Local history

The 1960s? You know the images: peace and freedom marches, love beads, draft-card burnings, marijuana and LSD, and campus protests.

Not, however, at Omicron. These clichés may have applied elsewhere during that turbulent decade, but for the most part, our fraternity— like many others at Cornell— was not a hotbed of unrest during the 1960s.

Ever explain your behavior to young whippersnappers by reminding them you are a “’50s person”?

Or if you’re from the “Vietnam Generation,” or are “30-something,” or a “Generation X-er,” or are an undergraduate— ever wonder why in the world people from about age 57 to 66 act the way they do? The answer is that they are ’50s people.

World War II at first meant the virtual disappearance of male students from college campuses. But the military soon realized that the effort to train great numbers of officers was being hampered by the educational level of the officer candidates. At the same time, many universities were hard pressed to survive financially with the loss of half their students.

Brother Frank Schaefer ’29’s article in the last Omicron Oracle brought back fond memories of life at Cornell in the 1930s. But there was a big difference: While Frank was in college, the U.S. economy was booming. When I entered in 1933, the country was in the depths of the Depression.

An alumus who later became my father-in-law wrote three tuition checks for his three Cornell daughters— only to have all of them bounce when the bank on which they were drawn closed.

When Omicron Zeta made me O-216, Lambda Chi also introduced me to a form of gracious living that I remember with nostalgia right up to today.

When you walked in the front door at 125 Edgemoor Lane, Lambda Chi Alpha symbolically met you with open arms. A massive staircase loomed before you. It rose to a landing, divided, continued to smaller landings and then further upward. Living quarters were on the second and third floors, as they are today.

May 7th 1921

George Robinson,
502 Harbor Administration Bldg.,
Toronto, Canada.

Dear Robbie:-

Your letter received. As to dope for the actives, I know of none in particular at this time. I just wrote them a letter a few hours ago telling them that I expect to be present at the initiation banquet and the corporation meeting next Saturday.

When Claude Ellsworth Mitchell, or Mitch, as we called him then, first got off the train in Etna, he had all of five dollars on his person.

The installation of the local fraternity, ISWZA, as the Omicron Zeta… took place at their chapter house on October 10 and 11.