Zeta Chapter of Kappa Delta Phi National Fraternity at University of Maine Farmington was founded on May 7th, 1931. The chapter is currently dormant.
The following was published in the 1950 anniversary book. For Discussion - http://forums.orderofthecrow.org/showthread.php?t=75389
Kappa Delta Phi Fraternity House at UMaine Farmington
The first information available concerning the beginning of Zeta Chapter, Kappa Delta Phi Fraternity, Farmington Normal School, goes back to 1930. The fraternity up to this time was called Sigma Omicron Sigma. It was usually knows by S.O.S. and it flourished greater than ever during the year 1930. It was founded several years before that date by the young men of the school for the purpose of promoting greater interest among and especially along the music line and entertainments. Each year this group put on an entertainment and planned many other types of get-togethers. The membership was limited to fifteen active members and the initiations afforded much amusement to the student body. During the same year a petition was sent to Kappa Delta Phi Fraternity for admittance.
In 1931, the Sigma Omicron Sigma Fraternity of Farmington Normal School was accepted by the National Executive Committee to Kappa Delta Phi. This chapter received the letter designation of Zeta. Reginald Ingalls of Bar Harbor served as the first president of Zeta. There is a little in the records to show that the fraternity was very active for the first few years; perhaps this was due to the fact the fraternity members were scattered over the town as there was no men’s dormitory at that time. It should be stated that the new library of Farmington Normal School had reason to rejoice about the middle of March, 1933, when Charles Towle, an outstanding member of Kappa Delta Phi, marched gravely up the aisle of Merrill Hall, the assembly hall of F.S.N.S, and presented Miss Mantor, the sponsor of the library, with a check of fifty dollars. The money had been raised by the means of a minstrel which the Zeta Brothers had spent much time and energy preparing. The minstrel was ably coached by Charles Towle, and it was one of the outstanding successes of the school year – from the opening announcement by Neale Howard, the president, who acted as announcer and interlocutor, to the closing strains of the aisles in gales of laughter. Outstanding among the performers were Harry Mickalide, Kenneth Gross, Romolo Lorenzi, Al Willette, Harry Britt, Julian Thompson and Bill Webber, whose inspired clowning brought down Holbrook and Isabelle Bennett, without who the show could not have been a success. “Doc: Howard, the president, announced that he was being succeeded by Jack Harriman, a well liked second year man. Other officers elected were Bill Webber, Pete Gattrell, and Dick Hall.In 1934, die to the increased enrollment of men, The Lodge, a former girls’ dormitory, was converted into a men’s dormitory. It might be possible that this may have had something to do with the fact that Zeta began to increase its activities.
Wilbur Clark served as president during the year 1935 – 1935. During the next two years several dances and all grammar schools of Franklin County were sponsored. These proved so popular that they became annual evens.
During the year 1936 – 1937, Gwilym Roberts, National President of Kappa Delta Phi in 1947 – 1948, served as chapter president with Bernard LaBergo, Vice President; Joseph Fox, Secretary; Flint Taylor, Treasurer; Harvery Kelly, Chaplain. Although the fraternity was still handicapped by the lack of a place to hold their meetings, many other activities were added.In spring of 1937, some discussion was carried on concerning the purchase of a fraternity house. A committee was appointed to investigate the possibilities, but on report of committee, the action was deferred. Charles Wright of Clinton, Maine, was elected president for 1937 – 1938, and was to serve as chair of the investigating committee. During the summer he arranged for the purchase of the Abbott School dormitory, subject to the approval of the chapter. Harland Abbott served as Vice-President during the same year with Norman MacWilliams as Secretary, and Woodrow Marcier as Treasure. In the fall of 1937, negations were made, and quite a few men moved into the newly purchased building and started work on it immediately. A new heating plant was installed along with other building repairs. In order to legally own the property and conduct business in orderly way, Zeta was incorporated in October, 1937. In February, 1938, Mrs. Alice Whitcomb assumed the position as Hostess of the fraternity. The following letter, written by a member of the class of 1940, seems very appropriate for history: “The Class of 1940, of which the writer is a members, was so fortunate as to have an actual part in starting the fraternity on a new basis – that of owning and living in a fraternity house, largely through the efforts of Charles Wright (President 1937 – 1938). Zeta Chapter with something less than two dollars in the treasury, in the spring of 1937, decided to purchase a fraternity house. Several properties were investigated and finally the dormitory of the defunct Abbott School, famous in the annals of the Abbott family and the town of Farmington, was hit upon. The location proved ideal although the building was in sad repair. Work of repairing was started in the summer of 1937, but when the classes reconvened in September very little progress had been noted. A few hardy souls, however, moved into the house – thus began the powerful regime of the Kappa Delta Phi Fraternity at Farmington State Normal School. As the fall progressed more repairs were made and more juniors and seniors moved into the house. The freshmen that year were taken in exceedingly early to assist in putting the fraternity ‘on its feet’, to speak figuratively, ignition starting a week prior to October 31. (Freshmen were permitted to attend the Halloween barn dance at the Alumni Gym, although they had to wear their doughnuts of they had spoken tonight)”.
The Year 1938 – 1930 brought Harland Abbott as President of Zeta Chapter. His other officers were Arthur Cooper, Vice President; Wendy Eaton, Secretary; Clayton Reed, Treasurer. It was learned during this year that Zeta had 75 active under-gradated members. The boys continued repairing the house which they knew would take a lot of hard work for several years.
Arthur Cooper was elected President for the year 1939 – 1940, with James Dow as Vice President, Harold Blood as Secretary, and Raymond Brennick as Treasurer. Zeta had fifty-eight men under its roof which probably was the greatest number of men every accommodated in the building during its history as a dormitory. As an educational fraternity, some of the features of its work have been the establishment of a library in the house, the founding of a chorus within the group, and the creation of a tutoring system for the benefit of underclassmen. The fraternity’s efforts have constantly been directed towards the advancing and sponsoring activities which would be helpful to the community. The only reward that was asked by this group was the oppurtunities to serve society still further.
Enter its twelfth year with Raymond Brennick as president, Zeta Chapter, admitted into its membership eight new members. The other officers who aided in directing the affairs of the fraternity host were Gordon Smith, vice president; Thornton Moore, treasurer; and Lewis Scott, secretary. In endeavoring to carry out its aims, the fraternity sponsored many social events and contributed to the charity. The most outstanding events was Fraternity Week. This included a Mother’s Day Program, fraternity election, and the annual banquet and dance which successfully climaxed the activities of the year.
Contributing greatly to the activities of the school, Zeta Chapter elected Henry Cameron as its President during the year 1941 – 1942, with Harold Scott as Vice president, Bernard DeCoucy as Secretary and Thornton Moore as Treasurer, With the smallest number of men ever to live at the Fraternity house, Zeta carried on its activities both for the school and the community. The fraternity library grew immensely and become the proud possessor of an honor roll of Zeta men enlisted in the serve of their country.
Harold Scott was elected President, with James Riordan as Treasurer for the year 1942 – 1943. The year presented a struggle to Zeta Chapter – a struggle to save the fraternity house which the members occupied six years ago, and to the improvement of which they gave countless hours of labor. Starting the year with five members, Zeta initiated four freshmen as new members. As the year progressed, however, one after another of these fellows was called into the service. Harold Scott, the President, was inducted in February, and William Land served as President until he, too, soon joined the many other Zeta men in the service. Realizing the problems of the active chapter, the 153 alumni members, of whom 103 were in the armed services, responded with contributions of several hundreds of dollars to help save the house. These generous gifts provide an impressive example of the strength and loyalty of the alumni group. In sprint of the handicaps, the house maintained itself successfully throughout the year, under the guidance of Gwilym Roberts, in the temporary absence of Mother Whitcomb. In the years before Pearl Harbor, Zeta Chapter usually h about fifty members in residence. With the beginning of the wad, the number of gradually decreased as more and more fellows entered the service of their country. Then from 1943 – 1946 there was no active chapter. The alumni members of the fraternity were scattered all over the world. These were the fellows who had spent hours in decorating the fraternity house with colorful autumn leaves and fragrant pine for the dances that meant so much, in signing around the fireplace on cold winter evening, in listening by the hour to the latest swing records, in playing softball in the shadow of “little Blue”, and in walking the paths by Abbott Pond in the beautiful warm evening of the spring. Where were they then? On every battlefront of the world – flying bombers over Northern Europe, and fighters over Italy – in Australia, and in the Jungles of New Guinea – in disease-ridden India, and sweltering Persia – in Africa and at isolated weather stations in Greenland – fighting over mountains in Italy, and through swamps of the Pacific islands – they were serving wherever the enemy was to be found. Two gave their lives in 1944. One was missing in action and still another “sweated out” the war in a German prison camp. Many were in posts of extreme danger. In the room where once they danced and sang, a service flag hung in tribute – a tribute to the once carefree boys who then with others like them, were the men upon who the world depended. The house, and the flag, awaited their return to the things for which they fought. A few of the fraternity men did reopen the house in 1946 – thus entering its first postwar year. Arthur Cooper was President, and Raymond Brennick was Secretary – Treasurer. They were three new men admitted into its membership.
The house was finally put into shape when the class of 1946 – 1947 came. Water pipes were broken, windows were broken and the house was really in bad shape, but the next few years the men worked hard to make a home for themselves. Back interest in the mortgages had to be worked out. All in all, there were many headaches, but the fellows worked hard and finally showed that the house meant a great deal to both the actives members and to the alumni. These men felt that they must do their best because the alumni contributed approximately $1,400.00 during the war in order to keep the house. Wilfred Morin was President, William Lane as Vice President, Roland Decoteau as Secretary, and Clarence Benson as Treasurer.
The year 1947 – 1948 brought Wilfred Eldredge into office of President. Eldredge saved the fraternity a great deal of money during the year because of his ability to do most anything that needed fixing around the house. Fire escapes were put up, and the entire cost was approximately $1,200. The house really began to get into shape during this period, with the enrollment approximately 57 men.
Clifton Burton served as President during the year 1948 – 1949. The year 1949 – 1950 started off with 6 men living in the house which we believe to be a record number. All of the men, both members and freshmen, seem to have a great deal of interest for the fraternity. We believe that all the new men will join the fraternity, if invited, because no one seems to have any desire to live elsewhere, even under the crowded condition to which we have subjected ourselves.
