Stillwater River Bridge: Chip Chapman, 1982

Quite naturally, there is much to be glad and grateful for because we lived together in the Castle during our college years at the University of Maine. The fraternal graces of our fraternal life were energizing, constructive, and fun. With these thoughts in mind, I am always reminded, gladly so, that our fraternal history is far from the traditional narrative of other fraternities at Maine: we were the first. To repeat, we were the first, and for that historical singularity, we are always happy. Our history embodies so much for so many, and our fraternal life will continue to impact generations of young men. With apology, forward and back in time, we naturally celebrate our fraternal history at the University of Maine, since our Q.T.V. beginning in 1874. Our treasured fraternal history is the result of the fraternal labor, love, dedication, and commitment of generations of brothers, and that fraternal vision and commitment remains true true now. 

As we are all brothers in the oldest combined fraternal brotherhood at the University of Maine, we look forward to our continued fraternal legacy at the University of Maine. There is no need to ask the why and how questions as to why our historical narrative continues to grow a Maine. The answer is the is simple, and answer is the same for both questions: the men. The important determining factor that has guided our success are generations of good men. From generation-to-generation, now entering our 149th year, our Omega Mu fraternal life, at our best, has been nothing but a unique, profound, and positive experience for countless numbers of young men. And, more specifically, it remains a joy to be an Omega Mu Fiji through life, and returning to our fraternal home, the Castle, causes a sense of celebratory well-being and satisfaction, as it should.
It is all about memory and tradition; they persist. For, above all things, that has been the case since our fraternal beginning. Sadly, our previous fraternal homes do not exist anymore, but our dignified, custom-built, historically honored Castle, the only historically honored fraternal home at Maine, remains at 79 College Avenue. There is no other!

Pure and simple, our ongoing fraternal longevity is not the result of chance. In thought, word, and act, our combined fraternal brotherhood has never been idle in our 149 year history. Our history has been built on the steady, strong, and committed foundation of generations of undergraduate and graduate brothers who continue to foster a collaborative fraternal spirit because they know what persistence and determination really mean: a simple resolution to succeed. By fraternal precept and example, we will continue to succeed because our core fraternal values remain the same: life-long allegiance, persistence, and loyal determination. These qualities are a testament to all of our fraternal brothers, and it is for these reasons that our fraternal history is not difficult to admire. It is these human qualities that have created our singular fraternal legacy at the University of Maine, and why our fraternal legacy will continue to grow with growing strength and conviction. I believe this to be so. 

​Recently, with these abiding thoughts in mind, I have been thinking about landmarks. These things may not seem to be obvious things to think about, or have any emotional import, but I believe that they do. Everyones life runs by specific daily, monthly, and yearly rhythms, and one of them is returning to places and people that have significant meaning in our lives. We love returning to these places more and more as life progresses because we appreciate these specific places and the people associated with these places. The feelings are warm and strong toward both, and there significance grows throughout life because they are a positive part of your identity, and there is no final farewell, except death, with these places and the people associated with these places in life. Specific landmarks let you know that you are very close to both, and your soul is lifted at their sight, or in passing by them, thankfully so. 

Over and over again, specific landmarks elicit a sense of joy and happiness that you are getting close to that special place that is rich in emotional memory and emotional associations. And, to be clear, it is not simple nostalgia nor simple sentiment. No, the feelings are real. And the landmarks, destinations, and the people associated with the place are, in a very real sense, manna, something that is life-giving and life-sustaining through life, in equal measure. The landmarks are unique and incomparable, and it does not matter what the landmark is, but they elicit a flutter of positive, growing excitement of imminent arrival. More to the point, in a very personal way, I feel deeply happy when I drive across the state line into Virginia near Winchester, Virginia, or when I cross the Piscataqua River Bridge into Maine, or when I drive down the Magnolia-scented lane leading to Southeastearn Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, or when I drive up the steep little knob to arrive at Andover Newton Theological School in Newton Centre, Massachusetts. Each of these places brings back rich, wonderful, warm-hearted memories. They always will, and it all comes down to deep appreciation and love for a sense of place, and the people associated with each place. In an honest, down-earth way, it is simple yet enduring love and gratitude. And, quite naturally, and more to the point of this blog, crossing the bridge in Orono fills me with anticipatory excitement about arriving at the Castle. There is a depth of feeling that I am almost home. And as the emotions of the mind will play where they will, to play off of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's beautiful poem, I think about Tom Hicks, Buddy Cote, Greg Scott, Steve Perry, Ken Bartlett, Jay Clement, Joel Gardiner, Steve Swan, Doug Banks, Bill Shaboski, Jeff Brinch, David Rushton, Chuck Foote, Tim Ames, Bunny Burns, Peter Cumpstone, John Kenealy, Pat Perry, Ray Audi, Phil Hannan, Brett Varnum, Ken Jagolta, Jonathan Smith, Ted Curtis, Frank Danforth, Paul Dulac, Mike O'Leary, Steve Hayward, John Collins, Paul Lessard, Jim McLean, Tom Richardson, Bob Doyle, Chris Eaton, Jack MacBrayne, Mike and Bill Soloby, and many other brothers. The thought of each of them elicits happiness and joy, and that is not the romantic impulse in me speaking, which I am prone to, just the simple truth. So here's to fraternal love! For me, the act of remembering good brothers, good fraternal events, and the finest fraternal home, is good indeed. That, to me, is the definition of genuine goodness, and it is summarized with one word: brotherhood.

The Castle and all Omega Mu brothers are treasured, singular gifts. This, of course, we all know. As I cross the bridge, I smile at the growing thought that I cannot wait to walk through the front door and up the time-worn foyer steps of the Castle, proud to be a brother in our ever-deepening Q. T. V. - Phi Gamma Delta brotherhood. While so many other fraternities have become extinct at the University of Maine, our fraternal history grows ever more rich. Our fraternal lifeline remains unbroken. We are enduring, unrelenting, and unmatchable. That is priceless. Anyway, forty years have come and gone since my  undergraduate days of living in the Castle, and I still look forward to crossing the Orono River bridge knowing that I am almost fraternally home. 

It is an old story in our historic brotherhood at the university of Maine. For 149 years, generations of Q.T.V. and Omega Mu brothers have crossed different types of bridges in Orono, and they must have felt something as they crossed the Stillwater River, either by trolley or by car, knowing that they were almost fraternally home at one of fraternal homes at the University of Maine. We have had five fraternal homes in our 149 year history, and the bridge over the Stillwater River is the landmark that indicates that we are, truly, almost home. As a brotherhood, we remain proudly distinct and original, and we always will be, and that is a good in and of itself that every one of our brothers has embraced since our fraternal beginning in 1874. That is the liveness of our fraternal blood and marrow, and because of that we are well-established, historically dignified, and fraternally focused, and we have no intention of becoming a fraternal artifact in the history of the University of Maine. We have too many fraternal miles to go at 79 College Avenue, Orono, Maine. We are into our third century, and persistence and determination, our corps set of values, continue to lead us. As the new year begins, our 149th year, let us all remember that there is fraternal strength and fraternal beauty in our linked fraternal identity: We all go on together. Wishing every Omega Mu brother a wonderful holiday season and a joyful new year as we carry on into 2023. In closing, we continue to build the overarching character of our Q. T. V. - Phi Gamma Delta history by the level of care we give to each other and the Castle. Living with each other in the Castle was a special time in our life, and any time is a good time to return to it. In the vagaries, disappointments, and successes that define any life, we celebrate the common good of our Omega Mu brotherhood when we return to the Castle to be with generations of Omega Mu brothers. We celebrate the principles, memories, and traditions that bind us; second, fraternally and spiritually, we celebrate and remember the gift of Gods' grace of Omega Mu brothers who are no longer with us because we are a brotherhood that truly understands the life-long nature of fraternal grace, friendship. and love. We will never lose sense of our historically long-rooted collective sense of our fraternal community, nor our grace-driven fraternal sense of decency and good will for each other through life. That is, first and last, the human legacy that has really defined our Q. T. V. - Phi Gamma Delta brotherhood at the University of Maine. After all, we are unique.

​Cross the bridge in Orono, take a left at the light, and you will soon be at 79 College Avenue. You will be pleased by the visual dignity and charm of the Castle and the hearty fraternal reception that you receive when you walk through the front door. Welcome home. It is your fraternal home. It is always the same each time you walk through the front door. The passage of time never diminishes the sense of joy in walking up the foyer steps. Perge. 

The Orono Ferry

A sunny, happy day at the Orono Ferry, pre-bridge days. This picture is enjoyable, historic food for thought, and I believe the bridge is being built behind and to the right in this picture?

1870's

1890's-1916

The trolley stop in front of the campus where our Q. T. V. and Phi Gamma Delta brothers would get off after a trip to
​Old Town, Orono, or Bangor. ​

1916 - 1950

Today

Our Fraternal Homes

Our First Q.T.V. Home,
​1876

First Q. T. V. Chapter, second building in from the right.

Our Second Q.T.V. Home,
1886

Our Third Q.T.V. Home,
1889

First Phi Gamma Delta Home,
​1897-1924

The Castle, 1925

“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