Our Omega Mu veteran-brothers who served in the military are cherished and constant fraternal friends, and we would like to say thank you for the steadfast, purposeful commitment you made to our nation to defend those four freedoms we all believe in: “Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.” For those brothers who were killed in defense of these freedoms, they will always occupy a consecrated place in our linked fraternal heart because they exemplify the idea of superlative commitment, strength, and fortitude for the good to the end itself. The greatness of their collective purpose and will, on our nation’s behalf, will never be forgotten. By their “clear-eyed faith and fearless heart,” these brothers have left us a fraternal legacy that echoes what we often say about Omega Mu Fijis: “Perseverance and determination are omnipotent.” Their code of integrity, courage, duty, responsibility, and self-sacrifice on behalf of our nation is a powerful legacy we can all be proud of as Omega Mu Fijis. Whether it was at New Orleans, Red River, Fort Blakely, Marianna, San Juan Hill, Santiago de Cuba, Chateau-Thierry, Verdun, El Guettar, Elba, Monte Della Vedetta, the Battle of the Bulge, Rabaul, Inchon, Pusan, Chosin Reservoir, Pork Chop Hill, Hue, Easter Offensive, Phu Cat, The Iron Triangle, Hamburger Hill, la Drang Valley, Bien Hoa, Khe Sanh, Rumaila, Al-Batin, Medina Ridge, Kabul, Kandahar, our Omega Mu brothers have demonstrated devotion to duty in defense of freedom and liberty. They are the stability of our nation, and we, the Omega Mu brotherhood, revere, honor, and salute their persevering and determined spirit within our great nation and our historic brotherhood. We will always be grateful for the military service of every Omega Mu veteran from the Civil War to the present. Thank you. Omega Mu Veteran |
“Chain, Chain, Chain”
Chip Chapman
Omege Mu, 1982
Historically,
It is worth
Pondering,
Is it not,
The long
Interesting
Chain of
Omega
Mu
Nicknames, our
Deep-rooted
Folkloric
Fiji tradition,
The human
Bread of
Our brotherhood
That dates
Back to
Our Q.T.V
Foundating
In 1874,
And has
Has remained
A linking
Fraternal strength,
Nickname-
To-nickname,
One-by-
One, in
Linked
Historic
Form, like
Verse, in
Helping creating
A wonderful
Fraternal
Pulse of
Fraternal cheer
And good
Humor within
Our Omega
Mu
Brotherhood
And life-
Long
Friendships,
And, when
It is all
Said and done,
That,
Over the long-
Haul of
Life, means
More than
Anything.
But,
Thankfully,
We do
Not have
Low-
Brow, common
Pedestrian
Names that
Are empty,
Irreverent and
Sordid like
Weasel, Mothball
Pinto, Stork,
D-Day, Flounder.
And, god bless
Belushi’s hilarious
Soul,
A Bluto, an
Exemplary fraternity
Man who
Famously shouted,
With evangelical
Fraternal
Fervor, his
Rhodes Scholar
Historical intellect
On full
Delta House
Display:
“Was it
Over when
The Germans
Bombed Pearl
Harbor? Hell
No!”
Likewise,
Hell no, our
Omega Mu
Nicknames have
Always been
Refreshing and
Ennobling with
William F.
Buckley gravitas:
Rich and
High-minded
With urbane
Wit, class,
Style, and
Civilizing
Good taste and
High intellectual
Import,
And were
Arrived at
Through An
Inscrutably
Sober,
Clear-eyed
Divination
Process from
Antiquity,
Grounded in
Deep spiritual
And
Philosophical
Matters; not
A trivial process,
Mind you, but
A sacred
Rite full of
Mystery and
Magic,
Nobility and
Purpose that
Takes calm,
Scrutinizing
Care, time,
And patience,
Literally
Soul-
Searching,
In order to
Discern
The refined
Fraternal
Essence of
Each
Omega Mu
Brother in
The face-to-
Face life within
The architectural
Charm of
The Castle,
And these
Names endure
Link-to-fraternal
Link, generation-
To-generation-
Due to
Their rich,
Rhythmic,
Resonating
Good taste,
And soulful
Profundity
That we
Cherish and
Reverence in
Our seam
Lessly-linked
Omega
Because of
There
Distinctive
Sense of
Status,
Taste,
Wit and
Charm
That we
Pride our
Selves on
As
Omega Mu
Fiji
Brothes
Shitball, Sluggo, The Missing Link,
The Spook, Dusty, Swampy Pond,
The S.P, Humpy, Dippy,
T. Pictum Pursch, Natty Bumpo, Jordan the Lion,
Allie, Judge, Lengthy,
Lamb, Sin, Pater
Gloomy, Puss, Froggie,
Wizard, Bopper, BVD,
Chappy, Clyde Crash-cup,
Gangster, Hazey, Marks-a-lot,
McCerebral, Pecadora, Pizza,
Sola, Solu, Swampy,
Hog, Leo, Dewey,
Farrar, Hazbro, Gandhi,
Mongo, Shetland, Spike,
Shoes, Sweetie, Scud,
Big Daddy, Skillsaw, Bug,
Jughead, Cranium, Granddad,
Popeye, Razor, Ant-Man.
Philthy, Shab, Homer,
Whoa, B.F., Scooter,
Bean Hole, Swany, Fella,
Toad, Mad Dog, Stick,
Buckwheat, Garland, Bart,
Stroutie, BoBo, Snake,
Weasel, Shack, Bunny,
Tuner, Palu, Jag, T,
Rip, Jock, Dr. Cook,
Huddy, Wafer, Grace,
Baldy, Infant, Hoot,
Jingles, Giggles, Scout,
Morrgy, Shorty, Hoss,
Prep, Count, Sasquatch,
Snap, Harpo, Beaver,
Stevo, Smitty, No Hair,
Grape Nut, Drool, Buster,
Sleep, Toots, General,
Stiff, Sphinx, Spanky,
Hashi Mura, Puffy, Love,
Ding-Dong, Brick, Yap,
Bitter, Slicker, Soup,
Cubby, Mama Colucci, Munchie,
Squire, Father, Capt.,
Ikey, Prunes, Fang,
Flea, Lumpy, Stork,
Bosco, Thug, Pat Me Groin,
Root, Dogger, Yorkie,
Red Wolf, Sister, Scrapper,
Sut, Cat, Rat,
Zin, Zip, Zinc,
And Mao,
Never to
Be forgotten,
Secure in the
Rich tapestry
Of our historic
Omega Mu memory
“Because you can
Have something that
Lasts throughout your life.” (Jerry Garcia)
And that is the
Heartfelt human of
“Perfection and grace” (Steely Dan)
Of our linked
Fraternal
Brotherhood,
One generation
After another,
Eternal as
Law in being
Spiritually
Linked with
Our historic
Past and the
Present link
Of our
147 year
Fraternal year,
An unbroken
Brotherhood
Chain of
Fraternal well-
Being of good,
Decent,
Perseverant and
Determined
Men linked
By one noble,
Enduring,
Historically
Resonating
Name, the
Best name,
Always,
Unapologetically
And proudly,
In heart
And
Head,
Omega Mu
Fijis,
The best
Fraternal
Expression of
Brotherhood
At the
University of
Maine since
1874.
Perge
Omege Mu, 1982
Historically,
It is worth
Pondering,
Is it not,
The long
Interesting
Chain of
Omega
Mu
Nicknames, our
Deep-rooted
Folkloric
Fiji tradition,
The human
Bread of
Our brotherhood
That dates
Back to
Our Q.T.V
Foundating
In 1874,
And has
Has remained
A linking
Fraternal strength,
Nickname-
To-nickname,
One-by-
One, in
Linked
Historic
Form, like
Verse, in
Helping creating
A wonderful
Fraternal
Pulse of
Fraternal cheer
And good
Humor within
Our Omega
Mu
Brotherhood
And life-
Long
Friendships,
And, when
It is all
Said and done,
That,
Over the long-
Haul of
Life, means
More than
Anything.
But,
Thankfully,
We do
Not have
Low-
Brow, common
Pedestrian
Names that
Are empty,
Irreverent and
Sordid like
Weasel, Mothball
Pinto, Stork,
D-Day, Flounder.
And, god bless
Belushi’s hilarious
Soul,
A Bluto, an
Exemplary fraternity
Man who
Famously shouted,
With evangelical
Fraternal
Fervor, his
Rhodes Scholar
Historical intellect
On full
Delta House
Display:
“Was it
Over when
The Germans
Bombed Pearl
Harbor? Hell
No!”
Likewise,
Hell no, our
Omega Mu
Nicknames have
Always been
Refreshing and
Ennobling with
William F.
Buckley gravitas:
Rich and
High-minded
With urbane
Wit, class,
Style, and
Civilizing
Good taste and
High intellectual
Import,
And were
Arrived at
Through An
Inscrutably
Sober,
Clear-eyed
Divination
Process from
Antiquity,
Grounded in
Deep spiritual
And
Philosophical
Matters; not
A trivial process,
Mind you, but
A sacred
Rite full of
Mystery and
Magic,
Nobility and
Purpose that
Takes calm,
Scrutinizing
Care, time,
And patience,
Literally
Soul-
Searching,
In order to
Discern
The refined
Fraternal
Essence of
Each
Omega Mu
Brother in
The face-to-
Face life within
The architectural
Charm of
The Castle,
And these
Names endure
Link-to-fraternal
Link, generation-
To-generation-
Due to
Their rich,
Rhythmic,
Resonating
Good taste,
And soulful
Profundity
That we
Cherish and
Reverence in
Our seam
Lessly-linked
Omega
Because of
There
Distinctive
Sense of
Status,
Taste,
Wit and
Charm
That we
Pride our
Selves on
As
Omega Mu
Fiji
Brothes
Shitball, Sluggo, The Missing Link,
The Spook, Dusty, Swampy Pond,
The S.P, Humpy, Dippy,
T. Pictum Pursch, Natty Bumpo, Jordan the Lion,
Allie, Judge, Lengthy,
Lamb, Sin, Pater
Gloomy, Puss, Froggie,
Wizard, Bopper, BVD,
Chappy, Clyde Crash-cup,
Gangster, Hazey, Marks-a-lot,
McCerebral, Pecadora, Pizza,
Sola, Solu, Swampy,
Hog, Leo, Dewey,
Farrar, Hazbro, Gandhi,
Mongo, Shetland, Spike,
Shoes, Sweetie, Scud,
Big Daddy, Skillsaw, Bug,
Jughead, Cranium, Granddad,
Popeye, Razor, Ant-Man.
Philthy, Shab, Homer,
Whoa, B.F., Scooter,
Bean Hole, Swany, Fella,
Toad, Mad Dog, Stick,
Buckwheat, Garland, Bart,
Stroutie, BoBo, Snake,
Weasel, Shack, Bunny,
Tuner, Palu, Jag, T,
Rip, Jock, Dr. Cook,
Huddy, Wafer, Grace,
Baldy, Infant, Hoot,
Jingles, Giggles, Scout,
Morrgy, Shorty, Hoss,
Prep, Count, Sasquatch,
Snap, Harpo, Beaver,
Stevo, Smitty, No Hair,
Grape Nut, Drool, Buster,
Sleep, Toots, General,
Stiff, Sphinx, Spanky,
Hashi Mura, Puffy, Love,
Ding-Dong, Brick, Yap,
Bitter, Slicker, Soup,
Cubby, Mama Colucci, Munchie,
Squire, Father, Capt.,
Ikey, Prunes, Fang,
Flea, Lumpy, Stork,
Bosco, Thug, Pat Me Groin,
Root, Dogger, Yorkie,
Red Wolf, Sister, Scrapper,
Sut, Cat, Rat,
Zin, Zip, Zinc,
And Mao,
Never to
Be forgotten,
Secure in the
Rich tapestry
Of our historic
Omega Mu memory
“Because you can
Have something that
Lasts throughout your life.” (Jerry Garcia)
And that is the
Heartfelt human of
“Perfection and grace” (Steely Dan)
Of our linked
Fraternal
Brotherhood,
One generation
After another,
Eternal as
Law in being
Spiritually
Linked with
Our historic
Past and the
Present link
Of our
147 year
Fraternal year,
An unbroken
Brotherhood
Chain of
Fraternal well-
Being of good,
Decent,
Perseverant and
Determined
Men linked
By one noble,
Enduring,
Historically
Resonating
Name, the
Best name,
Always,
Unapologetically
And proudly,
In heart
And
Head,
Omega Mu
Fijis,
The best
Fraternal
Expression of
Brotherhood
At the
University of
Maine since
1874.
Perge
“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, '82
Perge
Chip Chapman, '82
Perge
Truthfully, there is no fraternal brotherhood quite like Omega Mu at the University of Maine. We are proud of our history, and we are proud of the impressive number of fraternal brothers who played on many University of Maine athletic teams. With conviction and commitment, our Omega Mu athlete brothers brought a great deal of joy and satisfaction to the university community, creating many wonderful memories since the first baseball team was established at Maine State College in the 1870's. The worked together for the success of each Maine team, and the overall civic good of the University of Maine. The sheer number of Omega Mu athlete brothers is an unqualified triumph for the University of Maine. They each gave their best efforts on each team, and what they achieved perfectly compliments what we fraternally believe: drive and determination. It is a heady athletic legacy. Accordingly, their accomplishments claim our fraternal attention and respect. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are proud. Therefore, in the linked soul and spirit of our long fraternal history, we gratefully remember and celebrate our QTV and Omega Mu brothers who participated on many varsity athletic teams at the University of Maine. Their sacrifice of time was worth the effort for them and the student body at the University of Maine who watched them play. They created many warm memories since the early 1870’s. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are all very proud.
Thoreau said it best: “What a difference, whether in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother…How rare these things are.” How true that is, and we remain that way to this day. That is a heady fraternal legacy.
Thoreau said it best: “What a difference, whether in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother…How rare these things are.” How true that is, and we remain that way to this day. That is a heady fraternal legacy.
Omega Mu Athlete
Thomas W. Golden,
1955
Thomas W. Golden,
1955
University of Maine Football
Tom is 67 on the back row.
Sophomore year
Junior Year
Senior year
Tom, the right guard, is third from the left.
Tom Golden, 66
Tom Golden, on the ground, in the back.
All Yankee Conference First Team
All Fiji Football Team
All American
Golf
Captain of the golf team his senior year.
University of Maine Athletic Hall of Fame

Maine Sports Hall of Fame
“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
"A place that goes on whether you are there or not, that you come back to and find waiting with a welcome.”
We all have our personal memories of the traditions that we enjoyed while we lived together in the Castle. First and foremost, they have stayed in our memory, astonishingly. They rise effortlessly and cause us to smile and chuckle with gratitude each time we think about them. They glow in our minds-eye, and we do not hurry to rush them away, much less suppress them, for each memory is a journey home, a return passage; even better, a homing instinct to a particular place, event, brother, or a group of brothers when you were undergraduate living in the Castle. All the memories cover the emotional spectrum of our years living in the Castle. Take a moment and recall your memories about our Christmas parties, Fiji Island, Pig Dinner, Mud Bowl, The Fiji 24 Hour Relay Marathon, our formals. Not difficult to do, is it? They give you a sparkle in the eye and an easy smile, I know. Its safe to say that we loved all of them. With each tradition and event, something wonderful happened. These events were the distinctive, fundamental core of our Omega Mu culture. They helped define priorities, daily, weekly, and monthly. Because of the them, we lived with assurance and stability, generatively so. We were deeply tied to these traditions and activities, our uniting chain of events. And, in retrospect, we all believed, appropriately so, that all of our daily and seasonal traditions were all structurally important in creating the wonderful fraternal life that we lived in the Castle through all the years that we lived in the Castle. They were, and they continue to be the be-all and end-all of our historically long chain of sustained fraternal good at the University of Maine since 1874.
Although there have been many different iterations on our fraternal traditions and activities, all the variant expressions, for the most past, have created the basis for a wonderful fraternal life, all the while knowing that fraternities fare less well when they do not have good, sustaining traditions. Our traditions were, and they remain, our sustaining hope because they exist for the common good. The tradition, activities, and duties set the daily, weekly, and seasonal tone of our fraternal life together, in every measured way. Thematically, the traditions, activities, and responsibilities were different. Some were very mundane because the were concerned with daily practical matters, whereas as some were more suspenseful, mysterious and fun like the RAM and Fiji Island, and some were magisterial and dignifying like Pig Dinner and escorting the housemother into dinner. However, all of them made things work within the house and preserved the cooperative and enjoyable world of our Omega Mu life. We enjoyed all of them, and we did not discuss whether they were their relevant, old-fashioned, or out-dated. On the contrary, and I think we would all agree, they were all sensible, reasonable and enjoyable. In retrospect, all of them are the underpinning of our historic success, and they remain relevant now. They established, collectively so, a balanced and cooperative fraternal life for everyone that was satisfying. And, perhaps, it is not far-reaching to say that they shaped us a little for the better. I believe they did. They certainly did not hurt. Simply put, our Omega Mu memories resonate powerfully with all of us, still, because these events and traditions link generations of Omega Mu Fijis.
Clear and distinct Omega Mu memories still cause us to smile and be proud that we are Omega Mu Fijis. We are, as you all know, an exemplary brotherhood. What’s more, that is a certain historic fact and truth since 1874. Upon that fact there is no debate. We remain proud of this fact through life, and we have no problem telling others, with fraternal, evangelical pride, that we lived in a beautiful fraternity home with a great group of men during college, and we continue to champion the fraternal life. Furthermore, I am equally sure that we are all thankful for whatever coincidence brought all of us to the front door of the Castle, our historic fraternal home. Thank God we did not turn back!
We are, rightly so, a brotherhood family. That being said, I believe all Omega Mu Fijis will smile with understanding, in the truest way possible, what Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated about home in Letters and Papers from Prison:
We are, rightly so, a brotherhood family. That being said, I believe all Omega Mu Fijis will smile with understanding, in the truest way possible, what Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated about home in Letters and Papers from Prison:
“Most people have forgotten nowadays what house can mean, though some of us have come to realize it as never before. It is a kingdom of its own in the midst of the world, a stronghold amid life’s storms and stresses, a refuge, even a sanctuary.”
It is fitting to recall the fraternal feel of all the sights, sounds, smell, laughter, and joy of our annual Christmas party in our stately Castle. We can see Brother Santa, fraternally and spiritually intoxicated, delivering well-sauced remarks to all the brothers gathered in the dinning room, all of them smiling and merry. The groans, smiles, sights, and laughter of the evening were timeless. Indeed, in sight and sound, it was always a wonderful evening, and we still contemplate how Santa made it through the evening. It was high performance art, spirited in all the right, indulgent ways. To be fair, we were all, in one way or another, uplifted by the fraternal warmth and humor the entire evening. It was vintage Omega Mu Fiji. There certainly was no malaise, only a deeply felts sense of brotherly well-being, cheerfulness, and fraternal contentment in being together in the Castle. In fraternal mood and emotion, the pictures show The Merry Heart, to use a Robertson Davies book title, of our Omega Mu brotherhood, and that is what matters the most.
We all hail from 79 College Avenue, home of the oldest and best fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine, and that is the best Omega Mu memory. It is who we proudly are, without qualification. But, again, we all know that. Merry Christmas, Omega Mu Brothers. Let your Christmas memories rise and surface, and enjoy the resonating sound and color of the following Christmas Party homage pictures. They are everlasting. Perge.
We all hail from 79 College Avenue, home of the oldest and best fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine, and that is the best Omega Mu memory. It is who we proudly are, without qualification. But, again, we all know that. Merry Christmas, Omega Mu Brothers. Let your Christmas memories rise and surface, and enjoy the resonating sound and color of the following Christmas Party homage pictures. They are everlasting. Perge.
“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Truthfully, there is no fraternal brotherhood quite like Omega Mu at the University of Maine. We are proud of our history, and we are proud of the impressive number of fraternal brothers who played on many University of Maine athletic teams. With conviction and commitment, our Omega Mu athlete brothers brought a great deal of joy and satisfaction to the university community, creating many wonderful memories since the first baseball team was established at Maine State College in the 1870's. The worked together for the success of each Maine team, and the overall civic good of the University of Maine. The sheer number of Omega Mu athlete brothers is an unqualified triumph for the University of Maine. They each gave their best efforts on each team, and what they achieved perfectly compliments what we fraternally believe: drive and determination. It is a heady athletic legacy. Accordingly, their accomplishments claim our fraternal attention and respect. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are proud. Therefore, in the linked soul and spirit of our long fraternal history, we gratefully remember and celebrate our QTV and Omega Mu brothers who participated on many varsity athletic teams at the University of Maine. Their sacrifice of time was worth the effort for them and the student body at the University of Maine who watched them play. They created many warm memories since the early 1870’s. For the eminence of their athletic success; and, above all, for being our Omega Mu brothers, we are all very proud.
Thoreau said it best: “What a difference, whether in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother…How rare these things are.” How true that is, and we remain that way to this day. That is a heady fraternal legacy.
Thoreau said it best: “What a difference, whether in all your walks, you meet only strangers, or in one house is one who knows you, and whom you know. To have a brother…How rare these things are.” How true that is, and we remain that way to this day. That is a heady fraternal legacy.
Omega Mu Athlete
Frank W. Danforth, Jr.,
1946
High School
Bath High School
Higgins Classical Institute
Fraternity Brother
World War II Veteran
University of Maine Athlete
Baseball
Basketball
Wearers of the M
Football
Golf
Frank was the captain of the Maine golf team
Phi Gam Golf Classic
Frank W. Danforth, Jr. was a vivid, memorable brother in our Omega Mu brotherhood, and it was a great honor and pleasure for Joel Gardiner and I to speak with him, at his home in Bath, several months before he died in 2016. He expressed his life-long love for our Omega Mu brotherhood with a bit of a misty twinkle in his eye, great humor, and abundant pride and joy. You could feel his fierce loyalty to Omega Mu. To be sure, he was a fiercely loyal, respectable and upstanding Omega Mu brother throughout his life. He always put his heart into everything he did for our brotherhood throughout his life. That is resilience, perseverance, and determination. Combine those three self-evident traits with Frank’s innate Maine pride, Maine stubbornness and grit, and Maine self-reliance, and that is what makes Frank W. Danforth, Jr such an extraordinary Omega Mu brother, a memorable, endearing link, soulfully strong, in our proud Omega Mu history.
Frank had a long and fascinating life-journey that spanned 93 years. The “Habits of the Heart”, to use Robert Bellah’s fitting term, left an important, enduring, and positive legacy for Omega Mu, the University of Maine, our country, his family, his countless friends, and the city of Bath, Maine, because he was a genuine no-nonsense type guy who believed in commitment to hard-work, traditions, cooperation, and discipline throughout his life. Quite simply, he lived faithfully and did all things for the common good of the whole. He was a blessing for a lifetime with all of his commitments. Therein lies the source of what makes Frank so vividly memorable. That was the consistent inner-linkage throughout his life, and that unifying linkage, that sincere and responsible sense of connectedness, made him successful, personally, professionally, athletically, civically, and fraternally. He lived fully, and he exhibited a gratitude for a life lived in all its different expressions, and his life and legacy is assured in all areas because he was committed and faithful, instinctively so.
When Joel and I arrived at Frank’s home in Bath, Frank, standing in the doorway, heartily greeted us, smiling joyfully. He was genuinely pleased that we had come to see him and speak with him. He led us into the kitchen, graciously offered us coffee and pastries, sat down and with a look of excitement he was ready to share his reflections and memories, and he did so with obvious affection, in an easy-going manner, interspersed with a great deal of laughter.
Frank had a long and fascinating life-journey that spanned 93 years. The “Habits of the Heart”, to use Robert Bellah’s fitting term, left an important, enduring, and positive legacy for Omega Mu, the University of Maine, our country, his family, his countless friends, and the city of Bath, Maine, because he was a genuine no-nonsense type guy who believed in commitment to hard-work, traditions, cooperation, and discipline throughout his life. Quite simply, he lived faithfully and did all things for the common good of the whole. He was a blessing for a lifetime with all of his commitments. Therein lies the source of what makes Frank so vividly memorable. That was the consistent inner-linkage throughout his life, and that unifying linkage, that sincere and responsible sense of connectedness, made him successful, personally, professionally, athletically, civically, and fraternally. He lived fully, and he exhibited a gratitude for a life lived in all its different expressions, and his life and legacy is assured in all areas because he was committed and faithful, instinctively so.
When Joel and I arrived at Frank’s home in Bath, Frank, standing in the doorway, heartily greeted us, smiling joyfully. He was genuinely pleased that we had come to see him and speak with him. He led us into the kitchen, graciously offered us coffee and pastries, sat down and with a look of excitement he was ready to share his reflections and memories, and he did so with obvious affection, in an easy-going manner, interspersed with a great deal of laughter.
Frank speaking with us in his home in Bath, Sept., 2016
It was not a gossip-column memory piece. Joel and I asked some questions but, generally speaking, Frank simply took over and became a wonderful storyteller and gave a beautiful, unique account about Omega Mu house-life in the 1940’, and he did so in a down-to-earth, emotionally honest manner. Frank pulled us right in and we were in the Castle in the 1940’s, feeling the connectedness of positive, grounding traditions lived faithfully. Listening to Frank was interesting and informative, refreshing and relevant.
Omega Mu Life
Images From the 1940’s
Images From the 1940’s
Frank shared stories about the grace and good charm of having a housemother living within the Castle. Although not directly stated, Frank’s facial gestures and tone conveyed his firm belief that the presence of the housemother in the Castle gave the Omega Mu brotherhood a stabilizing dignity to the civic, fraternal life at many necessary points.
Mrs. Hewitt, Mrs. Houston, Mrs. Walker
Housemother eating in the dining hall
Additionally, Frank spoke positively about the traditions of the Omega Mu brotherhood in the 1940’s. One of the traditions was the fining of brothers for drinking too much, taking women, even girlfriends, to the second floor, and for talking too loudly in the RAM. Frank assured us that the brothers who were caught committing any of these indiscretions did pay the fine. Imagine that. Second, he spoke joyfully of one the keystone traditions of living in the Castle: sleeping in the RAM.
These traditions, according to Frank, had true fraternal value. It is no wonder, then, that when traditions are dismissed, forgotten, or intentionally dropped, the civic good of fraternal life looses its value, and that has proven to be true, unfortunately, during several periods in our history. A close reading of our fraternal history speaks for itself. It definitively shows that our brotherhood is at its best when we live with collective, civic purpose for the good, always, as undergraduate and graduate brothers. Frank’s multi-faceted narrative reflection on our Omega Mu fraternal life spoke volumes about the absolute necessity to live thoughtfully, faithfully, and courageously for the greater dignity of the whole of the Omega Mu brotherhood. Frank W. Danforth, Jr. was the perfect example of what fraternal faith in action looks like throughout life. Broadly speaking, we are blessed that we have had countless brothers like Frank through our history, and that is the real-life human truth that makes our brotherhood so special. We continue to know what fraternal integrity means, still.
It was warm and homey to be sitting at Frank’s kitchen table as he gracefully wove many other anecdotal stories about Maine basketball games, World War II, the making and breaking of Fiji paddles, the Phi Gam Golf Classic, regularly attending Pig Dinner, Tom Tear, the chef for the Omega Mu brotherhood for over 30 years; and several others.
It was warm and homey to be sitting at Frank’s kitchen table as he gracefully wove many other anecdotal stories about Maine basketball games, World War II, the making and breaking of Fiji paddles, the Phi Gam Golf Classic, regularly attending Pig Dinner, Tom Tear, the chef for the Omega Mu brotherhood for over 30 years; and several others.
Pig Dinner
However, one of Frank’s stories really stood out. One morning, as he was standing next to the open window in the upstairs bathroom, a B-26 Bomber flying out of Dow in Bangor, piloted by two Phi Gamma Delta brothers (non-Omega Mu), who had played cards with Frank in the house the night before, flew over the Castle, dipped the planes wing to say hello to the Omega Mu brothers, and then proceeded over the campus, and it blew out or cracked many windows in Balentine Hall as it flew over.
From multi viewpoints, Frank embodied good judgement and an easy yet hard-working grace throughout his life. There was an easy-going dignity about him, and his human spirit was always genuine, easy, kind, warm, and accessible to anyone. There was an honest immediacy about him.
Fraternally, he relished, understood, and celebrated the inter-linked connectedness of our brotherhood for his entire life. He made himself invaluable to this brotherhood, attended countless Pig Dinners, relishing the face-to-face time with brothers of every generation; played in the Phi Gamma Delta Golf Classic for many years, and contributed in so many other ways.
So many things, so many accomplishments, and when Frank died in 2016, we all lost a great fraternal friend and inspiration, and our Omega Mu brotherhood is better because of his example. We will always hold Frank W. Danforth in the highest esteem because he enhanced the vision and lived ideals of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity life in all the positive and right ways. We will miss his fraternal camaraderie, his fraternal loyalty, and his fraternal joy, and his fraternal love. He truly bled Omega Mu Fiji purple. Perge!
Fraternally, he relished, understood, and celebrated the inter-linked connectedness of our brotherhood for his entire life. He made himself invaluable to this brotherhood, attended countless Pig Dinners, relishing the face-to-face time with brothers of every generation; played in the Phi Gamma Delta Golf Classic for many years, and contributed in so many other ways.
So many things, so many accomplishments, and when Frank died in 2016, we all lost a great fraternal friend and inspiration, and our Omega Mu brotherhood is better because of his example. We will always hold Frank W. Danforth in the highest esteem because he enhanced the vision and lived ideals of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity life in all the positive and right ways. We will miss his fraternal camaraderie, his fraternal loyalty, and his fraternal joy, and his fraternal love. He truly bled Omega Mu Fiji purple. Perge!
“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge!
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge!
Omega Mu Voices
Timothy A. Ames
1980
Timothy A. Ames
1980
Timothy A. Ames
Omega Mu, 1980
Bunny Tales
I was honored when the Burns family asked me to say a few words about our friend Mike. We all have so many wonderful memories of our time with Mike. Hopefully, my tribute, which I am going to call “Bunny Tales and Beyond” will stir some memories in all of you. I met Mike at UMO in 1978. I was a new pledge and he was a brother at our fraternity. We instantly became friends and he would become my big brother. Back then he was known as “Bunny”, and the nickname fit him well. He was always jumping around; he could not sit still. I can picture him running up the fraternity house stairs five at a time. Then he would tumble back down the length of the same staircase after a staged fight with Eric Knudsen.
Omega Mu, 1980
Bunny Tales
I was honored when the Burns family asked me to say a few words about our friend Mike. We all have so many wonderful memories of our time with Mike. Hopefully, my tribute, which I am going to call “Bunny Tales and Beyond” will stir some memories in all of you. I met Mike at UMO in 1978. I was a new pledge and he was a brother at our fraternity. We instantly became friends and he would become my big brother. Back then he was known as “Bunny”, and the nickname fit him well. He was always jumping around; he could not sit still. I can picture him running up the fraternity house stairs five at a time. Then he would tumble back down the length of the same staircase after a staged fight with Eric Knudsen.
Michael F. Burns
1977-1978 group photo
Eric Knudsen and Mike Burns
As a fraternity brother “Bunny” was a good friend, a good listener, and endless entertainment. Whether it was cramming people into his Saab 90, having bottle rocket fights, hanging upside down from a tree limb like a trophy deer, or climbing on a dormitory ledge to spy through the window on unsuspecting fraternity brothers, “Bunny” did everything at full speed.
University of Maine Athlete
A short while after college, as fate would have it, Bunny landed in Waterville, which was just a short distance from where I was living. The only difference now was we had to start calling him Mike. He did not think the female population would be impressed by the name “Bunny”. This from a guy who collected empty Antonio pizza boxes and had no furniture. For quite some time, he could not invite anybody over for dinner because he did not have a table and chairs.
Living in Waterville, it did not take long for Mike to start gathering a whole new group of friends. His endless energy and quick wit made for many good times. Mike always made sure that everybody was included and Mike always made us laugh, whether it was showing off the unlimited potential of those legs, goofing on himself with almost anything as a prop, blowing up marshmallows in the microwave, or entertaining us with his vast knowledge of almost useless trivia. He made us laugh. Most of us here probably laughed out hardest with Mike. That mischievous little gleam in his eye is something I will never forget.
The other night, Ralph said that Mike was his best friend. There was a time in my my life life when Mike was my best friend, and I know that there are quite a few of you out there who could say the same thing: Peter Bergh, Charlie Foote, Jim Mayo, John Campbell, Denise, Claire, Bill Mayo, and his brother Paul. This list could go on and on. Mike knew what it took to be a good friend and that friendship is what I will remember most.
When you go to the gathering after the service today, look at the pictures, listen to a story, jog your memory, tell your favorite Mike Story, and laugh again because “Bunny” would want you to.
Living in Waterville, it did not take long for Mike to start gathering a whole new group of friends. His endless energy and quick wit made for many good times. Mike always made sure that everybody was included and Mike always made us laugh, whether it was showing off the unlimited potential of those legs, goofing on himself with almost anything as a prop, blowing up marshmallows in the microwave, or entertaining us with his vast knowledge of almost useless trivia. He made us laugh. Most of us here probably laughed out hardest with Mike. That mischievous little gleam in his eye is something I will never forget.
The other night, Ralph said that Mike was his best friend. There was a time in my my life life when Mike was my best friend, and I know that there are quite a few of you out there who could say the same thing: Peter Bergh, Charlie Foote, Jim Mayo, John Campbell, Denise, Claire, Bill Mayo, and his brother Paul. This list could go on and on. Mike knew what it took to be a good friend and that friendship is what I will remember most.
When you go to the gathering after the service today, look at the pictures, listen to a story, jog your memory, tell your favorite Mike Story, and laugh again because “Bunny” would want you to.
Peter Bergh and Charlie Foote
Mike Burns and Tim Ames
Eric R. Knudsen
Omega Mu, 1979
More Bunny Tales
Omega Mu, 1979
More Bunny Tales
Let’s see. Fake fights in the stairwell on 11-2 nights. Girls had to use the second floor bathroom. Bunny would sprint up the stairs yelling he was going to kill me. I would fake a right to his jaw and he would tumble down the stairs, bounce off the wall and then tumble down the second set of stairs. The girls would scream; it never got old. Hanging by his feet on the game pole next to Bobby’s deer. Putting mustard on the receiver of the kitchen phone and calling it from the library, and then listening to Bill Horr scream as he chased us through the house.
Bill Horr
Driving his Saab around campus with me running the pedals, Bunny steering from the middle, and someone in the passenger seat shifting. Pretty sure that I would have gotten a ticket. Backing said Saab up the driveway about 30 miles an hour and then performing the power slide tactical evasive maneuver without scrubbing any speed then refusing to try it with my vehicle.
“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Omega Mu
Sires and Sons
Sires and Sons
Nelson H. Martin, 1876 (Father)
Bertrand C. Martin, 1901 (Son)
George N. Martin, 1927 (Grandson)
The first father, son, grandson fraternal lineage in our history
Bertrand C. Martin, 1901 (Son)
George N. Martin, 1927 (Grandson)
The first father, son, grandson fraternal lineage in our history
We are proud and grateful for the many Sires and Sons in our Omega Mu history: Chaplin, Davis, Flint, Garland, Haskell, Hitchings, Keith, Mitchell, Mullen, Smith, and Williams. To be sure, all of the families are inextricably woven into our fraternal history. Above all else, it is a proud heritage, and the love and goodwill that these families have exhibited toward the Omega Mu brotherhood, through many generations, has been meaningful, a fraternal vision of unity that causes one to smile at that historic connectedness. Intrinsically, that is what fraternity is all about: family, a very large family. Our Omega Mu family is a long-lived family at the University of Maine. And, in the end, in the unfolding of our fraternal history since 1874, the Martin family from Fort Fairfield, Maine, shines the brightest in their historical importance for our Omega Mu brotherhood. Nelson, Bertrand, and George Martin were the first father, son, grandson fraternal lineage in our history. And thought we sincerely admire and honor every family legacy in our fraternal history, the Martin legacy, in truth, is genuinely incomparable in our history. Their fraternal legacy goes significantly deeper than being the first three generation family legacy in being Omega Mu Fijis. Their combined Q.T.V.-Phi Gamma Delta story comprise a wonderful family chapter in our Omega Mu history because they were each present at defining periods in our history. To begin with, they each articulated our durable, forward-focused character during times change. Nelson H. Martin, ’76, was present at our inspirational beginning when the first Q.T.V. Chapter Hall was completed in 1876, and he was, undoubtedly, one of the Q.T.V. brothers who helped build our first fraternal home. Bertrand C. Martin, ’01, was part of the first initiatory class of Phi Gamma Delta brothers at the University of Maine in 1899. He signed the oath imitation oath on December 8th, 1899. Just as his father lived in the first Q.T.V. Chapter Hall, Nelson may have lived in the last Q.T.V. Chapter Hall, but he certainly lived in the first Phi Gamma Delta House. George, ’27, quite possibly may have been a pledge when the first Phi Gamma Delta house was destroyed by fire on April 4th, 1924, and he certainly was one of the first brothers to walk through the front door of the newly built Castle a year later.
Nelson H. Martin, 1876
Civil War Years
Nelson H. Martin served in the Second Maine Calvary during the Civil War.
Maine State College Campus, 1876
The first Q.T.V. Chapter Hall, second from the right, where Nelson H. Martin lived in 1876, the present site of Coburn Hall The first Q.T.V. Chapter Hall, second from the right, where Nelson H. Martin lived in 1876, where Coburn Hall now stands.
Bertrand C. Martin, 1901
The third Q.T.V. Chapter Hall where Bertrand C. Martin may have lived for a short period while the first Phi Game Delta House was being built during the 1897-1898 academic year, and on November 24th, 1899, Q.T.V. officially became Phi Gamma Delta.
Bertrand C. Martin, #12, was one was one of our first Phi Gamma Delta brothers in 1899.
Bertrand C. Martin became a Phi Gamma Delta brother on December 8th, 1899
Bertrand C. Martin, second row, top.
Early pictures of the first
Phi Gamma Delta House, 1897
Phi Gamma Delta House, 1897
1901 group photo
Bertrand C. Martin, 1901, second row, 5th one in from the right.
Bertrand C. Martin, 1901, second row, 5th one in from the right.
George N. Martin, 1927
Castle, 1925-1926
The house as it would have looked when George N. Martin lived there from 1925-1927.
We all continue to believe in the indispensable good, the overwhelming good, of our fraternal life and, in turn, the Sires and Sons of our Omega Mu brotherhood remain an integral, enduring and living testimony to that historic fact. We - all Omega Mu brothers - will always remember all of our generationally-linked Omega Mu families and their constitutive importance in our proud history. Personally speaking, their family connectivity in participating in our fraternal traditions is always wonderful to see. I am very proud of that, and our Sires and Sons tradition has continued with the following families: Cote, D’Antonio, Fassett, Foster, Hanson, Hersey, Hill, Hussey, Leet, Madeira, McIntire, Morton, Schnauck, and Stewart. In conclusion, our historic foundation is strong due to generations of hard work; consequently, our Omega Mu brotherhood remains the greatest brotherhood at the University of Maine. In fraternally practical and theoretical terms, dogmatically asserted, it always has been, and it is that simple, and that legacy continues with the present undergraduates living in the Castle, a proud, coherent narrative for 147 years. The continuing beauty of the past and the present, and with confident assurance we go into our future. Perge.
“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Our brothers’ careers have been productive, constructive, spirited, and prosaic. They displayed impressive skills, talents, and abilities They were, and we continue to be, a beautiful and lively expression of our enduring fraternal beliefs, and that underlying harmony is far-reaching in expectation for all brothers’, undergraduate and graduate. It is the core of what our fraternal founders asserted in 1848 and 1874 and 1899: to live active, commendable, and responsible lives, and to build up community. Clearly and compellingly, they added, and continue to add, positive value at the local, state, national, global, and fraternal level because they engaged life fully and responsibly. In short, they were authoritative pillars throughout life. They were-are exemplary in their citizenship, character, and their sense of dutiful responsibility, and, in many instances, they were leading voices in their career fields. They prove that success of any kind does not occur by luck or accident, and we remember them because they continue to provide that message for our time. We have long been, from one generation to the next, proud to be Omega Mu Fijis. We continue to cherish our fraternal friendships, our shared memories, and our evolving, forward-focused history at the University of Maine. These things, above and beyond everything else, are the underlying rooted connections that make us proud to be Omega Mu Fijis. Why, after all, should we believe otherwise? We have been doing it well since 1874, and we will continue to do so with collective strength and hope ‘- here, now, always’ (T.S.Eliot). Perge.
Omega Mu Portrait
Wilbur F. Decker,
1879
Wilbur F. Decker,
1879
Teaching Career
After he graduated in 1879, Wilbur F. Decker taught drawing, practical mechanics, and forge-work at Maine State College for two years.
Wilbur F. Decker left Maine State College for a similar position at the University of Minnesota where he taught drawing, shop work, engines, and physics.
Wilbur F. Decker’s home in Minneapolis.
After teaching at the University of Minnesota, professor Decker became principal of the Industrial School in Minneapolis, and he wrote the first training course manual for the public schools in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis
However, Mr. Decker was not a one-sided person who focused on one thing through his career life. He embraced a diversity of different career fields. Guided by his strong sense of civic consciousness, and he gave many years of distinguished, constructive public service to the city of Minneapolis and its citizens in a variety of ways: Director of the public library in Minneapolis; Chairman of the Tax Levy; President of the Minneapolis Park Board; President of the Minneapolis Civic and Commerce Association; Vice President of Saint Anthony Falls Bank; Director of the National Rivers and Harbor Congress. In every aspect of his career life, Mr. Decker succeeded because he was multi-skilled and creative. He did everything with great pride, skill, and care for the city of Minneapolis, and he represented the city of Minneapolis at many conventions around the nation and the world. In short, he exhibited a uniformity of character with everything he did through all his career choices. Mr. Decker was a man of exceptional energy and commitment for the good of others, consistently and fluidly so throughout his life. He was always expansive in working for the good of the city of Minneapolis. That is the best of all human qualities, and that is the very best of our fraternal mission as Omega Mu Fijis. And yet, in addition to all of his professional commitments, and with equal meaning and depth, Mr. Decker devoted time to writing significant articles and books about engines, telescopes, drawing, and the economic importance of the Mississippi River for the city of Minneapolis.
Author
Astronomy
Professional Articles
Below is a small portion of an article that Wilbur F. Decker wrote on the economic importance of the Mississippi River for the city of Minneapolis.
Drawing and Doodling
Kennebec River, Maine
Stone Arch Bridge, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Traveling
In his spare time, Mr. Decker traveled extensively around the world with his family. He was in Paris, with his daughter, when World War I started, and he had to stay there for an extended period before finally finding safe passage home.
Later, Mr. Decker traveled to Sicily and wrote a nice article, with many of his drawings, about his visit to Sicily for the University of Maine Alumni Magazine.
Wilbur F. Decker Prize
At the
University of Maine
At the
University of Maine
50th reunion for the class of 1879.Q.T.V brothers in attendance: Charles A. Morse, Dr. George Merrill, and Wilbur F. Decker.
Wilbur Fiske Decker did substantial, compelling work throughout his life for the well-being of the city of Minneapolis, its future, and its citizens. He was professional jack-of-all-trades, a utility infielder, in doing the right thing to benefit every facet of the Minneapolis community: educationally, economically, culturally. It was an honest, true, and life-long love in creating a good, enriched civic community, and this desire was a direct reflection of his multi-facets personality and his natural curiosity. To be sure, there were many unmistakable facets to his unique personality, and in an enjoyable and uncompromising way he showed them all. In short, he did not fall short in living up to the inward harmony of his ideals, personal, fraternal, and professional. With resolute wisdom and courage, he wove all of his ideals together and gave them full expression to live an important, free-spirited and enjoyable life. Seemingly, he was content with who he was and the many things he cared about. He was an eminent leader in Minneapolis who always exhibited great civic concern for the well-being of city of Minneapolis, and with equal thought and eminent care he did the same for the University of Maine and our Phi Gamma Delta brotherhood. His life, and the many good, down-to-earth decisions that he made in his life, clearly showed the qualities of good leadership, and living life with determination, curiosity, confidence, and joy. These are the constituent and principal things, I believe, that fraternal life, at their very best, does instill, and we have countless real-life testimonies, equally compelling and true, to the absolute good of our Omega Mu fraternal life throughout our 147 years of fraternal history at the University of Maine. As ever, in unison, persistence and determination remain the real barometer of our fraternal success as undergraduate and graduate brothers. That’s real; that is the compelling Omega Mu way throughout our history, and it will not end now with the great group of undergraduate brothers that now live in the Castle! They continue to be, pure and simple, a great witness to perseverance and determination during this historic period of critical, off-balancing difficulty. Their fraternal spirit did not atrophy during the first semester, it only strengthened in every meaningful way. With calm historic assurance, pride, and dignity, we always move forward because that is our heritage, and that generationally resonating fact started in 1874-1876 when our Q.T.V. brothers paid for and built the first fraternal house, our fraternal home, at Maine State College. Fraternally speaking, no more, no no less, we continue that determined heritage: “Here, now, always.” (T. S. Eliot was correct) That is to say, we are all proud Omega Mu Fijis. Perge.
“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)
Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
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