Wood's Words: DU Redux
Jim F. Wood ‘64
To the Clarkson Community and to our ΛΙ-ΔΥ brothers:
Welcome, and…
Δικαια Υποθηκη
Meet the newest members of the ΛΙ-ΔΥ Brotherhood.
Meet the members of the class of 2014: Dan Decker, electrical engineering, Clyde, NY; Dan Deloff, software engineering, Oswego, NY; Ervin Dervishi, civil engineering, Bronx, NY; Kevin Sweeney , mechanical and aeronautical engineering, Middletown, NY; Vinny Olivieri, electrical engineering, Williamsville, NY.
Meet the members of the class of 2015: Alex Thomas, math/pre-med, Durham, NC; Beard Land, civil engineering, Herndon, PA; Mike Mahoney, civil engineering, Nashua, NH.
Meet the members of the class of 2016: Dakota Price, mechanical engineering, Dansville, NY, Emir Garcia, aeronautical engineering, Brooklyn, NY; Eric Blakely, chemical engineering, Coventry, CT; Gregg Steiner, global supply chain management, Lima, NY; Jake Tyo, electrical engineering, Massena, NY; Jake Brigante, electrical engineering, Milton, VT; Jim Surrett, electrical engineering, Enfield, CT; Jim Temple, innovation and entrepreneurship, Suffield, CT; Jason Butchard, aeronautical engineering, Manchester, NH, Kyle Ventura, chemical engineering, Carroll, OH; Nate Watkajtys, global supply chain management, New Hartford, NY, Orri Antonsson, aeronautical engineering, Pittsford, NY; Paul Hyman, engineering and management, Port Washington, NY; Peter Lang, pre-law, Hagerstown, MD; Ryan Birchenough, mechanical engineering, Lowville, NY; Ryan LaClair, biology, Philadelphia, NY.
Here are twenty-four true men: members of the ski club, football club, crew, intramural hockey, soccer club, swim team, ROTC Golden Knight Battalion, archery club, orchestra, club lacrosse, math club, Engineers Without Boarders, and the president and vice president of the CUSA Executive Board. Brothers who volunteer at hospitals, mentor high school robotics students, an EMT volunteer, a member of the Humane Society, Brothers who volunteer at the Salvation Army, at soup kitchens, and participate in local religious activities.
These are the new sons of Greek LI, whose spirits never die..
And, except for the seniors who graduate in May 2014, the balance will become the first residents of the new ΔΥ house now under construction on campus.
Here will live brothers who may start businesses, who may find cures for disease, who may write important computer code to operate robotic surgery, who may argue Constitutional law in front of the Supreme Court, who may be elected to public office, who may design efficient prostheses, or invent chemical absorbants that will inexpensively reduce CO2 in the atmosphere, or design composite aircraft capable of transcontinental flight using half today’s fuel, or discover species of corn and rice and wheat that can grow in arid climates.
As important, here will live brothers committed to DU redux, who are committed to improving society, who are committed to our alma mater, and upon whom we confer the future of our Brotherhood, our traditions and our legacy. They will, of course create their own new traditions and legacy, but we hope they have a strong sense of understanding and respect for those who went before them: self actualization, an equal commitment to our Brotherhood that includes wide participation in campus and village events, and lasting commitments as engaged Clarkson alumni.
Our Brotherhood was in disarray, then reborn when ΛΙ-ΔΥ alumni came together at our 2013 spring reunion in Florida, and again on campus in the summer of 2013, determined not to let the disarray prevail. Paul Zolin, Chuck Trowbridge, Denis Jones, Ell Vines, Dave Rossi, Rob Brai, Don Dangremond, Art Scottow, Paul Preo, Chuck Phillips, James Conway and many, many more who contributed time and donated substantial money that the campus student body would know of the Brotherhood, that new members would join the Brotherhood, that a new house would be constructed on campus, and that the new house would bear a semblance to the old house at 30 Elm Street.
By the autumn of 2013, a groundbreaking took place. The university president, our honorary brother Tony Collins, dug his shovel deep into the loamy soil and a new chapter began in the life of the university’s third oldest fraternity.
The house will have approximately 10,000 square feet and will sleep 22 men on two floors of single-man dorm rooms. Two cupolas will replicate 30 Elm Street; the larger cupola will provide a large study and meeting room at the end of each dorm floor. The smaller cupola will provide a slightly larger single-man dorm on each dorm floor. The main floor will have a commercial kitchen, surely to be named the Ma Hughes center of culinary masterpieces, as well as the chapter room with a fireplace that includes a Potsdam sandstone ΛΙ shield insert. On the main floor, the large cupola will provide space for legacy memorabilia and future trophies and awards to be garnered by undefeated intramural football, tennis, basketball, hockey, soccer and ski teams.
While the price of construction and the deal with the university includes furnishings, and appliances, features desired beyond the standard “theme” house design require contributions from the tenant. Other houses have chosen to upgrade furnishings, including appliances, and add large screen TV’s and sound systems. The ΛΙ-ΔΥ Brotherhood through its Alumni Corporation chose to raise the money to add the two cupolas (towers) in respect of the traditions and memories we all have of 30 Elm Street.
The basement floor will include a bar, storage, laundry, and recreation areas. In this space foosball champions will be crowned, Clarkson men and women NCAA hockey championship games will be watched on a wide-screen TV, and “…a toast to my fraternity” will be sung. In this space it is unlikely the fruge, or the twist, or the pony maroni will be danced, or that “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”, or “Yesterday”, or “Blowin’ In the Wind” will be heard. The paper mâché ceiling is no longer; pledge classes will have other duties to perform.
A porch and railing will complement the front entrance where an inlaid ΔΥ crest will adorn its floor. On some future warm spring evening, a young Brother standing on the porch, will place his ΔΥ pin on his girl’s sweater, the chapter president will walk up the porch steps and hand her a dozen red roses, and the entire Brotherhood, in blue crested blazers, will begin to harmonize…
“Now beneath thy window, Girl of Delta U, Sing we of thy beauty, And the gold and blue…”
The Brothers’ harmony will mix with soft breezes wafting through the pines and oaks that now mark the home of the Brotherhood. Residents of adjacent houses will lean out windows to listen to the song and watch the ancient pinning ceremony… and all will be right again.