C&C August 2006- Issue 8

Cross & Crescent a Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity publication

INSIDE: ESPN’s Unlikely Star

ESPN’s TV personality Woody Paige talks sports.

A Shriners Legend Retires

Charlie Cumpstone successfully led the Shriners for 40 years.

How Harry S. Truman Became a Lambda Chi Chapter Awards August 2006 . XCIII . Issue 8

Cross & Crescent a Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity publication Features

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Fraternity News 3 Fraternity’s Board of Directors Fraternity News 4 One-hundred chapters receive awards Chapter News 8 Chapter and Alumni News History 10 How Harry S. Truman Became a Lambda Chi

ESPN’s Unlikely Star ESPN’s “Cold Pizza,” “Around the Horn,” and “1st and Ten” are successful shows thanks to the color, creativity, and comedy Woody Paige contributes. As a veteran reporter, Paige works hard to stay hip for his younger fans.

By Chris Barrick

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A Shriners Legend Retires As one of the driving forces of the Shrine for the past 40 years, Executive Vice President Charlie Cumpstone will be missed. His achievements, influence, and good humor will continue to be felt for many years to come.

By Tad Lichtenauer

Credits

Contributions

Publisher: Bill Farkas Editor: Jason Pearce Assistant Editor: Chris Barrick Assistant Editor: Tad Lichtenauer Illustrator: Jeff Reisdorfer Podcast Voice: Fuzz Martin Photographer: Walt Moser Assignment Editor: Jon Williamson Historian: Mike Raymond Contributing Editors:

Jono Hren

Aaron Jones

George Spasyk

Content for consideration should be submitted by the fiftenth of the month.

Lambda Chi Alpha 8741 Founders Rd Indianapolis, IN 46268-1338 (317) 872-8000 editor@lambdachi.org www.lambdachi.org www.crossandcrescent.com

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Cross & Crescent AUGUST 2006

FRATERNITY NEWS

2006–2007 Grand High Zeta

The Fraternity’s newly elected board members the grand high zeta serves as the board of directors for Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. It consists of nine members elected by the General Assembly, two chosen by the Student Advisory Committee, two chosen by the Council of Presidents, and two who are selected by the Board.

Elected Alumni Nine alumni members are elected by the General Assembly to fill alternating four-year terms.

Appointed Alumni Two alumni members may be selected by the Grand High Zeta within 120 days after the close of a General Assembly to fill two-year terms.

Undergraduates from SAC The chairman and vice chairman of the Student Advisory Committee serve oneyear terms as Grand High Sigma and Grand High Theta. The SAC will select its new leaders in October 2006.

By Bill Farkas (Butler 1988)

Lynn Chipperfield (Drury 1973) Grand High Pi (Chancellor) Term: August 2006 to July 2010 Dr. Greg Smith (Washington 1962) Grand High Gamma (Secretary) Term: August 2004 to July 2008 Bob Koch (CaliforniaBerkeley 1971) Grand High Tau (Treasurer) Term: August 2006 to July 2010 Dr. Ralph Wilhelm Jr. (Cornell 1967) Grand High Iota (Director) Term: August 2006 to July 2010 Drew Hunter (Denver 1980) Grand High Kappa (Director) Term: August 2004 to July 2008

Undergraduates from COP The chairman and vice chairman of the Council of Presidents serve one-year terms as Grand High Nu and Grand High Psi. These two positions were created at the 2006 General Assembly and go into effect 60 days after the close of the 2006 General Assembly. The COP will select its new leaders in January 2007.

Phil Parker (Florida Atlantic 1973) Grand High Delta (Director) Term: August 2006 to July 2010

Dr. Ed Leonard III (William Jewell 1979) Grand High Alpha (Chairman) Term: August 2006 to July 2010

Tom Merrihew (North CarolinaChapel Hill 2006) Grand High Sigma (Director) Term: November 2005 to October 2006

Hon. Terry Means (Southern Methodist 1971) Grand High Phi (Director) Term: August 2004 to July 2008

Joseph Roy (Drury 2006) Grand High Theta (Director) Term: November 2005 to October 2006 Derek Carson (Union 2007) Grand High Nu (Director) Term: February 2006 to January 2007 Jason Harp (California-San Diego 2007) Grand High Psi (Director) Term: February 2006 to January 2007

Orza Offers $50,000 in Scholarships Vince Orza (Oklahoma City 1972), dean of the Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University and Order of Achievement recipient, announced $50,000 in scholarships for brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha pursuing a graduate degree in business administration.

The scholarships, valued at $10,000 each, are specifically designated for brothers attending the Meinders School of Business working toward their degree in either the Great Wall International MBA program or the standard MBA program.

Dr. John Minasian (Worcester 1972) Grand High Beta ice-Chairman) Term: August 2004 to July 2008

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Cross & Crescent

AUGUST 2006

FRATERNITY NEWS

51st General Assembly Awards One-hundred chapters receive awards The 51st General Assembly was held July 20–23, 2006, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel in Orlando, Florida. More than 100 chapters and members were recognized for their accomplishments.

Grand High Alpha Award Recognizes chapters that have maintained a superior level of operations for at least three consecutive years. A chapter may earn the award only once every three years.

• Kettering-B • Northwestern Dirghalli Scholastic Programming Award Recognizes chapters that have developed an outstanding program resulting in superior academic achievement of its members.

• California-San Diego • Kansas State • Southern Methodist Alumni Affairs Award Recognizes outstanding alumni programming within the chapter, including alumni organization, events and activities, mentoring, and fund-raising efforts.

1. Denver 2. Kansas State

By John Holloway (High Point 1993)

Academic Achievement Award Awarded to chapters with a Grade Point Average that was first on a campus, or second or third on larger campuses with a greater number of fraternities.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Central Missouri Denison Eureka Georgetown Gettysburg Marietta Millersville Millsaps Minnesota State New Mexico State Northwestern Pittsburgh Southeast Missouri Southern Methodist Wake Forest William Jewell

Approved Legislation During the 51st General Assembly, delegates adopted several important pieces of legislation.

Chartering Standards: Any colony established after September 21, 2006, must meet the standards for chartering within two years after the date of colonization.

Dues: The Initiation Fee was raised to $170 per man; Active Dues were lowered to $60.00 per semester per man; and a Basic Chapter Fee was added, starting at $400 per chapter per year and increasing each year thereafter through 2009.

GPA: The Chapter Operating Standards now require an annual cumulative 2.5 GPA or the campus all-men’s average, whichever is the lesser.

Graduate Students: May now remain active members with their chapter provided they continue to support the chapter in the form of dues and satisfy other membership obligations.

Website Award Recognizes chapters with outstanding advances in the use of computer technology, layout, content management, computer graphics, and website design.

1. William Jewell 2. Florida 3. Southeast Missouri State

Graduation Cords: Official Lambda Chi Alpha graduation cords may be worn by undergraduates during commencement.

Grand High Nu and Psi: The chairman and vice chairman of the Council of Presidents were made voting members of the Grand High Zeta.

High Pis: The Grand High Pi now has the authority to appoint a chapter High Pi. Investment Board: All provisions for a Board of Investment Advisers were eliminated.

Regalia: The proper practices for wearing regalia such as the Official Badge and Associate Member Pin were defined, as well as the proper practices for displaying the Coat of Arms and other symbols.

Alumni Publications Award Awarded to chapters with outstanding alumni newsletters. At least two must be published and submitted to Headquarters during the academic year.

Resolution Deadline: Mandatory Policy Resolutions are now subject to the same 45-day filing requirement as proposed legislation.

Study Abroad: A student may now declare himself inactive for the period of time he is outside his chapter’s country.

1. Northwestern 2. Iowa State

The Constitution and the Statutory Code are being updated to reflect the new legislation and will soon be distributed via www. lambdachi.org.

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Cross & Crescent

AUGUST 2006

FRATERNITY NEWS

Tozier Brown Public Affairs Awards Recognizes chapters with the most outstanding programs of community service and philanthropic activities. The award is divided into two categories, Public Affairs Programs and Most Outstanding Public Affairs Project.

Public Affairs Program 1. Butler 2. Kansas State 3. Southeast Missouri State Public Affairs Project 1. Penn State 2. Iowa State 3. Incarnate Word North American Food Drive Award Awarded to chapters that collect and verify more than 8,500 pounds of food. The top 10 chapters received special recognition.

NAFD (Continued) • Akron • California State–Fullerton • Central Florida • Colorado State • Denison • Drury • Eastern Illinois • Elmhurst • Florida State • Florida Tech • Kettering-B • Louisiana Lafayette • Maryland–Baltimore City • Michigan State • Michigan Tech • Minnesota State–Mankato • Mississippi State • North Dakota • North Florida • Oklahoma • Oklahoma City • Oregon State • Rensselaer • Southeast Missouri State • St. Mary’s • Texas Christian • Toronto • Truman State • Union • Western Michigan • William Jewell • Worcester Polytechnic

1. South Carolina–Aiken (322,785 pounds) 2. Kansas State (232,700 pounds) 3. Incarnate Word (223,431 pounds) 4. Denver (158,414 pounds) 5. Texas San Antonio (150,702 pounds) 6. Nebraska-Omaha (136,780 pounds) 7. Missouri-Columbia (133,065 pounds) 8. Kutztown (126,000 pounds) 9. Bowling Green (113,685 pounds) 10.Butler (113,600 pounds)

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Cross & Crescent

Campus Involvement Award Awarded to chapters with extensive involvement in extracurricular activities.

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Alabama Butler Case Western Central Michigan Denver Drury East Tennessee State Eastern Illinois Elmhurst Eureka Florida Southern Georgetown Georgia Tech Gettysburg Hanover Incarnate Word Iowa Kansas State Missouri Murray State Nebraska Northwestern Pennsylvania Rensselaer San Diego San Diego State South South Carolina–Aiken Southeast Missouri State St. Joseph’s St. Louis College of Pharmacy Stetson Texas–San Antonio Truman State Union Valparaiso Vanderbilt Wake Forest Washington & Lee William Jewell

AUGUST 2006

FRATERNITY NEWS

Joseph Charles Mentor Leadership Program Award Granted to chapters that have the most participation in this program.

Membership Recruitment Award Awarded to chapters with outstanding success in recruitment, by substantially increasing their numbers and/or dramatically improving their initiation ratio of associate members.

Undergraduate Participation • Butler Alumni Participation • Arkansas Warren A. Cole Recruitment Program Award Recognizes chapters that have developed and implemented well organized and effective recruitment programs.

• Butler • Kansas State • Southern Methodist Bruce Hunter McIntosh Award Recognizes chapters that effectively use the Standards for Chapter Excellence program to continuously improve their fraternal experience.

• Kettering-B • Hanover • Simpson Lewis A. Plourd Fraternity Education Award Presented to chapters whose outstanding Fraternity Education Program includes the entire membership, involves alumni, and incorporates a highly effective Big Brother program.

• Butler

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Alabama Butler Coe Florida Georgia Tech Indiana Louisiana State Miami-FL Michigan State Missouri Oklahoma Oregon State Purdue Rensselaer Rhode Island San Diego Southern California Southern Methodist St Joseph’s Truman State Vanderbilt Western Michigan

• Forrest Bailey (Alabama 2007)

Forrest Bailey, Flad Recipient Forrest Bailey (Alabama 2007) was honored with the Cyril F. “Duke” Flad Outstanding Undergraduate Award, the highest honor bestowed upon an undergraduate.

Bailey is working toward earning degrees in both chemistry and biology. He served his chapter as president, treasurer, and secretary as well as sitting on his chapter’s Executive Committee and Recruitment Committee.

Phoenix Award Presented to a chapter that has made unusually positive strides in overall chapter operations for at least three consecutive years, taking into consideration improved membership size, depth of programming, and risk-free operations.

• Butler • Florida Southern • St. Joseph’s

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Cyril F. “Duke” Flad Outstanding Undergraduate Award This award was created in 1970 to honor Duke Flad, who served as the Fraternity’s 2nd chief executive from 1942-1968.

One outstanding undergraduate from among all student members is selected annually to receive this award.

Cross & Crescent

He also is a member of the Blue Key National Senior Honor Society, Mortar Board National Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society, National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society.

On campus, Bailey is actively involved in his University’s Student Government Association, heading the Executive Advisory Board’s philanthropic front. As head of this committee, Forrest was able to help raise more than $1,500 for KidOne, a local charity.

He also developed his chapter’s annual haunted house benefiting the Boys and Girls Club. Most impressively, Forrest was able to accomplish all of this, yet still have time to participate in various events through the Duck Springs Baptist Church, foster positive relationships with university administrators, and maintain an exemplary grade point average.

AUGUST 2006

FRATERNITY NEWS

Order of Merit Created in 1933, the Order of Merit recognizes alumni brothers for outstanding, lengthy, and dedicated service — particularly at the local chapter level.

• Dr. Elgan L. Baker, Jr. (Depauw 1971)

Order of Achievement Established in 1958, this award recognizes alumni for outstanding achievement in their professional careers. Recipients are elected to receive the award in General Assembly years, but may receive it at another appropriate event.

• James W. Abbott (South Dakota 1970), president of the University of South Dakota

• William H. Drews (CulverStockton 1952) • Theodore A. Dunn, Jr. (Florida 1980) • John M. Gezelius (CaliforniaBerkeley 1978) • Mark W. Kelly (Oklahoma City 1977) • Ronald A. Neville (Drury 1969) • Edward B. “Skip” Orio (Memphis 1964) • Allen E. Segrist (Miami of Ohio 1953)

• Woodrow Paige (Tennessee 1966), sports columnist for The Denver Post and ESPN programs “Around The Horn” and “Cold Pizza” George W. Spasyk Order of Interfraternity Service The award was created in 1958 to be conferred upon men and women who have contributed outstanding service in the betterment of all college fraternal organizations.

Distinguished Service Award Recognizes brothers who have contributed generously of their time and energies to Lambda Chi Alpha at the international level.

• Ted R. Grossnickle (Wabash 1973), Grand High Alpha 2002-2006 • Douglas O. Kitchen (Kansas State 1968), chairman of the Board of Investment Advisers

• N. Earle Taylor (McGill 1974) • Dr. Terry Toy (Denver 1973)

• Howard R. Alter, Jr., Theta Chi • Kenneth D. Tracey, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity Adviser of the Year May be awarded annually to a fraternity or Greek adviser who has rendered exemplary service to the Greek system on a particular campus or on a number of campuses.

• Scott H. Jones (South Dakota 1985), Greek adviser at Kansas State

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Cross & Crescent

AUGUST 2006

CHAPTER NEWS

Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Alabama-Birmingham (Sigma-Chi)

Kansas State (Gamma-Xi)

Cameron Snowden (2008) and Eric Champion (2007) were initiated into the Order of Omega Greek Honor Society.

Brian Park (2007) was one of 11 students selected to the K-State International Team to volunteer this summer in Izamal, Mexico, at a day camp for local children.

Boston (Alpha)

Kentucky (Epsilon-Phi)

The chapter won Fraternity of the Year at the Greek Awards.

Cho Tse (2006) was named Brother of the Year and Adam Cooper (2006) was named President of the Year.

Richard Macke (1951) died July 17, 2006. Macke was the makeup chief and assistant editor for The Cincinnati Enquirer’s sports desk for 43 years.

California Polytechnic (Phi-Sigma)

Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon)

Colin Roche (1995) and Bobby Ronsse (1995), the creators of PenAgain, have successfully completed a 30-day, 500-store trial with Wal-Mart to market their wishbone-shaped writing instrument.

Alumni gathered to celebrate their 50th class reunion.

Michigan (Sigma)

Spencer Wood died July 22, 2006.

Charles W. Cole, Jr. (1973) was appointed president of Hunton Brady Architects in Orlando, Florida. In addition to his new leadership position in the 75-person firm, he continues as the principal-in-charge of healthcare design. He also achieved board certification by the American College of Healthcare Architects.

California-Santa Barbara (Zeta-Eta)

In his newly published book My Team: Choosing My Dream Team from My Forty Years in Baseball, Larry Dierker (1968) analyzes players from his 40 years in baseball and compiles his all-time best team. In 1976, Dierker pitched a no-hitter for the Houston Astros against the Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals).

Dayton (Sigma-Eta)

Ron Holland (Alberta 1970) found and purchased a Lambda Chi Alpha jeweled badge on eBay with the engraving “FZ-S24.” The Sigma designation led Holland to contact George Spasyk (1949), who identified the owner as Franz “Duke” Zimmerli (1917) Sigma 24. Zimmerli was a long-time House Corporation officer and colorful storyteller in the 1940s. Holland had a Sigma guard added to the badge and presented it to current chapter President Mariano Lowenstern (2008) at a recent ceremony.

The badge has been designated the High Alpha Badge and will be handed down to each succeeding chapter president.

Robert J. Desch (1973) was appointed vice president and senior wealth adviser with Banknorth in New Jersey.

Desch also was elected to the Essex County College Endowment Board of Trustees.

DePauw (Xi)

Bill Hayes (1947), a longtime star of daytime television, has co-authored a memoir entitled Like Sands Through the Hourglass with his wife and Days of Our Lives co-star, Susan Seaforth Hayes.

Indiana State (Iota-Epsilon)

Timothy O’Neill (1969), a retired First Indiana Bank executive, will serve as the interim president of the ISU foundation. In this role, O’Neill will oversee the university’s capital campaign and help the foundation become a separate entity from the university.

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Cross & Crescent

AUGUST 2006

CHAPTER NEWS

Sam Houston State (Sigma-Mu)

James R. Nette (1962) died July 6, 2006. He served as chapter president from 1961 to 1962, and as director, treasurer, and president of the chapter’s House Corporation for more than 15 years.

The chapter achieved the highest overall GPA for fraternities.

Slippery Rock (Lambda-Xi)

Richard A. Winger (1969) died June 28, 2006. Winger was a retired high school biology teacher and a part-time driver for Bluffton Taxi.

Michigan State (Gamma-Omicron)

Joseph C. Bruno (1950) died June 2006. He was a former chapter president and World War II veteran.

Southern California (Zeta-Delta)

Arjan Ligtenberg (2008) was one of six players from the USC men’s water polo team selected for the U.S. Junior National Team. The squad is playing this summer in Italy and Slovakia.

Parsons (Iota-Rho)

Robert Koch (1965) died June 2006. Koch was a former U.S. Navy jet fighter pilot instructor and served as a pilot on the U.S.S. America during the Vietnam War. He later became a commercial pilot with American Airlines.

South Florida (Lambda-Mu)

Chip Council (1988) completed his doctor of philosophy from the Nova Southeastern Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences. Council has also been hired as a senior Sarbanes Oxley process analyst for Target Corp. He also is an adjunct lecturer for the College of Business at the University of Minnesota.

Pennsylvania State (Zeta)

Ken Termini (1987) was promoted to senior director, public policy & government affairs, for Forest Laboratories, Inc. In addition, Termini and Clarence “Bud” Dean (1988) have partnered to create The Croatan Surf Club in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, offering high-end, beachfront condos.

Syracuse (Alpha-Upsilon)

David A. Sennett (1951) died July 6, 2006. Sennet was a well-known radio broadcaster.

Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)

Utah (Zeta-Kappa)

The chapter completed construction on its new house.

James R. Glavas (1951) died July 21, 2006.

Western Carolina (Beta-Zeta)

Sixty brothers participated in the 19th annual alumni golf tournament held on July 22 in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Andy Howard (1988) died June 22, 2006. Howard was a musician in Fort Myers, Florida.

Western Ontario (Delta-Eta)

Duncan A. McRae (1994) has joined the technical services team at Digital Cement.

Tom Earp (1967) was elected president of the chapter’s alumni association.

Richard Geier (1968) is the new commandant of cadets for Culver Military Adademy in Culver, Indiana.

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Cross & Crescent

AUGUST 2006

FEATURE

How Harry S. Truman Became a Lambda Chi His rise to greatness through hard work and dedication to high principles.

President Harry S. Truman was born on May 8, 1884, in the tiny city of Lamar, Missouri. He was the eldest child of John A. and Martha E. Truman. He was followed by a brother, John V., in 1886, and a sister, Mary Jane, in 1889.

By Mike Raymond (Miami-OH 1967)

In 1934, with considerable assistance from the Pendergast organization, Truman was elected as a “New Deal” Senator from Missouri. He was re-elected to the U.S. Senate in 1940.

Eventually, Truman’s popularity with the public and political leaders, his common sense approach to problem solving, and his strong political alliances gained him the Democratic Party nomination for U.S. vice president in President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s historic fourth bid for the White House.

Shortly after his sixth birthday, his family moved to Independence, Missouri. By all accounts he was a hard worker, serious, loyal to friends, and devoted to his family.

Roosevelt and Truman handily won the election.

In a matter of months after becoming vice president, Truman succeeded to the presidency upon Roosevelt’s death.

Though Truman (MissouriColumbia HON) attended the Kansas City Law School for two years in the early 1920s, he has the distinction of being the last U.S. president who did not graduate from college.

The Mason Truman was the second president to serve as a Masonic grand master. In 1940, he was elected the 97th Grand Master of the Missouri Grand Lodge.

Truman joined the Missouri National Guard prior to the United States entering World War I. His desire to enlist in the The Army National Guard was almost derailed due to his poor eyesight, but with determination and a bit of guile, he passed his physical examination by memorizing the eye chart.

His Masonic career began when he became a master Mason at the Belton Lodge #450 in Belton, Missouri, in March 1909. In 1911, he became the first Worshipful Master of the newly formed Grandview Lodge #618 located in Grandview, Missouri.

His commanding officers recognized his administrative abilities and leadership qualities, and he was commissioned a lieutenant with the command of a regimental artillery battery.

Truman was also a Scottish Rite Mason. He eventually received recognition as a 33rd degree Mason in honor of his Masonic activities.

His service in the U.S. Army would introduce him to a number of important friends and future political associates.

It was reported that he preferred to be recognized as a past grand master, rather than past president, while attending a Masonic lodge. He was a Freemason for an impressive 62 years.

The President He became friends with Lt. James M. Pendergast, nephew of T.J. Pendergast, a powerful Kansas City politician who would greatly influence Truman’s rise to presidency.

The Fraternity Man Truman was invited to join Lambda Chi Alpha by Thomas L. Bear (Missouri-Columbia 1944), who was the chapter president at the time. Truman accepted the invitation to join Lambda Chi Alpha on July 17, 1944.

Truman married his long-time friend Bess Wallace in 1919. Their only child, Margaret, was born in 1924. Margaret Truman, a member of Pi Beta Phi, would become famous for playing the piano in the White House and her popular series of murder mystery novels.

The initiation was originally scheduled to take place in the summer or fall of 1944. However, the political campaign, his inauguration as U.S. vice president, and the unexpected death of Roosevelt, delayed his initiation.

Truman’s political career began in 1922 when, with the help of the Pendergast political machine, he was elected to an administrative judgeship for the Jackson County Court, Missouri.

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AUGUST 2006

FEATURE

In 1945, the Cross & Crescent magazine reported that Truman was initiated in his office in the Federal Building in Kansas City, Missouri, at 11 a.m. on June 28, 1945. The earliest signed photo bears the date August 29, 1945.

Victor Swyden Interview

The editor wrote that 14 members of the Kansas City Alumni Association, representing the University of Missouri chapter, initiated Truman in a simple ceremony.

Brother Truman was recorded as Gamma-Kappa 213.

Deep in the archives of the Truman Presidential Museum and Library is a transcript of an interview with Victor F. Swyden (Missouri-Columbia 1936) concerning his recollection of how Truman became an honorary member of Lambda Chi Alpha. Swyden was a member of the Kansas City Council in 1963.

The interview, conducted by Neil M. Johnson, took place on April 10, 1984, and reveals the following: Swyden: ...while he was a senator and just before I went into the service, my fraternity offered him honorary membership. It didn’t materialize until after I was in the service. He became president, and then he became an honorary member of our fraternity, the Lambda Chi Alpha, in Columbia, Missouri. There are only two who have ever received that honor; they were President Truman and Senator (John) Danforth.

The hastily organized initiation was headed by Grand High Pi Dr. George Van Feist (Drury 1920) and was composed of brothers from at least nine chapters.

Each member of the delegation received a full color Lambda Chi Alpha coat of arms personally signed by Truman.

Johnson: Is that a social fraternity?

Though there are mildly conflicting versions of Truman’s initiation (see sidebar), both stories indicate that Truman was invited to membership in 1944. Only the date and site of his initiation differ.

Swyden: Yes. It’s on the campus of the University of Missouri.

Johnson: So he accepted honorary membership?

Swyden: Yes. I’ll never forget. We had read in a news bulletin, that I got when I was overseas, that there was a matter of hours in which Mr. Truman disappeared; nobody knew where he was. He was up at the Power and Light Building being initiated into the Fraternity. They told me — I don’t know — they used my diamond pin so he could be initiated.

It is possible that the Power & Light Building was also known as the Federal Building. It is well documented, however, that Truman was initiated in June 1945 and not in 1944 as Swyden remembered in his interview.

Johnson: Your diamond pin.

The Legacy Most people remember Truman for his decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan that ended World War II, as well as his decision to fire General Douglas MacArthur for insubordination during the Korean conflict.

Swyden: Yes, so he wore my pin once.

Johnson: When would that have been?

Swyden: I’d like to give you the exact date, but it would have to be 1944 because I remember I was in the Pacific at that time, and I got a letter from home telling me about it.

However, his real legacy can be traced to his many foreign policy decisions that blocked communist expansion throughout the world and his significant advances in human and political rights for all Americans.

Truman died in 1972, follwed by his wife in 1982. They are buried together in the courtyard of the Truman Presidential Museum and Library in Independence, Missouri.

For members of Lambda Chi Alpha, Truman’s life symbolizes the importance of each man becoming the best man he possibly can. His rise from farmer to President of the United States demonstrates our belief that each of us, no matter how humble or common our origin, can rise to greatness through hard work and dedication to high principles.

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AUGUST 2006

FEATURE

ESPN’s Unlikely Star Woody Paige adds color, creativity, and comedy to ESPN’s “Cold Pizza,” “Around the Horn,” and “1st and Ten.” “i always wanted to be a writer when I was a kid,” says Woody Paige (TennesseeKnoxville 1968).

By Chris Barrick (Butler 2004)

Becoming a TV Star Following graduation, Paige ended up in Denver, Colorado, and did some talk radio and local TV. It wasn’t until he became a newspaper columnist that he started to become rather well known across the country.

Paige and a neighbor would build cameras out of wooden boxes and use a kid’s printer to print newspapers and distribute them around the neighborhood.

From there he ultimately did shows like “Today” and “Good Morning America,” especially when they were covering high-profile stories from the Southwest, like the JonBenet Ramsey murder trial and the Oklahoma City bombing cases.

“We would take turns playing TV anchors in front of our parents’ curtains,” he says. “We used to do radio, where one of us would be the personality and the other would be the listener.”

“I was more than a sports columnist, I was a journalist,” said Paige.

“I covered the World Trad e Center bombings. I traveled throughout the world and have done Olympics and wars and the sort.”

Paige has had a very successful career in journalism. He has won more than 100 local, state, and national awards; twice has been named one of the Top 100 journalists in the country by the Washington Journalism Review; and was voted the top sports columnist in Colorado.

As Paige began his journalism career, he could not decide whether he wanted to pursue a career newspapers, TV, or radio. “Oddly enough, I ended up with all three.”

A Reporter Is Born Paige remembers being asked what his interests were while being a Lambda Chi Alpha pledge his freshman year at the University of Tennessee.

Topping off the career accolades, he has had columns included in the Pulitzer Prize-winning packages for The Denver Post and was named to the Jim Murray Foundation Journalists Hall of Fame.

“All of the pledges were paired up with a brother with similar interests,” he says. “So if you were interested in going to law school, they would pair you up with someone who was on track for law school.”

Paige spent 22 years as a radio talk show host, was a pro basketball TV analyst, and TV commentator and show host in Denver for 12 years.

In the past 40 years, Paige has covered more than 30 Super Bowls; 25 Masters, U.S. Opens, British Opens, and PGA Championships; 13 Olympics; Wimbledon and the U.S. Tennis Open; the World Series; the NBA Finals; the Stanley Cup; the Kentucky Derby; the Indianapolis 500; 25 professional title fights; every major bowl and national college football championship game; the Final Four; and sporting events in Europe, Australia, Asia, South America, and North America.

“When they asked me, I said I was interested in newspapers and communications. So as a result, I was helped getting a job at the school newspaper and ended up being a disc jockey, as well and doing some campus TV.” Paige also wrote a daily article for the university’s paper featuring humor and campus life. He would write on topics such as coming up with creative excuses for canceling a date.

He says he enjoyed going to the British Open, Wimbledon, and the Olympics, but didn’t really enjoy people from other countries getting mad at him.

“I had two dates, one Friday night and one on Saturday night.

And on Thursday, both their grandmothers died. What are the chances of that?” Paige says. “I am not joking. One of the girls had four grandmothers die in the time I knew her!”

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FEATURE

“I went to France for the Albertville Olympics and wrote that the German hockey team got off the plane and France surrendered,” he laughs. “I didn’t realize that there were so many French people in the country.”

ESPN Comes Calling When the president of ESPN courted Paige to move to New York and work full time for the network, he was surprised. “Sports is a vehicle,” says Paige. “My love is writing.”

The Founder of ESPN On September 7, 1979, ESPN first went on the air at 7 p.m. ET. It was William “Bill” Rasmussen (DePauw 1954) who flipped the switch, becoming the founder of the worldwide leader in sports.

He told the network that they didn’t want to hire him because he doesn’t live and die sports. “The ESPN president told me that they had hundreds of people that live and die sports and what they really needed was someone to be creative, funny, and different,” he says.

ESPN was supposed to be just a regional sports network that would broadcast Hartford Whalers and University of Connecticut games several nights a week.

ESPN began using Paige on a number of different programs and eventually created a program just for him.

Since the satellite could deliver its signal across the country, Rasmussen ditched the regional business model and switched his focus nationally.

And to fill the 24 hours of broadcast time, he began broadcasting games from around the country, live and on tape delay.

Surprisingly, it was cheaper to have a 24 hour transponder on a satellite than would have been to rent a few hours air time from someone else.

“Around the Horn” was created just for Paige, and when it became hugely successful, ESPN wanted him to do more shows.

Acknowledged as one of the most important figures in the development of cable television and sports media, Rasmussen was called “the father of cable sports” by USA Today.

He started doing “Cold Pizza,” ESPN’s version of “Today” and other morning shows. He then did a show called “Dream Job,” a sports version of “American Idol,” where he was the controversial judge. He is also entering his second year on “1st and 10.”

Rasmussen was also named one of Sports Illustrated’s “Forty for the Ages” — a listing of 40 individuals who have significantly altered and elevated the world of sports.

“I am on national TV 6.5 hours a day, which is stunning to me,” Paige says. “I always wondered what kind of talent Regis Philbin has, and now I found out for I am kind of like him — I have no redeeming social talent.”

He stays in contact with 15 to 20 brothers he went to school with and sees it as a microcosm of the fraternity as a whole. The brothers all learned the same values from Lambda Chi Alpha to get where they are today.

People always ask Paige how he got his job. “I say, wait 40 years and become an overnight success.”

Fraternity Influence Paige says he values the time he spent with Lambda Chi Alpha.

He believes it helped build character and has the ability to shape people who they are at an older age.

“There is something to be said because no one I know robbed banks or were part of Enron stealing people’s money,” he says.

Paige went back to the University of Tennessee to speak at the School of Journalism 25th anniversary. He decided to walk over to fraternity house, which he hadn’t done in a number of years.

“I saw this guy I went to school with and I thought he was going to come up to me like everyone and say ‘I see you on TV.’ Instead, he said, ‘Woody Paige, did you ever find a job?’

It was at that point, I knew I would always stay humble.”

“Your family and your religion set the values foundation for you,” Paige says. “The fraternity serves a third part of the foundation because it taught so many value systems that make you who you are today.”

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Photo Credits in Order of Apperance © Copyright Lorenzo Bevilaqua/ESPN, All rights reserved. © Copyright ESPN, All rights reserved. © Copyright ESPN, All rights reserved. © Copyright Walt Moser, All rights reserved © Copyright ESPN, All rights reserved.

FEATURE

A Shriners Legend Retires As one of the driving forces of the Shrine for the past 40 years, Cumpstone will be missed.

Charlie Cumpstone recieved countless standing ovations at the recent Shriners of North America annual convention in Tampa, Florida.

By Tad Lichtenauer (Butler 1987)

In the years after World War II, men returned home looking for the kind of camaraderie they had enjoyed while enlisted. Shrine founders saw Masonry as the perfect pool from which to recruit members.

The Shrine was founded as a fun alternative to Masonry. The founders believed in the serious nature of Masonry but wanted to stress “fun and fellowship” and eventually added “philanthropy.”

After serving 40 years with the organization, Cumpstone (Purdue 1962) officially retired in July as the Shriners’ executive vice president and chief operating officer.

This is one reason the fez was used — to lend an exotic, party atmosphere and add intrigue.

Improving Recruitment Like most service clubs, Shriners’ membership has declined over the past two decades. In 1979, Shriners included nearly 1 million men. Today, they are less than half as strong at approximately 411,000 members.

“Quite honestly, it got quite old,” Cumpstone says very humbly.

“After you’ve been thanked and had standing ovations, you say enough.”

“We see the biggest problem is the baby boomers, who simply didn’t join things,” Cumpstone says.

The Move to Tampa In 1966, Cumpstone began his four-decade career with the Shriners as an assistant to the executive director in Chicago, Illinois, after graduating from Purdue University.

To address the new environment for recruitment, the Shriners began testing several new pilot programs for new members, including hiring babysitters and holding family nights. Members interested in computers and golf also now have their own clubs.

After being with the Shriners for a little more than a decade, Cumpstone became one of the driving forces behind moving the Shriners’ headquarters from Chicago, Illinois, to Tampa, Florida, in 1979.

“With a college fraternity, you don’t much have a chance to be ignored when you’re an associate,” Cumpstone says. “Unfortunately, in the Shrine and in Masonry, you join and there’s a tendency to ignore the new guy.”

“Tampa is a wonderful town to live in,” he says. “In Chicago, we were not really a big player as there were so many organizations.

In Tampa, it’s allowed me to get heavily involved in the internal operations of the city. It’s given us a lot more visibility.”

As a result, another big emphasis is to make sure that during the first 100 days a new member attends the meetings and has someone mentoring him to make sure he gets into the swing of things, Cumpstone says.

Today, there are 191 Shrine Temples, or chapters, located in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Republic of Panama; while more informal Shrine Clubs are located around the world.

The Tampa, Florida, headquarters has 212 employees, which includes staff for both the Shriners of North America and the Shriners Hospital for Children.

He says the unique membership challenge today for the Shriners is similar to what many churches are facing in terms of the wide age range they must appeal to — anywhere from 23- to 75-years-old.

Only about 27 percent of Masons become Shriners, a percentage that has remained consistent during Cumpstone’s tenure.

Shriners History Shriners was founded in 1872 by two Masons and it is rooted in Freemasonry. It is open only to members of that brotherhood, which was a very successful formula in the first half of the 20th century when Masonry was booming.

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Clowns and Motorcycles Over the years, the Shriners has branched out to include opportunities for members to do many activities they have always wanted to do, from being a clown to riding a motorcycle. Units were formed to accommodate these groups and many joined as a result.

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FEATURE

“It wasn’t that way many years ago; people who rode motorcycles were not bankers and lawyers and so forth,” Cumpstone says.

“Now that’s all changed. Harley Davidson took care of that.”

down in the mid-1960s as a result of an electrical fire.

He does stay in touch with many of the brothers he went to school with and recently went back to Purdue for his 40th reunion.

Twenty-five years ago, if you wanted to ride a motorcycle and you were a Shriner, it was okay. If you weren’t, you were considered to be a part of the Hell’s Angels or Outlaws.

“I don’t have much to do with the kids that I went to high school with,” he says. “I’ve long since moved on and they’ve moved on.

But with my fraternity brothers, I stay in touch with them.”

Fun with a Few Rules With any organization, including the Shriners, members have to understand that there are rules, regulations, and codes they must follow.

“Every time I look at my Christmas card list, the names are either family, Shriners, or Lambda Chi Alpha brothers,” Cumpstone says.

The Next Chapter With his retirement, Cumpstone is looking forward to having his weekends off, for his Shriner duties used to occupy more than half of his weekends in any given year.

His immediate plans will include traveling with his wife and spending more time with his children and grandchildren.

Cumpstone also will spend time reflecting on all the wonderful people he has met over the years and the tremendous friendships he has formed with them.

“Some days you have to have a sense of humor or you’d absolutely tear your hair out,” Cumpstone says. “When you do something professionally that everybody else does for fun, you have to try to seek a balance.”

But at the same time Cumpstone did not want to take the fun out of the organization. “You do have to walk a very, very careful line,” he says.

Lambda Chi Experience Cumpstone joined Lambda Chi Alpha after going through rush at Purdue and being encouraged by a high school friend who was then a sophomore and a brother.

About his Lambda Chi experience and being initiated, Cumpstone says it’s “one of those things in your life that definitely changes you — it really changes you.”

Was that JackI’ve Mason Freemason?

“I hope left ana imprint on the organization,” he says. “That’s all you can hope for with anything.

That you’ve an imprint Dr. John Edward “Jack” Mason (Pennsylvania 1913),left Lambda Chi Alpha’s some place.” spiritual founder, was indeed an active member of the Masonic Fraternity.

Initiated into the Masonic Continental Lodge in Philadelphia on October 4, 1926, Mason eventually served as the Worshipful Master of Continental Lodge #738, a position he obtained in 1934. Later in his life he became a member of Philadelphia Lodge #51.

Since much of Lambda Chi’s ritual came from the Masonic ritual, Cumpstone says. This made the Lambda Chi Alpha initiation ceremony mean even more to him when he became a Mason.

“I enjoy the ritual,” he says. “I really do. It’s what sets us apart from many of the other organizations.”

His passion for ritualism led him to travel to many Masonic temples as the Lecturer for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, giving talks of Masonic lore and noting similarities to other historic rituals.

Cumpstone was the social chairman during his years at Lambda Chi Alpha, an experience that helped him with his future job as head of the Shriners.

Mason consulted about 60 books before writing the 1913 Second Edition of Lambda Chi Alpha’s initiation ritual. From Freemasonry, perhaps he turned to Dallaway’s “Historical Account of Master and Freemason,” Fellow’s “Mysteries of Freemasons,” or Gould’s “History of Freemasonry.”

“It was a great education, having to put together functions, ordering materials, and do all the planning,” he says.

Other primary developers of the 1913 initiation ritual were Albert Cross (Pennsylvania 1913) and Louis F. Robbins (Brown 1912), as well as Warren A. Cole (Boston 1909), Samuel Dyer (Maine 1912), and William J. Dwyer (Brown 1912).

At the time, Cumpstone said there were about 64 members in the chapter. Unfortunately, the original house burned

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Photo Credits in Order of Apperance © Copyright Shriners. All rights reserved © Copyright Jim Frazier All rights reserved © Copyright Jason Pearce, All rights reserved

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