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loveable fraters
I am presently in very poor health and have not the moxie to dwell on this long, but I do want to plant the seed.
TKE has meant a lot to me and I want to keep some of these names alive as long as possible. All have entered the Chapter Eternal. I reckon one must be over 65 or so to comment much on
them, and our numbers are shrinking fast. So, gentle reader, if
you will...did you know these...and your assessments:
Harrold Pierce "Tex" Flint...an Alpha Teke, the first bean counter,
Grand Grammateus which later became Executive Secretary, ran
the Fraternity out of his house in Lombard, IL. Tex was jokingly
called a seducer of housemothers (I don't think he was) but was
a man, like all fraternties had, who gave his all, his life, to the organization. Not handsome, kinda like an old shoe, a carpenter by trade, he was a very gracious man. Never had much more than a dime, sometimes questioned as a good parent, spouse.
But he took a shine to mentoring....I will quit there. Many, in
Ohio, especially, may have some memories of Tex. I was very close to him, as a beginning fielder at 21, and correspondent 'til
his death. Those who know me...I could go on and on.
Richard Russell "Dick" Hall. Raised in Hatch, NM, initiated at AO
chapter, New Mexico State. Entered service at the tail end of the
war, went on to Southern Cal and helped, with Ned Serrio and
George Woolery, et al., form TKE there...Beta Sigma chapter. He
was extremely active in campus politics, was the Ass't Dean of
Men at UCLA, helped struggling Zeta Psi chapter there...along with Joe E Brown, Zete, actor/comedian. Went on road for TKE,
became Executive Sec'y when TKE moved to KC from Champaign.
Dick was a large man, about 6-4. Extremely perceptive, and it was Dick and Jim Logan who made TKE #1, without question. His
parties were many and long and fun. He was a loving man and
booze cut him down...some of you guys perhaps knew Dick and
in spite of some of his peccadillos, loved him...as I did.
James Clifford Logan....not loveable at all. Had the most brilliant
mind I have ever known. Fun to tease from a distance. He was a
very demanding man, produce or flunk. His stories are legion. If
you had a Logan one, share it, please.
Jim Kane...the "Oklahoma underwear salesman" was a real sight, not masculine at all. Good sense of irony and humor, and
a fantastic memory. Ohio State fraters have many Kane stories,
and likely some guys under forty remember him. He was a very
caring man. Diabetic, when he was forced to retire, TJ Schmitz saw to it Jim had insurance, and carried Jim on TKE's roster 'til
we lost him. I shall always revere Schmitz for this. Share some
tales with us about Jim, huh?
Pete Leland, a dashing, handsome man, hail-fellow-well met,
gave a lot to TKE. Headed up Leland Publishers of St Paul, he
published FRATERNITY MONTH, a competitor to Banta's Greek Exchange. Pete never was wealthy; wife Wilma Smith was the
National President of AOPi. Pete was always broke come Conclave time but had so many friends he was always afforded
a place. He loved to be the genial host at the bar, and so long
as you could buy, he could stay. Tell us about Pete.
Bill Quallich, the 6th grade teacher struck down with a horrible
illness which finally took him. Ohio Tekes knew him well; he was
a charter member of Delta Epsilon, that great chapter then known as Fenn, now Cleveland State. I hauled him around a lot
of OHIO and I knew many a night Bill sat up all night talking to the various fraters about varied problems. A loving man. At the
Great Plains Leadership school in Springfield, MO, Feb 1966, we brought him from Cleveland.
by the way--he was the Grand Dollar then, he termed the
name, and was a smash, loved by all.
I am sure you have some Quallich tales. He was a tall, shy, man
with a heart of gold. I am glad to have known him.
There are many other great Tekes; these are only a few who I had a chance to know....I am tired now....your turn. YITB. Erik
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