  Our Omega Mu 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 that we will always 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 honor the heroism of all of our brothers who have served in the armed forces from the Civil War to the present. Thank you. Omega Mu Athlete Eugene F. Sturgeon, 1952  Military Career  After graduating from Deering High School, Eugene Sturgeon enlisted in the United States Navy and served on the USS Philippine Sea and the USS Kearsarge. USS Philippine Sea   USS Kearsarge   Admiral Byrd's Fourth South Pole Expedition: Operation Highjump, 1947-1948   USS Philippine Sea going through the Panama Canal to take Admiral Richard Byrd to the South Pole.  Eugene F. Sturgeon on the USS Philippine Sea. Eugene F. Sturgeon was on the USS Philippine Sea when Admiral Byrd was being taken to the Arctic Circle in order for him to do his fourth expedition to the South Pole.  Admiral Byrd, center, on board the USS Philippine Sea.
            Omega Mu Years            Eugene F. Sturgeon, above and below.  1950 Snow Sculpture   University of Maine Athlete 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 proud fraternal legacy.                  "Sturgeon was also named to the All-Yankee Conference squad."    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge
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Omega Mu Maine Masque Brother, Malcolm E. Fassett, 1910
From multiple angles, our QTV and Omega Mu brothers have enriched the civic life at the University of Maine, and we are fortunate to have had many hardworking, talented brothers throughout our history. The balance between our athletic involvement, intellectual pursuits, and campus involvement is outstanding. In each area of involvement, our brothers brought energy and enthusiasm, and one particular area where our brothers brought particular depth and color was in many wide-ranging Maine Masque theater productions. With fraternal strength, Omega Mu brothers became mainstays on the theater boards when Maine Masque was established in 1906-1907. What a long-lasting accomplishment for all of us to be proud as Omega Mu brothers. Over the years, our Omega Mu brothers have been involved in many Maine Masque productions, including Charles L. Pfeiffer, Malcolm E. Fassett, Harry Lovely, Nathan F. True, Fernando T. Norcross, Theodore W. Haskell, Charles E. Stickney, Robert Irvine, William Demant, Evans B. Norcross, J. Richard Buck, Willam Keith, Harry P. Carle, Howard L. Farwell, Jacob M. Horne, Jr.; Bryant M. Patten, Sumner Waite, Norman D. Carlisle, Paul F. Slocum, Clifford H. George, Ernest F. Andrews, Robert S. Hussey, Elwood D. Bryant, Howard J. Stagg, III; Stanley T. Fuger, John T. Clark, John W. Ballou, George R. Berger, Robert D. Parks, Arthur B. Conner, Louis H. Thibodeau, Henry S. Simms, among many, many others! Praise for them is merited. Exhibiting diligence and discipline, these Omega Mu brothers, through many decades, brought a joyful vibrancy and communal vitality to the University of Maine community. What a superb gift to give the community, rich, alive, and inspiring. Significantly, many of our Omega Mu brothers were a driving force in many of the plays because of the impactful, leading roles that they often played, luring and capturing the imagination of the audience as they moved and glided, with apparent ease and poise, on the theater boards. By all reports in the Maine Campus and the Bangor Daily, their performances were quit affecting. The quality and depth of their disciplined art form joyfully enriched the lives of countless numbers of people. Our Omega Mu Maine Masque theater brothers, just like our athlete brothers, are an enriching testament to what it means to be a fraternity brother in Omega Mu, and we are proud of their dedication, creativity, and commitment in adding such an important historic angle in our fraternal history at the University of Maine. They exemplify the good of what it means to be a positive part of the university community, and in doing so showing the good of fraternal culture. Attending a play is a special, spirited experience, and we are proud of the legacy of these brothers for their unbending commitment to the beautiful creative art and discipline of Maine Masque theater productions. These Maine Masque theater brothers make us proud, and their legacy in Maine Masque history continues to shine. They, too, like our Omega Mu athlete brothers, continue to enrich and strengthen our perseverant and determined fraternal identity, 149 years strong. Omega Mu Years  1910 photo of the first Phi Gamma Delta, first on the left; Mount Vernon House, our final Q.T.V. Chapter Hall, middle. Mount Vernon Hall burned down in 1933.  First Phi Gamma Delta house, left; Mount Vernon Hall, right.        Ivy Day   "Presentation...Malcolm Edward Fassett"  Music                  Maine Masque   "It has become so natural to take 'Tom' Fassett for granted when it comes to University of Maine dramatics that it is hard to conceive of a play without him."       Accolades for Malcolm E. Fassett     
 On Broadway: Malcolm E. Fassett 's Broadway Plays, 1920's   "Brother Fassett's Broadway debut was with Louis Mann in The Bubble, which was followed by two seasons with Leo Ditrichstein in the Great Lover."  The Booth Theatre               A Portion of the third act when Malcolm E. Fassett enters as Robert Hand.    Malcolm Fassett Players   "If you ever see Fassett Players billed in a house that has a stock season, march right up to the box office and your seats, for the leading man of the Players is Brother Malcolm E. Fassett, a Fiji from the University of Maine, class of 1910."   A Letter to the Omega Mu Brothers     The Malcolm Fassett State Centennial Prize   "The Malcolm Fassett State-Centennial Prize, $50.00, is the gift of Malcolm E. Fassett of the class of 1910, and will be awarded to the student who writes the best one-act play dealing with typical or historical life and character in the State of Maine."   “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)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge From multiple angles, our QTV and Omega Mu brothers have enriched the civic life at the University of Maine, and we are fortunate to have had many hardworking, talented brothers throughout our history. The balance between our athletic involvement, intellectual pursuits, and campus involvement is outstanding. In each area of involvement, our brothers brought energy and enthusiasm, and one particular area where our brothers brought particular depth and color was in many wide-ranging Maine Masque theater productions. With fraternal strength, Omega Mu brothers became mainstays on the theater boards when Maine Masque was established in 1906-1907. What a long-lasting accomplishment for all of us to be proud as Omega Mu brothers. Professor Windsor P. Daggett, a Fiji from Brown University, had the spirited and inspired notion to establish the Maine Masque at the University of Maine, and in doing so adding a historically important piece to the shaping character of the University of Maine community. Personally, I have a great deal of nostalgia for all the plays that I attended while I attended the university. They are amongst some of the happiest, satisfying times while I was at Maine, and I continue to have many triggered memories of those plays because the visual charm of any play is magical. Being the first managing director, Windsor P. Daggett carefully mentored many young men ands women in the fine creative points of theater. He was an inspiration to all of them, and his instructional guidance was exceptional. He did everything with a depth of feeling and intelligence from stage-craft, building sets, lighting, props, and stage management, elocution, and the historic background of the plays. Individually and collectively, he instilled emotional poise in all of his actors and actresses to work creatively as a group to create something enjoyable. Under the guidance of Professor Daggett, the Maine Masque earned a reputable, well-respected reputation for creating high-quality plays for the enjoyment of the University of Maine community. The response from the student body was warm and appreciative, and many of our talented Omega Mu brothers helped make the plays a success. Over the years, our Omega Mu brothers were involved in many Maine Masque productions, including Malcolm E. Fassett, Harry Lovely, Nathan F. True, Fernando T. Norcross, Theodore W. Haskell, Charles E. Stickney, Robert Irvine, William Demant, Evans B. Norcross, J. Richard Buck, Willam Keith, Harry P. Carle, Howard L. Farwell, Jacob M. Horne, Jr.; Bryant M. Patten, Sumner Waite, Norman D. Carlisle, Paul F. Slocum, Clifford H. George, Ernest F. Andrews, Robert S. Hussey, Elwood D. Bryant, Howard J. Stagg, III; Stanley T. Fuger, John T. Clark, John W. Ballou, George R. Berger, Robert D. Parks, Arthur B. Conner, Louis H. Thibodeau, Henry S. Simms, among many, many others! Praise for them is merited. Exhibiting diligence and discipline, these Omega Mu brothers, through many decades, brought a joyful vibrancy and communal vitality to the University of Maine community. What a superb gift to give the community, rich, alive, and inspiring. Significantly, many of our Omega Mu brothers were a driving force in many of the plays because of the impactful, leading roles that they often played, luring and capturing the imagination of the audience as they moved and glided, with apparent ease and poise, on the theater boards. By all reports in the Maine Campus and the Bangor Daily, their performances were quit affecting. The quality and depth of their disciplined art form enriched the lives of countless numbers of people in the University of Maine community and Bangor. Our Omega Mu Maine Masque theater brothers, just like our athlete brothers, are an enriching testament to what it means to be a fraternity brother in Omega Mu, and we are proud of their dedication, creativity, and commitment in adding such an important historic angle in our fraternal history at the University of Maine. They exemplify the good of what it means to be a positive part of the university community, and in doing so showing the good of fraternal culture. Attending a play is a special, spirited experience, and we are proud of the legacy of these brothers for their unbending commitment to the beautiful creative art and discipline of Maine Masque theater productions. These Maine Masque theater brothers make us proud, and their legacy in Maine Masque history continues to shine. They, too, like our Omega Mu athlete brothers, continue to enrich and strengthen our perseverant and determined fraternal identity, 147 years strong. As the oldest combined fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine, we have a winning history, irrefutably so, because we have been, and we continue to be, a diverse group of brothers who are honorably linked in brotherhood. Whether it was on the football field, basketball court, in the pool, on the track, on the baseball field, on the theater boards, or within the Castle with each other, we have gracefully balanced many things that continue to make us proud to be Phi Gamma Delta brothers. Simply and gratefully stated, living in the Castle, with each other, was one of the happiest times in our life, and there is no way to measure that feeling, nor the unwavering commitment to each other throughout life. We were, we are now, and we will continue to be the signature fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine. Competent, self-reliant, and persistent QTV brothers started our combined fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine, and strength and devotion, diligence and hard work, continue to guide our Phi Gamma Delta brotherhood today. They are the roots of our collective well-being, our self-confidence, and our fraternal success. Whether it be in the house, on the football field, or on the theater boards, healthy principles foster pride, longevity, and a positive civic, fraternal spirit. We all know these things, and at our best we have lived up to these principles with unfailing trust and enthusiasm in all that we have done for the University of Maine community, and within our brotherhood, generously so. They are, in a word, broadly stretched through our fraternal history, the axis mundi of Phi Gamma Delta since 1848, our Maine State College Q.T.V. brothers since 1874, and our Omega Mu chapter since 1899. A united story, one in fraternal spirit. But again, we all know this. In any event, if you listen to the conversations during Pig Dinner, you will hear Omega Mu brothers who are 10 to 70 years apart talking, sharing, smiling, and laughing, spiritedly, about many things about living together in the Castle. It is energetic and lively, and every brother is attentive and appreciative of each tale and story that is shared, across all generations. Quite simply, it is a shared sense of happiness, love, and loyalty. That is the beautiful generational interplay throughout the Castle, RAM to basement. It is unique, and everyone is clearly enjoying themselves as they retell a particular athletic contest story, a road trip to Montreal or Newport, various Fiji Island stories, and stories about our many athletes and military brothers, Mud Bowl games, Pat's, and many other Omega Mu traditions. It is remarkable to hear the happiness and meaning in each story. Happiness and meaning: the essence of our Omega Mu brotherhood, and there is nothing nuanced about it. All the stories and tales convey our Omega Mu pride and joy. Although memory may have dimmed a little on the details of each story, the constants are the Castle, our beautiful Tudor home, and the uniform joy of many brothers simply coming together, again. Being in our fraternal home with our friends; we cherish both. That is unconditional commitment. And as such, as time moves on, we appreciate both even more. This is, perhaps, the best thing, the fraternal blood and marrow of who we are throughout life: proud, steadfast Fijis. And for that, above all, we are all thankful. We are one fraternal brotherhood, a great constant, for 147 years, and that needs to be applauded. It is a coherent fraternal narrative that is sustained by the binding threads of our fraternal home and a fraternal brotherhood that we all love through life. That is the Omega Mu way, and nothing can change that. Bravo. Perge. Phi Gamma Delta Maine Masque Brother, Windsor P. Daggett
             “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)    Fraternally,
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. Our scorecard is deep, and we appreciate, and we are proud of, all of our Omega Mu athlete brothers. 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. Omega Mu Athlete Howard L. Farwell, 1909  Omega Mu Years    The library in 1906-1908.  The library in 1908-1910. The piano has been moved to the front parlor. The library in 1908-1910.  The piano in the front parlor, 1908-1910.       
     
University of Maine Athlete  Howard L. Farwell was the fullback on the University of Maine football team.  
   Howard L. Farwell was the shot putter on the University of Maine track team.  “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)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge From multiple angles, our QTV and Omega Mu brothers have enriched the civic life at the University of Maine, and we are fortunate to have had many hardworking, talented brothers throughout our history. The balance between our athletic involvement, intellectual pursuits, and campus involvement is outstanding. In each area of involvement, our brothers brought energy and enthusiasm, and one particular area where our brothers brought particular depth and color was in many wide-ranging Maine Masque theater productions. With fraternal strength, Omega Mu brothers became mainstays on the theater boards when Maine Masque was established in 1906-1907. What a long-lasting accomplishment for all of us to be proud as Omega Mu brothers. Over the years, our Omega Mu brothers were involved in many Maine Masque productions, including Malcolm E. Fassett, Harry Lovely, Nathan F. True, Fernando T. Norcross, Theodore W. Haskell, Charles E. Stickney, Robert Irvine, William Demant, Evans B. Norcross, J. Richard Buck, Willam Keith, Harry P. Carle, Howard L. Farwell, Jacob M. Horne, Jr.; Bryant M. Patten, Sumner Waite, Norman D. Carlisle, Paul F. Slocum, Clifford H. George, Ernest F. Andrews, Robert S. Hussey, Elwood D. Bryant, Howard J. Stagg, III; Stanley T. Fuger, John T. Clark, John W. Ballou, George R. Berger, Robert D. Parks, Arthur B. Conner, Louis H. Thib0deau, Henry S. Simms, among many, many others! Praise for them is merited. Exhibiting diligence and discipline, these Omega Mu brothers, through many decades, brought a joyful vibrancy and communal vitality to the University of Maine community. What a superb gift to give the community, rich, alive, and inspiring. Significantly, many of our Omega Mu brothers were a driving force in many of the plays because of the impactful, leading roles that they often played, luring and capturing the imagination of the audience as they moved and glided, with apparent ease and poise, on the theater boards. By all reports in the Maine Campus and the Bangor Daily, their performances were quit affecting. The quality and depth of their disciplined art form joyfully enriched the lives of countless numbers of people. Our Omega Mu Maine Masque theater brothers, just like our athlete brothers, are an enriching testament to what it means to be a fraternity brother in Omega Mu, and we are proud of their dedication, creativity, and commitment in adding such an important historic angle in our fraternal history at the University of Maine. They exemplify the good of what it means to be a positive part of the university community, and in doing so showing the good of fraternal culture. Attending a play is a special, spirited experience, and we are proud of the legacy of these brothers for their unbending commitment to the beautiful creative art and discipline of Maine Masque theater productions. These Maine Masque theater brothers make us proud, and their legacy in Maine Masque history continues to shine. They, too, like our Omega Mu athlete brothers, continue to enrich and strengthen our perseverant and determined fraternal identity, 149 years strong. Omega Mu Maine Masque Brother Louis H. Thibodeau, 1939  Omega Mu Years  1936 Snow Sculpture     
       John Dudley Utterback        "Thibodeau in the lead."     "Thibodeau stars in the role of servant."
 "Thibodeau did a fine piece of work in his characterization of Truffaldino, the male lead in the show."      "In a lighter mood, Thibodeau and the mouse amused the audience."  Robert Irvine, Omega Mu Brother 
Robert Irvine and Edward C. Stanley          “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)    Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82 Perge |
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