Centennial Planning

[docroc67]

Brothers,

I am very interested in your thoughts about IHQ's tentative plans for celebrating our Centennial. This month's C&C Magazine has an article about the basic plan.

GammaZeta has made some important and relevant comments about the Boston Area events. I basically agree with him on his take that Gamma had our first Chapter House.

(By the way, I hope somebody gets over there to photograph and film the place before it is taken down! I also hope that someone has gathered together the historic documents and so forth. That would just add loss to loss.)

However, I think that there is evidence that Alpha Zeta did meet on at least an irregular basis in as many as 5 different locations in the area surrounding the Boston University campus prior to the issuance of Gamma's Charter. I also think that it can be established that Alpha Zeta was "active" by late 1911 as a Zeta.

Hopefully, some space can be reserved for these, and other issues, that surround our early years in the Centennial History Book. Time will tell.

Having said all that, I really appreciate GammaZeta's comments. How about the rest of you?

Something specific: I would like to get an Historic Marker for Warren A. Cole and for Jack Mason. I have worked on this type of project here in Ohio with success. The markers are not real expensive (about $2,000 for everything) and the paperwork is not a "back breaker."

My problem is that I can't get anybody in the Massachusetts Historical Society or State Government to give me the time of day!

I have requested information with no response.

Maybe this is the Mass. way? I hope not.

Can anybody help me secure the proper information and forms to to get the marker process started?

Let me know....

Again, what are your thoughts about our Centennial Plans?

Yours in ZAX,

Mike Raymond, ZUZeta

[Tom Earp]

My first thoughts were:

My god, how much is all of this going to cost?

How many people are going to try and attend so many events that are spread so far out?

How many people can even afford this package?

While granted, it is 100 years but???

I know as much as I would like to partake of all of the offers, I cannot afford either the time or the money.

[john1082]

But where would it go? Boston, I suppose, but Boston is a BIG PLACE? Would the school give us some space?

As far as locations go, I guess we could go out to the cemetery where Cole is buried but given the size of the place and the nature of the road and terrain, it would look like Normandy, post-Eisenhower, when we finished up out there!

[GammaZeta]

Alpha Zeta may have had some meeting places, but Gamma Zeta was the first official Chapter House.

Unfortunately, there really isn't any recorded history of the house. We were shut down in the 70's for a few years and everything prior to that was lost. Every so often we had some alumni show up that did take some items to give them back, but that was rare.

As for the status, LCAP owns it, but we all know they are selling their assets. Gamma Zeta does not have an operational chapter, so keeping the house as a LXA Chapter House would be impossible since there would be no one to rent it. Lord knows, I tried to recolonize. I even had a petition of 100 names of alumni willing to donate time and money to get it back in business. But some people at HQ decided against it, saying "it wasn't feasible". In those two years, Umass has had several SUCCESSFUL fraternities come and recolonize. INCLUDING PIkE, which now are LIVING in Gamma Zeta.

Sorry, got off topic. But Gamma Zeta Housing Corp. will probably buy the house and sell it since we couldn't afford to hold onto it (since HQ didn't want to recolonize). Funny thing is, we could have had a chapter up and running by now to move back into the house.......makes you think.

There is no use for the house other than fraternal living. So, pave paradise, put up a parking lot. In this case, probably an administrative building for Umass.

Nice huh?


Hey Mike,

"My problem is that I can't get anybody in the Massachusetts Historical Society or State Government to give me the time of day!"

Just so happens I have many years and connections with Mass. State Government.

Give me a PM, I'll work with you on this.

[GammaZeta]

From our website:

"Early in 1912, Warren Cole, as was his custom in attempting to establish a chapter at a school, wrote to a student at Massachusetts Agricultural College (MAC) in Amherst (now the University of Massachusetts) asking the names of the Greek-letter fraternities on campus and the names of at least two "good, non-fraternity men." Herbert E. Cole responded with the names of six Greek-letter groups and two names, including that of Lewis Drury. Warren Cole wrote to Drury asking if he was interested in forming a Greek-letter society. Apparently Drury was quite interested, as he had his agronomy professor write a letter of recommendation to Warren Cole.

The MAC petition was duly submitted and quickly approved—after all, it was Cole's first success in attracting a group after more than one hundred futile efforts. Lambda Chi Alpha's first established chapter, Gamma Zeta, was born."

However, you will soon have the title of OLDEST chapter house, but not FIRSt. Gamma Zeta will soon be turned into a parking lot within the year. Demolished. Torn down.

[docroc67]

Originally Posted by john1082

But where would it go? Boston, I suppose, but Boston is a BIG PLACE? Would the school give us some space?

As far as locations go, I guess we could go out to the cemetery where Cole is buried but given the size of the place and the nature of the road and terrain, it would look like Normandy, post-Eisenhower, when we finished up out there!

Brother John,

I completely agree with your comment about Cole's grave site. I would never advocate a marker at that site.

I would propose putting his marker at or near the public library in Swansea. This site is beautiful with an historic library building. It is next to (in front of) the cemetery where many of Cole's relatives are buried.

I think the marker could indicate that he was born in Swansea, buried nearby, and founded our Fraternity.

I think a marker on that site recognizes him as our Founder without putting the actual burial site in jeopardy.

As to Mason, he was cremated and apparently buried with some other relatives. There are five or six names on his headstone! He has a small headstone with no indication of his involvement with our Fraternity.

We might be able to work with the cemetery manager to put something up near the actual grave. I understand that Lambda Chis visit the place from time to time.

When I visited his grave site it appeared well maintained and well protected.

John, thanks for your comments.

Yours in ZAX,

Mike Raymond

[bman]

Hello, I am from Phi Lambda at St Joes. The marker is great idea. As far as Mason's grave goes, his family is also buried alongside of him. We go there every semester. I don't know how Penn would feel about it. Their current Greek Advisor is a Lambda Chi as well. I also don't know about the chapter there. They also have a lot of historical stuff and an awsome brand new house. But if I can be any help, I have so friends in state government from working for a state rep for a while so let me know if there is something you think you need.

Also we are in the process of planning our own anniversary celebration, but would like to include a lot of the closer zetas, and where potentially hoping to turn it into the Philadelphia region celebration, and it is also our 30th. IF anyone has ideas to get money for that, get support from nationals and make it happen. Thanks


Brendan Ledwith
Phi Lambda 573
High Theta
Anniversary Committee chairman

[john1082]

OK, I have but a single, simple question: Where IS Mason buried / interred / entombed / in-urned?

[GammaZeta]

Off topic again, anyone have contact with one of our billionaire alumnis that could throw $500,000 to set up Gamma Zeta as a LXA museum?

[GammaZeta]

I'm just glad Boston is getting some recognition.

I like the nationwide celebration theme, but Indy and BeanTown should be a little bit more special.

Maybe I missed it in the article, but is there a location for a NATIONAL celebration, not just regional?

You know, 1 place or convention center where every LXA can go for 3-4 days and just COMPLETELY CELEBRATE with 1,000s of other LXA.

This is our 100th year! There should be one place were we can just party, destroy, completely go nuts, drunk, celebrate, go all out, rock out with our @*&#$ out, riot, etc.

Just have a balls out, f&$%in' all out party.

A place where everyone needs to drive a few hours. Completely go nuts for 3-4 days, then on the 5 hour drive back try to figure out what the hell happened after you blacked out the first 3 hours being there (and who the hell Peggy Sue is and why the hell you have her name tattoo'd on your ass).

[GammaZeta]

Sorry bout the multi-posts, too lazy to hit the edit button.

I don't think HQ should be advertising "the first chapter house" as part of the package in 2009, especially since they are trying to unload it and know full well that there is a very, very good chance it isn't going to be there. Hell, there are several people at HQ that have made it seem that their sole mission in life is to personally drive a wrecking ball through the house.

Just remember, there is a big difference between "the first" of something and "the oldest" of something. There will only be ONE first. There will ALWAYS be an oldest.

[GammaZeta]

Ahhh, ok I misunderstood.

I do know that the house itself is well over 110 years old.

Don't know if that makes it the oldest physically or not.

Glad you had a good time in 95. I'm friends with a lot of brothers from that era, great guys.

Yes, unfortunately Gamma Zeta will soon be demolished. We tried to recolonize several years ago to start a chapter to live in the house, but forces at HQ decided against it. Since then 4-5 fraternities have successfully recolonized, one of which is living in our house right now.

Unfortunately, HQ no longer wants to keep or maintain the house, and the Gamma Zeta Alumni do not have the means to keep the house for the amount of time necessary to get another LXA chapter into it.

So......here comes the wrecking ball.

[bman]

Well I am in Texas right now and we were informed that each conclave will be hosting its own Celebration in march of 2009, as well as Nationals efforts with alumni programing over about 18 months in different cities.

[LXAAlum]

Its interesting all these "plans" have been created to celebrate our history...and...I was put on the History Committee years ago - and as far as I can tell, there hasn't been one...one meeting of the committee, nor can I get any information out of HQ as to who is running it, am I still on it, etc...etc...

rant over...feel better now....

[docroc67]

Brother,

Check with Brother Josh Lodolo at IHQ.

Yours in ZAX,

MJR-ZUZ