of governors of the American College of Surgeons, world’s largest surgical organization.

Albert M. Wiggins, Ohio State ’57, holder of many NCAA champion­ ships, was regarded by many experts as the world’s finest all-around swimmer.

Chester G. Gifford, South D akota and UCLA ’28, was made presi­ dent of the Crosley and Bendix Home Appliance divisions of the Avco Manufacturing Co. Minor M. Markle, III, Miami ’56, was awarded a Fulbright Scholar­ ship and planned to spend a year of study at Magdalen College, Ox­ ford University.

The 1956 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished editorial writing was

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awarded to Loren K. Soth, Iow a State ’32, for an editorial called, “If the Russians Want More Meat” in the D es Moines Register and Trib­ une. This editorial had much to do with the exchange of agricultural exports between the United States and Russia.

Joseph Vancisin, Dartmouth ’44, former assistant to Ozzie Cowles, basketball coach at the University of Minnesota, was made head bas­ ketball coach at Yale University.

Reed C. Culp, Utah and Michigan ’27, Salt Lake City businessman, was elected president of Kiwanis International, 250,000 member inter­ national service organization. John M. Walter, L aw rence ’30, was elected a district Governor.

Emmett L. Wingert, Beloit ’19, was appointed Justice of the Wis­ consin Supreme Court. In that position he will serve with another Beta on that bench, Justice Timothy Brown, W isconsin T l.

Robert E. Kenyon, Jr., Kenyon ’30, resigned his position as publisher of Printers’ Ink, weekly magazine of advertising and selling, to become president of the Magazine Publishers’ Association of America.

Another Olympic champion was added to the roll of Beta athletic greats as Robert L. Clotworthy, Ohio State ’54, won the world’s threemeter springboard championship at Melbourne, Australia.

The 1956 elections found Betas being elected to many important offices. John E. Davis, North D akota ’35, became governor of North Da­ kota while three members of the fraternity were elected to the U. S. Senate: John Sherman Cooper, Centre ’22, from Kentucky; John Marshall Butler, Johns H opkins ’23, from Maryland and Norris Cotton, W esleyan ’23, from New Hampshire. Eleven Betas were elected to the U. S. House of Representatives.

Brigadier General John H. Ives, Illinois ’28, became Chief of Staff of the nationwide Continental Air Command which trained the Air Force Reserve and inspected and supervised the training of the Air National Guard.

☆

1957 ☆

THIS W IL L be recorded as a year of several important happenings in the life story of Beta Theta Pi—a year of continued progress and achievement. It marked the election of the eleventh president of the fraternity and the adoption of a revised codification of its constitution and laws. It was a year which saw important steps taken which would lead to future expansion and it saw an impressive number of new chapter houses planned or dedicated. The only disturbing aspect of the year was the increasing evidence of anti-fraternity movements on many campuses, none of which affected Beta chapters directly but which held threats for the entire fraternity world.

A R IZ O N A R O U N D U P

A preliminary to the coming of a chapter of Beta Theta Pi several years later was the largest gathering of Betas ever held in that South­ west state. The event was the annual Beta Roundup on January 16, 1957 at Camelback Inn, near Phoenix, owned and operated by Jack Stewart, North D akota ’26. The 1957 event was arranged by Edward H. Bringhurst, Vanderbilt ’31, and former District Chief Charles H. Kent, Ohio State ’41, and brought together nearly one hundred broth­ ers. Principal speaker was Dr. G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27, Presi­ dent of Willamette University and former President of Beta Theta Pi. As a member of the fraternity’s expansion survey committee, he ac­ knowledged the possibility of the future establishment of Beta chapters at the University of Arizona (Tucson) and at Arizona State (Tempe) and those in attendance carried away with them new hope for at least one of these possibilities.

Forty-four different chapters were represented at the banquet, with the brothers present comprising over half of the Betas known to be liv­ ing in Arizona. These facts alone testified to the interest in the frater­ nity in that area. One group of 14, led by John H. Siegle, Jr., North380

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ivestem ’27, made the round trip of 250 miles from Tucson and pro­ vided an able song leader in the person of Dr. Delbert L. Secrist, W. ir J. ’29. A telegram of greeting was read from U. S. Representative John J. Rhodes, Kansas State ’38, who, as a resident for many years in Phoenix, had long been an advocate of Beta expansion into that area.

A L L -B E T A B A S K E T B A L L T E A M

Early in 1957, George H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, Athletic Editor of The Beta T heta Pi, announced his selection of the outstanding Beta basketball stars of the 1956-1957 season. They were: James Barton, W ashington (St. Louis) ’57 Joseph Ruklick, Northwestern ’59 John Parr, Kansas State ’58 Donald Ohl, Illinois ’58 F. Chester Forte, Colum bia ’57 Ronald Judson, Dartmouth ’57 Selecting Chet Forte as the “Player of the Year,” Casey pointed out that he finished fifth among the nation’s major college scorers with an average of 28.9 points per game although he was a 5 foot, 9 inch guard.

He set four new Ivy League records, including a career total of 859 points and a single season mark of 403 points. He was a first-team choice on both the Associated Press and the United Press All-Ameri­ can selections.

N EW S O F TH E CHAPTERS

Beta Sigma chapter at Bowdoin dedicated a new lounge, con­ structed mainly by members of the group, in honor of the alumni who had contributed funds for extensive alterations and improvements in the house. . . . Alpha Chi at Johns Hopkins was awarded the Alumni Trophy as the fraternity chapter on that campus with the most points for intramural athletic excellence.. . . Beta Rho at Oregon had the high­ est grades for a men’s fraternal organization on that campus for the year ending December, 1956. . . . Delta Alpha at Western Ontario won a trophy for having a similar record at that institution. . . . Faced with condemnation of its house, Theta Delta chapter at Ohio State made plans to move to a temporary residence pending the building of a

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$200,000 structure. . . . Gamma Theta chapter at Washington State honored Hulda Berquist who had been their cook for twenty-five years by presenting her with a trip to Europe and to her ancestral home in Sweden. Alumni joined with the undergraduates in this tribute. . . . F i­ nal construction plans were being completed for a new chapter house for Iota at Hanover. . . . Gamma Lambda at Oklahoma A & M placed first in scholarship among all Greek-letter organizations on that campus.

A N T I-F R A T E R N IT Y M O V E M E N T S

Greek-letter fraternities and sororities have always had their ene­ mies. In the early, formative years there was open hostility toward them on the part of college authorities, and it was necessary for many of the young chapters to exist secretly in a sub rosa fashion. Gradually they gained respectability and were allowed to take their places as recognized college-approved organizations—but never free from their detractors and active enemies, both on college campuses and among the general public.

It is not difficult to understand why such hostility should exist. Se­ crecy often leads to suspicion and while fraternity constitutions, by­ laws and even membership lists have been generally made public, the rituals have been largely secret. On every campus there have been those who, for one reason or another, have not become members of such organizations and because of ignorance of their true nature, or through envy, jealousy or some other motive, have sought ways to harass those who did become members. A second source of hostility has come from some college faculty members or college authorities. Much of their attitude has been engendered by the fraternities themselves.

Grade averages of fraternity members have, down through the years, been below the all-men’s average on most campuses and college ad­ ministrators have pointed to the fraternity house as an important source of poor scholarship. Juvenile pranks, hazing, “Hell-week” practices and excessive group drinking have often brought distasteful publicity and the name of the college or university has been linked with such activ­ ities. Such practices have also created an unfortunate image of the college fraternity in the eyes of the general public.

Thus, hostility toward these organizations had developed and smoul­

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dered but was scattered and sporadic and was never able to present a united front. Greek-letter societies, because of the ideals and principles upon which they were founded, continued to grow and prosper.

Soon after the close of World War II, however, the enemies of the fraternities seized upon a new weapon which was closely associated with the growing movement against “discrimination.” They pointed their fingers at some fraternities and said, “They limit their member­ ships to persons of certain color, creed or races and therefore they are ‘undemocratic’ and should not be allowed to remain on the campuses of institutions which are committed to policies of equality of opportu­ nity for members of all races and creeds.” These words fell on the eager ears of those who for one reason or another had always been op­ posed to fraternities and of certain groups and organizations who saw here an opportunity to further their own causes. Faculty and student groups held meetings demanding that organizations which restricted their memberships on the basis of race or creed be required to re­ move such restrictions by some specified date or be forced to leave the campus. In some states legislation was introduced into state legisla­ tive bodies designed to produce similar results and while early efforts were defeated, many college administrations yielded to the pressure and deadlines were set. * Wherever such edicts were handed down, many individual frater­ nity chapters found themselves in a most difficult position. If the de­ mands of the college were in opposition to the constitutibn of the na­ tional organization of which they were a part, their choice was to defy their own officers or face the closing of their chapter house doors. A few chose the former and in 1957 several charters were withdrawn.

Others withdrew voluntarily rather than yield their right to choose their own members without outside interference.

Among the qualifications for membership in Beta Theta Pi there are no restrictions pertaining to race, color or creed. The result has been that included among its members have been persons representing a great variety of national origins and religious beliefs. Orientals, Hawaiians, Germans, natives of South American countries and many others—all have been included in the membership as well as those of all religious faiths, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish and others. At the same time there has been agreement within the fraternity ever since its founding that those who are invited to join must be generally accept-

384 He Spoke on Problems of the Fraternity World Former President G. Herbert Smith, DePauw â&#x20AC;&#x2122;27 (center), and members of Gamma Xi chapter whom he addressed at the University of Florida.

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able to the entire membershipâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;else it could not be called a true brothhood.

Men and women invariably group themselves into organizations, ranging from the neighborhood bridge club to international societies, because of mutual interests, beliefs, customs, ideals and purposes. They can remain harmonious groups only so long as they adhere to their original set of standards and beliefs or until all agree to change. If any individual or any minority group within an organization finds that he or it is no longer in agreement with the policies of the majority, they are at liberty to withdraw and form another association with whose concepts they can agree. Any attempt to force upon an organization, either from within or without, policies, standards or ideals opposed by any substantial number of its members can only be harmful to the unity and well being of such association.

During these years of anti-fraternity agitation it was recognized by all thinking members of Beta Theta Pi that its selection of members had been based to some extent upon social practices which existed in the United States and Canada. These social practices are not the same now as they were when the fraternity was founded and they will un­ doubtedly be different in twenty-five, fifty or one hundred years.

Nevertheless, it was recognized that they were very real and in spite of the fact that Beta Theta Pi was free of the harassment suffered by a number of fraternities with restrictive requirements for membership, it was a matter which was debated at many a Beta house fireside and in many a chapter hall. Thinking men recognized that the issue was not the rightness or wrongness of social barriers erected against any par­ ticular race, but concerned the right of an organization to select its members without outside interference and in a way which would preserve the unity of a close-knit brotherhood. Thus, in 1957 and the years immediately following, it can be said that the policies of the general officers and the Board of Trustees of Beta Theta Pi in these matters were twofold: One, to urge the chapters and the individual members to direct their activities toward the continued unity of the entire fraternity and, two, to continue to resist efforts from the outside, to interfere in the inherent right of a group to govern the selection of its own members.

Although up to this time Beta had not withdrawn from any campus because of the abridgement of its rights, it viewed with great concern

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the occurrences effecting other fraternities. Such friendly rivals as Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Chi and others had either revoked charters or closed chapter houses at several institutions rather than surrender their right to govern the selection of members or to relinquish the authority of the whole group over individual chapters. So far, these events had oc­ curred chiefly in the New England area but the pressure was being felt at such institutions as the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin and at various California colleges. In spite of the continued growth of col­ lege fraternites and their co n sta n t exp an sion through the establishment Help Week of new chapters, prin­ Pledges of Beta Rho chapter at Oregon clean the cipally in the middle west grounds of Children’s Hospital in Eugene, Oregon. and west, each with­ drawal from a campus meant a weakening of the fraternity system and it appeared that the entire movement would face a serious show-down with its enemies in the years to come.

TH E 118TH GENERAL CONVENTION

In the latter half of the 1800’s and the early 1900’s it was the cus­ tom of many New England families, particularly those in Boston, to pack several trunks when the school term had ended and, with nurses, maids and other servants, to board the “Boston and Maine.” At Port­ land the train was switched to the tracks of the “Maine Central” bound for Poland, Maine where horse-drawn conveyances waited to take the eager vacationers to famed Poland Spring House.

In 1957 the outward appearance of this stately hostelry had changed

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very little but the people who gathered there in late August, dressed in casual sport clothes, had a different appearance from those who used to walk the green lawns, and their means of arrival had been different too. From all corners of the continent they came, most by automobile but even those who used trains and planes changed to the highways at Boston. From that famous city they drove on a “freeway”, soaring over the ancient streets and buildings of colonial days, thence by the “Maine Turnpike,” a four-lane divided super highway, to the wooded hills of Poland Spring. Summer was ending and it was time for the 118th General Convention of Beta Theta Pi. It was the third time in its history that the fraternity had traveled to this far northeastern location for its annual gathering, the last time having been in 1947, soon after the end of World War II. Honored by his selection as temporary president of the convention was one of St. Louis’ prominent business leaders and a former trustee of the frater-

Scene ot the 118th General Convention Poland Spring, Maine from the air.

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nity, Stratford L. Morton, W ashington (St. Louis) ’10. To be perma­ nent president the delegates elected a loyal New England Beta and a former District Chief, Richard T. Steele, W esleyan ’21, with District Chief William O. Littick, Ohio W esleyan ’50 as Convention Secretary.

The atmosphere in the spacious lobby, through the corridors and in the meeting rooms was one of confidence and optimism for the frater­ nity was closing a most successful year. It was an important gathering for it saw the election of a new Beta president and it approved the most significant re-codification of the fraternity’s laws which had been undertaken for many years. In the strongest gesture toward actual ex­ pansion in recent years, it authorized the Board of Trustees to “continue with deliberate speed to investigate” a petition from a local group seeking a charter.

The Changing Scene. In his final address as head of the fraternity retiring President Bertram W. Bennett recalled the pleasure he had ex­ perienced in his many chapter visits during his term and reminded the alumni present of the many social and economic changes affecting chapter life today. “One must always remember in appraising our chapters today,” he said, “that our present undergraduates are living in a much changed atmosphere from that which existed when many of us were students. We must be ever mindful in our examinations, therefore, that the existing Beta chapters are the result of a changing academic picture, which, tied in with our nationwide economic and social changes have brought about conditions difficult to ascribe to what we ‘silver-grays’ used to consider a ‘normal’ Beta chapter. The present active chapter members are not alone responsible for these var­ iations in chapter life, and their Beta chapter means as much to them as ours did to us; they are just as loyal as we liked to be known. When we are prone to criticize present chapter life, we should, by all means, be helpful and constructive in our evaluations, recognizing all the while the changed world in which we live today.”

He continued on to point out, however, that certain basic principles have not changed. “The ideals and purposes of our Founders,” he said, “are just as applicable and sound today as they were 118 years ago. The principles of right and wrong remain unchanged, and I be­ lieve we, as alumni, have a duty to perform in endeavoring to provide the type of counseling and assistance to our chapters which will re­ emphasize these most important principles to our members. To have a good chapter of Beta Theta Pi, leaders must assert and constantly im­

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press upon their members, and particularly upon the new initiates, our steadfast adherence to our cherished ideals and lofty aspirations.”

President Bennett took the opportunity presented by his final ad­ dress as the occupant of that office to express his appreciation for the cordial and friendly treatment he had received from the chapters and alumni groups he had visited. He paid tribute to the other general officers, to the staff at the Administrative Headquarters, and particu-

A Tribute to Beit Knox chapter’s appreciation plaque to outgoing President Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20, was presented by Leonard H. Newkirk, ’58 (left), and Robert E. Weise, ’58.

larly to General Secretary Seth R. Brooks for the cooperation they had given him. In commenting on Brother Brooks, he said, “It is my good fortune to have known Seth for a great many years, and we have been engaged together before in Beta work. However, the last three years of intimate contact with Brother Brooks have enabled me to appreciate more fully the great service he is rendering. He is eminently qualified for the work and is giving unsparingly of his time and energy to the cause. We have been blessed with many great general secretaries in Beta Theta Pi; but in my opinion, there have been none better than Seth Brooks. I take off my hat to him and hope that he may long con­ tinue to serve Beta Theta Pi in some capacity.”

Thus, characteristically, a man who himself had served the frater­ nity in every possible capacity, bowed out of its highest elective office with a tribute to a fellow worker.

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The Impact of Inflation. Although economic conditions had caused some decline in the market value of securities owned by the fraternity its assets had reached a figure close to $1,800,000. Thus reported General Treasurer Ford R. Weber in his annual message to the con­ vention. The Book Value of $1,348,200 was 11 per cent above the previous year and included in the report was an interesting table showing the growth of assets since 1920: Percent of Period Increase Assets Increase 1920 $ 50,200 1930 250,400 1940 458,400 1950 741,700 1955 1,132,800 1956 1,211,300 1957 1,348,200 Increase since 1950

$ 0 200,200 208,000 283,300 391,100 78,500 136,900 606,500

0 400 83 62 53 7 11 82

10 10 10 5 1 1 7

yrs. yrs. yrs. yrs. yr. yr. yrs.

A summary of the financial operations of the fraternity for the year showed that income had exceeded expenses by nearly $15,000 but comparing this with the $25,000 surplus for the previous year showed that the margin of black ink was becoming narrower. The general treasurer pointed out that like every business and organization, Beta was being affected by inflation and rising costs. Publication costs of The Beta Theta Pi were increasing rapidly and an increase in Baird Fund fees might be necessary. Travel costs, primarily those of dele­ gates to general conventions and those of general officers, were show­ ing a marked increase over previous years. A summary of operations since 1920 is interesting in showing the relationship between income and expense during the past 37 years: 1920 1930 1940 1950 1955 1956 1957

Incom e

Expense

Net

$ 34,900 50,500 55,500 97,800 129,400 134,341 143,062

$ 26,500 45,000 56,700 98,400 106,400 108,964 128,134

$ 8,400 5,500 — 1,200 — 600 23,000 25,377 14,928

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Brother Weber pointed out that “since 1920 our operations have grown in cost almost 500 per cent, while income has grown 400 per cent. Since 1950, expense has risen 30 per cent while income has in­ creased 46 per cent. The divergence in pattern for the past seven years would be encouraging except for the fact that the gain for the past year declined almost 50 per cent from a year ago. The implications are ob­ vious, unless the trend can be halted or reversed. The Treasurer believes that no action in raising fees is required at this time, but recommends that the Trustees study the situation during the current year to deter­ mine whether or not such action will be required at the 1958 conven­ tion.”

Toward Expansion. After several years without further expansion of the fraternity, the delegates in 1957 had the opportunity to consider whether or not an interested local group should be encouraged. After hearing reports concerning a group called Alpha Gamma Gamma at the University of Wichita, the convention authorized the Board of Trustees to “continue with deliberate speed to investigate.” Before de­ parting from Poland Spring the Board appointed Former President Bertram W. Bennett and Trustee K. Warren Fawcett to visit that cam­ pus and to submit a written report on the institution and the local fraternity.

A New President. The term of Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20, having expired and Brother Bennett having stated that he would be unable to continue for another term, it became the responsibility of the 118th General Convention to select a new president of the fraternity. Since the change in the constitution in 1897 which provided for the present form of administration, ten men had occupied that office: William A. Hamilton, Northwestern 1879, 1897-1900, 1906-1912 John Calvin Hanna, W ooster 1881, 1900-1903 Willis O. Robb, Ohio W esleyan 1879,1903-1906 Francis H. Sisson, Knox 1892,1912-1918 Francis W. Shepardson, Denison 1882,1918-1937 Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02,1937-1940 William W. Dawson, Ohio W esleyan ’14, 1940-1946 G. Herbert Smith, DePauw ’27,1946-1951 A. J. Gustin Priest, Id ah o ’18, 1951-1954 Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20, 1954-1957

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Upon recommendation of the Committee on Election of General Fraternity Officers, the delegates selected Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31, to be the eleventh president of the fraternity. Brother Bonney, who had been a teacher, attorney, accountant, Navy officer and business executive, had served Beta in many capacities. In 1950 he was appointed Chief of District V which includes Rutgers, Stevens and Columbia and he was relieved of that responsibility in 1952 only because of his election as General Treasurer. In that office he was an

New Leader President-Elect Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31.

ex officio trustee of the Baird and Founders’ Funds and continued as a fund trustee after his term as Treasurer had expired. In addition, he had held numerous offices in the New York City alumni organization.

At the time of his election, the new president was treasurer of John­ son & Higgins, international insurance brokers and pension consultants with offices at 63 Wall Street, New York City. His career had begun as a teacher at Hill School, Pottstown, Pennsylvania, after which he en­ rolled in Harvard Law School, from which he received his law degree in 1937. Following a period in the tax department of Arthur Ander­ son & Co., public accountants, he entered the Navy where he served for three years in the aviation training program, completing that serv­ ice as a lieutenant. After the war he became secretary-treasurer of

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Sun Chemical Corp., and then moved to Johnson & Higgins. His home is in Scarsdale, New York and his wife Harriet, daughter Jean and son Kent have all been frequent visitors at Beta conventions.

A Beta long active in alumni activities of Xi chapter at Knox and in Chicago Beta alumni affairs was elected Vice-President and Trustee to succeed Ralph P. Edgerton whose term had expired. The new trustee was Edmond B. Stofft, Knox ’20, who, at the time of his election was a vice-president of Continental Illinois National Bank & Trust Co. of

At Work on the Code Recodification Committee Chairman Ben C. Grosscup, W ittenberg ’16 checks a de­ tail with Assistant General Treasurer LeRoy Marx, Jr., Denver ’49.

Chicago. Brother Stofft had served his chapter while an undergraduate as treasurer and president and later was elected president of the Chicago Beta Alumni Association. For the general fraternity he had rendered valuable service as a trustee of the Baird Fund 1951-1954. His home is in Park Ridge, Illinois.

A Revised Code. The culmination of more than a year of arduous labor by Ben C. Grosscup and his committee was the presentation of a revised Code for the approval of the convention. Down through the years numerous amendments and changes made in the Constitu­ tion and the Laws had resulted in many confusing clauses and contra­ dictions and the revision consisted mainly of a reorganization rather

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than any change in general purpose or policy. Copies of the revision had been sent to each chapter previous to the convention with all changes clearly indicated and an explanation of each. Thus when the revised Code was presented there was little controversy or debate and a vote of approval came quickly. Serving on the committee with Brother Grosscup were Former President A. J. G. Priest, Former Gen­ eral Secretary Edward M. Brown, Vice-Presidents Ralph P. Edgerton and George Roudebush, and Richard T. Steele.

Other Convention Happenings. Much emphasis was placed on the fact that the 1957-1958 school year would be the third year of a scholar­ ship policy voted in 1955 authorizing the Board of Trustees to place on probation any chapter failing to rank above its local all-men’s average in scholarship at least one year in any three. The convention approved a Board decision that this should mean automatic probation for any chapter failing to do so after the coming academic year.

The Board of Trustees placed the Colorado College chapter on pro­ bation “pending general improvement”; left the Iowa and Pennsyl­ vania chapters under supervision of special alumni committees and re­ turned the Chicago chapter’s charter with a commendation for con­ spicuous progress in regaining standards of achievement and conduct representative of the fraternity.

A statement of policy with regard to the use of alcohol was adopted.

Although the full sense of the action already was expressed or implied in existing laws of the fraternity, the convention went on record with a statement that alcoholic beverages would not be permitted on chapter property where this would be in conflict with state or campus regula­ tions or with the best interest of the fraternity.

Albert C. May, Carnegie ’21, succeeded newly elected President Sherwood Bonney as a Trustee of the Founders’ Fund and Marvin Pierce, Miami ’16, was re-elected a Baird Fund Trustee for a threeyear term.

A portrait of Francis W. Shepardson, Denison 1882, was unveiled at an evening session which included wives, sons, daughters and other guests of the convention. The presentation was made by Charles W. Deeds, Denison ’23, as a gift of his father, Col. Edward A. Deeds, Den­ ison 1897. This was the fourth in a series of portraits of leaders of the fraternity painted by L. P. Szanto and presented as gifts by various Betas to the fraternity. They are hung in the Administrative Head­ quarters in Oxford, Ohio.

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It was announced that Mrs. J. R. Simpson intended to start making gifts to the Founders’ Fund toward the creation of a scholarship in memory of her late husband, Col. John R. Simpson, Miami 1899, simi­ lar to the James A. Gavin Memorial Scholarship.

☆

☆

☆

It had been a hard working and optimistic gathering, fully cognizant of weaknesses which still appeared here and there but mindful of the fine record established by most of the chapters during the previous

Shep in Oils Maj. George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, views the portrait of Francis W. Shep­ ardson presented to the fra­ ternity by Col. Edward A. Deeds, Denison 1897.

years. As the delegates and guests left the stately old buildings and roll­ ing green lawns of Poland Spring and started down the Maine Turn­ pike there was a feeling of confidence that 1957-1958 was sure to be another good Beta year.

BUILDING PLANS H ER E AND TH ER E

Although soaring costs had placed a price tag on new fraternity houses which would have shocked a previous generation, it appeared that 1957-1958 would be a record building year for the fraternity.

At DePauw the beautiful new chapter house was beginning to take shape when the cornerstone ceremonies were held on October 12. Work

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had started early in July, 1957 and it was hoped that occupancy could be achieved by September 1958. The brick and wood structure at Greencastle, Indiana would house 63 men and the expected cost, including furniture, was $300,000. Among the many men whose efforts resulted in this new home for Delta were: Earl Capehart, ’43; George L. Clark, ’14; State Senator C. Wendell Martin, ’39; Robert Mason, ’21; Stanley Byram, ’28; Gregg Ransburg, ’32; James Vandenbark, ’24, and Richard C. Kiger, ’38.

At Sewanee, Gamma Chi chapter faced a less formidable task when planning for new quarters. Since at that institution all students were housed and fed in University buildings, the fraternity houses did not need to provide sleeping or eating facilities. Gamma Chi’s chapter house was built in 1883 and had served as a private home, a school and as the Phi Delta Theta house. The new structure to be started early in 1958 was planned to contain six rooms and would be built at a cost of about $25,000.

As a result of loyal and continued alumni support, an impressive new chapter house was under construction in 1957 for Iota chapter at Hanover. The T-shaped structure of Georgian architecture would be finished in red brick with a pillared front porch. It was planned to house 40 to 45 men, mostly in two-man study rooms. Cornerstone lay­ ing ceremonies were held on Dad’s Day, November 9, and comple­ tion by September, 1958 was planned.

A $225,000 building and rehabilitation project was underway at Beta Omega chapter at the University of Washington (Seattle).

This would include an entirely new addition which would provide needed extra room and a new heating plant for the entire house. A second part of the operation was to be the remodeling and refurnish­ ing of the old house.

SCHOLARS AND A TH L E TE S

In the classroom and on the athletic field, Betas distinguished themselves in 1957. Winner of the James L. Gavin Memorial Scholar­ ship was David C. Freytag, Cincinnati ’58, while Founders’ Fund Scholarships went to fourteen others in chapters from coast to coast:

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Arnold David Walker, Mississippi ’58 W. Kirk Avery, Bethany ’58 James Loren Cain, W illam ette ’58 Richard R. Carruthers, W estminster ’58 Alan Fred Clark, W isconsin ’58 Goodman Basil Espy, III, G eorgia Tech. ’57 Michael John Fraser, British Columbia ’58 John Richard Gaintner, L ehigh ’58 Richard Franz Geist, W hitman ’58 Robert M. McConnel, W ashington It Jefferson ’58 Harold Emerson Moore, Jr., D enver ’58 Richard O. Poe, Iow a State ’58 Douglas Mackenzie Reid, W estern Ontario ’58 J. Robert Wright, Univ. o f the South ’58 On the gridiron Betas continued to gain fame and again George H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, athletic editor of The Beta Theta Pi was able to pick an outstanding All-Beta Team from men who starred during the 1957 season: I.e. l.t. l.g. c. r.g. r.t. r.e. b. b. b. b.

Richard A. Wallen, UCLA ’59 James Linden, Oregon ’59 Llewellyn Williams, L ehigh ’58 William Price, Davidson ’58 Alan R. Williamson, W ash. State ’59 William Leeka, UCLA ’59 Donald A. Ellingson, W ash. State ’59 Robert Newman, Wash. State ’59 David C. Thelen, Miami ’58 Clarence M. Beamer, Oregon State ’59 Jack E. Morris, Oregon ’58

GAMMA PHI GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY

Celebrating the Golden Anniversary of both the state of Oklahoma and of the Gamma Phi chapter of Beta Theta Pi, more than 500 mem­ bers of the fraternity and their guests gathered in Oklahoma City on October 25, 1957 in the Persian Room of the Skirvin Tower to start a weekend of activities.

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The official chartering of a Beta chapter at the University of Okla­ homa occurred on October 18, 1907 and to celebrate that event six members of the charter group returned to Norman. One of these, Tom B. Matthews, ’06 was No. 1 on the chapter roll while the others were: A. Martin Kingkade, ’06; Owen B. Acton, ’09; Earl B. Johnston, ’11; Robert P. Calvert, ’09 and John V. Walling, ’10.

John Rogers, O klahoma ’14, served as toastmaster for the anniver­ sary banquet with General Secretary Seth R. Brooks and former Presi­ dent A. J. G. Priest as principal speakers. Former Trustee Lee B. Thompson, O klahom a ’25, played a leading role in planning for the occasion. It was an event which the general fraternity officers wel­ comed as an opportunity to pay tribute to a chapter which, among its 1,000 initiates, has furnished a host of Beta leaders and has always been a great credit to the fraternity. To those who gathered from all sec­ tions of Betadom it seemed inevitable that the next fifty years would be equally distinguished for this great chapter.

NEW D ISTR ICT C H IE FS — 1957

Charles L. Lewis, Ohio ’49, dean of men at the University of North Dakota, became Chief of District X V III which includes the Univer­ sities of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Harry B. Kniseley, O klahom a ’26, public relations and employee re­ lations executive of the Carter Oil Co. in Denver, Colorado, had been both a dean and a teacher. He had served the fraternity as president of the Rocky Mountain Alumni Association and as counselor of the Denver chapter before becoming Chief of District XXII. James H. Dana, Maine ’48, New England representative of Parents’ Magazine and former president of the New England Alumni Associa­ tion, was appointed Chief of District I to succeed Weston B. Haskell, Jr., Maine ’46.

John T. Britton, Rutgers ’50, succeeded William T. Louth, DePauw ’48, as Chief of District V. At the time of his appointment Brother Brit­ ton was in charge of employee publications for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. of New York City. He was president of Beta Gamma chapter while an undergraduate at Rutgers and also served as alumnus financial advisor to the chapter.

George H. Adams, D avidson ’50, was named to succeed Chalmers

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G. Davidson, D avidson ’28, who had served ably for five years as Chief of District IX. He was editor of Inventory, popular style educational journal on alcoholism and mental health, published by the North Carolina Alcoholic Rehabilitation Program.

Robert Mautz, Miami ’37, assistant dean of the University of Florida

Mountain Area Chief Harry B. (Doc) Kniseley, O klahoma ’26.

College of Law, replaced Clyde M. Kennedy, Georgia Tech ’23, as Chief of District X. Brice T. (Pete) Leech, Centre ’43, who succeeded John Dolibois, Miami ’42, as Chief of District XIV, was director of admissions for Centre College.

Meid Compton, Indiana ’49, became Chief of the Indiana District XV. He operates his own real estate firm in the Indianapolis area.

Francis W. (Chub) Rich, Illinois ’25, was appointed Chief of Dis­ trict XVI. He was a third generation Beta, grandson of Arthur D. Rich, Michigan 1851, and son of Ben C. Rich, M ichigan 1896. At the time of his appointment he was general manager of the Indiana Harbor works of Inland Steel Co. Thomas W. Hyland, N ebraska ’48, replaced Carroll E. Black, W a­ bash ’28, as Chief of District X IX which includes chapters at Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska. He was agent for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. in Des Moines, Iowa.

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A M O N G B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1957

Leon J. Wheeless, Mississippi ’32, director of civilian personnel in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense, received a Career Serv­ ice Award from the National Civil Service League.

Two winners of Fulbright Scholarships were Roland J. Bain, UCLA ’52, and Joseph M. Calvo, W hitman ’56.

W. Cooper Willits, Pennsylvania ’36, a Baird Fund Trustee, was made assistant to the president of Pennsylvania Salt Manufacturing Co. of Philadelphia.

James H. McK. Quinn, Pennsyl­ vania ’37, a former District Chief, was appointed headmaster of the Episcopal Academy, Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Lee S. Johnson, Yale ’26, became the general manager of the Sikorsky Aircraft Division of United Aircraft Corporation.

James E. (Stub) Marshall, W est Virginia ’51, was awarded post­ humously the nation’s second highest military citation, the Distinguished Service Cross, for extraordinary hero­ ism in action against the Communist Ambassador Philip Young, St. Law ren ce ’31. enemy in Korea in 1952.

Byron K. Elliott, Indiana ’20, was elected President of the John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. Philip Young, St. Law rence ’31, was nominated by President Eisen­ hower as Ambassador to the Netherlands, a post held from 1944 to 1947 by another Beta, Stanley K. Hornbeck, C olorado and D enver ’03.

Sholto Hebenton, British Colum bia ’59, became the sixth member of Gamma Omicron chapter to be selected as a Rhodes Scholar since that chapter was founded in 1936.

J. Robert Nelson, DePauw ’41, was appointed Dean of the Divinity School of Vanderbilt University.

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Joseph S. Farland, W est Virginia ’36, was appointed by President Eisenhower to be Ambassador to the Dominican Republic.

One of the first German exchange students to become a Beta, KarlHeinz Oedekoven, Oregon State ’37, was appointed Minister of For­ estry for the Federal Government of Germany.

George W. Holmes, N ebraska ’03, president of the First National Bank of Lincoln, was presented with the “Nebraska Builder Award,” highest non-academic honor bestowed by the University of Nebraska.

☆

1958 ☆

TH E ONE HUNDRED N IN ETEEN TH YEAR of the fraternity was one of great activity and important happenings. It saw a change in command at the Administrative Headquarters—a change which many had feared would cause a decline in the efficiency of that office but which was accomplished easily and with encouraging success. It was an important year financially with the fraternity acknowledging the need for increased income and taking steps to provide it. There were also renewed efforts to build up the Founders’ Fund and the election of a new general treasurer. In spite of continuing attacks upon fra­ ternities, it was a year which saw them grow in number and strength.

Nineteen fifty-eight was a year which marked important anniversaries for a number of chapters and one which saw the completion of several impressive new chapter houses.

A C H A N G E A T O X FO RD For some time it had been known that a change in the office of Administrative Secretary at the Oxford, Ohio Administrative Head­ quarters was imminent. It had been understood from the instaflation of that office that the Administrative Secretary would be a young Beta, interested in obtaining business experience, and who would probably remain in the position a relatively few years. The great contribution which Ralph N. Fey had made, however, and his outstanding record in the office had led many members of the fraternity to hope that he would remain in charge indefinitely. This was not to be. Brother Fey felt that he had discharged his obligations to those who had entrusted him with the office, that the original plan of succession by a young Beta should be followed, and that he wished to devote full time to his grow­ ing insurance business in Oxford.

Few men had accomplished more in as short a period of time as had 402

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Ralph Fey in the establishment and organization of the Administrative Office. At the time of his appointment in 1949 there was nothing at Ox­ ford except a well built brick structure, adjoining the Alpha chapter house, which had originally been a private home and later the head­ quarters of Phi Delta Theta. It was necessary to carry out extensive re­ modeling and rehabilitation and to purchase the necessary equipment and to staff the operation with an office force which could carry on the

Two Secretaries The new administrative sec­ retary, Frederick F. Brower, Miami ’50 (left), is shown with Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40, who had just retired from that office.

business of the fraternity. How well Ralph Fey accomplished this was best expressed by General Secretary Seth R. Brooks in a moving trib­ ute: “Ralph Fey faced all the renovation, rebuilding and equipping of the new office. He had to gather a staff of workers. It was his duty to take from the General Secretary and the General Treasurer the mul­ titudinous duties they could no longer handle. . . . I will make the extravagant statement that there was no one in our entire membership who possibly could have done a better piece of work than that which has been done by Ralph Fey. “I have worked daily with him for over seven years. He has been one of the wisest and most friendly men I have known in all my associa­ tions. At the same time, he is very determined; and once he has de­ cided the right policy to be pursued, he is a hard man to flip over. He has run a happy, efficient, productive office. He has added to it dignity, character and a touch that should be tendered so great an Association as ours. He has been tactful, courteous, considerate; but woe unto the man who has tried to slip anything over on him as he has safeguarded the interests and possessions of the Fraternity.”

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Under the guidance of Ralph Fey the headquarters building was not only rehabilitated into a sound structure and equipped to be a modern office, but was supplied with appropriate colonial style furnishings in keeping with the early American motif of Miami University architec­ ture. This is apparent to the visitor from the entrance hallway with its open guest book up to the lovely and dignified Knox Memorial Li­ brary on the second floor. This quiet room with its portrait of Pater

Vacant and Inviting A corner in the Knox Memorial Library with empty shelves waiting to receive more books by Beta authors.

Knox, reading tables and easy chairs, has on its shelves all the Beta books, several complete sets of bound volumes of the Magazine and a growing collection of works by Beta authors. In other rooms are stored the archives of the fraternity, correspondence of former officers wait­ ing to be indexed and classified, old Beta Badges with historic signifi­ cance and pins of local societies which became chapters of Beta Theta Pi. Present also are all the modern pieces of equipment for keeping the records and handling the numerous mailings to this widespread organi­

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zation. All this stands as a tribute to the earnest labors of Ralph Fey who, more than any other, was the builder, the planner and the organ­ izer.

Many officers of the fraternity wondered how it would be possible to replace the administrative secretary but, as has happened so often in the life of the brotherhood, the right man did appear. Frederick F. Brower, Miami ’50, like his predecessor, was a product of the Alpha chapter and was operating a small business in Oxford. He possessed the talents and capabilities for the office and welcomed the opportu­ nity to gain the business experience which the position offered.

Following his graduation he completed five years service with the Marine Corps, advancing to the rank of Captain. Returning to Miami University he took graduate work which led to a Master’s degree in Business Administration. When it was learned that Ralph Fey wished to be relieved of his responsibilities, Fred Brower was picked by the Board as his successor and early in 1958 the prospective secretary be­ gan to take over direction of the office with the official change being made in June, 1958. Convention goers have learned to know and like Brother Brower as a friendly, efficient “general manager” of those gath­ erings. Those who have fraternity business to transact with the Ad­ ministrative Headquarters realize how fortunate the fraternity has been in the selection of the first two heads of that office.

N EW S O F TH E CHAPTERS

Gamma Iota at Carnegie Tech was visited by its most distinguished alumnus, Former Secretary of Defense Charfes E. Wilson ’09. He was present on that campus as chairman of Carnegie’s 24 million dollar building program. . . . The corner-stone laying ceremony having been held, Iota at Hanover was looking forward to a spring completion of its new chapter house. . . . At Iowa State, Tau Sigma chapter was en­ joying a repaired and remodeled house, thanks to the alumni, and new furniture supplied by the Mothers’ Club. . . . Beta Upsilon at M.I.T. reported hopefully that a building project was gaining momentum, bringing nearer the possibility of moving across the river to Cambridge which would be nearer the campus. . . . At Wesleyan the slogan of an alumni drive for funds with which they hoped to repair and expand the house was, “We shared the wear, let’s share the repair.”. . . Work

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on the new Delta chapter house at DePauw was progressing on sched­ ule and occupancy in the fall was expected. . . . Alpha chapter at Miami had a firm hold on first place in scholarship on that campus. . . .

Gamma Mu at Oregon State expected to be in a fine new $180,000 house by September.

B ETA ’S FOUNDING SITE IS LOST

The cradle of Beta Theta Pi became a victim of progress in 1958.

Harrison Hall, one of the original buildings on the Miami University campus and in one of whose rooms occurred the founding of the frater­ nity, was scheduled for destruction to make way for a new structure.

Known in the early days as “Old Main,” the building was later renamed Harrison Hall and in his “Recollections of 1839” Pater Knox placed the founding “in a room occupied at the time by Taylor Marshall, in that part of the college building at Oxford known as the ‘old wing.’ ” Later, that part of the structure was replaced, so the actual founding site was lost forever but a suitable plaque commemorating the event was placed as near to it as possible.

In the late ’50’s Miami officials, distressed by the deterioration of Har­ rison Hall, began planning for a new building and it was in preparation for this move that the destruction of the old edifice was begun in 1958.

The fraternity was assured that the plaque commemorating the found­ ing would be given a place of honor in the New Harrison Hall for which the Ohio General Assembly appropriated one million dollars.

BETA A T H L ETE S

The 1958 all-Beta basketball team selected by George H. Casey, Bowdoin ’19, was composed of the following members who had distin­

guished themselves on the teams of their respective schools: Joseph Ruklick, N orthw estern ’59 Richard Caencsitz, Pennsylvania ’58 Jack Parr, Kansas State ’58 Gerald Schroeder, Colorado ’59 Donald Ohl, Illinois ’58 Terry Deems, W itten berg ’59 Larry Romboski, W 6 J ’59

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FOUNDERS’ FUND APPEAL

“In some cases, the fraternity which we believe deserves the best is living in ‘broken-down aristocracy.’ ” So spoke General Treasurer Ford R. Weber as he appealed for greater support for the Founders’ Fund. Pointing out that in addition to providing funds for scholarships, the Fund is used to assist chapters in the building, improving, renovat­ ing or adding to chapter houses and he asked Betas to add to its size.

The Founders’ Fund was established in 1920 through the generosity of

They Guard the Funds Fund trustees, left to right, W. Cooper Willits, Pennsyl­ vania ’36; J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08 and Ford R. Weber, Denison ’21.

William Raimond Baird, Stevens 1878, Colum bia 1882. To that original amount, other sums have been added by individuals, chapters and alumni so that in 1958 its assets totaled $265,000, an amount far short of that hoped for by the early donors. About one half of the total is usually on loan to chapters to assist in chapter house construction while the other half is invested to produce income necessary for the scholarship program.

The general treasurer reported, in an article in T he B eta Theta Pi for June, 1958, that there had been only a few donors in recent years.

In 1956 there had been a gift of $1,000, one of several of similar amounts given by Mrs. Florence Gavin, widow of the late great Gen­ eral Treasurer James L. Gavin, DePauw 1896. In 1957 Mrs. Maybelle Simpson, widow of another great Beta, Col. John R. Simpson, Miami 1899, gave $3,000 as first payment on an ultimate gift of double that

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amount, to establish a scholarship in memory of her husband. These were the only additions of any substantial amounts in recent years and, it must be noted, did not come from members of the fraternity.

It has been pointed out on numerous occasions by the Board of Trus­ tees that it was still the policy of the general fraternity not to become heavily involved in the financing of chapter house construction. Never­ theless, it has always been the desire of the fraternity to assist the chapters with the least necessary amounts when other sources have been fully utilized and for this worthy cause more funds were needed.

By making his appeal, General Treasurer Weber hoped to remind Betas everywhere that tax-deductible gifts would be welcome and that bequests would help to repay the debt which so many members feel they owe to the fraternity.

TWO BETA GREATS PASS ON

Beta Theta Pi lost two of its most loyal sons in 1958 with the deaths of former President Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02, on May 21 and Ray W. Irvin, W ooster ’08 on May 26.

Clarence L. Newton, or “Newt” as » 1T he was known to thousands of Betas, was an authority on corporations and wills in the legal profession and be­ cause of his great knowledge and ability was a powerful figure in New England industry. At various times he served on boards of directors of twenty-one firms in that area and with such activity it was always a mystery to his friends how he could devote so much time to his fraternity.

Newt once replied to such a question, “One of a person’s greatest satisfac­ tions in life comes from having a keen interest in young men and helping them get started in their adult life on the right foot.”

“The Beta Bishop of New England” Newt was helping young men in Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02.

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Beta Theta Pi from the day he was initiated. Up until 1910 his activi­ ties centered in New England but in that year he was called to the national scene through his election to the Board of Trustees by the 71st General Convention. His service on that body extended until 1924 when, because of his interest in that field, he became the fraternity’s first National Alumni Counselor, an office which he occupied until 1929.

For a number of years he served as a Trustee of the newly-created

A Gift from a Beloved Beta Ray W. Irvin, W ooster ’08 (left), with Rev. Louis F. Ruf, Rutgers 1885, and the John Reily Knox portrait which Irvin commissioned and presented to the fraternity.

Founders’ Fund and then in 1937 came his greatest honor when he was elected President of the fraternity. In that capacity he had the distinc­ tion of being the head of the fraternity in its centennial year and had much to do with the planning of the Centenary Celebration. Following his active period of service, Newt continued to attend Beta functions in New England and many general conventions. His vast reservoir of wisdom and experience was always open for undergraduates to partake and his influence was felt to the very end. His half-century of service to Beta will never be forgotten. There may never again be another “Beta Bishop of New England.”

Ray Warren Irvin, W ooster ’08, was affectionately known as “Shorty.”

One of his close friends, Albert C. May, Carnegie ’21, wrote of him,

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‘He lives on in the hearts and minds of the many who were touched by his full and well balanced life. Its facets were many, but all were equally bright; for by his quiet and sincere devotion he contributed something good to all of his endeavors.”

The extinction of the Wooster chapter in 1913 kindled his zeal as an alumnus, and it was largely his dynamic interest which kept alive the enthusiasm of Wooster Betas. While he never held an office of the fraternity, his influence for the good of the organization was felt in many ways. He was highly successful in his chosen field of interior decoration and he gave his talents to such chapters as Bethany for which he planned the furnishings and contributed to their purchase. It was through his inspiration and generosity that the series of paintings of Beta notables was executed and hung at the Administrative Head­ quarters. The one of Pater Knox was a personal gift from Brother Ir­ vin and was presented to the fraternity at a gathering of Cleveland alumni on February 28, 1958. He had hoped to repeat the presenta­ tion at the next general convention, as he had at the previous four, but death intervened. This lovable, loyal Beta shall remain in our hearts forever.

T H E 1 1 9 T H G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

For the second time in three years, Betas gathered for their annual convention in the beautiful Appalachian Mountain region of western Pennsylvania at the historic Bedford Springs Hotel. There was a total registration of 551 which included 439 undergraduate and alumni mem­ bers with the remainder being Beta wives, sons, daughters and other guests. There were 96 chapter delegates, 21 official deiegates of alumni associations and 48 general officers present. Most chapters had several members present with Dickinson and Washington & Jefferson having the greatest number with eighteen each.

It was a convention which saw the successful introduction of a series of seminars on important topics, an increase in membership fees and encouragement for three groups to petition for charters. It was a gathering which produced some of the finest singing and good fellow­ ship in many years. The excellence of the singing was due to the presence of Chorister Ben Cozadd, Cornell ’60, Assistant Chorister

An Historical Site Bedford Springs Hotel and grounds, scene of the 119th General Convention.

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Carroll Gonzo, Law rence ’59, and several fine groups of undergraduate songsters.

A former District Chief and Director of the 1958 Convention Semi­ nars, John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42, was selected as Temporary President.

Elected Permanent President was Russell E. Ragan, W abash ’23, for­ mer Chief of Districts II and XVII, former President of the Alpha Alumni Association in Chicago, a Vice-President of the 118th General

A Popular Pair President Sherwood Bonney and his wife Harriet.

Convention and Temporary President of the 117th General Conven­ tion. Brother Ragan had also ably served the fraternity as Alumni Af­ fairs Commissioner when that office was created in 1948. Chosen as Convention Secretary was Harry B. Kniseley, O klahom a ’25, Chief of District X X II and former President of the Rocky Mountain Alumni Association.

“A Fraternity Is Something More.” President Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31, opened his address to the convention with the tradi­ tional memorial tribute to the Founders and to the members of the fra­ ternity who had been removed from the Brotherhood by death during the past year. He spoke of such great leaders as Clarence L. Newton, W esleyan ’02; Ray W. Irvin, W ooster ’08; Charles P. “Stubby” Davis,

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Michigan 1896; John Waugh Laney, Iow a W esleyan 1885 and Dr. Vir­ gil Prettyman, Dickinson 1892.

Viewing the entire fraternity world, President Bonney pointed out that in the 1957 edition of Baird’s Manual there were listed nearly three hundred organizations of a national or continental character in­ cluding fraternities, sororities, professional groups, honor and recogni­ tion societies. There were listed more than 8,000 national chapters and locals among social and professional fraternities and sororities plus 2,000 units of national honor societies. The national fraternities alone showed membership in excess of 1.8 million. Beta Theta Pi, he said, occupies an important position in this impressive picture with 96 chap­ ters, a membership of over 60,000 and an annual budget in excess of $150,000.

The fraternity world, he pointed out, is big business but a true fra­ ternity is something more than numbers of members and size and im­ pressiveness of chapter houses. “Ours,” he said, “is a fraternal brother­ hood. No college administration of which I am aware has ever seri­ ously tried to compete with fraternities in this all-important aspect of the matter. Our brotherhood is built on ideals—a philosophy of life— and a code of living stated in our ritual. Our ritual expresses principles which are both livable and lovely—and these distinguish us from those living in the average dormitory. . . . With the principles expressed in the ritual, our Fraternity holds in the palm of its hand the opportu­ nity to help build men of integrity, responsibility and capability. This is the job that our Fraternity is particularly fitted to do; and in doing it, brothers will help each other.”

The State of the Fraternity. In his annual report General Secretary Seth R. Brooks could tell of the continued progress of the association.

“Again I report that we have had another very, very outstanding year,” he stated, “even though this report must mention some things not a credit to our fraternity. In fact, it has been so excellent that at times I have been almost afraid that such great fortune could not endure as long as it has.”

He paid tribute to the corps of District Chiefs, to the general officers, Administrative Headquarters staff and to the alumni and active chap­ ters, all of whom had contributed to the successful year. On the nega­ tive side, it was necessary for him to point out several instances in

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which actions of individuals and chapters had brought discredit on the brotherhood. The kidnapping of pledgemasters, he reminded the con­ vention, was a practice which was becoming widespread and in two cases had actually resulted in bodily injuries. He recommended that pledges be warned that their pledge would be broken if they took part in any such activity. The drinking problem had continued to be one of great concern and he pointed out that no legislation could eliminate it.

Rather, it must be dealt with by the decent citizens, the members of the college community who realize that there must be control at both the individual and group levels.

Referring to the future of the college fraternity system, the General Secretary spoke of the attacks which were being staged in various areas directed at the fraternities’ freedom of choice of members. Dr. Brooks said, “I believe that any person who is a real person, schooled in democracy and freedom, will fight for his God-given right of free­ dom of choice and freedom of decision. It is imperative in a free na­ tion like ours that we serve a total right, something much bigger than the Fraternity System. We will do this as a service to all free men, if we do battle for our inherent right to choose our friends and associates without outside interference or dictation. Believing fiercely in the right of peaceable free assembly we should courageously take our stand with men who say, we want an all-Roman Catholic fraternity, an all-Jewish fraternity, an all-Christian fraternity, an all-Protestant frater­ nity, an all-Negro fraternity, an all-integrated fraternity, an all-non­ integrated fraternity. We need to do some serious sober second think­ ing about what it is we are, how we came to be and what direction we wish to take in the future. We must respect the opinions of our fellowmen but we must not think that we have no right to an opinion lest we be called old-fashioned, narrow, out of date or less charitable in our attitude.”

A Need for Increased Income. General Treasurer Ford Weber re­ ported that the total assets of the fraternity had reached a figure of over $1,860,000, an increase for the year of approximately $60,000. He pointed out, however, that the General Fund, which covers the general operations of the fraternity, had suffered a deficit of over $10,000. He reminded the delegates that in his report to the previous convention he had stated that increased cost of operations and declining income due to inflation should call for additional income. That convention

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had taken no positive action and had recommended a further study of the situation and a proposal to the 119th General Convention.

In 1958 the general treasurer’s recommendation went first to the Board of Trustees which urged the levying of a $10 pledge fee—a measure which had been adopted by a number of leading fraternities and sororities and which would produce the additional revenue neces­ sary. This suggestion was turned over to the convention committee on General Fraternity Finance which considered it along with other possi­ bilities such as: holding biennial conventions instead of annual, collect­ ing a convention fee from each chapter, yearly alumni solicitations, a $12 increase in the initiation fee and a $10 increase in initiation fee, payable at the time of pledging.

The committee decided, and the convention agreed that all of these suggestions had serious objections except the last. It was felt that a “pledge fee” would be detrimental to campus competitive rushing but that an increase of $10 in initiation fees, payable after pledging and not refundable, would cause no such difficulty, would produce some revenue from men who are pledged but not initiated and would ma­ terially aid the General Fund. The necessary amendment to Chapter X, Section 1 of the By-Laws was properly drawn, presented to the con­ vention and passed by an overwhelming majority.

The Board Reports. The report to the convention of the Board of Trustees included the following actions since the previous conven­ tion: A visit to the University of Wichita by Former President Ber­ tram W. Bennett and Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett for the pur­ pose of investigating the institution and a local group called Alpha Gamma Gamma which was desirous of petitioning for a charter. Fol­ lowing consideration of a lengthy report from these two representa­ tives, the Board voted to allow the group to petition at the 1959 con­ vention. . . . The Board will recommend revocation of the charter of any chapter which fails to meet the scholastic requirements for five consecutive years. . . . District Chief J. Moreau Brown had been ap­ pointed official delegate to the National Interfratemity Conference. . . . The Board had voted to allow the Cornell chapter to initiate pledges of the Beta Epsilon Club at Syracuse University. . . . The gen­ eral secretary had had correspondence with the Dean of Men at the University of Arizona concerning the possible start of a Beta chapter there. Henry B. Anderson, Ohio W esleyan ’52, now a graduate student

416 Guiding Beta Theta Pi General officers of the fraternity in 1958, including several former trustees.

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there, reported on the establishment of a local club composed of Betas then on that campus and sponsored by the Beta Alumni Association of Tucson, Arizona. . . . Announced the appointment of Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett as editor-in-chief of a new history of Beta Theta Pi to cover the period of twenty-five years from the last written history to the present.

New General Treasurer Edmond B. Stofft, Knox ’20.

New Officers. With the expiration of the terms of General Treasurer Ford R. Weber and Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett, it was neces­ sary for the 119th General Convention to fill those offices. Since it ap­ peared that the best qualified person to fill the important position of General Treasurer was already a member of the Board of Trustees, it seemed that the best interests of the fraternity would be served by a shifting of positions. The man nominated to handle the finances for a three-year term was Edmond B. Stofft, Knox ’20, who had served one year of a three-year term as Vice-President and had previously served the fraternity as a Fund Trustee. Having resigned as VicePresident he was presented to the convention for the position of Gen­ eral Treasurer and received unanimous approval by the delegates.

Although approving the policy of restricting terms of vice-presidents

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to one three-year period, the Committee on Nomination of General Fraternity Officers recommended the re-election of Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett to fill the two-year unexpired portion of the term of Brother Stofft. The reasons given were the desire to obtain a continuity of experience on the Board and the important assignment given to Brother Fawcett to bring the history of the fraternity up to date. The

Elected to Board Ben C. Grosscup, W ittenberg ’16.

delegates concurred in this recommendation and he was elected for the term of 1958-1960.

To fill the other vacancy on the Board, the fraternity turned to a man who was well known to convention goers as one of the best quali­ fied parliamentarians of the past twenty years. He was Ben C. Gross­ cup, W ittenberg ’16, the son of a Beta and a Beta father. He had long been one of the staunch supporters of the Wittenberg chapter and, as the senior member of the law firm of Grosscup, Ambler, Stephen and Miller in Seattle, Washington, was a well known figure in the legal profession on the west coast. One of his greatest services to Beta had been his work as chairman of a committee which had revised the Code of the fraternity and that finished work had been presented to the 118th General Convention. He had also been honored with the presidency of the 117th General Convention.

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Looking Toward Expansion. While the 119th General Convention took no conclusive steps toward adding additional chapters to the fra­ ternity, its decisions paved the way for important action the following year. The Committee on Charters received the detailed report made to the Board of Trustees by Former President Bertram W. Bennett and Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett concerning their visit to the Univer­ sity of Wichita and the local fraternity called Alpha Gamma Gamma.

The report showed that the university was a rapidly growing institu­ tion of good academic standing and one to which national fraternities and sororities were being invited. The forty-three year old local fra­ ternity was recognized as the leading group on the campus with a strong, active alumni organization and a good chapter house prac­ tically debt free. As a result of this report and further investigation, the committee recommended that all chapters acquaint themselves with the facts and expressed hope that a charter would be granted by the next convention.

Material was also presented to the Charters Committee concerning a local group at the University of Arizona called Delta Beta. The com­ mittee felt that the group should be given favorable consideration and that the Beta alumni in the Tucson area should be encouraged to continue their interest and help. It was hoped that this group too might be in a position to seek a charter at the 1959 convention.

Encouraging news was also received from the Beta Epsilon Club at Syracuse University. Following the revocation of the Beta charter, there had occurred hopeful changes in the active group, in the alumni organization and in the institution itself. Reports indicated that im­ proved academic facilities were attracting a high type of student to the campus, the active group was achieving outstanding records in competition with chapters of national fraternities, and the shock of losing the charter had apparently stimulated the alumni to a re-birth of activity. The Charters Committee congratulated the Beta Epsilon Club for these improvements and expressed the hope that such condi­ tions would continue, looking toward the time when it would be pos­ sible for the group to petition for a charter through the regular channels.

In the meantime, the Board of Trustees had renewed its permission for the Cornell chapter to initiate pledges of the Syracuse club so that a nucleus of Betas could be assured in that local organization.

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Convention Features. An event of great interest at the gathering was the receipt by the fraternity of portraits of two men who pioneered for Beta Theta Pi, a century apart. These were a new painting of Founder John Reily Knox and a large, framed photograph of the first Adminis­ trative Secretary, Ralph N. Fey, Miami ’40. Each now hangs in the Ad­ ministrative Headquarters at Oxford, Ohio.

A new feature of the convention was a series of seminars for under­ graduates conducted by Former District Chief John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42. These presentations concerned themselves with such chap­ ter problems as pledge-training, alumni relations and scholarship and there was such approval of them that it was planned to continue them and cover other subjects at future conventions.

One interesting evening session to which wives and other guests were invited was turned over to District Chief Francis M. (Chub) Rich, Illinois ’24, for a report on his recent visit to Soviet Russia. As Vice-President of Inland Steel Co., he had been a member of a party of U. S. industrial leaders who were conducted on a tour of some of the leading U.S.S.R. industries.

Main speaker at the convention banquet was former Trustee Clem B. Holding, North Carolina ’18, while the undergraduate speaker was Richard Koeller, Illinois ’59. *

☆

☆

Thus ended another memorable meeting of Wooglin’s clan—once more it seemed worthwhile to all those who attended that each year

Three Alpha Men at Bedford Left to right: Seminar leader John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42; Otho E. Lane, Miami ’01, and John L. Baker, Miami ’04.

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at great monetary cost and with a tremendous amount of work for many individuals, Beta recharged its batteries. Few persons could ever appreciate the amount of advance preparations which were re­ quired from the general secretary and by the administrative secretary.

The Committee on Credentials and Registration worked day and night to see that everyone was properly recorded and identified; the ban­ quet chairman struggled with a multitude of details; each district chief acted as a committee chairman and labored to see that his group produced a report which would be of assistance to the chapters.

Because of all of these combined efforts, Betas met Betas from all sec­ tions of the continent, wives renewed friendship with wives, gray haired alumni renewed their youth and legislation and important de­ cisions resulted for the continued good of the brotherhood.

B E T A F O O T B A L L STA R S

At the close of 1958, as had been his custom for many years, George H. Casey, Bow doin T9, Athletic Editor of T he B eta Theta Pi, selected an all-Beta football team. His selections for a First and an Al­ ternate team for the 1958 season were as follows: First Team I.e.

Lt. l.g. c. r.g. r.t. r.e. b. b. b. b.

Richard A. Wallen, UCLA ’59 Larry Wagner, Vanderbilt ’60 William Leeka, UCLA ’59 Samuel Joyner, Purdue ’59 Ronald Kacic, Miami ’59 James Linden, Oregon ’59 William Steiger, W ashington State ’59 David Grosz, Oregon ’61 Donald Long, UCLA ’59 John Crouthamel, Dartmouth ’60 John Hobbs, W isconsin ’59 Alternate Team

I.e. l.t.

Don A. Ellingsen, Washington State ’59 David Bathrick, Dartmouth ’59

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Carl Dennenberg, W est Virginia ’60 Dean Skaer, Kansas State ’59 r-g- William Berry, W ashington State ’61 r.t. Samuel Bowlby, Dartmouth ’60 r.e. Larry Stewart, Illinois ’59 William Gundy, Dartmouth ’60 b.

Clarence Beamer, Oregon State ’59 b.

Kenneth Hubbart, Indiana ’59 b.

Samuel Hurworth, W ashington ’61 b.

1-gc.

PHI ALPHA’S 100TH

The Greek social fraternity system celebrated its centennial of successful operation at Davidson College in October, 1958 with festiv­ ities marking the one hundredth anniversary of Phi Alpha chapter (originally Phi chapter) of Beta Theta Pi. Beta had been established there in 1858 when a delegation of brothers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill journeyed southward to form the Phi chapter of the fraternity and the first of the Greek brotherhoods at Davidson. Old Phi flourished for several years but was broken up by the War between the States.

Beta’s return to Davidson was by way of the Mystic Seven Frater­ nity. This organization was a vigorous brotherhood in the post-war

Phi Alpha’s New Home One of twelve fraternity units in Patterson Court, built and owned

by Davidson College,

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period, especially in die South, but not confined to it. In 1889-1890 its chapters were merged with Beta Theta Pi, and Davidson’s “Sword and Shield” temple of the Mystic Seven became Phi Alpha chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Her original designation as “Phi” had been lost to a chapter founded in the interim period.

To celebrate this century of life, alumni gathered from a wide area.

The new chapter house was the center of attention and the Centen­ nial banquet which was held at the Barrington Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina saw one of the largest assemblies of Betas ever held in that area. Laurens Walker, Davidson ’59, the president of the active chapter, presided and the invocation was given by Dr. John R. Cunning­ ham, Westminster 14, a former president of Davidson College. Repre­ senting the alumni was faculty member Dr. Chalmers G. Davidson, Davidson ’28, a former Chief of District IX. Representing the General Fraternity were District Chief George Adams, Davidson ’50 and For­ mer President A. J. G. Priest, Idaho ’18, who delivered the principal ad­ dress.

T U L A N E ’S F IF T I E T H

The Beta Xi chapter at Tulane University celebrated its fifieth an­ niversary on October 9, 1958. Two charter members met with other Sons of Wooglin at the New Orleans Country Club for a reunion and a memorable banquet. The honored guests were two distinguished mem­ bers of the medical profession, Dr. William P. Bradburn and Dr. Muir Bradburn, brothers, both Tidane ’08, # 6 and # 8 , respectively. They had been members of the group which received its charter in 1908.

Over three hundred Betas, wives and sweethearts were present at the banquet which marked fifty years of life for Beta Xi. Arrangements had been carefully planned by General Chairman Lyle F. Carriere, Tidane ’47, and the festivities were steered by toastmaster Former District Chief Arthur A. de La Houssaye, Tidane ’23, who had long been a Beta stalwart in that area. The principal speaker was another well known Beta, Congressman T. Hale Boggs, Tulane ’35. He told how the founding group operated for awhile without a home, then rented a room in the De Soto Hotel in New Orleans and later purchased the first chapter house on the Tulane campus. He reminded his listeners that the Tulane chapter, like many other chapters of Beta Theta Pi

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had demonstrated the strength of the fraternity by weathering two world wars and a major depression to go on to ever greater accom­ plishments.

F IF T Y YEARS AT COLORADO MINES

In 1903 a group of students at the Colorado School of Mines formed an organization called the Crucible Club. Seeking affiliation

Tulane Charter Members Dr. William P. Bradburn, ’08, on the left, and Dr. Muir Bradburn ’08 (right), with former District Chief Arthur A. de La Houssaye, Tulane ’23.

with a national organization, they found that the ideals of Beta Theta Pi were closely parallel with their own and, in 1908, became Beta Phi chapter. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of this event, two of the charter members and a host of other alumni and active members gath­ ered at Golden, Colorado on the weekend of November 9-10, 1958.

The two charter members present were Arthur W. (Pop) Buell, ’08, a retired mining engineer, and Tenney Cook (Deke) De Sollar, ’04, former mine superintendent and a retired colonel of the Corps of En­ gineers, U. S. Army. A welcome guest was Mrs. Eldon L. Larison, of Missoula, Montana, widow of # 2 on the Beta Phi chapter roll, and the first girl to wear a Crucible Club pin. Mrs. Larison boasts the distinc­ tion of being a Beta daughter, a Beta wife and a Beta mother,

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Giving the principal address at the anniversary banquet and repre­ senting the General Fraternity was Vice-President Ben C. Grosscup of Seattle. He read a part of a report given by Francis W. Shepardson to the fraternity concerning the installation of Beta Phi chapter and then discussed “What Makes a Good Beta.” Other noted Betas present

Among the First at Colorado Mines Charter members Tenney Cook (Deke) de Sollar, ’04 (standing) and Arthur W. (Pop) Buell, ’08.

included District Chief Harry B. Kniseley, O klahom a ’25; Former Trus­ tee Dr. Robert C. Shattuck, D enver ’26; Assistant General Treasurer Le Roy Marx, Jr., Denver ’49; Leonard W. Hartkemeier, Colorado Mines ’30, chapter counselor and financial advisor, and Newell Orr, C olorado Mines ’30, president of the Beta Phi Alumni Association.

Brother Orr explained plans of the alumni to begin planning for a new chapter house.

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New Home for Delta Beta’s impressive new house at DePauw was built at the same location as the two previous structures.

D EL T A D ED IC A TES

Another event in the fall of 1958 which was important for the entire fraternity and particularly for one of its oldest chapters was the dedi­ cation of the magnificent new $300,000 home for Delta chapter at DePauw. Although it had been completed on September 1, the beauti­ ful structure waited until October 18 and the gathering of a host of Delta friends and brothers for its official dedication. Occupying the Anderson Street property in Greencastle, Indiana which had been in the chapter’s possession since 1890, the modified Georgian house was designed for 69 men. The brick exterior was set off by white wood­ work and shutters, a central columned porch and horseshoe walk.

The interior featured a large living room combined with a library to form a spacious U-shaped area, dining space and a three-room house mother’s suite. The two and three-men study rooms on the second and third floors had built-in closets. Each floor also had large dormitories, centralized lavatory and shower facilities. In the basement were found

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a large recreation room and the James L. Gavin Memorial Chapter Room.

In his dedicatory address General Secretary Seth R. Brooks said, “I beg you to remember that a dedication of a church or a college build­ ing or a house like this is not something that has to do with a ceremony.

Dedication goes on each time a class is held or an experiment per­ formed or a service carried on. You will dedicate this house again and again by what you do here and what you are here. And let your guid­ ing star be that you are privileged men; for to whom much is given, much shall be required.”

Also taking part in the ceremonies were President Humbert of De­ Pauw University; Administrative Secretary Frederick F. Brower, Miami ’50; Assistant Historian Karl W. Fischer, Indiana ’25; District Chief Meid Compton, Indiana ’49; Robert T. Howard, ’37, editor of T he B eta T heta Pi and author of the chapter’s centennial history and three former district chiefs, George L. Clark, ’14, Kermit W. Arnold, ’38 and State Senator C. Wendell Martin, ’39.

Special tribute was paid to the great number of Delta men who had labored for many years in the planning and financing of this beauti­ ful house. A few of those who played leading roles were Robert L. Mason, ’20, building committee chairman; James H. Vandenbark, ’24, H. Gregg Ransburg, ’32, and H. Earl Capehart, Jr., ’45. A special guest was Delta’s second housemother who had served the chapter from 1934 to 1951, Mrs. H. H. (Nanny) Brooks. In charge of arrangements for this historic occasion was Stanley H. Byram, DePauw ’28, president of the DePauw Student Aid Fund.

A D E D IC A T IO N A T O H IO S T A T E

Another addition to the list of magnificent new Beta houses of the past few years was that of Theta Delta chapter at Ohio State Univer­ sity. On October 5, less than a year after ground was broken, over five hundred persons arrived on the campus at Columbus, Ohio for the dedication and open house. With Don C. Hollenback, ’51, as mas­ ter of ceremonies, the welcome was given by Dr. Ralph S. Licklider, ’28, called by many “the man who built this chapter house.” District Chief Andrew Nicholoff, W ittenberg ’48, praised the alumni for this ex­ ample of their Beta spirit and Ford R. Weber, Denison ’21, former Gen­

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eral Treasurer, told the assembly that “this house is only a tool in the building of fine Beta men like those who made the structure possible.”

Formal acceptance of the house was given by Ray Sims, ’11, for the alumni and by President Lawrence Biederman, ’59, on behalf of the active chapter.

The new Ohio State home occupies two complete lots and is three stories high. It consists of four-men study rooms and eight-men dormi­ tories with total capacity for 60 men. Features of the house include the Wilbur H. Siebert Library, an ultramodern kitchen and dining facilities for over 200 persons.

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

Paul E. Newey, Northwestern ’22, following an active business career, became associated with Emory University first as lecturer in the business school and later as graduate placement officer. He became Chief of District X I which includes Mississippi, Sewanee, Tulane and Vanderbilt, succeeding William A. Yardley, Ohio State ’44, who be­ came dean at Midwestern University at Wichita Falls, Texas.

Harold S. Hook, Missouri ’53, was appointed chief of District XX including Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Washington (St. Louis) and Westminster, upon the resignation of E. Weston Colbrunn who had served there with distinction for many years. Following an outstanding career at the University of Missouri, Brother Hook had served three years in the Navy and, at the time of his appointment, was assistant to the president of the National Fidelity Life Insurance Co. of Kansas City.

Carl J. Sorensen, Syracuse ’39, had been one of the leaders, among the Syracuse alumni, in their efforts to re-vitalize that group and regain the Syracuse charter. During his college career he had gained fame as an intercollegiate boxing champion and was also president of the Syracuse Interfraternity Council. He was appointed by the gen­ eral secretary to be Chief of District III which includes chapters at Colgate, St. Lawrence and Union.

Edward R. (Ned) Tracy, W ashington State ’39, became Chief of District XXIV which includes British Columbia, Oregon, Oregon State, University of Washington and Willamette. He had served as president of the Seattle Beta Alumni Association and had been active

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in the Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Boy Scouts and other civic enter­ prises. At the time of his appointment he was Western Regional Man­ ager for Schenley Industries, in charge of advertising and public rela­ tions in the Pacific Northwest area.

SO M E B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 5 8

Henry A. (Bill) Arnold, C olorado ’23, became president of the newly-formed Olin Mathieson International Corporation. In that ca­ pacity he was responsible for all overseas production and marketing of Squibb products, Winchester arms and ammunition and industrial and agricultural chemicals.

James W. Austin, Colorado C ollege ’29, became president of North­ east Airlines. He is credited with originating the idea of air coach serv­ ice and the installment payment plan for air travel.

Abe McGregor Goff, Idaho ’24, was appointed chairman of the In­ terstate Commerce Commission by President Eisenhower to serve the unexpired term of Mr. Owen Clarke, resigned.

Former General Treasurer Ford R. Weber, Denison ’21, was elected president of the Toledo area Chamber of Commerce.

Lawrence Edward Walsh, Colum bia ’32, U. S. District Judge for Southern New York, was appointed Deputy U. S. Attorney General.

Among the “Outstanding Young Men of 1957” announced by the various Junior Chambers of Commerce early in 1958 were: Perry L. Brand, Beloit and Northioestern ’43; Thomas N. Tuttle, Yale ’49 and Paul R. Leitner, D uke ’49.

Two Betas were among the latest announced winners of Rhodes Scholarships. They were: Roger W. Tompkins, W est Virginia ’58, and John V. Fleming, Sew anee ’58. This brought to 70 the number of mem­ bers of the fraternity awarded Rhodes Scholarships since 1903, the year they were established.

Former District Chief Carl A. Frische, Miami ’28, was promoted from executive vice-president to president of Sperry Gyroscope Com­ pany.

Edward M. Brown, Miami ’31, former General Secretary was named treasurer of Sperry Gyroscope Company. He had occupied several ex­ ecutive positions with the McCall Corporation before moving to the Sperry Company.

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Dr. Gunnar Gundersen, Wisconsin ’17, was elected the 112th presi­ dent of the American Medical Association. He is a member of one of the largest Beta families on record, having six brothers who were all members of the Wisconsin chapter. Dr. Gundersen and three of his brothers operate the Gundersen Clinic in La Crosse, Wis­ consin.

Dr. Frank H. Sparks, DePauw ’35, was made president of the Council for Financial Aid to Edu­ cation.

Former General Secre­ tary Harold J. Baily, Am­ herst ’08, was elected president of Phi Beta Kappa Associates, a group limited to 200 members who contribute funds for Medical Leader r . r „ „ ,, , w. . the support of chapters of Dr. Gunnar Gundersen, W isconsin 17. rr r Phi Beta Kappa.

John J. McCloy, Amherst ’16, was made chairman of the board of trustees of the Ford Foundation, the world’s richest philanthropic institution.

Robert W. Minor, Ohio State ’40, resigned from the Interstate Com­ merce Commission to become a vice-president and chief legal officer of the New York Central Railroad.

Edward L. Lipscomb, Mississippi ’27, became the first American president of the International Public Relations Association. He was past president of the Public Relations Society of America.

☆

1959 ☆

IN SPITE of the difficulties which the fraternity world was encounter­ ing in many areas, 1959 was a year of marked progress for Beta Theta Pi. After an expansion lapse of several years, the fraternity granted two new charters and the close of the year saw impressive installations on two campuses. It was another year which saw the erection of fine new chapter houses by several of the older chapters whose homes had become unfit for further use. It was a good year financially as the various funds all showed encouraging growth and income exceeded expenses.

The fraternity was saddened by the loss of its most loved song writer but was gladdened by the willingness of one of its revered leaders to continue in office for another term.

S C H O L A S T IC H O N O R S

Two more Betas were awarded Rhodes Scholarships in 1959, thus becoming the 71st and 72nd members of the fraternity to gain that great honor since the establishment of the awards by Cecil Rhodes in 1902.

The two men who would attend Oxford University starting in the fall of 1959 were Paul M. Dodyk, Amherst ’59, and W. Harley Henry, Kenyon ’59. They would find two other Betas there completing their first years as Rhodes Scholars: Roger W. Tompkins, W est Virginia ’58 and John V. Fleming, Sew anee ’58.

Paul Dodyk, who entered Amherst on a General Motors scholarship, was a resident of Hamtramck, Michigan and was chosen from that state in the Rhodes competition. His record at Amherst was outstand­ ing, including election to many high campus offices and to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year. His plans were to take an advanced degree in economics at Oxford and then return to the U. S. to attend law school. Harley Henry’s interests at Kenyon had centered on literary pursuits although he had also won honors in athletics. A resident of Atlantic Beach, Florida, he had worked as a reporter for the Florida 431

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Times-Union at Jacksonville and had won many honors for his writings at Kenyon. He planned to seek an advanced degree in English litera­ ture at Oxford.

Another Beta who would cross the ocean because of a high scholas­ tic honor was William Laurens Walker III, Davidson ’59, who was awarded a Rotary International Fellowship to Cambridge University.

The Beta Theta Pi Gavin Memorial Scholarship for 1958-1959 was awarded to Robert Fry Gentry, H anover ’60. His father, William C. Gentry, M ichigan ’31, served the fraternity as chapter president and as a district chief.

Two former holders of Beta Theta Pi Founders’ Fund Scholarships were among eight students honored by Omicron Delta Kappa in na­ tional selection of recipients of its graduate scholarships for 1958-1959.

They were Richard Carruthers, W estminster ’58, who was awarded one of the four scholarships for graduate study, and John R. Gaintner, L e ­ high ’58, who was one of the four alternates named. Both of these Brothers planned to continue study in the medical field.

POLITICAL HONORS

Two governors and the Republican leader of the House of Repre­ sentatives headed the list of Betas who began terms in public offices in 1959.

Beta governors who were inaugurated were Mark Hatfield, W illam ette ’43, whose election at age 35 drew nationwide interest, and John E. Davis, North D akota ’35, re-elected by the voters of North Dakota.

Representative Charles A. Halleck, Indiana ’22, was the center of one of the big political stories of 1959 as

Oregon Governor Mark Hatfield, W illam ette ’43.

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he wrested the House GOP leadership from Representative Joseph W. Martin, Jr., holder of that post since 1939. Chairman of the strategy committee for the Halleck victory was another Beta, Representative John Rhodes, Kansas State ’38. In Oregon, soon after the Hatfield in­ auguration, the Republicans of that state chose as their State Com­ mittee Chairman Peter Gunnar, Chicago ’46, who had preceded Mark Hatfield as Chief of District XXIV. Governor Davis was president of Gamma Kappa chapter in 1934.

House Leader Rep. Charles A. Halleck, Indiana ’22.

He is a brother of David Davis, North D akota ’36, and Wilson Davis, Minnesota ’40. At the time of his election, his son, John E. Davis, Jr., was a pledge at Gamma Kappa. The career of Mark Hatfield has been outlined previously and he will be remembered as the leader of the undergraduate delegation which successfully petitioned for a charter for Gamma Sigma chapter at Willamette University. Later he became Chief of District XXIV, was elected Secretary of State for the State of Oregon and then became one of the few Republican gubernatorial candidates in the entire country to survive an otherwise Democratic landslide.

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434

NEW S OF TH E CHAPTERS

Alpha Zeta at Denver placed first among twelve fraternities in scholarship. Former Trustee Lee B. Thompson was the speaker at the initiation banquet. . . . At Florida the Gamma Xi chapter house, com­ pleted in 1955, received the finishing touch with the completion of the chapter room. . . .Tau Sigma at Iowa State was host to the first Dis­ trict X IX Conclave with delegations present from Iowa and Nebraska. . . . Eleven pledges were initiated in the last ceremony to be held in the ancient Lambda chapter house at the University of Michigan. A new house was at last to be a reality. . . . At Southern Methodist, the chapters first permanent home, begun in September 1958, was scheduled for completion in the spring of 1959. . . . Construction was reported on the way at the site of the new $350,000 chapter house for Rho chapter at Northwestern. The amount needed was in sight through pledges and loans except for $40,000 which was still to be raised.. . . Chi chapter at Beloit began preparations for its centennial in 1960 with the appointment of Clarence Amenoff, ’32, as chairman of the cele­ bration. . . . Gamma Omicron at British Columbia won the Housser Cup Trophy given each year by the university to the outstanding fra­ ternity chapter. The chapter has won this honor for eleven of the past thirteen years. . . . Gamma Delta at Colorado College moved into its new home at Colorado Springs. Formerly used as a student union, the structure was remodeled for the chapter’s use and furnished largely through the efforts of the Mothers’ Club. . . . Members of Pi chapter at Indiana were happy over the complete remodeling of the first floor of their fine home at Bloomington, Indiana. . . . Gamma Chi at Sewanee conducted rush week for the first time in its new chapter house.

W. W ALTER HOLT

A great Beta leader, W. Walter Holt, D enison ’13, died in his sleep on June 16, 1959 at his home at Carlsbad, California. He had served the fraternity in almost every capacity from chapter officer to the Board of Trustees and his service on that body came during one of the most critical periods in the fraternity’s history.

After an outstanding career as an undergraduate member of the Denison chapter, he located on the west coast where he became a sue-

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cessful and popular district chief in the late 1930’s in the district which included the California chapters. He was elected president of the 101st General Convention held at Del Monte, California in 1940 and at that gathering was elected to the Board of Trustees as a vice-president. At the end of his three-year term in 1943 and with the fraternity suffering the effects of World War II he was prevailed upon to serve a second term. During those difficult years when the Board had assumed the governing powers of the frater­ nity and when some members of the Board, including President William W. Dawson, had departed for mili­ tary service, Holt, as senior vicepresident, assumed the responsibili­ ties of the association’s highest oifice. In spite of heavy business duties he found time to devote to these obligations and in addition was able to compile a military list of Betas who were serving their country in the armed forces. In this task he worked closely with Maga­ zine Editor Thad Byrne and with Vice-President Lee Thompson who later took over and completed the W. Walter Holt, Denison ’13. work.

In his business career Brother Holt had been engaged in the manu­ facture of paint and varnish and was associated with another well known Denison Beta, Dexter J. Tight, Denison ’12. Their firm pio­ neered in the development of industrial lacquers which became im­ portant in the automobile industry. He was the father of two Denison Betas, William W. Holt, ’39 and Dexter Ward Holt, ’43.

T H E 1 2 0 T H G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

For the first time in thirty-seven years the fraternity returned to Indiana, the home state of five of its chapters, for its annual gathering.

It was in 1922 that the 83rd General Convention had convened at West

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Baden Springs Hotel, just a short distance from the location of the 120th assembly on September 1, 1959 at the French Lick-Sheraton Hotel, French Lick, Indiana. Being near the centcr of Beta population, the convention drew a large attendance with a total registration of 601 Betas and guests. Large delegations were present from the nearby chapters in Indiana, Ohio and Illinois with a busload and many car­ loads of alumni and wives coming down from In­ dianapolis for the Friday night banquet. The gath­ ering will be remembered for the hot and humid weather, but the complete air-conditioning of the fa­ mous old hotel made the working sessions and in­ side activities more pleas­ ant than those outside.

It was a memorable Beta Songs were Heard Here convention because of the Lobby, French Lick-Sheraton Hotel, scene of granting of two new char­ the 120th General Convention. ters, the first “double ad­ mission” since 1949 when the 110th approved both Sewanee and Michi­ gan State. In additon, the delegates instigated actions which could lead to even further expansion.

In his opening address, President Sherwood M. Bonney referred to the legal rights of the colleges and of fraternities and to developments since the widely-discussed case in which the courts upheld the action of New York State in banning all national fraternities from its several campuses. For further enlightenment in this matter he referred the dele­ gates to an article by Judge Frank H. Myers in the October issue of Banta’s G reek Exchange. This article, by a lawyer who had become the leading authority on the important problem of membership standards and clauses, pointed out that the New York University case established no new law. “There is no question,” said President Bonney, “that fra­ ternities are guests on the college campuses. It certainly is the right of college officials to determine that fraternities are detrimental to the educational program. We can only hope that such decisions will be

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honestly made and not upon bias and prejudice as in the New York Uni­ versity case, where many of the fraternities whose chapters were banned did not even have discriminatory clauses or practices.” He then quoted Judge Myers as follows: “ I f the contention is that the fraternity is discriminatory in selecting its new members from the student body on any artificial grounds, whether it be race, color or creed, according to standards established

He Addressed the Convention President Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31.

by the National Convention, then the decision to outlaw the chapters is not based upon honesty and fairness, but is the rankest form of dis­ crimination and prejudice against the legal right of the fraternity as a voluntary association. Any statement to the contrary is untrue in fact.’ ” Referring to the demands by some college officials that local chap­ ters be free to choose members without any restraint through national legislation, the president said, “Each chapter of every fraternity, through its duly elected delegate, has a voice in the adoption, perpet­ uation or change of national laws which affect all chapters; but to allow each chapter to be a law unto itself on matters of national policy will bring chaos and destroy fraternities. Speaking personally, I am not pre­ pared to help in the destruction of fraternities. Although we have no

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restrictive clauses, others have them. If the principal facet of the prob­ lem is the attack on national affiliation—then an outside attack on re­ strictive clauses will reach us although we have none. It follows that they should be supported by the entire fraternity and sorority system against outside attacks upon their clear right to select members under rules determined democratically by their national conventions.”

Thus at the very opening of the convention, President Bonney spoke out boldly and clearly on subjects which were troubling many delegates and which were very live on many campuses.

A Simple but Eternal Idea. In his address to the convention on the State of the Fraternity General Secretary Seth R. Brooks considered some of the same problems referred to by President Bonney. He pointed out that the history of Greek letter fraternities goes back to the founding of the Republic in 1776 when Phi Beta Kappa was estab­ lished at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. Since that time, he admitted, actions by some of these groups had brought deserved criticism but in most cases they had covered themselves with honor and glory.

“We begin by saying that the fraternity, like any other human insti­ tution, has erred, and has been guilty of no end of things which have brought upon it the criticism and the condemnation which should al­ ways follow overt and disgraceful behavior. On the other hand, there must be something very wonderful in these institutions which have persisted since the founding of our nation, which have grown and are growing and which have had so many persons willing to give their testimony that the fraternity was one of the greatest builders of their character and one of their supreme joys in life. . . . Associations like ours are facing some grave problems. It is my opinion that we must decide to find our life in the soil where our growth is welcomed and nurtured and leave without hesitation those places where there is op­ position to us and where our members are told they must not toler­ ate any interference from a national body. Wherever the student is told by the college administration that he is responsible only to his con­ science toward the local chapter and should have no conscience in regard to a membership of 55,000 and 95 other chapters, I think we should say adieu at once and get off that campus.”

From this brief review of the problems facing all fraternities, the general secretary then turned to an analysis of the state of Beta Theta

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Pi in 1959, which he found good. He was able to report on the remark­ able improvement of several problem chapters and cited the erection of several fine new chapter houses as evidence of the continued strong support by alumni groups. He reviewed the study which the Board of Trustees had made of possible expansion and contraction and expressed confidence that in all matters the Board and general officers were leading the fraternity forward. He concluded with these words: “My conclusion is that beyond all the words in reports, all the costly chapter houses, all the elaborate banquets, all the inspiring songs, all the moving speeches, all the anxieties, and all the elations, Beta Theta Pi is what eight young men at Miami University in August 1839 saw it to be. They beheld a simple but eternal idea. It was that men could band themselves together in an association the ties of which would be brotherhood, mutual interest and the advancement of one another’s welfare. It is our contention that such an idea can live and exist with­ out any external properties or embellishments.

“The supreme thing for us to remember is that we can never work back from the outward and material to create an inward spirit. It is the spirit within that giveth birth to a great idea which in time may be surrounded with certain external expressions.”

Assets at All-Time High. In his first report as the occupant of that office, General Treasurer Edmond B. Stofft was able to say that the past fiscal year had been a successful one for the fraternity. Income had exceeded expenses in each of the funds and the assets had in­ creased substantially. The figures he reported were as follows: A ssets

of

F

unds

On 6/30/59

On 6/30/58

General Fund Baird Fund Founders’ Fund

$ 132,301.43 1,085,688.04 279,070.00

$ 106,248.83 1,042,855.45 252,664.46

$26,052.60 42,832.59 26,405.54

Total All Funds (At Market)

$1,497,059.47 $2,249,578.19

$1,401,768.74 $1,859,365.00

$95,290.73

Increase

Brother Stofft reported that the year’s operations financed by the Gen­ eral Fund had shown a gain of income over expenses of $11,000 and

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he pointed out that this favorable result had occurred for two principal reasons: first, the increase in the membership fee from $40 to $50 ($10 payable at pledging and $40 upon initiation) and two, careful control of expenditures by fraternity officers, administrative office and the magazine editor. The efficiency of the latter was shown by an analysis of the Baird Fund, which is used to finance The Beta Theta Pi, indi­ cating that income had exceeded expenses by over $8,000.

One of the most encouraging parts of the treasurer’s report had to do

They Came from Arizona Members of the petitioning group, left to right, Foster S. Cayce, Forster Cooper, Thomas B. Glover and Peter R. Diener.

with the Founders’ Fund which is used for scholarships to worthy Betas and to assist in chapter house financing. Although still far from the dreams of Francis Shepardson and others who aided in its beginning in 1920, the fund showed an encouraging increase in the 1958-1959 fiscal year. This came from the increased value of the securities in which the unused portion was invested and also from gifts from de­ voted alumni and alumni organizations. Among the latter was the Beta Club of New York which established a Founders’ Fund Scholarship and announced that it expected to make this a regular part of their pro­ gram each year.

The Ninety-Six Become Ninety-Eight. The longest peacetime in­ terval without expansion in the history of the fraternity was ended when the 120th General Convention approved the granting of two charters, the first in seven years. The first petition to come before the delegates was that of the Delta Beta local fraternity at the University of Arizona. It had been the opinion of a large segment of the fraternity, particularly members in the middle west and west that Beta should have established a chapter at that institution many years before. In re­ cent years enthusiasm for expansion there had increased, particu­

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larly among Beta alumni from many chapters who had settled in that state. Testimony to this effect was presented to the Committee on Charters under chairman Harry B. Kniseley and before the convention, while others expressed doubt that at this late date the fraternity could compete successfully against its long established rivals. Weighing heavily with the delegates was the promise of full support including adequate housing by Arizona Betas, particularly those in the Tucson area, and the vote was 93 in favor of the charter, 1 against and 1 ab­ sent. Beta alumni appearing at the convention on behalf of the peti­ tioning group included: Henry D. Anderson, Ohio W esleyan ’52; Louis M. Linxwiler, O klahoma State ’53; DuPuy F. Cayce, W estminster ’31, and Charles H. Kent, Ohio State ’41. Representing the local group were: Thomas Glover, President, Peter Diener, Forster Cayce, Philip Dering and Forster Cooper.

The second petition was that of the Alpha Gamma Gamma local fra­ ternity at the University of Wichita. Contrasted with the Arizona situa­ tion where Beta would be starting with a new group not yet adequately housed, this was a long established fraternity with an impressive chap­ ter house, a record of leadership on that campus and a strong alumni organization. Any doubts regarding the petition had to do with the institution and the question as to whether, considering the location of Beta chapters at Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, the fraternity needed further expansion in that area. The general fra­ ternity officers who had made an investigation for the Board of Trus­ tees, Former President Bertram W. Bennett and Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett, reported to the delegates, first, that the University of Wichita was one of high academic standing and was a rapidly growing institution with a promising future; second, that the climate for na­ tional fraternities was good as evidenced by the invitation extended to come there; and three, that Alpha Gamma Gamma was without question the leading fraternity on that campus with ideals and tradi­ tions completely in harmony with those of Beta Theta Pi. A delegation of undergraduates from the local group, several alumni of that organization, Beta alumni living in Wichita and others were sub­ jected to questioning by the Committee on Charters which then recom­ mended to the convention the granting of a charter. After further de­ bate and questions on the floor of the convention, the vote was 86 in favor of a charter, 8 against and 1 absent. The happy delegation, led

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by their faculty advisor, Dr. Worth A. Fletcher, was given an en­ thusiastic welcome to the convention hall.

In further action, the convention took steps which could lead to more expansion of the fraternity in the future. Upon committee recommenda­ tion, the delegates approved the encouragement of the Beta Epsilon Club at Syracuse University to petition the 121st General Convention for a charter. This was the group which had lived on after the revoca­ tion of the charter of the Syracuse chapter in 1956. Since that time its

They Spoke for Wichita Left to right, John McCarty, Doran Oneale and Dr. Worth Fletcher.

pledges had been initiated as Betas by the Cornell chapter (through special dispensation granted by the Trustees) and the group as a whole had shown remarkable improvement in scholarship, chapter fi­ nances and relations with the university. Its alumni organization had been revitalized and although the chapter house had been sold at the time of the revocation, the money had been kept for the purpose of providing housing should the charter be regained.

The convention also recommended that a thorough investigation be made concerning the possibility of establishing a chapter at the Ala­ bama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn, Alabama.

Another Term for Seth Brooks. For Betas everywhere, one of the highlights of the French Lick gathering was the agreement by General Secretary Seth R. Brooks, St. Law rence ’22, to allow his name to be presented for a fourth three-year term. It had been feared by many that his heavy responsibilities as pastor of the Universalist National Memorial Church in Washington might prevent him from continuing in the fraternity’s most important administrative office. The delegates were quick to respond to his nomination with an unanimous vote of ap­ proval and a standing ovation.

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Brother Brooks had served the fraternity in almost every capacity since his undergraduate days and had become one of the great inspi­ rational speakers and leaders of the brotherhood. Wherever he traveled throughout Beta’s broad domain he was able to remind undergradu­ ates and alumni of the great underlying principles which had brought Beta Theta Pi into being and which continued to influence the lives of its members. In spite of heavy personal responsibilities he had continued to carry the load of duties which even the Administrative Office could

More Service to Beta General Secretary Seth R. Brooks, St. L aw rence ’22, who agreed to serve another term.

not lighten to any great extent for the general secretary. The chapters and alumni organizations continued to look to him for answers to their questions and solutions for their problems. The fraternity was indeed fortunate in his willingness to carry on.

A New Trustee. To replace Joseph J. Romoda, St. Law rence ’33, whose term had expired, the convention selected a third-generation Beta to serve on the Board of Trustees as Vice-President for a threeyear term. He was Francis M. (Chub) Rich, Illinois ’24, who was the grandson of Arthur D. Rich, M ichigan 1851, son of Ben C. Rich, Michi­ gan 1896, and brother of Albert D. Rich, Illinois ’26. His service to the fraternity had included a three-year period as Chief of District XVI

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as well as assistance in the formation of the San Bernardino Valley Alumni Association in California and the Calumet Region Alumni Group for northern Indiana and Illinois. At the time of his election he occupied one of the most responsible positions in the steel industry, that of the vice-presidency of Inland Steel Co., with offices in Chicago.

He will be remembered by those who attended the 1958 convention at Bedford Springs for his report on his recent tour of the Russian steel industry with a group of U. S. business leaders.

Elected Vice-President Francis M. (Chub) Rich, Illinois ’24.

Convention Happenings. For the second consecutive year, working seminars under direction of Former District Chief John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42, were pronounced a most valuable feature of the conven­ tion by the undergraduates. The subjects covered included rushing, pledge training, scholarship and alumni relations.

The Thursday evening gathering, which included wives, children and guests of the convention, featured talks by four well known mem­ bers of the fraternity on the subject “My Most Memorable Beta Ex­ perience.” The speakers were Former President Bertram W. Bennett, Former General Secretary Clifford C. Gregg, Magazine Athletic edi­ tor George H. Casey and Former District Chief John E. Dolibois.

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The convention banquet speaker was Congressman John J. Rhodes, Kansas State ’38. Brother Rhodes had settled in Arizona and was elected to Congress from the Phoenix district. As a resident of Arizona he had been interested for several years in the possibility of a Beta chapter in that state. It was significant that he was chosen to address the convention which made that wish a reality. The undergraduate ban­ quet speaker was Larry Biederman, Ohio State ’59, who spoke with great feeling of his Beta experiences including attendance at three general conventions.

H O R A C E L O Z IE R — 18 6 9 -1 9 5 9

More than a century of devotion to Beta Theta Pi ended on Octo­ ber 12, 1959 with the passing of Horace Gillette Lozier, Chicago 1894, at the age of 90. The term “century” is used because any story involving the name Lozier must also include the father of Horace, John Hogarth Lozier, DePauw 1857, known as “The High Priest of Wooglin.”

Over the sixty years of Horace Lozier’s life in Beta Theta Pi, he had made a unique contribution to the fraternity as writer of some of its most beloved songs and as editor of two significant early editions of its songbook. “The Loving Cup” alone was achievement enough to win him the title of “The Beta Bard” but it was but one of many. The 1942 edition of “Songs of Beta Theta Pi” contained eight of his compo­ sitions; “Wooglin to the Pledge,” “The Loving Cup,” “The Beta Post­ script,” “Song of Beta Gamma,” “The Banquet Hall,” “She Wears My Beta Pin,” “In the Old Porch Chairs,” and “Clan Wooglin Marches.”

Besides these he had done the arrangements for many others.

There is no immediately available specific reference to the year in which “The Loving Cup” was written. It appeared in the songbook for the first time in the 1902 edition and since then has won the great­ est praise from critics. Many editors of college songbooks have sought permission to use it as the Beta song to be included in their collections and Lozier’s arrangement of the music has been appropriated by col­ leges and fraternities. Orchestra leader Fred Waring is said to have once called it the greatest college song he had ever heard.

In 1902, “Songs of Beta Theta Pi” attained its present form under the editorship of Horace Lozier. He continued to edit successive editions

Beta Bard Horace G. Lozier, Chicago 1894, shown at the piano in his own Chicago chapter house.

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from 1902 to 1955. In T he B eta B ook, we read that “an enlivening and instructive address was delivered by Horace G. Lozier, C hicago 1894, before the 1903 convention.” He was song leader not only for that gath­ ering but for several others. He was official chorister for the Centenary at Oxford in 1939 and has led singing at conventions as recently as 1954.

While Brother Lozier became a Beta at the University of Chicago, he had begun his musical career at Cornell College in Iowa where he studied music and wrote the school song “Fair Old Cornell.” Transfer­ ring to Chicago, he was there in time to become a charter member and # 1 7 on the rolls of Lambda Rho chapter which had been chartered by the 1893 Convention. Francis Shepardson told later how he had spied the name of Horace Lozier on a roster of Cornell College students and had said to himself, “If that is the son of the ‘High Priest of Wooglin,’ we must have him in the Chicago chapter.” The father, John Hogarth Lozier, had gained that title because he was credited with authorship of the Wooglin Legend and because of color lent to the title by a bear­ ing both ministerial and majestic. He had written the words of “Beta Sires and Beta Sons” (for which his son provided the music); “We’ll Toast the Silver Grays,” “The Response” and “We Gather Again.”

Horace Lozier had a long and successful business career in the in­ surance field but music and poetry were the dominant forces in his life. He attended many Beta functions and was honored wherever he traveled. As long as Betas meet and sing together his name will live on.1

IN S T A L L A T IO N A T A RIZO N A

For many years, expansion of Beta Theta Pi into one or more of the major Arizona schools had been advocated but it was not until 1957 that an organized effort was begun. Now, on October 31, 1959, the goal of those efforts was reached with the installation of the Delta Beta chapter at the University of Arizona. Thus Beta started at that institu­ tion many years later than her principal rivals and, for that reason, it was realized that the new group would face many problems.

1 For a more complete and detailed biography of Horace Lozier and tributes from Beta greats, see T he Beta Theta Pi, vol. 87, No. 3, February, 1960.

At the Arizona Installation Left to right: Congressman John J. Rhodes, Kansas State ’38; former Trustee Dunlap C. Clark, Chi­ cago ’17; former President Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20; Trustee Ben C. Grosscup, W ittenberg ’16; President Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31 and District Chief Dr. Delbert L. Secrist, W 6- J ’30.

At the Wichita Installation Left to right: Alpha Gamma Gamma Alumni President Doran Oneale; William Barkley, Indiana ’47; Robert Ecoff, W ashington (St. Louis) ’34; Dr. John Witten of Alpha Gamma Gamma and Chapter Counselor Dr. Worth A. Fletcher.

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The joy of the Arizona alumni and their enthusiasm which brought the new chapter into being also produced a memorable installation.

Besides a large gathering from all of the Southwestern states, the occa­ sion attracted a number of fraternity officials. President Sherwood Bon­ ney was there as the principal installing officer and former President Bertram Bennett was present because of his keen personal interest in the new group. As a winter visitor to Arizona he had helped and ad­ vised the local Betas in their efforts. Others who attended included Vice-President Ben C. Grosscup, former Trustee Col. Dunlap C. Clark, C hicago ’17, and Congressman John J. Rhodes, Kansas State ’38, now a resident of Phoenix and prominent in the campaign to arouse interest in a Beta chapter in that state.

The formal installation and dinner were held at the Old Pueblo Club in Tucson with President Bonney presenting the charter to Thomas B. Glover, president of the new chapter. With Larry E. Mills, Missouri ’49, acting as master of ceremonies, presentations of a Loving Cup, President’s Badge and other gifts were made by Henry D. Ander­ son, Ohio W esleyan ’52, one of the chief organizers of the new group, Dr. Delbert L. Secrist, W ashington ir Jefferson ’30, and DuPuy F. Cayce, W estminster ’31, father of one of the initiates. Principal speaker of the evening was Congressman Rhodes and Brother Secrist was an­ nounced as the new chief of Temporary District XXVI, then contain­ ing but one chapter, the newly created Delta Beta.

The formal initiation which preceded the installation welcomed into the fraternity 17 undergraduates and two Tucson businessmen who had been closely associated with the group.

W IC H IT A IN S T A L L A T IO N

The second new chapter was added to the rolls of Beta Theta Pi in 1959 with the installation of Delta Gamma at the University of Wich­ ita during the weekend of November 14-15. Unlike the situation in Arizona, this was not the placing of a charter with a newly formed group but was the absorption of a long-established local fraternity, situ­ ated in an impressive chapter house and with a well organized alumni association. Alpha Gamma Gamma, as the local fraternity was called, had been located on that campus for over forty years and at the time of its affiliation with Beta Theta Pi was considered the strongest men’s

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organization there. Its alumni group totalled between 300 and 400 in the Wichita area with 300 more located throughout the state of Kansas and elsewhere. When national fraternities and sororities were invited in 1957 to come to this campus, Alpha Gamma Gamma had declared its preference for Beta and had remained steadfast in that resolve un­ til victory was achieved at the 1959 French Lick convention.

To celebrate the birth of the new chapter and participate in the in­ itiation and installation came a host of Betas including a number of fraternity officers. Among these were President Sherwood Bonney, Senior Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett, former President Bertram Bennett, District Chiefs Walter J. Allan, Colorado ’22, and Harold S. Hook, Missouri ’53, and former District Chief Russell E. Ragan, W a­ bash ’23.

The festivities began Saturday noon with a buffet luncheon at the chapter house, after which a number of the visitors attended a night football game. Following the game an informal reception was held at the house which included a number of university officials and their wives and a large number of Alpha Gamma Gamma alumni and their families.

With the able help of an initiation team from the Kansas State chap­ ter, forty-one undergraduates and three alumni were initiated in two groups on Sunday morning with President Bonney and Vice-President Fawcett taking parts in the ceremony. As an honor to them and to pre­ pare for the later initiation of a large number of alumni, the chapter had asked that three alumni be included in the class of initiates: Worth A. Fletcher, ’25, Chapter Advisor, Doran Oneale, ’53, alumni president, and Robert W. Burdge, ’51, chapter financial advisor. The ceremonies were held in a spacious room in the new Fine Arts Center on the cam­ pus, under the able direction of District Chiefs Allan and Hook and Chapter Advisor Fletcher.

Following the initiation, the entire assembly moved to Hotel Lassen in downtown Wichita for the installation dinner. This well conducted affair was under the supervision of the Wichita Beta Alumni Club, di­ rected by its president, Dr. J. Walker Butin, Kansas ’44. Greetings from the general fraternity and from the Board of Trustees were given

by Vice-President Fawcett and a response of welcome to that campus was given by Dean Emory K. Lindquist, Dean of Faculties, University of Wichita. The chief address of the evening was given by former Pres­

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ident Bennett whose inspiring words regarding the ideals and tradi­ tions of Beta Theta Pi were moving to all present and particularly to the members of the new chapter.

This memorable milestone in the expansion of the fraternity came to a close with the presentation of gifts to the new group from many chapters and individuals. They included a portrait of Pater Knox from the Alpha chapter and a beautiful loving cup from Dr. and Mrs. Flet­ cher.

G O L D E N A N N IV E R SA R Y O F N .l.C .

A significant event for all members of Greek letter fraternities oc­ curred November 26-28, 1959 with the holding of the Fiftieth Anni­ versary meeting of the National Interfraternity Conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. This meeting was of particu­ lar significance to members of Beta Theta Pi because their late great president, Francis W. Shepardson was a founder and president of the interfraternity group and because of the prominence of Betas in the anniversary meeting.

Although Beta Theta Pi had had a great part in the origin and de­ velopment of the organization and although Betas had often been prominent in its early activities, in recent years this had ceased to be true and few members of the fraternity had occupied positions of in­ fluence. It was of particular significance, therefore, that at the 1959 gathering a prominent Beta, former President Bertram W. Bennett, was elected to the Executive Committee. In such a position of great responsibility he was following such Beta greats as Shepardson, “Bing” Baily, A. Ray Warnock and G. Herbert Smith.

One of the important addresses of the 1959 meeting was given by one of those mentioned above, former President G. Herbert Smith, whose subject was, “The Fraternity System and the College.” Dr. Smith now president of Willamette University, could speak from the stand­ point of both a college official and one long prominent in fraternity affairs. He noted that colleges and fraternities had lived together for nearly 200 years without attaining complete understanding or confi­ dence in each other. He attached part of the blame for this on the fra­ ternities who too often have remained aloof and have failed to recog­ nize the viewpoint of the colleges. On the other hand, he asserted, in­

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stitutions have attacked fraternities on the unjust grounds that they are political organizations and opposed to democratic principles. The fallacy of this contention, according to Dr. Smith, is indicated by the fact that fraternities have survived due to their high ideals and prin­ ciples, when other campus organizations have failed. It was the view of the speaker, however, that to continue in a strong position the Greek Letter organizations will have to establish more new chapters and in­ crease the size of their present groups in order to take in a larger per­ centage of the rapidly growing student populations.

The Anniversary Banquet, which concluded the three-day meeting, was the largest interfraternity gathering ever held. Special tables had been reserved for Beta undergraduates and alumni and, in addition to Brothers Bennett and Smith mentioned above, prominent members of the fraternity present included President Sherwood Bonney, former General Secretaries Edward Brown and “Bing” Baily, Administrative Secretary Fred Brower, District Chief Moreau Brown and former Dis­ trict Chief Carl Frische.

A M O N G B E T A S O F A C H IE V E M E N T — 1 9 5 9

A member of the highest judicial tribunal of the State of Washing­ ton since 1951, former District Chief Frank P. Weaver, Michigan ’26, in January, 1959 was elected Chief Justice of the supreme court of that state by the other eight justices.

Named by President Eisenhower to fill an unexpired term ending in 1968, William M. Drennan, Ohio State ’36, was sworn in as one of the sixteen judges of the Tax Court of the United States. As a senior, Brother Drennan served as president of Theta Delta chapter.

Dr. John L. McHugh, British Colum bia ’38, was appointed chief of biological research in the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

F. J. (Fritz) Close, Penn State ’28, was elected vice president in charge of research and development of Aluminum Company of Amer­ ica.

Dow Finsterwald, Ohio ’51, one of golf’s most consistent winners, was named Golfer of the Year by the Professional Golfers Association after winning the 1958 PGA championship.

Charles Coe, Oklahoma ’45, Oklahoma City oil broker, after winning his second U. S. amateur title in 1958, was named to captain the U. S.

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Washington Chief Justice Former District Chief Frank P. Weaver, Michigan ’26.

Walker Cup team which would oppose a team of British amateurs in May, 1959.

John F. Shanklin, Missouri ’34, was elected secretary of Union Car­ bide Corporation, also continuing in the position of treasurer which he had held since 1954.

Fred E. Brown, Oklahoma ’34, was elected president and a director of Tri-Continental Corporation, the nation’s largest diversified closedend investment company, and of the Broad Street Group of Mutual Funds.

Dr. Edgar F. Shannon, Jr., Washington ir L e e ’39, was inaugu­ rated as the youngest president in the history of the University of Virginia.

Dr. Harold J. Noyes, Beloit ’19, was elected president of the Ameri­ can College of Dentists. At the time of his election he was dean of the University of Oregon Dental School.

John E. Erickson, Beloit ’49, was appointed head basketball coach at the University of Wisconsin.

After two years as United States District Attorney for the same dis­ trict, Harold K. Wood, Colgate ’27, joined the list of Beta federal judges following confirmation of his nomination by President Eisen-

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New Chief in the South Dr. H. Pearce Atkins, Cornell ’36.

hower as Judge of the Federal Court for the Eastern District of Penn­ sylvania at Philadelphia.

Robert M. White, II, W ashington ir L e e ’38, became president and editor of the New York H erald Tribune which has a circulation of ap­ proximately one half million, exclusive of a foreign edition published in Paris.

The Rev. Edwin Bracher, W ittenberg ’28, was installed as head of the Pacific Synod of the United Lutheran Church of America.

Asa M. Akinaka, Yale ’59, was selected by the Rotary Club at Hon­ olulu, Hawaii as a Rotary Foundation Fellow. He planned to study eco­ nomics at Trinity College, Oxford, England.

N EW D ISTR ICT CH IEFS

Wayne J. Albers, Miami ’43, is another of the long list of Alpha chapter alumni who have entered the service of the fraternity. A part­ ner in the famed accounting firm of Ernst and Ernst, he replaced William O. Littick, Ohio W esleyan ’50, as chief of District X II: Case, Denison, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan and Western Reserve.

Dr. H. Pearce Atkins, Cornell ’36, former Chief of District IV, was

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appointed to head District IX, replacing George H. Adams, Davidson ’50. “Pete” Atkins had served in District IV while dean of men at the University of Rochester, but resigned when he moved to become pro­ fessor of mathematics at the University of Richmond. Now the gen­ eral secretary had prevailed upon him to return to the service of the fraternity in the district which includes chapters at Davidson, Duke and North Carolina.

Phillip W. Morris, W ittenberg ’40, was selected to replace VicePresident Rich as Chief of District XVI including Illinois, Knox, Michi­ gan and Michigan State. As a business associate of Brother Rich, he had worked closely with him in the administration of the district and was well known to the undergraduates and alumni. At the time of his ap­ pointment he was personnel director at the Indiana Harbor plant of Inland Steel Corporation employing over 21,000 men and women. He also aided in the formation of the Calumet Area Alumni Association, one of the most active alumni groups in the middle west.

Peter F. Greiner, Minnesota ’46, was appointed Chief of District XV III, the upper midwest area which includes chapters at Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. In this position he replaced Dr. Charles L. Lewis, Ohio ’47, dean of men at the University of North Da­ kota, who because of the press of personal responsibilities, found it necessary to resign after a distinguished term in the service of the fra­ ternity. “Pete” Greiner, a partner in the law firm of Carlsen, Greiner and Law in Minneapolis, had served as president of the Minnesota chapter while an undergraduate and as an officer of the Beta Theta Pi Alumni Society of Minnesota.

Dr. Delbert L. Secrist, Washington & Jefferson ’30, a Tucson, Ari­ zona physician, became the first Chief of District XXVI. This district was created on a temporary basis with the installation of the new Delta Beta chapter at the University of Arizona.

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TH E BOARD M EETS

AT ITS JANUARY, 1960, meeting at the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C., the Board of Trustees spent many hours in deliberation over current business of the fraternity and plans for the future. Believing that alumni of local groups which receive Beta charters should be en­ couraged to join Beta Theta Pi, the Board took steps to bring this about. In the past, approved alumni of local groups had been required to pay the full initiation fee as in the case of undergraduates and, in some cases, only a few alumni had availed themselves of this opportu­ nity, thus weakening the support of new chapters. In the case of the new Wichita chapter, with a large and well organized alumni associa­ tion, the Board voted to try an experiment. Upon payment of $1,000 the fraternity agreed to initiate all approved Alpha Gamma Gamma alumni during a one-year period from November 15, 1959 to Novem­ ber 15, 1960. The only additional amount required of each initiate would be the $20.00 payment to the Baird Fund for a life subscription to T he B eta Theta Pi. (It is interesting to note that by the end of the specified period nearly two hundred alumni of Alpha Gamma Gamma had been initiated into Beta Theta Pi.) Much attention was given by the Board to locations for posssible fu­ ture expansion. Many inquiries had been received but most were dis­ carded either because they came from areas where further expansion was not needed or because the institution or group did not meet Beta standards. Encouragement was given to a group at Auburn University which had been formed with the definite hope of petitioning, at some future date, for a charter. Made up of several Betas who had trans­ ferred to that campus and several others who were not members of any national fraternity, the group planned to operate as a local frater­ nity until it was in a position to petition. The Board voted to offer aid up to $1,000 to assist them to furnish a house.

With regard to Arizona State, the board felt that the fraternity 456

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He Served Beta Well Assistant General Treasurer LeRoy J. Marx, Jr., Denver ’49, who announced his retirement from that office in 1960, is shown presenting a Chapter Counselor certificate to J. P. Allen, D e­ Pauw ’30.

should first devote its efforts to assisting the new chapter at the Univer­ sity of Arizona to become firmly established before seeking further ex­ pansion in that area. With regard to the Beta Epsilon Club at Syra­ cuse University, it appeared that this group was continuing to show ex­ cellent progress and might be in a position to petition for the granting of a charter by the 1960 convention. From Bowling Green University in northwestern Ohio the fraternity had received a warm invitation to consider establishing a chapter there and Adminstrative Secretary Fred Brower and District Chief Wayne Albers were asked to investi­ gate.

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The midyear meeting of the Board was held May 6-7, 1960 at the Chicago Athletic Association. One session was held in the Board of Directors room of Inland Steel Co. at the invitation of Vice-President Francis M. Rich, who is also a vice-president of that firm. Again the Board spent many hours handling the business of the fraternity and making plans for the future.

It was reported that the Beta Epsilon Club at Syracuse University had continued to make progress and had demonstrated its ability to meet the standards of Beta Theta Pi. The Board voted to recommend to the next convention that a charter be issued to this group. The Board again considered several other locations for possible expansion but felt that none of them was far enough advanced to warrant immediate action.

Three important appointments were approved. District Chief Har­ old L. Brown, Northwestern ’22, who had served longer than any other in the corps of chiefs, was named Assistant General Treasurer to suc­ ceed LeRoy J. Marx, Jr., D enver ’49, who had asked to be relieved of the responsibilities of that office. “Roy” Marx had given generously of his time to the service of the fraternity since his appointment in 1954.

Much of the spare time from his duties as a teacher in the Denver pub­ lic school system had been spent aiding the chapters with their finan­ cial problems. His greatest contribution in the office had been the rat­ ing system used for evaluating the financial operations of the various chapters. He also led the successful effort to enact legislation requir­ ing the chapters to meet certain financial standards or face probation.

The man appointed as his successor had also served the fraternity long and well. “Hal” Brown was appointed Chief of District XVII in 1952 with chapters at Beloit, Chicago, Lawrence, Northwestern and Wisconsin under his direction. In spite of having five chapters under his supervision and long distances to travel, he had demonstrated his ability to assist the undergraduates and gain their confidence and re­ spect. He was a popular choice to move into a position where he could be of service to all the chapters.

The Board also voted to appoint Albert C. May, Carnegie ’21, to serve another term as a Trustee of the Founders Fund and to ap­ point District Chief Harry B. Kniseley, Oklahojna ’25, a Trustee of the Baird Fund. “Doc” Kniseley had served'for a number of years as Chief of District X X II which included the Colorado chapters and Utah. His

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contributions had been outstanding, particularly in his organization of district conclaves and the assistance he had rendered to chapters in his district which were in difficulties. It was felt that a man with his organi­ zation and business ability would be a valuable addition to the Fund Trustees in their efforts to obtain contributions and gifts to the funds.

One reason for holding the Board meetings in Chicago was in order that the Trustees could accept the invitation of the Chicago alumni to attend the banquet which culminated the annual softball tournament which they had sponsored annually for chapters in the middle west.

The 1960 tournament was the sixth such affair which the Chicago alumni had arranged and was held on Saturday, May 7 with eleven chapters sending teams. These were Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Mich­ igan State, Beloit, Knox, Miami, Iowa State, Chicago, Northwestern and Cincinnati. Wisconsin and Cincinnati gained the finals with Cin­ cinnati emerging as the winner of first place and Michigan winning consolation honors. In the evening a banquet was held and attending were all the undergraduate delegations, alumni and their wives from the Chicago area and members of the Board of Trustees. David Brown, Illinois ’49, president of the Alpha Alumni Association (the Chicago area alumni organization) presided and paid tribute to Robert L. Jacob, Colorado ’56, who had served as chairman of the 1960 tournament. De­ livering the principal addresses of the evening were President Sher­ wood Bonney and General Secretary Seth R. Brooks.

B E L O IT C E N T E N N IA L

The fresh green leaves gave a spring-like tinge to the campus as the men of Chi returned from all points of the compass on April 29May 1, 1960 to mark one hundred years of Beta life on the campus of Beloit College at Beloit, Wisconsin. The throng of nearly three hundred present at many of the events included alumni, general fraternity offi­ cers, college officials, wives, sons and daughters. Those who had at­ tended similar events agreed that the Chi celebration was one of the most carefully planned and therefore most successful in the history of the fraternity.

The week-end program began Friday evening with a re-initiation of six Fraternal Fifty members of the chapter, the ceremony being held in the ballroom of the new Student Union building. Principal parts in

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Former Chi Chapter House The chapter occupied this home from 1909 to 1932.

the initiation were taken by former President Bertram W. Bennett, General Treasurer Edmond B. Stofft, Vice-President K. Warren Faw­ cett and members of the active chapter. This event was followed by an open house at the beautiful Beloit chapter house where a focal point was an assembly of mementos of the pastâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;old chapter pictures, roll books, scrap-books, clippings about Chi men from chapter publications and other memorabilia to bring back happy memories to the old grads.

A notable occasion on Saturday morning was a special convocation in the Edward Dwight Eaton chapel. With several hundred persons present, Holman D. Pettibone, Sr., T l, representing the Chi alumni, presented to Beloit College a gift of $10,150 as a centennial memorial to two great sons of the chapter who had served the college for many

Present Chi Chapter House It was filled to over-flowing with Chi men who returned for the Centennial.

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years. Those who were honored were Dr. George L. Collie, 1881, and Prof. Hiram D. Densmore, 1886. Dr. Collie joined the Beloit faculty in 1892 and later served for 25 years in the department of Geology and Archeology. He achieved world-wide fame in the field of prehistoric archeology. As a part of the ceremony in connection with the memorial gift honoring Dr. Collie, an address titled “Portrait of a Beta Scien­ tist” was given by Paul H. Nesbitt, ’26.

Prof. Densmore became associatied with the Beloit faculty in 1889 as a teacher of Botany. He was later advanced to the rank of professor, wrote a noted Botany textbook and also served for many years as regis­ trar of the college. The gift to the college which will be used in the de­ partments served by these noted members of Chi chapter was accepted gratefully by Beloit President Dr. Miller Upton who commented on the great opportunities which fraternities have to aid the academic needs of the colleges and universities with which they are associated.

Following a buffet luncheon at the chapter house and a social hour at a downtown hotel, over three hundred persons gathered in Central Hall, the largest dining hall on the campus, for the Centennial ban­ quet. With Betas present from twenty-one states, the District of Co­ lumbia and Canada, spirited singing was led by David G. Fifield, ’21, with Clarence V. Amenoff, ’32, acting as master of ceremonies. Princi­ pal speaker on behalf of the General Fraternity was former President Bertram W. Bennett with additional remarks by Vice-President K. War­ ren Fawcett, General Treasurer Edmond B. Stofft, District Chief Harold L. Brown and former District Chief Carroll E. Black who spoke for the Wabash chapter which had had a prominent part in the estab­ lishment of Chi chapter. Responding for the college was President Miller Upton, a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon, who again praised the chapter and its alumni for the outstanding achievements of one hundred years. The final event of the evening was the presentation, by the active chapter, of a “Betarama,” directed by Parker F. McMahan and portraying on the stage the important episodes in the life of the chapter.

The week-end celebration was culminated on Sunday morning with a chapel service in which all the principal parts were taken by active and alumni members of Chi chapter. Active members participating were Chapter President James E. Steckel, ’61, past President William T. Heidrich, ’60, Curtis J. Carlson, ’63, and James C. Petrie, ’62. The

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Scene of Chapel Service The Edward Dwight Eaton Chapel on the Beloit College campus was the scene of the Centennial service.

sermon was delivered by Rev. Dr. Eaton Van Wert Read, ’29, of Fair­ field, Connecticut, a grandson of Edward Dwight Eaton, the second president of Beloit College. Particular credit for the planning and carrying out of the highly successful Chi centennial must go to alumni president Matthew A. Marvin, ’37, and to the undergraduate chairmen Robert J. Cizek, ’60, and J. A. Spiker, ’60. While this event celebrated a milestone in the life of one particular chapter, it was one in which the entire fraternity could take justifiable pride. The great achievements and long, distinguished record of Chi chapter have been beneficial to all of Beta Theta Pi.

NEW S OF TH E CHAPTERS

Gamma Iota at Carnegie Tech received from its alumni a beauti­ ful mosaic Beta crest placed on the front of its chapter house. General Secretary Brooks was present to assist in the dedication. . . . Gamma Xi at Florida expected that, with the increased emphasis on a junior college system in that state, more and more male students would be coming to the University of Florida for their final two years only.. . . Pi chapter at Indiana was enjoying the increased facilities made possible by the remodeling of one wing of the chapter house. . . . The Penn

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State chapter, after a disastrous drop scholastically, had a revival of chapter spirit and raised its standing twenty places. . . . Beta Nu at Cincinnati opened a fund raising campaign for an addition to the chap­ ter house with a Beta show attended by alumni and their families. . . . Members of Lambda chapter at Michigan were watching with great satisfaction the rapid completion of their new chapter house which they confidently predicted would be the finest on that campus. . . . And at Ohio University the cornerstone was laid on February 4 for Beta Kappa’s new home. The structure would cost $195,000 and would be the first new fraternity house built there in 37 years. . . . Delta Alpha chapter at Western Ontario mourned the passing of Prof. Nelson Col­ lins Hart who aided the local Kappa Tau Sigma fraternity in its efforts to obtain a Beta charter and became # 1 on the rolls when that effort became a reality in 1952.

The new Delta Gamma chapter at the University of Wichita was re­ ported to be in first place in scholarship on that campus for the school year of 1959-1960.

BETA ATH LETES

In The B eta T heta Pi for May, 1960, Athletic Editor George H. Casey, Bow doin ’19, announced his selections for the All-Beta Bas­ ketball teams for 1960. In the major college class his first two teams were: First Team f. Edvins Auzenbergs, Columbia ’61 f. Pledge Thomas M. Hughbanks (Wisconsin) c. Jerry Lucas, Ohio State ’62 g. Stephen T. Flynn, Oregon State ’61 g. R. Clinton Names, Washington (Seattle) ’61 Second Team f. f. c. g. g.

Cecil P. Epperley, Oklahoma State ’62 Michael K. Heinz, Kansas State ’61 Dennis R. Walker, O klahom a State ’60 George H. Grant, Washington (Seattle) ’60 Steven J. Kemp, Southern California ’60

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In the Small College classification, his first team selections were: f. Gordon J. Faubel, Knox ’60 f. Edward Grossenbacher, W illam ette ’60 c. Richard B. Egen, Colorado Mines ’60 g. Charles L. Knocke, Latvrenee ’61 g. J. Dennis Geraghty, Knox ’60

E X P A N SIO N SU R V EY

In May, 1960 former President G. Herbert Smith, for the guidance of the Board of Trustees and the general fraternity, brought up-todate the survey of possible expansion of Beta Theta Pi. Similar recom­ mendations had been prepared by Brother Smith and by a committee composed of other leaders of the fraternity in 1913, 1916, 1924, 1937 and 1948. Since 1948 there had been three progress reports in which current developments had been reviewed.

In opening the 1960 report, Brother Smith pointed out that the dec­ ade of 1960-1970 would be one in which the problems of fraternity ex­ pansion would be extremely complex. On the one hand, there was certain to be an explosion in college enrollments, reducing the mem­ bers of fraternities to an even smaller percentage of the total and, on the other hand, there was the formidable cost of establishing a frater­ nity chapter. He pointed out further that merely expanding in number of chapters and members would not benefit the fraternity movement for, in order to justify their existence, they must continue to strive for excellence, in the development of their individual members—in schol­ arship, character, leadership and service to their alma mater.

In surveying the expansion which had occurred in Beta Theta Pi since World War II, he noted that the fraternity had followed the mandate of several conventions in seeking to add strength in the South, the West and in Canada. In these areas he pointed out that Beta was not represented at the following institutions: South—Auburn, Alabama, Georgia, Louisana State, Kentucky, Wake Forest, University of Florida at Tampa, and Arkansas.

West—Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Wyoming, Arizona State, Uni­ versity of California at Riverside, Santa Barbara and Occidental.

Canada—McGill, Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

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Former President Smith recommended that the fraternity continue to watch developments in these institutions but felt that the best op­ portunities for expansion in each of these areas existed at: Southeast—Alabama Polytechnic at Auburn Rocky Mountain—Wyoming Southwest—Arizona State University Pacific Coast—Occidental Canada—University of Alberta While the writer felt that the growth of Beta Theta Pi in the East and Middle-west was generally complete, he recommended that the fraternity watch carefully the growing importance of such schools as Albion in Michigan and Bowling Green State in Ohio. With the grow­ ing emphasis upon graduate work at such institutions as the University of Michigan, other schools would become more important in the educa­ tion of the undergraduates. It was also true, he stated, that much recent expansion of some fraternities had been at former teacher colleges which, since World War II, had attained general college status. In this regard he repeated a statement which had appeared in a previous ex­ pansion survey, i.e. “It would be the recommendation of your commit­ tee that Beta Theta Pi consider entering institutions whose status has changed only after they have been four-year degree granting colleges or universities of a general character for a period of ten years.”

In his conclusion, Brother Smith suggested, as a program for the coming decade, the following: (1) Continued internal strengthening of the fraternity to build up any chapters not now fully conscious of the responsibility of Beta Theta Pi as a full partner in higher education (2) a continuing review of educational developments as they affect Beta Theta Pi (3) a priority be given for the establishment of new chapters at Arizona State University and Alabama Polytechnic Institute at Auburn.

The Board of Trustees, at its May, 1960 meetings, welcomed former President Smith’s report as a helpful guide for future expansion plans.

The members approved giving aid and encouragement to the small group at Auburn but voted to delay any immediate steps at Arizona State. It was apparent that the newly established chapter at Arizona

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“Morrie” and “Shep” Morris R. Ebersole (left) with Francis W. Shepardson, then President of the fraternity, en route to the installation of Gamma chapter at UCLA in 1936.

was encountering some of the difficulties so often experienced when a charter is granted to a colonizing group. It was felt that the new Delta Beta chapter would need the help of all Beta alumni in Arizona for several years and that such aid should not be immediately divided by efforts to establish another chapter in that state at that time.

MORRIS R. E B ER SO LE— 1876-1960

Morris Rogers Ebersole, Cincinnati 1898, retired advertising execu­ tive who had served the fraternity in many capacities, died January 23, 1960 at his home in Hollywood, California at the age of 83.

Few men were able to find as many ways to contribute to Beta Theta Pi as did “Morrie” Ebersole. He designed the shingle which every initiate receives, he drew the first art cover for T he Beta Theta Pi and designed the “end sheet” used in most Beta publications and held numerous offices. It was obvious from his days as an undergraduate un­ til his death that he loved his fraternity and all the opportunities for service which it offered. He loved its songs and served as chorister at nine general conventions. From 1910 to 1919 he was a District Chief in a district which at that time included seven chapters in the Chicago

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area. He also served as a chief after moving to California and was prominent in the campaign which resulted in a charter for Gamma Nu chapter at U.C.L.A. In 1920 he was elected to the Board of Trustees for a three-year term.

“Morric” Ebersole’s love for music led to his appointment to numer­ ous song book committees through the years and as recently as 1954 he served on the committee which selected recordings of chapter songs for inclusion in the Beta record album for which he also designed the cover. In all parts of Betadom there were men who had worked and had sung the fraternity’s songs with him. To them he was a heart­ warming example of a man whose life was made richer by his frater­ nity experience. Reporting his death to the district chiefs, General Secretary Seth Brooks wrote, “I have known many loyal and devoted Betas, but not one who exceeded his zeal and ardor. He was a warm friend. He lived the Fraternity and he loved it. I can think of nothing which would mean more to him than for him to know that his friends said of him—‘He was an example of what a Beta should be.’ And he was!”

B E T A S IN P O L IT IC S

The year 1960 was a presidential election year in the U.S.A. and, as in the past, Betas were active politically in the various states and on the national level. This was quite evident in the preliminaries to the election of a president and vice-president, particularly at the Republi­ can National Convention in Chicago. It was there that some of the leading roles were played by members of the fraternity.

Rep. Charles Halleck, Indiana ’22, minority leader in the House of Representatives, was selected as the permanent chairman of the con­ vention and delivered one of the important addresses of the gathering.

Another high honor paid to a Beta was the choice of Mark O. Hatfield, W illam ette ’43, Governor of the State of Oregon, as the man to place the name of Richard M. Nixon in nomination for the presidency. It was highly significant that Brother Hatfield, one of the youngest gov­ ernors in the nation, should be selected for this important task.

Other members of the fraternity who received far-reaching publicity during the convention proceedings were Interior Secretary Fred A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31, who was among those prominently men­

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tioned as vice-presidential possibilities, and John J. Rhodes, Kansas State ’38, who gave a seconding address for his fellow Arizonian, Sena­ tor Barry Goldwater, who had been nominated for the presidency. All of these, plus many others, were prominent on national, state and local levels during the intense campaign which followed. One example was Harry R. Haldeman, U.C.L.A. ’48, an important member of the cam­ paign staff of Vice-President Nixon. His was the responsibility of training the men who made the advance arrangements for the candi­ date’s appearances in all sections of the country.

In the election which followed, two well known Beta names ap­ peared in the list of victors. John Sherman Cooper, Centre ’22, Yale ’23, onetime ambassador to India and U. S. delegate to the United Nations Assembly, was re-elected to the United States Senate by the voters of Kentucky. Republican minority leader Charles A. Halleck, Indiana ’22, was re-elected to the House of Representatives by his Indiana district for his 14th term. Former district chief Peter M. Gunnar, C hicago ’46, Republican state chairman for the state of Oregon, could take great satisfaction for his efforts when that state’s electoral votes were de­ livered to the Republican candidate.

T H E O N E H U N D R E D T W E N T Y -F IR S T G E N E R A L C O N V E N T IO N

Under sunlit skies and surrounded by the sparkling blue waters of Lake Michigan, the Beta clan gathered at the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan from August 30 to September 2, 1960. It was the tenth time that the fraternity had returned to this friendly hostelry with “the longest front porch in the world.” Between four hundred fifty and five hundred persons registered at the Beta registration desk—ac­ tive members, alumni, wives, children and guests of alumni. All ninetyeight chapters had official delegates and twenty-seven alumni organi­ zations were represented. The Cincinnati chapter had the largest dele­ gation with thirteen undergraduates registered.

Honored with the selection as temporary president was Ralph Binney, Illinois ’27, and elected as permanent president of the convention was Columbus S. Barber, W est Virginia ’20, former chief of District V III and editor of The Beta Theta Pi from 1951 to 1955. Selected as

Beta Has Been Here Ten Times The Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan.

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“There’s a Scene where Brothers Greet” Rostrum and delegates’ seating, 121st General Convention.

convention secretary was H. Pearce Atkins, Jr., Cornell ’36, chief of District IX. The 121st will be remembered as the convention which saw the granting of a charter at an institution where a Beta charter had been removed four years previously and one which marked important changes in the official family of the fraternity, both elective and ap­ pointive.

The State of the Fraternity. In their opening addresses to the con­ vention, General Secretary Seth R. Brooks and President Sherwood Bonney were able to report a successful and progressive year for the fraternity but both pointed to the continued actions against the frater­ nity movement throughout the nation and the need to maintain the high moral standards and principles of the brotherhood.

Brother Brooks, ending his tenth year as General Secretary, men­ tioned that during that time he had made over three hundred chapter visitations and paid tribute to the alumni support so evident in all parts of Betadom and to his fellow officers, the board of trustees, the district chiefs and the host of others who give their time and talents for the

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good of die fraternity. On the darker side, he mentioned the few chap­ ters who still defy the laws with improper “Hell Week” activities and called upon all chapters to avoid the “Three D ’s”—practices which are Dirty, Degrading or Dangerous. He admitted that a few chapters were still problems because of their reluctance or inability to control excessive use of liquor in the chapter houses or at social functions. He called upon all members to assist their chapter officers in establishing strict rules and enforcing them.

President Bonney, in addressing the convention at the close of his three-year term in that office, also told of his many visitations to chap­ ters, conclaves, alumni gatherings and inter-fraternity gatherings.

During his period in office he had noted the changing trends which were affecting Beta Theta Pi and other social groups. “We must plan our future,” he said, “with bold business methods based on changing conditions.” Among the changes, he noted the great increase in college enrollments and expressed his belief that Beta and other fraternities would find it necessary to add more chapters and to increase the size of some of the existing chapters. To do this, he pointed out, will require additional financial support by the alumni and an expansion in our own Founders Fund. This source of aid to our chapters, he said, should grow by one or two million dollars within the next few years and this might possibly require a similar type of annual alumni dues used by many other large fraternities. In addition, it will require a more vigor­ ous publicity campaign to encourage sizable donations to the fund.

The Financial Picture. In his annual report, General Treasurer Ed­ mond B. Stofft was able to say that because of a substantial increase in the number of initiates, coupled with efficient administration of the fraternity’s affairs, the year ending June, 1960 showed that income had exceeded expenses with satisfactory increases in the three funds.

The General Fund from which the administrative operations are fi­ nanced showed assets of $165,000 compared with $132,000 for the pre­ vious year or an increase of $33,000. The Baird Fund which receives payments from each initiate covering a life subscription to The Beta Theta Pi, showed assets of $1,220,000 as compared to $1,085,000 or an increase of $135,000. The Founders Fund, from whose assets scholar­ ships are awarded and chapter house financing is aided, had assets of $323,000 compared with $275,000 or an increase of $45,000. This in­ crease included a transfer of $30,000 from the Baird Fund authorized

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by the Board of Trustees and the Fund Trustees. The total assets of the fraternity, at book value amounted to $1,718,000 compared to $1,497,000 for the previous year or an increase of $221,000. However, at market value of securities at the time of the June audit, assets had reached a figure of $2,316,000.

In spite of these encouraging figures, the general treasurer pointed out certain facts for the consideration of all members. He reminded the

He Reported on Finances General Treasurer Edmond B. Stofft, Knox ’20.

delegates that the fraternity still falls far short of many of its principal rivals in its ability to aid deserving undergraduates and assist chapters in new house construction or remodeling. This deficiency is caused by the small size and slow growth of the Founders’ Fund which received gifts of only $7,000 during the past year. To be of substantial assist­ ance, the Fund’s assets should total at least one million dollars and preferably two or three times that amount. He also stated that while operations during the past two years had been exceptionally good, the 1961 convention in California would substantially increase expenses for that year and that the large increase in initiates brought about through the establishment of two new chapters in 1960 would not be duplicated.

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Three New Officers New General Secretary J. Moreau Brown, New President Seth R. Brooks, New Vice-President Richard T. Steele.

Changes at the Top. Since the 121st general convention marked the end of the terms of President Sherwood Bonney and Vice-President K. Warren Fawcett, it became the duty of the undergraduate dele­ gates to elect successors in those offices. It had long been the hope of many members of the fraternity that the day might come when General Secretary Seth R. Brooks might find it possible to retire from his posi­ tion as minister in a large Washington, D.C. church and become presi­ dent of Beta Theta Pi—to become the inspirational leader of the frater­ nity. When the convention gathered it was learned that while Brother Brooks was not yet ready to step out of his church position, he was will­ ing, if the membership so desired, that his name be proposed for the presidency of the fraternity.

The committee on General Fraternity Officers was enthusiastic in its desire to nominate Brother Brooks and, after obtaining his resignation as general secretary, proposed his election to the convention. It was explained to the delegates that Seth Brooks, if elected, wished to con­ tinue under the same arrangements concerning honorarium, office and traveling expenses as had been practiced in the past and would devote considerable time to chapter visitations and to attendance at Beta gatherings from coast to coast. The delegates, recognizing Brother

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Brooks’ great contributions to the fraternity and the good fortune of the Brotherhood in being able to obtain his services on an even broader basis, voted unanimously and enthusiastically for his election as presi­ dent for a three year term.

To fill the two-year unexpired term as general secretary, the frater­ nity turned to a young Beta leader in New York state, J. Moreau Brown, Dartmouth ’39. Brother Brown was eminently qualified for this important administrative position through his wide experience in the educational field. His background of experience included fifteen years of positions at St. Lawrence University and New York University. At St. Lawrence, from 1944 to 1952, he was assistant to the dean, assistant in sociology, acting director of publicity, and the school’s first director of admissions. The next two years he was assistant dean of admissions at New York University and then joined General Electric Company at Schenectady, New York, where he became manager of educational grants in the Educational Relations Services Department. Always an interested and loyal Beta worker, he was president of the Dartmouth chapter in 1938-1939, took an active part in alumni activities in the Northeast area and was appointed chief of District III in 1956.

To replace Brother Fawcett, whose term as vice-president and trus­ tee expired with the 1960 convention, the delegates chose a prominent New England Beta worker, Richard T. Steele, W esleyan ’21. Brother Steele had also had many years of experience in college-fraternity re­ lationships, having been a trustee of his alma mater, Wesleyan College, for a long period of time. He had served the fraternity in many capaci­ ties, as chief of Districts I and II, as a member of the special commission for re-codifying the laws and as president of the 118th General Con­ vention. He had a record of attendance at thirty-one such gatherings.

In responding to his election to the Board he stated some of his beliefs: that a Beta chapter must be an influence for good on its campus, that it must maintain a record of good scholarship and that it must have the right to choose its own members free from outside pressures.

Other appointments announced by the Board of Trustees included the following: Albert C. May, Carnegie ’21, ending a term as a Founders Fund trustee, was elected to a term as a trustee of the Baird Fund.

Harry B. Kniseley, O klahoma ’25, was elected a trustee of the Found­ ers Fund with a special assignment to formulate plans to increase the size of that fund.

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Joseph J. Romoda, St. Law rence ’33, was appointed to serve another term as the fraternity’s representative in the House of Delegates of the National Interfraternity Conference.

Harold L. Brown, Northwestern ’22, former chief of District XVII, was elected Assistant General Treasurer.

John E. Dolibois, Miami ’42, was appointed Scholarship Commis­ sioner to succeed Joseph J. Romoda. A special committee to supervise the awarding of scholarships would consist of Dolibois as chairman, Joseph J. Romoda and former District Chief Charles L. Lewis.

Vice-President Ben C. Grosscup was designated to serve for another year as Alumni Affairs Commissioner.

George M. Chandler, Michigan 1898, was designated as Historian Emeritus and K. Warren Fawcett, Minnesota ’26, was appointed His­ torian of the fraternity.

Scholarship. The 121st General Convention was expected to be an extremely important one in the field of scholarship because 1960 marked the fifth year of legislation intended to punish chapters with consistently poor scholastic records. The legislation, made effective in 1955, required chapters, in order to escape penalty, to equal the all­ men’s average on their campuses at least once in every three years or be placed on “scholastic probation.” Any such chapters were then given another two years to achieve this minimum standard and if such was not accomplished, the Board of Trustees was to take appropriate ac­ tion. Presumably, the most drastic action would result in a recommen­ dation by the Board to the convention that a charter should be re­ voked.

In his report to the convention, however, is was necessary for Schol­ arship Commissioner Romoda to say that circumstances had compelled a change in the enforcement of the legislation. During recent years, he stated, more and more colleges had refused to supply grade informa­ tion, making it impossible to determine the actual standing of some Beta chapters in relation to the all-men’s average. In view of this condition, the Board of Trustees had felt that it would be unfair to recommend action against certain chapters when it was not possible to obtain information about others which might be in an equal or even less favorable position.

Brother Romoda was able to report, however, that the legislation had apparently had a good effect on many chapters and he pointed out that more than 60 percent had been above the all-men’s average in

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each of the last five years. Cited for records indicating a tradition for good scholarship over the last quarter century were: Colorado Mines, Bethany, Willamette, Kansas, Williams, Miami, Wabash, St. Lawrence, DePauw, Illinois, Lawrence, Hanover, Colorado College, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma, Westminster and Kansas State.

Based on available information, the following chapters were named as those failing to equal the all-men’s average during the past three, four or five years: Amherst, Brown, California, Case, Colgate, Colo-

They Talked of Scholarship Fund Trustee Albert C. May and retiring Scholarship Commissioner Joseph J. Romoda.

rado, Columbia, Knox, Michigan, Michigan State, Pennsylvania, Southern California, Stanford and Washington & Lee. The commis­ sioner commended the Virginia chapter for exceeding the all-men’s average after four years below that standard. One of the two newest chapters, Wichita, was reported in first place among fraternities on that campus in its first year as a chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Back to Syracuse. Although the Board of Trustees had reported that investigations were being made at several institutions where fur­ ther expansion of the fraternity was possible, the only definite recom­ mendation to the convention was that a charter be granted to the Beta Epsilon Club at Syracuse University. This was the group which had

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carried on following the revocation of the charter of the Syracuse chap­ ter in 1956. Originally composed of Betas who had been members of that chapter, it had been augmented during the following four years by men initiated by the Cornell chapter through special dispensation granted by the Board of Trustees.

After interviewing members of Beta Epsilon, alumni of the former Syracuse chapter and fraternity officials who had visited there, the Committee on Charters voted to recommend the granting of the char-

Welcome Back!

Henry L. Cook, Jr., President of Beta Epsilon Club (left), receives the congratulations of Bruce Fitzgerald, Cornell and Syracuse ’60, and Gen­ eral Secretary Brown.

ter. The question then went before the convention delegates who, after brief debate, voted unanimously to grant the charter and Beta was re­ turning to Syracuse after a four year absence.

Considernig the many years during which this chapter had been in serious difficulty and considering the heated debates which had raged at the conventions of 1953, 1954 and 1955 over the fate of the group, it was surprising to many that the charter should be re-issued with almost no debate or question. It was, however, a tribute to the great progress which these men had made and the changes which had oc­ curred with regard to the alumni and the institution in this brief per­ iod of time. It appeared that the shock of losing the charter of this chap­ ter, founded in 1889, had been of such magnitude that it had pro­ duced a re-birth of alumni interest and activity. Adequate quarters had

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Their Chapters Won The North Dakota Awards for chapter publications were accepted for Davidson by William F. Deane, ’61 (left), and for DePauw by Ned Rule, ’61.

been provided for die Beta Epsilon Club and the money from the sale of the former chapter house had been kept intact so that suitable housing could be assured if the charter was regained. The Beta Epsi­ lon group, in spite of the handicap of being a local organization without national affiliation, had maintained a high position in all campus activ­ ities and could report excellent relations with the University. One fac­ tor which undoubtedly swayed the delegates toward the granting of a charter was the urging by Syracuse University officials that Beta re­ turn to that campus. The installation was scheduled for October, 1960.

Convention Happenings. Another in the series of seminars relating to various phases of chapter operation was conducted by Scholarship Commissioner John E. Dolibois. This convention feature had been found extremely helpful to undergraduates at the French Lick gath­ ering in 1959 and the sessions were well attended at Mackinac.

The North Dakota Awards for excellence of chapter publications were won by the DePauw chapter in the “newspaper style” class and

by Davidson in the “magazine” class. Receiving honorable mention in the former group were Wittenberg, Sewanee, Wisconsin and Idaho.

Honored as runners-up in the latter classification were Colorado Mines, Beloit, Iowa State, Missouri and Oregon State.

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Alumni delegate David E. Brown, Illinois ’49, presented on behalf of the Chicago Alumni Association, a check for $500, to provide two Beta scholarships of $250 each.

Coats of Arms were presented to the two new chapters whose char­ ters were granted at the 1959 convention. The Arizona Coat of Arms will bear the symbol of a cactus with a Greek motto meaning “Justice Reigns.” The Wichita symbol will be a triangle representing the “Kan­ sas Triad” composed of Beta chapters at Kansas, Kansas State and Wichita. The Greek motto would be translated as “Dynamic Origin.”

J. Harold (Jack) Ryan, Yale ’08, was presented a silver bowl by the convention in recognition of his attendance at his 50th general con­ vention.

Also honored were a number of brothers for being the oldest Betas at the convention (figures in parentheses show number of years of membership): Walter R. Terry, W esleyan ’01 (63) John L. Baker, Miami ’04 (58) Vincent W. Switzer, Purdue ’07 (56) J. Harold Ryan, Yale ’08 (54) Stratford Morton, W ashington (St. Louis) ’10 (54) Norman B. Ward, C olum bia ’13 (50) George M. Raudebush, Denison ’15 (49) Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15 (49)

Beta Said Thanks Retiring President Bonney accepts Appreciation bowl from Retiring Trustee Faw­ cett.

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Featured speaker at the convention banquet was Dr. Gilbert (Red) Malcolm, Dickinson ’15, until recently president of Dickinson Col­ lege. The undergraduate speaker was Alan Polansky, W estern Reserve ’62. On behalf of the past and present officers who had served with him, retiring Vice-President Fawcett presented a silver bowl to retiring Pres­ ident Sherwood Bonney as a token of their esteem and appreciation for his many years of service to the fraternity.

Many of those in attendance at the convention were saddened to

He Knew Beta History Karl Wood Fischer, Indiana ’25.

hear, on the day before the opening session, of the death in Indian­ apolis of former District Chief and former Assistant Historian Karl W. Fischer, Indiana and Dickinson ’25, after a prolonged illness. His close friend District Chief Meid Compton and President Seth R. Brooks paid tribute to Brother Fischer on the convention floor, calling attention to his great contributions to the fraternity. These included many articles of great historic value written for The Beta Theta Pi, a chapter history of Pi chapter, a history of the Mystic Seven and as­ sistance to many chapters in compiling chapter histories and plan­ ning anniversary celebrations. Probably no Beta of his time had a wider knowledge of the early history of the fraternity and its chapters.

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His research and writings will remain as an everlasting memorial to the man who, in the words of Seth Brooks, “loved Beta Theta Pi as much as any man.”

A popular feature of the 1959 convention was repeated at the 1960 gathering. This was an evening session to which were invited all the guests of the convention and included talks by four well known Betas on the subject, “My Most Memorable Beta Experience.” The speakers were Stratford Morton, W ashington (St. Louis) TO, well known St. Louis business and civic leader and former Trustee; Thad Byrne, W ash­ ington State ’25, former district chief and former editor of T he Beta Theta Pi; Andrew Nicholoff, W ittenberg ’48, chief of District X III and Arthur C. Wickenden, Denison ’15, former district chief and former Keeper of the Rolls.

B E T A O L Y M P IC STA R S

Nineteen Sixty was an Olympic year and between convention ses­ sions there was a rush by the delegates to the Grand Hotel news stand to find out what was happening in far-off Rome. Adding to the interest in the achievements of what had been hailed as the greatest U. S. Olympic squad was the fact that several Betas were seeking the highest of all amateur honors. Of these, three emerged as Gold Medal winners for their respective countries.

Easily the outstanding player on the undefeated U. S. Olympic bas­ ketball team was Jerry Lucas, Ohio State ’62. This young athlete had led his Ohio State team, as a sophomore, to the Big Ten champion­ ship, the NCAA championship and was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the latter tourney. Chosen as a member of the Olympic squad, he justified his selection by being the outstanding player in the series of games in Rome which brought a Gold Medal to the U. S. Competing under the colors of his native country of Australia was Murray Rose, Southern California ’61, one of the finest young swim­ mers who ever performed in collegiate competition in the U. S. Brother Rose had won three Gold Medals for Australia in the 1956 games in Melbourne and continued his record-breaking ways in Rome.

He broke the Olympic record while successfully defending his 400 meter free-style title against the fastest field the world had ever known.

In the 1500 meter trials he lowered his own Olympic record by more

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Olympic Champion Murray I. Rose, South­ ern California ’61.

than 20 seconds and clipped 15 more seconds off in the finals. However in the latter event he held back too long and was nosed out by his teammate Jon Konrads by two yards, winning the Silver Medal.

The third Beta Gold Medal winner was also a member of the swim­ ming squad, George Harrison, Stanford ’61. He won the 200 meter free­ style event in the Olympic trials in the U. S. A. and in Rome he swam on the victorious relay team which set new Olympic and world records for 800 meters. In the Olympic competition and in collegiate competition in the U. S. he had demonstrated that he must be clas­ sified among the great swimmers of the world—a truly great sprinter as well as a distance star, butterfly expert and top-grade medley swimmer.

SOME BETAS OF A C H IEV EM EN T — 1960

Robert E. Hilliard, Minnesota ’39, St. Louis public relations exec­ utive, was named a member of the national board of directors of the Family Service Association of America.

John H. Farnham, Syracuse ’16, a former district chief, was elected a member of the New York State Supreme Court.

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Dr. Winchell McK. Craig, Ohio W esleyan ’15, was appointed by President Eisenhower to be special assistant on health and medical matters to the Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare.

William A. Dillon, Jr., North Carolina ’40, was elected president of the National Consumer Finance Association.

Ellis Eugene (Gene) Vance, Illinois ’47, was appointed executive director of the University of Illinois Alumni Association. One of the famous “Whiz Kids” of basketball fame at Illinois in the 1940’s, he had been field director of the association since 1956. He succeeded C. E. (Chilly) Bowen, Purdue and Illinois ’22, who retired after 17 years with the Alumni Association and a total of 32 years with the university.

Dr. Charles E. Odegaard, Dartmouth ’32, president of the Univer­ sity of Washington, Seattle, was elected president of the International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies.

Two new Beta Rhodes Scholars were Robert F. Ashman, W abash ’60, and Paul B. Van Buren, South D akota ’60. They brought to 74 the total number of Betas gaining this high scholastic honor since the scholar­ ships were established in 1902.

The Rev. Dr. Max A. Kapp, St. L aw ren ce ’26, was named dean of the Theological School of St. Lawrence University. He thus became the second Beta among deans of that institution, joining Dr. Joseph Ro­ moda, St. Law rence ’33, Dean of the College of Letters and Science, Scholarship Commissioner and former Vice-President of Beta Theta Pi. Rotary Foundation Fellowships for study abroad in 1960-1961 were awarded to three Betas: Jack L. Lawing, North Carolina ’60; Robert L. Keele, Jr., Sew anee ’56, and John D. Taylor, Miami ’60.

Sherwood M. Bonney, Dickinson ’31, President of Beta Theta Pi, was elected a director of Johnson & Higgins, well known international in­ surance firm.

Herbert E. Hall, California ’16, was elected president of the Mills College board of trustees in California.

Dr. Edwin D. Gates, B eloit ’43, general secretary of Macalester Col­ lege of St. Paul, Minnesota, was selected to be president of Beaver College at Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.

John R. Ulrich, Jr., L ehigh and Dickinson ’40, was presented with a medal and citation by the Department of the Interior. The honors were extended because of his services to the department as Pacific North­ west regional information representative from 1956 to 1959. Presenta­

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tion was made by Interior Secretary Fred A. Seaton, Kansas State ’31.

The Junior Chamber of Commerce of Nashville, Tennessee selected William J. Wade, Vanderbilt ’52, as its Outstanding Young Man of the Year. Wade is well known to sports fans as a quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams.

District Chief Harold S. Hook, Missouri ’53, was named administra­ tive vice-president of the National Fidelity Life Insurance Co. of Kan­ sas City.

John J. McCloy, Amherst ’16, was selected by President-elect John Kennedy to serve as director of the United States disarmament ad­ ministration. McCloy, a Republican, had many times brought great credit to the fraternity through his service in important positions. He was an assistant secretary of war in the Truman administration and also served as president of the International Bank for Reconstruction and as High Commissioner of Germany. Following his retirement from that post he had occupied the position of chairman of the board of Chase National Bank.

“L E T US P R O C L A IM T H E G O O D N E W S ”

Thus read the Greek motto on the coat of arms which, in 1889, was presented to the new chapter of Beta Theta Pi at Syracuse University.

It could well serve as the theme of the joyous events on the night of October 20, 1960 when Beta Epsilon at Syracuse was re-established with ceremonies at the Drumlins Country Club.

Readers of this history will recall that, after years of difficulties, the charter of this chapter was revoked in 1956 and now, four years later, Beta was returning to the birthplace of one of its older chapters—one which had originally been a temple of the Mystical Seven. It was in­ deed a time for rejoicing and the banquet scene saw an assemblage of over 125 Betas in addition to many guests. The latter included several leading members of the Syracuse University staff, presidents of fortyfour Syracuse fraternities and sororities, general fraternity officers, wives, mothers and fathers.

Representing the general fraternity were President Seth R. Brooks who delivered the principal address and General Secretary J. Mor­ eau Brown who also had an inspiring message for the re-activated chapter. Also present were former district chiefs Paul Van Riper, De-

At the Syracuse Installation Left to right: front row: Irving Harney, Assistant Dean of Men, Syracuse University; Mrs. Alta Sargent, President, Mothers’ Club; former District Chief Carl Sorensen, President, Alumni Association; Dr. Seth R. Brooks, President, Beta Theta Pi. Back row, left to right: Donald Caswell, Secretary, Beta Epsilon; Carlton E. Krathwohl, Dean of Men, Syracuse University; J. Moreau Brown, General Secretary, Beta Theta Pi; Henry Cook, President, Beta Epsilon chapter; David Squires, Syracuse ’47, Banquet toast­ master and William P. Graham, Syracuse 1893, Chancellor Emeritus, Syracuse University.

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Pauw ’38, who received a special tribute for his years of assistance to the chapter; H. J. Bigelow, C olgate ’11; Edward L. McEvoy, Syra­ cuse ’36, and Carl Sorensen, Syracuse ’39.

Speaking for the university, Dean of Men Carlton E. Krathwohl congratulated the active chapter and the alumni on the outstanding record which had been achieved since the loss of the charter and ex­ pressed the confidence of the administration in Beta Epsilon. For­ mer Chancellor William Pratt Graham, Beta Epsilon 1893, expressed his joy at the re-establishment of the chapter.

Carl Sorensen, ’39, president of the alumni association, was singled

They Welcomed Beta Epsilon Left to right: Herbert W. Coakley, Syracuse ’16; Mr. John Cook, representing alumni of Phi Delta Theta; B. Churchill Loveland, Syracuse ’16, Beta Epsilon financial advisor and Henry J. Big­ elow, C olgate ’11.

out by General Secretary Brown for special praise for his efforts in molding the group to a point where a charter could be sought. He also announced that Brother Sorensen would be his direct representa­ tive in the operations of the re-established chapter.

With David Squires, ’47, acting as master of ceremonies, the pro­ gram was one which shall long be remembered by those who at­ tended. The formal presentation of the charter was made by Presi­ dent Brooks and receiving it was Chapter President Henry L. Cook, ’62. Mrs. Alta Sargent, president of the Mothers’ Club, expressed the happines of that group with the return of the charter and pledged con­ tinued aid and support of the chapter. Banquet chairman was Paul Farley, ’55, assisted by Robert Haege, St. L aw rence ’51, Robert Heydett, ’53, and Douglas Blanchard, St. L aw rence ’54.

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JOHN LEW IS BAKER

John Lewis Baker, Miami ’04, Archivist of Beta Theta Pi and for­ mer fund trustee, died October 27, 1960 at the home of a brother, D. R. Baker, Miami ’14, near Middletown, Ohio. He was 78.

A regular attendant of Beta conventions, he was known to countless hundreds who met him at those gatherings as a kindly, lovable person

Beta Archivist John L. Baker, Miami ’04 (right), receiving John Reily Knox cane from Robert H. Jamison, Ohio W esleyan ’06, nephew of Pater Knox’s law partner.

and a loyal and devoted worker for the fraternity. He was present at the 1960 convention at Mackinac Island, seemingly in good health, but was stricken with a heart attack while on a family outing at Clifty Falls State Park in Indiana September 6.

Besides building a successful career in the insurance field, Brother Baker always found time to perform valuable services for Beta Theta Pi. In 1940 he was appointed by the Board of Trustees to be a trustee

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of the Founders’ Fund and he served in that capacity until 1948. Soon after, in 1950, the Board again turned to him with appointment as the Archivist of the fraternity, a position which he held until his death.

With the establishment of the headquarters building in Oxford, the fraternity for the first time had a suitable place at which it could as­ semble, store and display historical items and memorabilia having to do with the life history of the organization. Through his love for the frater­ nity and his long association with it, John L. Baker was ideally suited to supervise this work and Beta Theta Pi will always be grateful to him.

Few persons are aware of the hours of time which he gave and the miles he traveled to unearth old Beta badges, ancient chapter records and pins of local fraternities which became chapters of the fraternity.

Thanks to him, the collection of such local insignia is about as nearly complete as could be possible.

As an undergraduate at Miami University, Brother Baker was busi­ ness manager of “The Miami Student” and won senior honors in philos­ ophy. When Phi Beta Kappa installed a Miami chapter in 1911, he was one of a small group of alumni selected for membership.

For three years after graduation he was a salesman for the Western Electric and Central Electric Companies of Chicago, after which he entered the law school of Indiana University, receiving his law degree in 1910. He practiced law for several years in Indianapolis and also taught law classes. Following a period as an Army Major in World War I, he became associated with the insurance business in the Phil­ adelphia area, a career which he followed with distinction during the rest of his business life. At the time of his retirement in 1948 he was vice-president and general counsel of the Fire Association of Philadel­ phia, now known as the Reliance Insurance Company.

Soon after his retirement he became chairman of the Redevelop­ ment Authority of Delaware County, Pennsylvania. This combined ef­ fort of the state and federal governments in slum clearance and housing for suburban areas west of Philadelphia had supervision of the spend­ ing of 2/4 million dollars. He continued as chairman of this authority until he moved back to his native town of Oxford, Ohio in the summer of 1960. He was a member of Oxford Lodge, F. & A. M. and of the Presbyterian church, Murat Temple of the Shrine and the Scottish Rite in Indianapolis.

His wife, Mrs. Emma Squires Baker, died August 11, 1959 and was

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buried in Oxford. Survivors include his two brothers, D. Russell Ba­ ker, Miami ’14 and Albert G. Baker, Iow a State ’26; and three sisters.

He was an uncle of John B. Baker, Miami ’39.

A N E W H O M E FO R LA M BD A

Of all the scores of Beta houses located on college campuses across the continent, one of the best known was the pillared, colonial structure at Ann Arbor, Michigan, the home of Lambda chapter since 1903. This faithful shelter for hundreds of sons of Michigan had finally given way to the ravages of time and was torn down in 1959 to be re­ placed by the beautiful, modern house which was dedicated during a series of events on November 5, 1960.

The dedication ceremony began at 11:30 in the morning when un­ dergraduates, alumni and guests gathered in the new house with at­ tention centered in the main entrance hall. It was there that chapter president William M. Gomez, ’61, produced a small copper box which had been recovered from the cornerstone of the old house and which contained a letter from Pater Knox and other documents from that day in 1903. After adding letters and other Beta material of the present day to the box, President Gomez placed it in a niche in the entrance hall wall and several chapter members lifted the old cornerstone to that place which it will occupy in the new home. In the same hall are plaques memorializing members of the chapter who lost their lives in wars fought during the lifetime of the chapter.

Following the cornerstone ceremony brief talks were given by vis­ iting general fraternity officers and by Michigan alumni most active in the campaign which resulted in the new house. Noble D. Travis, Michigan ’26, president of the Beta Theta Pi Club of Michigan, paid tribute to the efforts of Stanley S. Kresge, Michigan ’24, chair­ man of the building committee and to the architect, Daniel C. Bryant, Michigan ’36. Speaking for the general fraternity were Vice-President Francis M. “Chub” Rich, Illinois ’24, District Chief Phillip W. Morris, W ittenberg ’40, and former President Bertram W. Bennett, Knox ’20.

The excellent kitchen and dining facilities of the new structure were given a thorough test as 175 persons were served at a buffet luncheon previous to the Michigan-Illinois football game. The final event in this momentous day was the dedication banquet held in the Michigan Stu-

Lambda Chapterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Home at the University of Michigan After long and devoted efforts by many alumni, it replaced a fifty-seven year old chapter house in Ann Arbor and was the object of a joyful dedication in November, 1960.

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In the New House The cornerstone from the old chapter house is given a prominent place in Lambda’s new home. Shown (left) is Maurice W. (Tony) Wheeler, ’04 and (right) chapter presi­ dent William M. Gomez, ’61.

dent Union. Principle speaker was Dr. Harlan H. Hatcher, presi­ dent of the University of Michigan, who reviewed the great contribu­ tion of fraternities to that institution in the past and spoke of their im­ portant role in the future of American colleges. Many sincere tributes were paid by other speakers to the Lambda alumni whose efforts and contributions had made the new house possible. Singled out for partic­ ular praise were Brothers Travis and Kresge, mentioned previously, and Harvey C. Beeson, Michigan TO. The new Lambda house is a low, modern appearing structure which will accommodate forty men in the two-room suites located in a section removed from the living room, library and other public rooms. The combined dining and recreational facilities are located under the sleeping and study suites and feature an expanse of large windows overlooking a sunken terrace. The design is such that additional sleep­ ing rooms may be added over the living room.

A N E W H O M E FO R B E T A KAPPA

Climaxing seven years of intensive effort by many Betas, the Beta Kappa chapter dedicated its new home at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio on November 5, 1960. The impressive structure of classic design had been erected on the site of the former chapter house at 23 South Congress Street and was the first new fraternity house at Ohio Univer­ sity in 40 years.

The dedication day’s events started in the morning with a gathering

492 Beta Kappaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New House at Ohio University

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of alumni, wives and friends to witness the planting of “Beta Ivy” at the corners of the new structure by former District Chief W. F. (Doc) Loveless, Denison ’25. He told how the ivy had originally been planted at Miami’s “Old Main” by Founder John Reily Knox, then transplanted to the Denison chapter house by Francis W. Shepardson and now to be shared with Beta Kappa.

Climactic event of the day was the dedication banquet arranged by James Dressel, ’61, and Gerald Galloway, ’62, and with James D. Mit­ chell, ’61, acting as toastmaster. Representing the General Fraternity and delivering the principal address was President Seth R. Brooks. The inspirational presentation of the ideals of the fraternity by Brother Brooks and the challenge to the local chapter to measure up to those ideals was termed by Dr. John C. Baker, Ohio University president, as “one of the finest fraternity addresses ever given on this campus.” Dr. Baker addressed the gathering also, paying tribute to the men who had spearheaded the finance campaign, Gordon K. Bush, ’24, and Russell W. Finsterwald, ’17.

Keys to the new chapter house were presented to Bush by Homer H. Marshman, ’20, president of the Beta Kappa Educational Foundation and one of the prime spirits in the new house drive. Bush, as president of the Beta Kappa House Company, in turn presented them to Chap­ ter President David M. Briggs, ’62.

District Chief Andrew Nicholoff, W ittenberg ’48, complimented the group on the completion of the new house and Lawrence G. Worstell. ’25, alumnus financial advisor, presented the awards given by the Beta Kappa Educational Foundation to the man in each class with the high­ est point average for the previous year.

The new structure was built to provide accommodations for 43 men and housemother. It contains a gracious library, parlor, study rooms, dining and recreation areas and a place for chapter meetings. It was built and completely furnished for $235,000 and was designed by Ray Sims, Ohio State ’11. The main living room contains a portrait of Homer Marshman as a tribute to the member who had so much to do with the successful efforts for a new house. A bronze plaque in the hallway reads, “Dedicated to the Alumni of Beta Kappa Chapter, Beta Theta Pi, inspired by Homer H. Marshman, B K 344.”

The library was named the “Theodore Gerken Library” honoring Theodore H. Gerken, ’25, for the books given from his own personal

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collection, the balance of which has been willed to the chapter. The dining room was named “Matthews Hall” for Charles H. Matthews, ’07, in recognition of his generous contributions including two English coach scene pictures for the library and fire irons for the living room fireplace. The “cornerstone” of the new house is actually a stone panel over the front door inscribed “Beta Theta Pi, B K 1841.”

N E W D IS T R IC T C H IE F S

With the election of a new General Secretary and the appoint­ ment of two of its number to other offices, several changes were made in 1960 in the Corps of District Chiefs.

Frank Gierhart, O klahoma ’59, of Washington, D. C. took over di­ rection of District V III to replace Irwin H. Wensink, Latorence ’29, who had given many years of devoted service to the fraternity. His dis­ trict includes chapters at Johns Hopkins, Virginia and Washington and Lee. To replace Brice T. (Pete) Leech, Centre ’43, the general secretary appointed Eugene (Nick) Nickerson, Cincinnati ’53, to be Chief of District XIV which includes Centre, Cincinnati and Miami. Brother Nickerson, whose home was in Cincinnati, had just completed a term as president of the Cincinnati Alumni Association.

John H. (Jack) Williams, St. Law rence ’48, took over direction of District III from Carl Sorensen, Syracuse ’39, with chapters at Colgate, St. Lawrence and Union. Brother Williams and his wife operated a camp in that area and he had served as Assistant Director of Admis­ sions at St. Lawrence in the winter months.

Conwell Smith, Texas ’50, was appointed Chief of District XXI, re­ placing Walter J. Allan, C olorado ’22, who had rendered valuable serv­ ice in the Texas and Oklahoma area and in the establishment of the new Wichita chapter. Conwell was a resident of Austin, Texas, and his district includes chapters at Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Southern Methodist.

To replace Harold L. (Hal) Brown, Northwestern ’22, who was ap­ pointed Assistant General Treasurer, the General Secretary selected John M. Turner, Beloit ’52, a business man of Chicago, Illinois. At the time of his appointment he was president of the Beloit Alumni Associ­ ation.

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A re-districting of chapters in the Michigan-Illinois-Wisconsin area was planned by General Secretary Brown for the near future. It was announced that District XVI would include Wisconsin, Illinois, Michi­ gan, Michigan State and Northwestern. New District XVII would in­ clude the smaller schools in the area: Beloit, Lawrence, Knox and Chicago.

Farris P. Hotchkiss, Washington and L e e ’58, of Atlanta, Georgia was appointed as Chief of Distriict X to replace Robert B. Mautz, Miami ’37. He will work with chapters at Emory, Florida and Georgia Tech.

B E T A S A T T H E N IC

Because of the controversies over membership qualifications af­ fecting many leading fraternities, the annual gathering of the National Interfraternity Conference in Los Angeles, November 24-26, 1960 was of great importance. It was also important because of the leading roles played by several members of Beta Theta Pi. Former President Ber­ tram W. Bennett, Knox ’20, who was elected to the Executive Com­ mittee at the 1959 meeting, was elevated to the secretaryship of that group. If past custom is followed, he will, in succeeding years, become treasurer, vice-chairman and finally chairman in 1963. During 1960 he had been chairman of the Committee on College Trustees Communi­ cations seeking to improve the relations between fraternities and mem­ bers of college boards of trustees who are fraternity men.

One of the featured speakers at the conference banquet was Dr. Franklin D. Murphy, Kansas ’36, Chancellor, University of California at Los Angeles and former chancellor of his alma mater, the University of Kansas. Representing Beta Theta Pi in the House of Delegates were former scholarship commissioner Joseph J. Romoda, St. Law rence ’33, and Administrative Secretary Frederick Brower, Miami ’50, as alternate.

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Thus another quarter of a century in the life of the brotherhood known as Beta Theta Pi drew to a close. It had been a twenty-five year period filled with events which tested that organization of men to de­ termine whether it would go forward, slip backward or remain static.

The early years of the period saw the loss of a great leader, one who

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had dominated the government and thinking of the fraternity to such an extent that many doubted if the organization could find officers to replace him. However, anyone associated with the operations of Beta Theta Pi since that day will have to agree that, even though the loss of Francis Shepardson was a grievous blow, leaders of great stature have emerged and Beta has continued to go forward. Thus once again it has been proven that while individuals come and go it is the ideals and principles upon which the brotherhood was founded which are un­ changing and eternal. When the foundation is solid, the winds and storms of history may dash against the structure bringing fear to human hearts but cause no permanent damage to the edifice itself.

Such a storm threatened the very existence of the fraternity, and all similar societies of free men, with the onslaught of World War II. It was during those cataclysmic years that one of the finest pages in Beta’s life was written. It was during that time that many thinking men pre­ dicted that with chapter houses closed, undergraduates scattered to all parts of the world, alumni devoting their energies to the war effort and income severely reduced, such a society could not survive. It was then that both young Betas and their older sires proved by their ac­ tions that their love for and their loyalty to that association was of such durable and sincere nature that it could withstand the most devasting holocaust. The rapidity with which the fraternity and its chapters re­ built in the post-war years was a tribute to the members of that era and to those who had gone before them and had built the brotherhood so solidly and so well.

The quarter-century witnessed great changes in the fraternity numercially and financially. The number of chapters increased only by twelve from 87 to 99, reflecting the continuing conservative policy of expansion, but the number of active, undergraduate members in­ creased from 3,467 in 1935 to 5,290 in 1960. This also reflects an in­ crease in the average chapter membership from 38.5 in 1935 to 53.4 in 1960. The total membership of the fraternity (living and dead) was shown to be 40,409 in 1935 and by 1960 this figure had grown to over 80,000—thus the total number of initiates had doubled in the past twenty-five years. In 1960 the total number of living members with known addresses was 51,277.

The increase in membership and chapters, the wise handling of in­ vestments and generally good economic conditions had also produced

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a healthy increase in the funds of the fraternity. This was particularly true of the Baird Fund, the income from which is used to finance The Beta Theta Pi. This fund stood at $222,000 in 1935 and by 1960 had a book value of $1,220,000—an increase of almost exactly one million dollars. The Founders’ Fund, used for scholarships and to aid in chap­ ter house construction, had not brought the response from the alumni visualized by those who originated it but had grown from $80,000 in 1935 to $323,600 by 1960. In 1960 the General Fund from which the current operations of the fraternity were financed amounted to $165,000.

Thus, in that year, the market value of the securities owned by the fraternity, plus its liquid assets, had reached the total of $2,316,000.

This healthy increase in worth had been achieved in spite of the fact that it had been necessary to dip into reserves to finance operations during World War II and in spite of the purchase and furnishing of the administrative headquarters building in Oxford, Ohio.

Although many great general conventions occurred during the twenty-five year span, the most pretentious and significant single event was the Centenary in 1939 marking the one hundredth birthday of the fraternity and held at the scene of its founding on the campus of Miami University. The week-long program not only brought together the largest assembly of members and guests but served to focus atten­ tion on the achievements of the past and hopes for the future. Out of the enthusiasm engendered by the inspiration of those memorable days came the beautiful bell tower called the Beta Campanile erected on the Miami campus as a perpetual reminder of the first hundred years of the fraternity. Another tangible result which soon followed was the establishment of the Administrative Office which has brought such great aid to the officers in their administrative operations.

In this quarter-century Beta, along with many of the other fraterni­ ties, made great progress in eliminating practices which had brought rightful criticism from college authorities and the general public. By strict legislation and with the cooperation of most of its undergraduate members the fraternity had, by 1960, eliminated almost all Hell Week and other distasteful and dangerous pre-initiation practices. In the field of scholarship, while continuing to lead all other fraternities, Beta also became concerned over the low standing of some of its members and chapters and, through legislation, raised its scholastic requirements for initiation. A general convention removed the charter of a chapter

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which failed to meet standards which had been set by undergraduate and alumni delegates to a previous gathering. Another convention set financial standards which chapters were expected to meet. Thus the fraternity was busy during these twenty-five years examining its own house to see if its members and chapters were living up to the high principles laid down by the founders and by the leaders of the past. By thus strengthening its own structure Beta Theta Pi was preparing for the next quarter century—one in which it may find itself further tested. Already, in the years following World War II, the entire frater­ nity world was being subjected to attack from without—a condition which would probably grow more serious in the decades to come. So­ cial changes, particularly in the United States, were focusing attention on any organizations with membership restrictions affecting particular races. While the absence of such written restrictions meant that Beta was not directly affected, as was the case with several leading fra­ ternities, most members recognized that controversy over membership policies might develop at any time.

Only the passage of time and a viewpoint at a much greater distance from 1960 will be required to determine whether the quarter century 1935-1960 was a period of great significance in the life of Beta Theta Pi. Regardless of what future opinion may be, the fact remains that during this period on college campuses across the continent lasting friendships have been made, leaders have been created from immature boys, college life has been enriched, character has been strengthened, and thousands of young men have benefited immeasurably from their membership in this association. If nothing else had been recorded, those achievements alone would have justified the hopes and dreams of the Eight back in old Miami in 1839.

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O Beta, thou art ever glorious.

Thy bonds are sweet, thy service, joy!

The brightness o f thy radiant im age Years shall not dim nor time destroy.

Now, now, to thee w e bring our praises, W hile we around thy altar bow ; Our loyal trust, our hearts’ devotion, Our love and faith w e pled g e th ee now.

—JA M ES TA FT HATFIELD