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Omega Mu Housemothers

9/20/2020

0 Comments

 
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Omega Mu Housemothers,
1911-1969
Happily, we walked through the front door of the Castle. Happily, we all lived together in the Castle. It was a fun, life-enhancing experience. Yet, happily, and with deep gratitude, we return to the Castle to see life-long friends. Our Omega Mu brotherhood and the Castle, a great union through life. A simple truth that started with a simple Q.T.V. catchphrase: “Enjoyment, sociability, and the best interests of the brothers through life.” Our fraternal continuity is strong because of these simple ideals that speak to our dedication, drive, and determination. And, as you all may know, we are approaching our 150th fraternal anniversary at the University of Maine. We are the oldest combined fraternal brotherhood at the university, and that historic truth distinguishes us from every other fraternity at Maine. That in itself is an unqualified good thing that we are proud of, rightly so. Our fraternal longevity, our life-long fraternal brotherhood, has not been achieved by luck or chance. Rather, it has been achieved through good traditions and good men living together, creating the essence of a healthy fraternal brotherhood. It is obvious, those two things transcend through all of time. That, I think, is something we must always remember. Well, we all do! 

In various modified forms, traditions, rites, and events have defined the fraternal culture and fabric of our brotherhood since our Q.T.V. years. Everything, every good tradition since our fraternal founding, created our Omega Mu culture and reflected our stated values and beliefs. Some traditions and events were more formal and charming, while others were playful and entertaining, but all the traditions were enriching and clearly showed the soul and beauty of our brotherhood. One of our outstanding traditions, understood with careful consideration, is our Omega Mu housemothers. Not often do we think about them, much less talk about them. Therefore it is appropriate and important to remember all of them because they were an essential part of our fraternal success, and we are proud of that.
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Very often, over the last several years, I have thought about one of our most noble traditions: our Omega Mu housemothers. Curiously, viewed from multiple perspectives, a fraternity is an unlikely place where you think about a motherly presence.  Because, in the generally free and loose understanding of fraternities, it is mistakenly believed that fraternities do not need an adult presence. Therefore, we do not think about our Omega Mu housemothers very much, if at all. Hence, we do not give them the consideration that they justly deserve. Therefore, they live in the shadows as being unimportant, irrelevant, unnecessary, and unremarkable within our overall fraternal history. That is unfortunate, and that is the not the historic reality of our Omega Mu housemothers. My research on our housemothers, from what I have read so far, is affirming and positive, and I would even say extraordinary. There was no negative effect on the quality and joy of our fraternal life because of presence of housemothers in the Castle. Quite the contrary, they were all remarkable, important, and necessary in helping creating the wonderful fraternal life that was experienced for thirty-one years by our Omega Mu brothers. Each of them brought richness and grace to our fraternal history by their simple presence. They were never a burden, nor did they bring any harm to our Omega Mu brotherhood. On the contrary, they helped create a rich, meaningful fraternal life for thirty-one years in the Castle, and we remain linked to all of them, proudly so, because of their gracious efforts on our behalf. They were con-natural gift to our Omega Mu brotherhood over thirty-one years, and it was a binding gift grounded in warmth, grace, empathy, and friendship on our fraternal behalf. 

Our Omega Mu housemothers were a positive and complimentary presence within our fraternal history from 1938-1969. It was a short-lived tradition, but they were fruitful and years in our history. It is historically naive to believe that these were unhappy years for generations of brothers because we had housemothers. Our housemothers were integral to our fraternal soul and character through all those seminal years in our fraternal history! Upon that fact there is no debate. Quite simply, our brotherhood thrived with the presence of each and ever housemother. They helped build our fraternal community in very practical, sane, human ways, and they improved how our Omega Mu brothers lived together through their caring presence with the brothers. Strictly speaking, our housemothers were not an authoritative, managing presence in the Castle, nor were they merely an abstract, plastic, and ornamental presence to make us look good. Far from it.  Absolutely, definitively, and concretely, they were, as I see it, an essential presence in all the right, positive ways, and the brothers respected them. 

​Our Omega Mu housemothers were mother figures, mentors, role-models, chaperones, hostesses, as well as good friends, all wrapped up in one. They were equal to all tasks, and they were not a restraining handicap on the joyful quality of life that the brothers lived in the Castle. The fraternal festivities and high-jinx did not stop. That is a fundamental truth. Each young man who lived in the Castle was entrusted to the nurturing influence and care of our housemothers, and they did so with integrity. The historic evidence is clear, having a housemother in the Castle was a good tradition, and the brothers lived with great enthusiasm. The housemothers made a positive, steadying difference in the quality of our Omega Mu life for generations of Omega Mu brothers. They stuck with us, and they took care of us. Consequently, they positively affected the lives of many Omega Mu brothers. It is for this reason that our Omega Mu housemothers are distinguished in our fraternal lineage, and we will always remember their care and dedication with appreciation and gratitude.

Starting with Mrs. Ide, and ending with Mrs Hammons, each Omega Mu housemother, in her own unique way, brought a good and gracious dimension to our Omega Mu brotherhood by their simple presence in the Castle. Their presence was real, and they had a keen interest in the overall good of the brotherhood. Some housemothers stayed only a year, while several were devoted had enthusiastic for many years. On the whole, they were not an ornamental presence in the Castle; on the contrary, they were open-hearted, generous souls in our fraternal family. Although they did not have a specific job description, they provided an essential balancing strength and charm, and in doing so they had a positive effect on our entire fraternal culture. In heart and principle, they embodied a resilient, gentle strength. Specifically, they were never were aloof and removed from the brothers and all of our traditions. They enjoyed interacting with the brothers, and in doing so they taught values by their simple presence in the Castle, at meals, at dances and formals, at mud bowls, and at all other fraternal activities. They were sociable, engaging, and wise. They were chatty with the brothers, and no doubt the brothers were spell-bound, at times, by some of the things that the housemothers talked about. Certainly, they were respectful to her when she spoke. In addition, they probably taught many life-lessons when brothers confided with them. Certainly, they were patient and kind.  At other times, as hostesses, the housemothers were welcoming and charitable to parents when they came to the Castle to visit their sons. In many instances, they would take the parents out for dinner or a play. After the advent of tv, brothers would crowd into the housemothers room to watch football or baseball games, and the room would be packed, and the housemother would be in the mix enjoying the liveliness of the time with the brothers. Although there is no evidence to affirm this, I have no doubt that the presence of our Omega Mu housemothers, at times, kept things from running too hot; and I hasten add, destructive. In sum, it was a satisfying experience having a housemother in the Castle. They kept it saner, and that is enough. In all positive, generative ways, our Omega Mu housemothers were easygoing, even-handed, wise, respectful, sensitive, and caring in all matters.  There was a definite feeling of contentment and joy with their presence in the Castle. They improved the quality of our Omega Mu fraternal life. And, lastly, their presence made the brotherhood live up to the ideals of brotherhood: academically, socially, athletically, and fraternally. Simply stated, the presence of housemothers did not diminish the quality and joy of Omega Mu fraternal life; they raised it to a more enjoyable and responsible level. 

Although not a fool-pro0f assertion on my part, the mere presence of our housemothers, I believe, created a small element of dignity and poise within the daily traditions and ritual weave of our Omega Mu brotherhood. They helped foster and sustain our traditions and rituals. One of the best time-honored traditions was escorting the housemother into the dining hall. As Jack MacBrayne recalls: "The evening meal, Monday through Friday, was an organized affair with the housemother at the head of the table and assigned waiters to serve the meal. The Sunday noon meal was a more formal affair with all the brothers wearing coat-and-tie, as I recall. There was a certain amount of decorum when the housemother was around." Fred Galella recalls: My mom and dad came up to see me in 1968. My dad was a New York cop. Clara, our house mom, took my folks to a play! It was great!" Doing all of this conveyed a sense of fraternal composure, dignity, courtesy, and respect  that is important. 

Consequently, I believe, it can be clearly affirmed that each housemother added to the bond ​​of our fraternal brotherhood because of their kind and tempering presence in the Castle. During the 147 years of our fraternal history, the presence of housemothers in the Castle, from 1938-1969, was life-enhancing in every way. Therefore, their story, within our historic Omega Mu story, is a seamless story of excellence and dedication. Their endeavors on our behalf, in generational breadth and depth, in commitment and energy, made a difference for our brotherhood, and we owe an enormous debt of gratitude to all of them. They were a blessing, a gift. And, certainly, our history would be poorer without them. But then something happened. This tradition ended during the life-changing social and political convulsions of the the late sixties. Consequently, a key element of the dignifying, and I would even say grace and civility defining, structural form of our Omega Mu fraternal life was permanently lost. It was an unfortunate shift in our fraternal history. Parenthetically, in the decades since 1969, there have been more frequent periods of negligence and compromise with regards to the upkeep of the Castle and adherence to good fraternal principles, fraternal goodwill, and good fraternal unity of purpose. These periods were destructive because the value and discipline of good, responsible traditions did not exist. The cost of their collective fraternal negligence toward the Castle was unspeakably awful. There was no sense of fraternal meaning or value, and the linked, generational sense of responsibility and stewardship toward our Phi Gamma Delta ideals, our land, and our beautiful historic home were seriously compromised by selfish, childish, destructive behavior. During these periods we became the sickening poster child example of a "frat" and not a fraternity. By whatever word you wish to use, these periods were an absolute blight on our history because the undergraduate brothers living in the Castle did not value the privilege of being an Omega Mu Fiji and living in the in the most beautiful fraternal home at the University of Maine. Simply put, they did not exercise good fraternal character at all. They did not even try. These unfortunate periods invite a sobering question: Would the Omega Mu brotherhood be better off, perhaps, to reestablish an adult presence in the Castle? It is the best approximate solution to the recurring problems we have been having over the last fifty years. All in context, at the very least, it should be considered.  But that is just me. Put it this way: it is not a dated idea.

Yes, we can all look backyard with fraternal pride for our Omega Mu housemothers, and the pleasurable shared experience it was to have them in the Castle for thirty-one years. And if we are to judge these years in absolute, concrete ways, these years were eminently enjoyable years, and the housemothers were key in helping create that enjoyment. It is not an overstatement to say that our brotherhood, broadly defined, exhibited positive fraternal value and dignity, and the presence of housemothers in the Castle helped create the best version of our Omega Mu fraternal life. It was a positive, sane tradition, and they remain a proud, permanent part of our history. We will always remember them. They were all large-hearted souls, generous and charitable, who had wonderful purpose which they all fulfilled with abiding grace. It was the real fraternal thing for thirty-one years in our Omega Mu brotherhood, and there is no doubt that our Omega Mu housemothers, with the sincerity of their simple presence in the Castle, graciously shaped our well-lived fraternal culture. And that is not a small matter. They were warm and wonderful people, and they attended to everything with a humanizing, motherly grace, and in doing so they affirmed and amplified the truth of two words we always believe in as Phi Gamma Delta Fijis: perseverance and determination. In Phi Gamma Delta spirit and form, they made a lasting contribution to our historic brotherhood because they were the very embodiment of these words, and they deserve our wholesale fraternal admiration because they embodied these traits. In a very real sense, they kept our Omega Mu brotherhood together because of their amazing grace and moxie. We are thankful for them all, and we will always remember our generous, openhearted Omega Mu housemothers with fraternal appreciation, gratitude, and respect. Perge. 
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1911-1913
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At this time, I do not know the name of this Omega Mu Housemother.
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Mrs. Mary Bradley Ide,
Omega Mu Housemother,
​1937-1938
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Mrs. Margaret A. Vickers,
Omega Mu Housemother,
​1938-1942
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Mrs. Walker,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1942-1943
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Mrs. Hewitt,
Omega Mu Housemother, 
1943-1944
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Mrs. Houston,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1947-1948
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Mrs. Neill,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1948-1949

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Mrs. Maud Butts,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1949-1955
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Christmas Party at the Castle for underprivileged children from Orono.
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Mrs. Martha Tate,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1955-1964
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Mrs. Blaisdell,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1964-1965

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Mrs. Cary,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1965-1967

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Mrs. Alma Pratt,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1967-1968

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Mrs. Clara Hammons,
Omega Mu Housemother,
1968-1969
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Our Omega Mu
Housemothers
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“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)
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Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82

Perge

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Omega Mu Snow Sculptures

9/15/2020

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​The memories of our everyday life in the Castle retain their freshness and joy when we think about them, and they are worthy of our attention. Some of the things that we have collectively done are downright impressive, from being undefeated in mud bowl games, having many Senior Skulls and Sophomore Owls, a Rhodes Scholar, many successful athletes and many campus leaders. Truly, living in the Castle was a positive world, and it was defined by our positive and productive fraternal attitude. That has been our collective focus, our collective truth, for 147 years. Yet, in truth, success in the artistic realm is something that one does not readily consider when thinking about our rich fraternal life, but we succeeded here as well. We loved snowstorms, and we created some fascinating, even uncommon, sculptural wonders on the front lawn of the Castle.
 
Our collective fraternal beauty and grandeur really shined in winter in the man vs. nature collective work in pooling our fraternal strengths and talent in becoming great snow sculpture artists in changing snow into snow sculptures on the front lawn of our Castle during Winter Carnival. It was a wonderful fraternal ritual; the stuff of our fraternal life for many decades. With Omega Mu pride and joy, accomplishing things together for the good. And, in fact, in subject, form, and scale we were really good snow sculpture artists. Some of them were monumental in size and structure, some showed artistic refinement, some were simple in structure and composition, some were classical, some were mythological, and one two were whimsical, and one was risqué. They are all artistically expressive, with several of them being unforgettable in our history. Yet hey all show our instinctual Omega Mu spirit: heartfelt, sincere, and fun. Or, rather, always Omega Mu determined and perseverant. You can be assured that our collaborative fraternal efforts captured the public-eye and brought them a great deal of enjoyment. It was a wonderful way to celebrate fraternal life, and that is as durable in our memory as all of our other accomplishments: athletic, academic, intramural, social, and civic; one great fraternity since 1874, the original, creative fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine.
 
We have always been about the common good, real and genuine in all matters. And that, not surprisingly, is our Omega Mu way, and we keep moving forward with steady courage, mutual respect, and generational determination through all things, believing that our historic Phi Gamma Delta principles will continue to shape many new generations of Omega Mu men, and that is our proud fraternal history since our Q. T. V. days. We remain unstoppable in our historic unity and our fierce fraternal instinct to remain determined and perseverant in all matters, whether they be snowy or otherwise. So, here is photographic collection of a few of our snow sculptures that testify to the good-hearted delight and determined grace of our historic Omega Mu brotherhood, a coherent and beautiful geometry of our brotherly nature and winter’s nature at 79 College Avenue. Fraternal artistry with snow; it is good to be Omega Mu Fijis.
Perge!
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1935
​Snow Sculpture

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1936
​Snow Sculpture

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1939
Snow Sculpture

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1940
Snow Sculpture

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"Phi Gamma Delta Member Dudley Utterback, designer and chief engineer of the winning statue in the Snow Sculpturing contest held at the University of Maine."

1941 snow sculpture

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"Phi Gam's snow sculpture last week was probably the most beautiful this university has ever seen."
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"But if barred from first place for that reason, why was it given any mention? Because it was too good to be ignored."
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Dudley Uttertback designed and oversaw the construction of the 1941 snow sculpture. 
1948
​Snow Sculpture
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1950
Snow Sculpture

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1952
Snow Sculpture
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1962
Snow Sculpture

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1963 snow sculpture

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1965
Snow Sculpture

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1970
Snow Sculpture

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1982
Snow Sculpture

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1983
Snow Sculpture

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1988
Snow Sculpture
(In process)

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“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 song)
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Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
​Perge

0 Comments

Fiji Island

9/2/2020

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Fiji Island
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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 resonate in our memory, still. They glow in our minds-eye, and we do not brush 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. They all create a great collective story filled with genuine fraternal sentiment, and 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. It is 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 structurally important in creating the wonderful fraternal life that we lived in the Castle. They were, and they continue to be the be-all and end-all of our long chain of sustained fraternal good at the University of Maine.

Although there have been many different iterations on our fraternal traditions and activities, all the variant expressions, for the most past, created the basis for the sustained human grace and strength of our fraternal life, all the while knowing that fraternities fare less well when they do not have sustaining traditions. That is painful truth. 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 they 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. 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 and; second, what Thomas Jefferson said about lifelong friends:


“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.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

“Friends we have, if we have merited them. Those of our earliest years stand nearest in our affections. Our college friends are the dearest.” (Thomas Jefferson)
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The Fiji Island Party was an Omega Mu fraternal rite-of-spring celebration, a gift if you will, for generations of Omega Mu brothers, and I suspect that every Omega Mu brother has a Fiji Island memory. It was a signature fraternal event each year, and it is certainly an essential memory, still, with all of us, rich and vital. Starting in the early the 1940’s, one tradition, the Fiji Island Party, was borne out of a simple desire for unbridled revelry, and for over forty years it continued. Initially, the location for the party was in the Castle, but by the 1960’s Fiji Island occurred on the lush, sweeping, boulder-strewn beauty of an actual island off of Stonington. In a primitive existentialist sense, it was a blast from Friday to Sunday with something happening throughout the island. It was a special weekend that we were all grateful for. There was a great deal of wanderlust, loose, casual and free-form, in the intimate environment of the island. Brothers walked everywhere, camped everywhere, and simply enjoyed being together on the island. There was always a relaxed energy that was simply fun. It was a well-spent weekend, and it was certainly worth the boat ride to get there and back. It was a spirited, happy, memorable time. Or, as I see it, an adventurous holiday grace of a special sort in our brotherhood. In any case, it was always captivating, and it never disappointed.

The memories of Fiji Island, like the memories of Pig Dinner, mud bowl, dinner traditions, formals, front lawn and Phoenix Lounge activities, and many others, collectively frame a good portrait of our fraternal brotherhood. We sustained these traditions, and, in so doing, we grew stronger and more unified as a brotherhood. That is the simple truth, historically clear and to the point, and we remain unified. The pictures below chronicle the fraternal mood and emotion of our Fiji Island weekend, and as you do so, recall what Bonhoeffer said about home and what Jefferson said about friends. Surely they are accurate statements about our architecturally beautiful fraternal home at the University of Maine, the Castle, and the congenial, life-long fraternal friendships that were shaped by our well-intentioned, well-functioning fraternal traditions. The seamless gift of both has created an enduring brotherhood that has a unique fraternal character all its own, and we cherish both gifts. That is our Omega Mu way. We remain proud of our distinctive history, but we do not rest on our laurels. We press on and continue into our 147th year with enduring Omega Mu persistence and historic sensibility, always looking forward with a determined, restless enthusiasm. That is the heart and soul substance of our fraternal charisma since 1874, an enduring fidelity. Perge.
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....."and once they are engraved upon the memory, woe to him who would endeavor to
erase them."
​Goethe
1940's
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1960's
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1962 Fiji Island Party
1970's
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Four Omega Mu Brothers on Fiji Island: L-R (males) Pat Ladd (in back, white shirt), Bob Mennealy (holding a cup), Paul Wood (bandana), and Bill Soloby (sunglasses)
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1980's
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“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)
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Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
​Perge
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Mud Bowl

9/1/2020

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Pause for a minute and consider the two fraternal plaque near the front door of the Castle. Typically we race through the front door without noticing them, much less giving them any considered thought. They are just there. Strictly speaking, they two go together and speak volumes about who we have been for 147 years, honestly and authentically. They are mutually enriching fraternal testaments, a communion, about our historic fraternal home and our long-linked historic brotherhood. Hence, there is a historic rightness about their placement at the front of the Castle. They announce our unifying identity as a brotherhood. They are, figuratively speaking, like sentries over the Castle. Combined, one could say that they are a witness, a combined historic witness, of our oneness as the most historic fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine. Let’s think about that. The Castle represents the beautiful communal dimension of our greatness, and the other represent the unwavering brotherly dimension of our greatness. Combined, both speak to our unique greatness at Maine. They speak to how special our fraternal home is, and how special our Omega Mu brotherhood is at the University of Maine. One plaque commemorates the architectural importance of our Tudor-inspired Castle, and the second honors an extraordinary fraternal brother, Hosea Buck, a mentor, friend, and unflinching, tireless leader who helped shepherd our brotherhood, as well the University of Maine, in many ways until he died in 1937. These two plaques, along with the commemorative plaques and brotherly memorials inside the Castle, speak to fraternal continuity, fraternal cooperation, fraternal courage, fraternal energy, fraternal dignity, fraternal loyalty, fraternal caring, fraternal generosity, fraternal spirit, fraternal family, fraternal triumphs, fraternal achievements, fraternal vision, and fraternal fortitude at the University of Maine. These qualities, through most of our combined fraternal history, have created a good fraternal portrait. These qualities matter most in the end, and they have been our blood and marrow, heart and mind, since our founding. They have all created our lifelong pride, and we remain steadfast and positive about our future as we approach our 150th and 125th fraternal anniversaries in 2024. We have forged a very distinct fraternal path at the University of Maine, and our fraternal longevity, our fraternal success, did not come by chance. Sustained success is never achieved by chance in anything in life. It is only by individual and collective responsibility and determination that success is sustained, and our fraternal legacy of success will continue at the University of Maine. The future holds beautiful things for Omega Mu, and our history proves it.  Let's think about that! ​
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We are all keenly aware of our history at the University of Maine, and we are, rightly so, proud of that history. Upon that fact there is no debate, and I am unequivocally sure that we are all thankful for whatever motivation, coincidence, circumstance, brought all of us to the front door of the Castle to start the pledging-initiatory journey to become Omega Mu brothers. In any case, thank God you went through the front door to become Omega Mu brothers, and in so doing becoming part of the historic lore of our fraternal brotherhood at Maine, steady and true since 1848, 1874, 1899. And as such, we are unique, and that is a wonderful testament to our collective perseverance and determination. Be proud of that, that is all. 

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Happily, we walked through the front door of the Castle. Happily, we all lived together in the Castle. It was a fun, life-enhancing experience, Yet, happily, and with deep gratitude, we continue to return to the Castle to see life-long friends. Our Omega Mu brotherhood and the Castle, a great union through life. A simple truth that started with a simple Q.T.V. catchphrase: “Enjoyment, sociability, and the best interests of the brothers through life.” Our fraternal continuity is strong because of these simple ideals. ​
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In various modified forms, traditions, rites, and events have defined the fraternal culture and fabric of our brotherhood since our Q.T.V. years, and they guided our life in the Castle. Good traditions created our Omega Mu culture and our stated values and beliefs. Some traditions and events were more formal and charming, while others were playful and entertaining, but they both were mutually enriching and clearly showed the soul of our brotherhood. A Friday fraternal afternoon pilgrimage to the Oronoka; playing football on the front lawn on a beautiful fall day; sleeping late on a Saturday morning in the RAM; reading lyrics at dinner; the imaginative, creative thought in creating fun snow sculptures; jumping with happy-go-luck fraternal élan to a tree; the shake-up genius and fun of pranks in the RAM; the mid-week joy of 11-2’s; the honor and respect of escorting the house mother into the dinning room and then singing the Doxology; the tattoo road trip to Newport; the carefree celebrating on Fiji Island; the special fraternal intensity of beating ATO in our mud bowl games; the elegant formals; the fun, out-of-the-box theme-oriented dances, and the rich, thoughtful heritage of Pig Dinner. There was real worth in all of them, and they were all significant events through the year. Most importantly, they were not foolish or destructive to the Castle, or to the close bond of our brotherhood. Our good fraternal life would simply not have been what it was without them, and there is no way of overstating that reality. At a minimum, these traditions were popular and fun, and at a maximum they created our stability and harmony, that is 147 years strong. With that in mind, one thing is historically clear: living with each other in the Castle was not a dull life. Most importantly, we did not discuss whether they were their relevant, old-fashioned, or out-dated. On the contrary, we cherished all of them. And, perhaps, it is not too far-reaching to say that they did shape us for the better; I believe they did. They certainly did not hurt, and we lived with a strong collective sense of well-being. All-in-all, it was a seminal time in our lives that we do not regret, and we never will, nor should we.

​And so, we remain proud of our history and our traditions, and there is perhaps no more enjoyable tradition than the passionate, shared fun of our muddiest tradition, driven by our fraternal pride to remain unbeaten: Mud Bowl. And, as usual, the pictures convey far more meaning than what I have written. Perge. 
Omega Mu
​Mud Bowl
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We are a proud brotherhood, and I believe every Omega Mu Fijis will understand and at smile what Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated about home in Letters and Papers from Prison and; second, what Thomas Jefferson said about lifelong friends:

“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.” (Bonhoeffer)

“Friends we have, if we have merited them. Those of our earliest years stand nearest in our affections. Our college friends are the dearest.” (Jefferson)
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“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)
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Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82

Perge

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Christmas And Halloween Parties For Children

9/1/2020

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Omega Mu Christmas Party
​for Needy Children
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:
​​“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 the Castle. We can see Brother Santa 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. ​
​1939
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"The Christmas tree yielded clothing, toys and candy for the little guests, who greatly enjoyed the festivities."
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Merrill Bradford
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John Carlisle
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​Frederick Cogswell
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Ted Curtis
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Omega Mu Housemother,
Mary Bradley Ide

1940
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"The picture above shows a few of the small guests receiving their presents from Santa Claus, who made and advance
​personal visit. Dinner was served the youngsters, after which they adjourned to the large living room where the brilliantly lighted tree bore gifts of clothing, toys and candy bags to each"
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John Carlisle
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Omega Mu Housemother,
Mrs. Vickers
1942
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"The fraternity members saw that each young guest received gifts of clothing, toys, and candy from the gay Christmas tree over which Arthur Teall presided in the role of Santa Claus."
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 Arthur L. Teall presided in the role of
​Santa Claus
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Omega Mu Housemother,
Mrs. Vickers

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John D. Utterback
​1946
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John Ballou
"After a few more games had been played, Santa Claus (John Ballou Claus) put in an appearance. A supper of hot-dogs, cocoa, milk, ice cream, and cookies, was served. The Phi Gams had to eat on the run, as they were kept busy seeing to every want of the children. With their arms full of presents and their tummies stuffed with supper, the children had their coats
​and hats put back on and were taken home."
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"One little girl was heard to say, as she left, 'Didn't we have a good time!' 
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1948
"This event is an annual highlight of the Christmas season at Phi Gam."
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"This is an annual highlight of the Christmas season for Phi Gam..."
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"The children, led by Santa, sang the old familiar Christmas carols."
1955
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"All fraternity houses will be opened Halloween night for seventeen separate parties. The fraternity men at each house will be assisted by groups of girls from various sororities in providing entertainment and refreshments
​for the youngsters."
1960
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"The Pi Phi's and Phi Gam's treated the children from St. Michael's Orphanage to a Christmas Party Tuesday night. Games, stories, and presents made the evening fun
​for the children of all ages."
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Paul McCarron
1966
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​“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)
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Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
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