From multiple angles, our Q.T.V. 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 compelling. What they accomplished in their respective pursuits at the university constitutes a wonderful achievement in our fraternal history. There efforts were good and laudable, and there efforts represented the very best of our core values of persistence and determination. It is, believe me, a wonderful achievement, on the part of generations of Omega Mu brothers, for the respective gifts that they gave for the civic good at the University of Maine. In our historically calm, customary fashion, 149 years and growing, it was a rich yield for the common good of the Maine community, All of them, through their various commitments and endeavors within the University of Maine community, improved and brightened up the quality of life of the university community with their enthusiasm and dedication to their respective University of Maine teams, organizations, and clubs. They each had uniques strengths as actors, artists, musicians, athletes, and journalists, and they all embodied the shared commitment to do something well for the University of Maine community. Fraternal integrity demands that, and we are proud of all of these brothers. Over the years, many of our Omega Mu brothers held leadership roles on various University of Maine newspapers and yearbooks. Their contributions in creating something good in the university community cannot be overstated. "Good" does not, in reality, do justice in acknowledging their positive contributions. Each of them performed a vital function for the University of Maine community. They had a willingness to work, the willingness to accept challenges, in order to be focused, informative journalist in order to create daily newspapers and yearbooks that were interesting and informative. Their leadership style was authentic, and their generous, laborious work deserve praise and recognition in our brotherhood. They collected information, organized information, checked and re-checked facts, shared ideas, read and re-read every article, and proofed and re-proofed every page in the yearbook. They always gave of their time and talent in attending to each of these elements in order to write commendable, informative, and properly edited newspaper articles, and in sifting through thousands of pictures and thoughtfully crafting, shaping, and editing yearbooks. Their hard work, in turn, was to produce something, whether it was the university newspaper or yearbook, that was well-written, well-edited, and journalistically constructive, interesting, meaningful, and significant, in the short or long term. With drive and persistence, what our Q.T.V. and Omega Mu brothers achieved, in their numerous leadership roles on various newspapers and yearbooks, was complementary to everything we fraternally applaud for all of or brothers who were positively involved in the University of Maine community. What they achieved had real, enduring worth and value for the University of Maine community. They were indispensable. They made lasting contributions to the social well-being of the university community in keeping students well-informed and enlightened. These Omega Mu brothers embodied our old fraternal truth in being perseverant and determined in being faithful and generous with their gifts. In other words, our journalist brothers are a testament to our collective fraternal spirit of genuine integrity, industry, dedication, creativity, and commitment in adding to our long-standing history of civic engagement at the University of Maine. The noble ideals of our linked fraternal brotherhood started in 1848 and 1874, and our fraternal wheels have not stopped turning in continuing to create a generationally great brotherhood, and there will not be a breakdown. With enthusiasm and dedication, we will continue to build upon our unique fraternal legacy at the University of Maine for many decades come! It is exciting and rewarding to know that we will continue to have a great fraternal future because we have an undisputed claim to durable greatness in being the oldest, most dedicated fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine. Again, again, and again, we have always gotten on with the job of continuing to be the standard of fraternal excellence. And so, the passage of our 149 fraternal years will never stop us from honoring the rich legacy of those years as we look fraternally forward to the rich promise of our fraternal future! Perge. Omega Mu Portrait Jacob M. Horne, Jr., 1923 Omega Mu Years "Phi Gam looks forward with greatest pleasure to the coming weekend, knowing one of the best house parties ever held in the house will begin Friday evening and terminate Sunday night." "Phi Gam held parties over the weekend consisting of a smoker Friday and ... a 'Backward Party' Saturday.....The girls had to ask the boys to dance, for refreshments, and for cigarettes." "to dance" "to dance" "for cigarettes" 1922 Winter Carnival The Phi Gamma Delta house at the entrance of the University of Maine. "The Phi House at the University entrance was the arctic scene for a brilliant fireworks display. Rockets and bombs soared and exploded before an enthusiastic crowd crowd who had come to witness the spectacle." News Editor......Jacob Horne Managing Editors...Jacob M. Horne Associate Editor...Jacob M. Horne Manager....Jacob M. Horne President...J. M. Horne “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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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. Perge! Fraternal Portrait |
And all Nature rejoices in Spring,
We are planting our Ivy with tenderest care,
May its increase the future years bring.
May it flourish and live; may it broaden and grow,
Even higher its branches still climb;
‘Till covered be all of our dear-college walls
Far down the long ages of time.
~as printed in The Maine Campus, May 29, 1906, page 329
Carroll S. Chaplin’s
Valedictory Speech
Until 1991
Undoubtedly, Carroll knew our storied fraternal past at the university, and he was proud of it. Persevere is a distinctive word, a commanding word, our rallying fraternal word, our collective doctrinal attitude as undergraduate and graduate brothers, our expressive word we love to say, and our grounding historic principle that we remain champions of in being fraternally committed and upbeat in all matters as Omega Mu Fiji brothers.
Carroll dovetailed persevere, with a proper perspective of the word, in how one lives and works in the world to make a difference as they each commence on their ‘little narrow foot paths’ to live in the world with ‘care and responsibility’. Care and responsibility, two words that really count in making a difference in allowing good ideals and good visions to become effectively real for the good of humanity. Carroll wanted the seniors to sustain the fond memories of their university years, but he wanted every graduating senior to persevere, to care, and to be responsible in their distinct career callings, their families, their friends, their university, and their faith as they each started their unique journey on the ‘narrow path’ Each word is a faithful word commanding in both word and action, and doing them, as Carrol so beautifully stated, ‘shall be the crowning of a ‘well-spent lives’ - ‘fruitage’. That is well-stated and can never be over-stated.
The conclusion of the 1904 graduation was the singing of the class ode, in tune with the University Hymn, a hymn that was written by our fraternal brother, Horace M. Estabrooke. In conception, it is a mild, tender and comforting ode encouraging historic memory, love, and loyalty to beloved friends and the University of Maine. That belief mirrors our deep-rooted, generationally interlinked, fraternal belief as Omega Mu Fijis that we promote and foster from being Zobies to graduate brothers. Expressed or not, we believe, and have always believed, in simple perseverance, and to compromise on that is historically unthinkable! Perge!
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)
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge!
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.
James S. Chaplin,
1971
Omega Mu Housemothers
Jim Chaplin, first on the right, second row.
wearing a white shirt.
Yankee Conference Championship."

Omega Mu, 1970
How kind of the Lambda Chi's to recall that snowball epic. Fijis did indeed initiate that running battle by attacking Phi Mu, which used to be across College Ave. After being caught off guard, the Phi Mu's needed to vent, so we joined forces to attack ATO - a slaughter, I might add. Some ATO's joined us and we proceeded up College Ave. picking off targets as we went. One memorable moment for me came as we paused to catch our breath across the street from Phi Eta and Jim Chaplin, pitching ace for the Black Bears baseball team was challenged to chuck one of his best at Stodder Hall, a dorm about 40 yards away. Jimmy packed a ball, wound up, and followed through with a beautiful stride. There was a hushed pause as the crowd watched the building, the only sound the falling snow. Then a large window on the third floor exploded. A cheer went up from the snowy warriors and the attack recommenced on the next house, probably Kappa Sig. A fine time was had by all - except for the guys (I think Stodder was a men's dorm then) who lived in that dorm room.

Omega Mu, 1974
I was in Bill Chaplin's pledge class and his roommate at the house one year. Consequently, I often ran into Jim Chaplin, his older brother, while at Maine because of Bill. They were both mild-mannered individuals. Jim still holds the Maine record for pitching the most consecutive shutout innings, if I am correct. He deserves to be in the University of Maine Hall of Fame, in my opinion, because of that record.

Omega Mu, 1972
Jim Chaplin comes from a family of Omega Mu FIJI's. His father, Joseph B. Chaplin, Jr., ’45, was an Omega Mu Fiji, and he was a contemporary of our great friend, the late Brother Frank Danforth. I had the pleasure of introducing Frank and Jim at the last Pig Dinner Jim was able to attend. Both were delighted to have the chance to talk. Frank was interested in learning about Jim's dad's post college career, and Jim was grateful for Frank sharing his remembrances of Jim's dad in college. It was a great moment. It was uniquely illustrative of the depth of the fraternal experience, the living continuity with our fraternal past and the good of the fraternal present. It is a lasting influence throughout life. As our brotherhood is steeped with Sires and Sons, the best-knit brotherhood at Maine, Jim’s Younger brother, Bill, ’73, was also an Omega Mu Fiji, and Jim was very protective of Bill. His mom was a Black Bear, and if memory serves me correctly, was also Miss Maine one year.
After a short time with the Yankees organization, Jim followed his clear-hearted priorities and left the Yankees for a job with the State of Maine in a child protective services position. This was Jim’s deep vocation, his calling, and he worked diligently in this capacity for most of his career. Also, he coached various baseball teams in the Lewiston-Auburn area, and he inducted into the Lewiston-Auburn Athletic Hall of Fame 2009.

Omega Mu, 1971
Jim lived a meaningful life, always proud of being an Auburn hometown boy. A chance meeting began a love story for Jim and Diane Chaplin. They married in 1980, on a lovely summer day, one of his happiest, Jim said. He was born to Joseph and Virginia Tufts Chaplin Jr. Jim played basketball and was a lanky right-handed baseball pitcher, graduating from Edward Little High School in 1967. He attended University of Maine, where he posted one of the most notable pitching seasons in Black Bear history. Jim’s 1.02 ERA in 1970 is a University of Maine Baseball record that stands to this day. Jim graduated from UMO in 1971 with a major in political science. He continued to combine his love of baseball, with his dedication to share the sport, with young athletes. In honor of his outstanding baseball career, Jim was inducted into the Auburn-Lewiston Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. Jim spent his entire professional life working to improve the well-being of Maine’s children. His career with the Department of Human Services spanned 27 years. Jim earned his Master’s Degree from Boston College in 1988 which allowed him to become the Director of the Division of Childcare Licensing. Upon retirement from State government, Jim worked for 7 years at the Spurwink School, coordinating accreditation and licensing.
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)
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
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.
Anthony P. Schneider, Jr.,
1916
from the porch."
talked over the old days.
during World World War I.
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)
Chip Chapman, ’82
Perge
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