November 2013 . Issue 08
Cross & Crescent
FROM THE EDITOR In this issue, High Pi Mike Andreski (Iowa) shares his story about the fulfillment he has received from serving as the chapter advisor for Alpha-Tau at Iowa State University. We asked Mike to share his story as a way of providing a testimonial about how important and necessary a High Pi is to a healthy chapter environment. As you can see below, we have 29 chapters who currently don’t have a certified High Pi. This is very unfortunate and robs these undergraduate brothers of having a true Lambda Chi Alpha experience. If you would like to learn more about the duties and time commitments required to be a High Pi or alumni advisor, please email George Taylor, our associate director of alumni involvement. His email is gtaylor@lambdachi.org.
Tad Lichtenauer Director of Communications/IT (317) 803-7322 tlichtenauer@lambdachi.org
Chapters who do not currently have a trained and certified High Pi: •
Akron (Gamma-Alpha)
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Marietta (Kappa-Alpha)
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Pittsburg State (LambdaChi)
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Arkansas (Gamma-Chi)
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Methodist (Sigma-Theta)
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California State- Fresno (Iota-Gamma)
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Miami-FL (Epsilon-Omega)
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Rhode Island (Eta)
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Eureka (Theta-Chi)
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Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon)
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Sewanee (Iota-Nu)
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Franklin (Kappa-Gamma)
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Michigan State (GammaOmicron)
Southern Methodist (Gamma-Sigma)
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Gettysburg (Theta-Pi)
•
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Incarnate Word (Pi-Epsilon)
Minnesota State (LambdaDelta)
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Texas-El Paso (Zeta-Epsilon)
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Texas A&M-Kingsville (Beta-Epsilon)
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Lake Forest (Pi-Pi)
•
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Lehigh (Gamma-Psi)
Nevada-Las Vegas (DeltaLambda)
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Truman State(Phi-Psi)
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Loyola Marymount (DeltaPsi)
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North Dakota (EpsilonZeta)
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Virginia Tech (SigmaLambda)
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Lycoming (Iota-Beta)
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Oklahoma State (Alpha-Eta)
•
Wisconsin-Whitewater (Lambda-Iota)
If you are looking for a way to give back to our great Fraternity, please consider this very important and rewarding opportunity. In ZAX & friendship,
Tad Lichtenauer Editor, Cross & Crescent Magazine
Header Features 13
THE RENAISSANCE CHAPTER
Departments Chapter News
1
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death.
25 27
Fraternity News
A High Pi Testimonial
Fraternity News
2013-2014 SAC & CoP Members
30 History
An Examination of Secrecy (Part II)
Diverse and well-rounded the Zeta-Delta chapter at the University of Southern California is host to athletes, artists and entrepreneurs.
By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)
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LAMBDA CHI BROTHERS SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS
Two brothers share their experiences in NASA’s Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program, a nine month educational program that takes individuals into a reduced gravity flight.
By Jamie Semple (Samford), Dietrich Johnson (Missouri-Rolla), Andrew Talevich (Washington State)
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I GIVE TO LAMBDA CHI BECAUSE...
As the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation wraps up the Future Leaders Campaign, brothers express why they donate funds to the Fraternity.
By Travis Smith (Indiana) CREDITS Publisher: Bill Farkas anaging Editor: Tad Lichtenauer M Assistant Editor: Andrew Talevich Layout & Design: Thomas Roberts Photographer: Walt Moser Research: Jon Williamson Editors: Jono Hren Bob McLaughlin
CONTRIBUTIONS Content for consideration should be submitted by the 25th of the month (except Aug/Jan) Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity 8741 Founders Rd Indianapolis, IN 46268-1338 (317) 872-8000 editor@lambdachi.org www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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LAMBDA CHI TENNIS GREAT CELEBRATES 100-YEARS
Gardnar Mulloy, an Order of Achievement recipient and chapter founder, spent 14 years ranked in the U.S. singles top 10, achieving the No. 1 ranking in 1952
by Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter News Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Akron (Gamma-Alpha)
Auburn-Montgomery (Phi-Kappa)
Richard “Dick” Poppenhouse died on November 1, 2013. He was a World War II veteran having served in the U.S. Navy as a pilot. He is the former owner of Davis Printing Co. where he served as president of the Barberton Kiwanis and the Salvation Army Board.
On November 15, 2013, the chapter will hold an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for their 18 associate brothers. On November 16, 2013, the chapter will hold an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for more than 35 associate members of the Huntingdon College colony
Arkansas (Gamma-Chi)
Bowling Green State (Phi-Mu)
Clarence J. Heckman (1944) died May 30, 2013. He served in World War II in the Army Signal Corps and was awarded the Bronze Star. Heckman worked for Dallas Power & Light Co. for 41 years as a principal engineer.
The chapter hosted alumni for Homecoming and also began a fundraising plan for new housing in 2016.
Butler (Alpha-Alpha)
Arkansas State (Iota-Theta)
Fred P. Fritz Leucht died November 8, 2013. He served in the U.S. Air Force for three years. Leucht was co-founder of Clark and Leucht, P.C. in 1978. Prior to that, he was a partner at KB Parrish & Co. He enjoyed his work and never retired. He belonged to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and was a 40-year member of the Indiana CPA Society.
The chapter hosted alumni brothers during Homecoming. Alumnus brother Roy Ockert was recognized during the football game as one of the ASU Distinguished Alumni. The chapter brothers also recognized Nick Vrettos as an outstanding alumnus brother and Luke Guenrich as an outstanding senior. The chapter sponsored an event for the Conner’s Song Foundation that helps remove children from slavery in Africa.
California-Santa Barbara
Albert H. Robbins (1961) died June 4, 2013. A founding chapter member, he served his country in the U.S. Army, 1st Infantry Division stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, reaching the rank of captain.
Jeffrey S. Smith (1983) died November 5, 2013. Upon graduation, he began a career in commercial real estate with Cushman & Wakefield in Oakland, California. Later he fulfilled his creative interests with stints in clothing retail and interior design.
Auburn (Omega) Former Lt. Gen. Ronald L. Burgess Jr. visited the chapter and reinforced the Fraternity’s Seven Core Values with the Army’s perspective on LDRSHIP.
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Cincinnati (Gamma-Gamma) The chapter added 13 associate members during fall recruitment.
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Alumni brothers from 1957 to 1961 held their 10th bi-annual reunion in Cincinnati.
many years of service to the chapter, the Greek community at Cornell, and the General Fraternity. Lambda Chi Alpha CEO Bill Farkas (Butler 1988) concluded the evening’s proceedings by recounting Lambda Chi’s Seven Core Values and how they personally affected his life.
Delaware (Lambda-Beta) Kye Cho was crowned Homecoming king.
Clemson (Delta-Omicron) Kevin Ferraioli and Justin Olshavsky were invited to join the Order Of Omega National Society.
Denison (Gamma-Iota) Partnered with the women of Delta Delta Delta sorority, the chapter won Anchor Splash. The event raised about $4,000 for charity.
Cornell (Omicron) The weekend of November 18-20, 2013 marked the celebration of Omicron’s 100th year at Cornell University. Many of the 250 attending Omicron alumni, undergraduates and guests are shown in the photo taken in the Atrium of The Statler Hotel on campus. The weekend events included a Breakfast Briefing where the chapter’s Capital Campaign Committee gave a presentation outlining the need to renovate the 114 year-old Edgemoor chapter house and announced that the campaign had already raised $1.2 million of the $1.7 million funding goal. The highlight of the weekend was a banquet at The Statler on Saturday night that featured a number of keynote speakers from the university, including Trustee Steve Ashley (Cornell 1962) who presented a commemorative plaque to Board of Councilor Ralph Wilhelm (1967) acknowledging his
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Denver (Alpha-Pi) Brett McPherson is a research analyst at JCR Capital. George Garza is an intern at Cushman and Wakefield. Michael Villegas, CPA works in tax planning and audit at the WhiteWave Foods Co. Jason Pierce is a data scientist and owner of The Marketing Science Department. David Winter is a private banking analyst intern at J.P. Morgan Bill White is a guest services supervisor at Montage Deer Valley. Ben Hunt is an institutional services representative at US Bancorp Fund Services, LLC. Ed Kane is assistant product line manager at The Coleman Co., Inc. Nathan Anderson is a seasonal sales representative at Vail Resorts. Bates Parsons is an equity research analyst intern at Investment Management Associates.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Drury (Theta-Sigma)
Shep Benjamin is a vice president and broker at Caldwell Commercial Real Estate Services.
Dr. Gerald Staub died September 18, 2013. He dedicated his life to the care and treatment of children. He helped establish the first Neonatal High Risk unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, both in Rockford, Illinois; where he practiced pediatric medicine for 28 years.
Brinker Wolf is a manager at LYFE Kitchen. Aaron Gerblich is a product manager at Come2Play. Chad Gallion is a staff accountant at EKS&H. Kollin Nava is a front desk associate at Jason’s Deli.
Eastern Kentucky (Phi-Beta)
Eric Pederson is a senior analyst at Lantern Asset Management, LLC. Greg Rinsky is vice president-real estate, gaming, lodging and leisure investment banking at Deutsche Bank Marc Perruse is a director at Cress Capital. Eric Palmer is a superintendent at PCL Construction. Gregg Speichinger is a local sales manager at Reagan Outdoor Advertising. Chris Herber is an audit senior at GHP Horwath, P.C.
On November 19, 2013, more than 85 chapter brothers celebrated the chapter’s 35th Anniversary. The celebration included a dance at which the chapter’s Education Fund was renamed the Scott Jackson Education Fund to honor the chapter’s current chapter advisor.
Nick Pope is a mortgage foreclosure mediation intern at Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. John Fery is an intern at Rocky Mountain Management & Development, LLC.
Elmhurst (Pi-Zeta)
Drexel (Epsilon-Kappa)
The chapter completed a three-week food drive to benefit the Elmhurst Yorkfield Food Pantry. Their efforts raised more than 3,000 pounds of food. The chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for seven brothers. The chapter added 21 associate members during fall recruitment.
Eureka (Theta-Chi) The chapter hosted a car bash to raise money for a local food pantry.
The chapter hosted Smash Bash, a philanthropy event that raised more than $2,000 for charity.
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Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death Bruce Darnall has written an article titled “Cardinals’ Rob Johnson Finds Healing for Broken Marriage and Tough Times]” on St. Louis Cardinal backup catcher Rob Johnson. It was published on-line by Athletes in Action, the sports ministry for Campus Crusade for Christ. It tells about his life and his Christian faith. Darnall also wrote another article titled “Brewers’ Bianchi Unassuming Despite Early Successes” about Milwaukee Brewer Jeff Bianchi. It tells about his life and his Christian faith.
chapter’s hunger relief philanthropy efforts in an article on the Capital Area Food Bank website. The chapter won Greek Week 2013 in partnership with Beta Theta Pi and Phi Sigma Sigma, The chapter earned third place in Alpha Delta Pi’s Diamond Heist philanthropy event.
Illinois (Chi) The chapter held their annual Homecoming celebration. Pictured are Keith Johnson and Dick Melinder with their wives, B’Ann and Carol.
Florida Southern (Epsilon-Xi) The chapter hosted their annual Watermelon Bust philanthropy event.
Indiana (Alpha-Omicron)
Florida Tech (Beta-Nu)
Raman Bawa competed against 150 of the world’s longesthitting golfers at the RE/MAX Long Drive Championships on September 23 in Mesquite, Nevada.
Donald J. Hammel (1984) died November 19, 2013.
Georgia (Nu)
Indiana State Colony (Indiana State Colony)
Charles A. Lloyd Sr. died November 22, 2013. He was in Army ROTC in high school and later served in the U.S. Army Reserves. He also was a Golden Gloves boxing champion. Lloyd worked as a manufacturer’s representative for evaporative coolers for years until he retired in 2005. He was a former president of the Staffordshire Terrier Club of America and the Atlanta Racing Pigeon Society.
On November 6, 2013, the colony held an Associate Member Ceremony for five new associate members. On November 28, 2013, the colony was approved for rechartering.
George Washington (Delta-Xi)
Iowa (Iota-Chi)
The chapter raised almost 340 pounds of food for the Capital Area Food Bank. Lambda Chi Alpha CEO Bill Farkas (Butler 1988) acknowledged the
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The chapter hosted its inaugural Watermelon Smash to raise money for Feeding America. The women of Delta Zeta sorority
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Marietta (Kappa-Alpha)
won the competition and the coveted Golden Watermelon trophy.
Bob Walsh (1962) was inducted into the Washington Sports Hall of Fame and the Marietta Hall of Fame.
Colin Nelson was honored at half-time during the football game against Michigan State University for his service as an executive director on the 2013 Homecoming Council.
Maryland-College Park (Epsilon-Pi)
The colony added 14 associate members during fall recruitment, bringing the colony total to 34 members. The Fraternity Board has granted the colony an extension to finish completion of their chartering standards.
James E. Talley died September 25, 2013.
Miami-OH (Zeta-Upsilon)
The scholarship chairman has helped the chapter raise its GPA by half a point, boosting their average above the all-men’s GPA.
Dr. Jack Edward Corle Sr. died November 21, 2012. He retired from Ohio Northern University where he served as vice president for student affairs. He formerly was a teacher and guidance counselor at Northmont Schools, a director of guidance in Finneytown, Ohio, and a professor of education at the University of Cincinnati. He was a Mason and belonged to the Blue Lodge and the Scottish Rite. As a Lambda Chi he was a also a member of Omicron Delta Kappa and Iota Alpha Delta honorary fraternities. He previously served as president of the Ada, Ohio, School Board.
Kansas (Zeta-Iota) Chapter brothers participated in multiple philanthropies, including Chi Omega’s Wings for a Wish and Tri Delta’s Dude, It’s for St. Jude flag football tournament. Landon Dellenbaugh has helped organize a variety of community service projects, including weekly bread pick-ups from Panera and helping the VFW paint signs. In addition, chapter brothers have been volunteering at the Heartland Community Health Center, helping to renovate the facility by cleaning and doing carpentry work.
Miami-FL (Epsilon-Omega) Alex Melendez died November 12, 2013, in a canoe accident while in Arcadia, Florida. He was a second year, pre-med student from Astoria, New York.
Louisiana-Lafayette (Iota-Omega)
Minnesota State (Lambda-Delta)
The chapter added 25 associate members during fall recruitment. Tyler Robicheaux represented the chapter in a competition against other fraternities to raise money for St Jude. The chapter hosted its annual Watermelon Bust. As a brotherhood event, the chapter held a camping trip over fall break.
The chapter added 13 new associate members during fall recruitment. Chapter members distributed bags for Feeding America across Mankato and are preparing to pick them up in early November.
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CHAPTER NEWS
Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Murray State (Lambda-Eta) The chapter hosted its annual Watermelon Bust, raising more than 5,000 pounds of food for the local Murray-Calloway Needline Food Bank that serves about 800 to 900 families monthly. The total pounds collected was a record for the chapter.
Chapter Vice President John Mitzel was nominated for Homecoming King. The chapter is actively conducting a search for a new chapter advisor. During November 11-13, 2013, more than 30 alumni brothers attended Homecoming, including 20 who returned to attend the 50th reunion for the class of 1963.
Northwestern (Alpha-Iota)
New Mexico State (Zeta-Gamma)
James H. “Hank” Ellison (1950) died November 15, 2013. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1944 to 1946. Directly after graduation he became employed by the General Electric Co.
North Carolina - Wilmington (DeltaSigma)
On September 27, 2013, the chapter held an Initiation Ritual Exemplification for three members.
The chapter added 10 associate members during fall recruitment.
On November 13, 2013, Zakariah Kulam ran the Chicago marathon on behalf of Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. He raised more than $900 and completed the marathon in 4:03.
The chapter hosted is inaugural Watermelon Bust.
During Homecoming, the chapter hosted an alumni reception and participated in the annual Homecoming parade with Chi Omega sorority.
North Dakota (Epsilon-Zeta) On November 8, 2013, the chapter held an Associate Member Ceremony for 21 new members. This is the largest class in recent years.
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Late last spring, the chapter came into possession of a set of historical documents that once belonged to chapter founding
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father Harry C. Sigwalt and date back to the chapter’s installation in 1917. With the help of alumni board member Kevin Blackburg, a set of these documents have been framed and are now on display in the chapter house.
Week to benefit a local charity. They partnered with Mya’s Promise and raised more than $3,000 to benefit benefit children with special needs. The chapter raised nearly $1,000, which Alumni Control Board Chairman Scott Johnson matched. The chapter won the quickball intramural competition as well as the co-rec championship.
Oklahoma (Gamma-Rho) Virgil “Bill” Stone died November 23, 2013. After two years at the University of Oklahoma he received his appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduating in 1967. His military career included tours in Vietnam, Germany, Newport, Rhode Island, West Point, New York, Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma, and Fort Lewis in Washington State. He retired from the military in 1993 and moved to Norman, Oklahoma, where he worked as a CPA in his family firm. Stone served as adviser to the treasurer of Gamma-Rho chapter from 1993 until last year when he could no longer function well. He was instrumental in helping Gamma-Rho to get out debt. He also served in other roles, including membership on the GammaRho House Corporation for more than 15 years.
Oregon State (Alpha-Lambda)
James R. Clements died May 11, 2013. He worked briefly for the USDA. In 1951, he joined Producer’s Cotton Oil Co. as a bookkeeper at the Huron, Califorina, gin. He rose through the ranks and eventually became the company’s senior executive overseeing field operations. He left Producers in 1967 and spent the next several years in the automobile business as a sales manager at Fresno Motor Sales. Subsequently an opportunity arose for him to return to his true love, agriculture, and for the rest of his working years he spent lots of time “in the field” holding various management roles in, farming, marketing, and consulting.
Oklahoma City (Theta-Delta)
Pittsburg State (Lambda-Chi)
The chapter created banners and window paintings for Homecoming Week.
The chapter has a new Facebook page. The chapter won first place at Homecoming in the float competition and third place in Yell Like Hell.
Oklahoma State (Alpha-Eta) The chapter hosted a philanthropy event during Homecoming
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Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Polytechnic (Theta-Upsilon)
30 brothers, family members, and guests returned once again for dinner and the sharing of special memories at the Lafayette Country Club, where our White Rose Formal dances were frequently held. Nicholas W. Rench (1963) died November 19, 2013. He began his professional career with the Westinghouse Bettis Atomic Power Laboratories near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1963 until 1967. He then moved on to GTE Electrical Products in Towanda, Pennsylvania, and Danvers, Massachusetts, where he had a long and successful career as an executive. His career with GTE spanned almost three decades, until the time of his retirement in 1994, with his last role being director of information technology. Upon his retirement he became the founder and president of Career Transition Network, focused in the consulting business with his primary client being Sheilds Meneley Partners of Chicago. Previously he had consulted with The Center for Executive Options, a part of Drake Beam Morin.
The chapter currently hold positions as SGA president, vice president, and commissioner. The chapter has partnered with The Poly Project to provide community service events for university students around the Brooklyn community.
Rose-Hulman (Theta-Kappa) Purdue (Psi) On the weekend of November 11-13, 2013, the Class of 1963 celebrated its 50th anniversary by hosting a reunion that included members of adjacent classes. The weekend began on Friday evening with a reception at the hotel that honored our special guests, Jim and Rosemary Blakesley. Blakesley had been our chapter advisor when we were undergraduates and continued to serve the chapter for many years thereafter. For this occasion, the alumni presented him with Psi Zeta’s traditional Pillar of the House Award in appreciation for his work in preserving important papers, photographs, and other historic materials that are now enabling us to document the earliest years of our history, from establishment in 1907 as the Aeolian Club, a local fraternity, through its installation as a chapter of Lambda Chi in 1915 by Warren Cole and Ernst J. C. Fischer. Blakesley’s efforts are now allowing us to transfer these pieces of our history to the Special Collections Section of the Purdue Libraries for conservation and future display. Our current alumni advisor, Kevin Keegan, was also welcomed and talked to us about the ongoing efforts the chapter is making, including better communications with the alumni. On Saturday evening, almost www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
The chapter added 27 associate members during fall recruitment. This is the chapter’s third largest recruitment 20 years. The chapter hosted their third annual Pumpkin Bash to raise money for Feeding America. The week-long bake sale and pumpkin-themed activities raised roughly $1,000. As the big brother chapter to the Indiana State Colony, the Theta-Kappa chapter brothers would like to offer their congratulations on the news of the colony’s re-chartering.
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Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Samford (Theta-Alpha)
With help from the women of Pi Beta Phi sorority, the chapter hosted its annual Haunted House, raising nearly $1,000 for Feeding America.
Jacob O. Malone died August 27, 2013. After graduation from Samford he entered Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He served as minister of recreation and youth at Ninth & O Baptist Church and later at Crescent Hill Baptist Church. He did post graduate work at Southern Seminary where he was a Garrett Fellow and taught religious education classes. In 1976 Malone was called to First Baptist Church, Sandy Springs, Georgia, to serve as minister of activities. He also helped with the youth ministry and planned retreats for them. In 2005 he received his Doctor of Educational Ministry Degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. After receiving the diagnosis of cancer Malone felt called by God to do one last project - Journey to Paradise. He believed that the church does a good job of teaching us how to live, but that it does not teach us how to die. As a terminal cancer patient he knew firsthand about traveling this road. He produced Journey to Paradise, a video series that will help others who may be traveling the same road. See journeytoparadise.org. He completed the worksheets for teaching these sessions the night before entering the hospital for the last time.
The chapter has 21 associate members. The chapter won this year’s Greek Week competition. At this year’s Homecoming alumni brother Dave Landry was given the university’s Alumni Achievement Award.
Southeast Missouri State (Delta-Phi)
South Carolina-Aiken (Pi-Alpha) Chapter brothers partnered with Golden Harvest Food Bank in their “Being Hungry Is Scary” food drive. Partnered with Tri Delta sorority, the chapter won the Homecoming competition. Together they placed first in decades dance, yard art painting, and the spirit rally. They placed second in a video contest and the parade and float. Nick Maddock and Benny Dorris competed in the Man of the Year contest, which Dorris won. This is the forth consecutive year a Lambda Chi Alpha has won this title.
Chapter brothers partnered with the university to to host Fall Fest in which they raised canned goods through a haunted hike.
South Dakota (Alpha-Gamma)
Southern Methodist (Gamma-Sigma) On November 26, 2013, the chapter hosted alumni for Homecoming. On November 29, 2013, the chapter participated in Trick-orTreat on Greek Street. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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The chapter is conducting a food drive benefiting Feeding America. To date, their totals have surpassed the previous totals for the last three years combined.
Troy (Sigma-Tau) Dr. Gerald Baxter died November 24, 2013. He was a former middle school and high school teacher. He also was an assistant professor at Northwest Missouri State University.
St. Joseph’s (Phi-Lambda) ELC Justin Friend (Ball State 2013) visited the chapter and provided insights into improving chapter operations.
Truman State (Phi-Psi) Jordan Reed serves as IFC treasurer.
The chapter co-hosted Risk-A-Palooza, their annual risk awareness event.
Alex Cross is a member of the varsity track and field team, participating in discus throwing.
The chapter hosted the American Red Cross for a two-day blood drive.
The chapter held its annual Watermelon Fest and collected 14,640 pounds of food for Feeding America and the local food pantries in the surrounding areas.
The chapter held its annual Miss SJU, their fall philanthropy event that raised nearly $1,500 for charity.
St. Mary’s (Sigma-Beta)
Union (Lambda-Zeta) The chapter won the lower division of flag football and finished in second place in the upper division.
Eight chapter brothers shaved their heads in order to raise more than $1,000 for breast cancer awareness.
Virginia Commonwealth (Virginia Commonwealth Colony)
Texas (Alpha-Mu) The chapter’s intramural football team went undefeated, earning a spot in the playoffs. During the weekend of November 19, 2013, the chapter held a Parents’ Weekend, which included a barbeque, meet and greet, and brunch. The chapter held a retreat that included sports, outdoor competitions, icebreaker activities, and pre-Initiation activities.
Donning the latest trend in campus headgear, brothers and associate members of joined forces with a local church in September for a Stop Hunger Now project. Together, they packed 10,000 meals for food-insecure children. The colony also made a philanthropic contribution for the cause.
Texas Christian (Iota-Pi) Alumni brothers enjoyed a Homecoming reunion on November 12, 2013. Wiley Curtis and Tom Dolny are pictured prior to the Texas Christian versus the University of Kansas football game. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
ELC Keith Hamman (Iowa State 2013) visited the chapter. During the final meeting he reviewed the milestones the colony
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needs to complete before applying for their charter. The colony brothers hope to apply for chartering next spring.
competition. Chris Stathopoulos (2015) was awarded the inaugural BIG Initiative by the University of Michigan Sports Business Conference. The award is given to the top 10 undergraduates in sports business across North America.
Virginia Tech (Sigma-Lambda) The chapter added 13 associate members during fall recruitment. The chapter is proud to recognize Recruitment Chairman Tim Melhuish and Fraternity Educator Gray Pieri for their efforts to recruit and develop these new members.
The chapter won the intramural sand volleyball competition.
Washington & Lee (Gamma-Phi) Nathan Kelly was elected president of the university’s Executive Committee. In this new position he is responsible for upholding and administering the school’s Honor System. Established in the tradition of Robert E. Lee, the Honor System is a nationally-renowned system that is completely administered by students. Kelly previously served one year as the secretary of the Executive Committee and another year as the Class of 2014 representative. Kelly is the third brother to be elected president in four years, following in the footsteps of Steele Burrow (2013) and Scott Centerino (2011).
Western Michigan (Lambda-Tau) The chapter added 19 associate members, the largest recruiting semester since rechartering in 2000.
William & Mary (Epsilon-Alpha) Former William & Mary Rector Jeffrey B. Trammell (1973) and his longtime partner were married by retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor at the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, DC. Trammell is a former chapter president.
Wilmington College (Pi-Delta) The chapter held a dodgeball tournament, organized by Justin Arehart, to raise money for Relay for Life.
The chapter hosted an alumni dinner with the highest alumni turnout since rechartering in 2000.
Chapter brothers participated in cleaning up their section of adopted highway. The chapter added nine associate members.
William Jewell (Epsilon-Nu) Partnered with the women of the Epsilon-Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta, the chapter won the 2013 Homecoming
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Chapter news, alumni news, and reports of death
Wittenberg (Nu-Zeta) Nearly 90 alumni brothers visited the chapter during Homecoming.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Pi) The chapter held their centennial celebration that included special guests Lambda Chi Alpha CEO Bill Farkas, Fraternity Board Member Fletcher McElreath, and ELC Justin Friend. The festivities featured a number of speakers, including brothers Zachary Stewart, Robert Mahoney, Kostas Georgiadis, and chapter President Zachary Bornemann. Farkas and McElreath also gave congratulatory speeches with words of wisdom for the coming years.
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FEATURE
The Renaissance Chapter Diverse and well-rounded the Zeta-Delta chapter at the University of Southern California is host to athletes, artists and entrepreneurs. By Andrew Talevich (Washington State)
The term Renaissance man originally described a polymath which in Greek means “having learned much.” A polymath implies there is no limit to the intellectual, social, and physical developments that a person can achieve. The term later evolved to describe someone with universal talents. A Renaissance man is someone who is well-rounded, maintains a variety of pursuits, and excels in several fields.
and other young men who are excelling in varying fields in addition to academics, Zeta-Delta chapter has come to epitomize the concept of a polymath.
These words correctly describe the Zeta-Delta chapter at the University of Southern California when viewed as one unit. Through a variety of talented athletes, artists, entrepreneurs,
Kerr said the success of his chapter’s ability to recruit campus leaders stems from his chapter’s strict no-hazing policy and the trend where leaders attract other leaders.
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“Bringing in collective, impressive minds is one of the great things our fraternity does,” chapter president Ryan Kerr (Southern California 2015) said.
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FEATURE
Notable young achievers in the chapter include 20 varsity athletes, a musical prodigy, and two company owners.
team a clear home field advantage. Burton calls the USC fans some of the rowdiest fans in the country.
“Welcoming the whole gamut of talent is what makes our chapter great,” Kerr said.
Kerr echoes this sentiment. “We’re much more invested into sports like volleyball and water polo when we are rooting for the five guys from our chapter who are on the team,” he said.
The Athletes The Zeta-Delta chapter has a long tradition of recruiting student athletes. The chapter is home to members of the football, baseball, volleyball, and water polo teams. Among the stand-out athletes who are active undergraduates at the chapter are two starting members of the football team; quarterback Cody Kessler (Southern California 2016) and offensive guard Max Tuerk (Southern California 2016). Recent student-athlete graduates include Peter Yobo (Southern California 2012) who played on the football team and earned Lambda Chi Alpha’s Cyril F. Duke Flad Award as the top undergraduate in 2010, and Matt Burton (Southern California 2012) who was captain of Yobo the water polo team and earned five national championships. During the five years while Burton was a student at USC, he received a degree in broadcast journalism and a master’s degree in communications Burton management. He graduated with a 3.7 GPA and is now traveling through Europe, Asia, and Africa. Some of Burton’s fondest memories as a student-athlete are from water polo matches at USC’s Daland Swim Stadium. During those home matches, Lambda Chi brothers would be a central part of an exuberant audience that gave Burton’s
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Burton was grateful for brothers who understood his commitment to his sport. He also saw the chapter benefiting by accepting quality Division 1 athletes. “You’re dealing with highly motivated people,” Burton said. “You’re letting in talented people that worked their ass off to get where they’re at.” Eddie Yen (Southern California 1997) is the chapter advisor at Zeta-Delta. He points out that the chapter does not let just any student athlete into the fraternity because of the individual’s reputation. Instead the chapter seeks student athletes who will make a positive contribution to the chapter. “I’ve discouraged them from taking on an athlete just because they are an athlete.... If (the chapter) initiates an athlete, it’s because of (the athlete) actually wanting to join the fraternity and wanting the brotherhood,” Yen said. The relationships that Burton created outside of his sport, through Lambda Chi Alpha, inspired him to achieve goals beyond water polo. Burton is currently working to create a web startup company. He credits the brothers of his chapter for preparing him for life after graduation. “You’re ready to take on the world and you’re not scared because you have your brothers,” he said.
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The Musical Prodigy
Callobre also plays the piano tracks for NBC’s America’s Got Talent.
Tim Callobre (Southern California 2015) is a gifted musician who plays the piano and guitar. Prior to joining the Zeta-Delta chapter, Callobre was one of the top young artists in his field, receiving widespread recognition such as the USC Thornton School of Music faculty award, becoming the highest placed instrumentalist Mark Loyola in the YoungArts Foundation Photography competition, and being named as a finalist to the 2011 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts. Callobre has also performed in various venues including Carnegie Hall for the PBS television show From the TopLive from Carnegie Hall, and at the White House for First Lady Michelle Obama.
Within Lambda Chi Alpha, Callobre is writing a score for a film that a chapter brother is directing. Zeta-Delta’s ability to recruit brothers with different backgrounds and talents has enabled Callobre to be himself and meet other high-quality brothers. “You don’t have any sort of obligation to fit into a certain mold,” he said. “To be able to be unique is really fantastic.”
The Entrepreneurs Within the walls of the Zeta-Delta chapter there is a strong sense of entrepreneurial spirit. This is made evident by the company Alex Evans-Pfeiffer (Southern California 2016) and Barak Federman (Southern California 2016) founded at USC during their freshman year. Kuki-Squared sells cookies, or Kukis. The company operates off a philanthropy-based model and their slogan is “ü buy ü give”: for every cookie that is ordered, Kuki Squared donates a cookie to an underprivileged child.
After enrolling at USC, Callobre shifted his focus toward music composition and production. He also decided to join Lambda Chi Alpha because he wanted to meet new people and to have experiences outside of his music career. Callobre was impressed with the diversity that was present within the chapter. “Everyone had some interesting story behind them or some interesting perspective on life. That’s when I realized that I could really get a lot out of being in the house and being friends with these guys, and ultimately a brother,” he said. Beyond Callobre’s studies at USC he is also engaged in various musical endeavors. He is working on various projects with his mentor, Marco Marinangeli, a Grammynominated Italian composer, songwriter, and producer.
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The concept of the Kuki-Squared originated while EvansPfeiffer and Federman were joining Lambda Chi Alpha during their first semester at USC. Since then KukiSquared has had an international impact, donating Kukis to children in Africa, India, China, Polynesia, Mexico, and the United States. Brothers in the Zeta-Delta chapter have been a resource for Kuki-Squared. Alex Vasconcellos (Southern California
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2016) and Cole Cottrell (Southern California 2016) head up the marketing and promotions team. “Their willingness to help exemplifies what it means to be a Lambda Chi. Barak and I are very thankful for them,” Evans-Pfeiffer said Going forward, Evans-Pfeiffer hopes to reach the company’s goal of donating one million Kukis around the world. In the meantime, Evans-Pfeiffer will focus on Kuki-Squared while maintaining his focus on academics and his chapter officer position as secretary. “Balancing my duties as an officer with school and running a fledgling business is difficult and requires me to be disciplined. This has forced me to use efficient time management,” he said. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
Coming Together Through these different backgrounds, perspectives, and talents the men of Zeta-Delta have come together to grow and learn from each other. The friendships they foster in the limited number of years they spend in college can cultivate a lifetime of personal and professional connections. “Lambda Chi fosters a unique type of brotherhood, not one rooted in hazing but instead centered around ideals and morals that are consistent with my own, and growth opportunities that will aid me throughout my life,” EvansPfeiffer said.
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Lambda Chi Brothers Soar to New Heights Two brothers share their experiences in NASA’s Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program, a nine month educational program that takes individuals into a reduced gravity flight. By Jamie Semple (Samford), Dietrich Johnson (Missouri-Rolla), Andrew Talevich (Washington State)
This June more than 50 undergraduate students from around the nation participated in NASA’s Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program (RGEFP) at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas. The program is coordinated through NASA’s Office of Education at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) and offers teams the opportunity to build reducedgravity experiments that are then flown aboard NASA’s reduced gravity aircraft. Not just anyone can hop a flight on the reduced gravity plane; each organization must submit proposals spotlighting www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
their technical proficiency, innovative experiment concept, and their ability to impact their community based on their involvement with the program. NASA pores over dozens of proposals each fall, and the program – coordinated by NASA Education Specialist and Lambda Chi Alpha alumnus, Jamie Semple (Samford 1998) – selected 14 teams for the 2013 campaign. One of the 14 teams included in this year’s program was The Missouri University of Science and Technology, which includes active Lambda Chi brother, Dietrich Johnson (Missouri-Rolla).
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It was a nice culmination of past and present for Semple to see a Lambda Chi in the group. He says his time as a Lambda Chi provided a firm foundation for his leadership role at NASA.
While Semple was earning his master’s degree in secondary education in the evenings, he was spending his days teaching and coaching football and basketball for both middle school and high school students.
“My experience with Lambda Chi couldn’t have done more to help me grow as an individual and to inspire me to work in ways that impact my community. As an undergraduate at Samford University I was treasurer and president of our chapter. I also served on the ritual team each year as an undergraduate and continued for the following two years after graduating and while still living in Birmingham,” Semple said.
His current role of coordinating RGEFP activities at NASA’s JSC allows Semple to help both undergraduates and teachers around the nation learn new skills and encourages them to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning and careers.
“My experience with Lambda Chi Alpha afforded me great examples of teamwork, brotherhood, character, and integrity. Even now, when I encounter difficult situations I reflect on my experiences as an associate member and brother and remember those moments that helped me persevere and develop skills to be successful. The alumni for our chapter were always involved in our activities and many of them helped me with work experiences in the summer and gave me guidance throughout the process of being a chapter leader. Those experiences have encouraged me to seek out opportunities to impact both individuals and communities in my work.” Jamie Semple has made an impact in a variety of educational and research experiences since his undergraduate days. He worked in a research lab studying the effects of nutrition on HIV-positive subjects. He also wrote and presented educational programs at science centers in two cities and spent time in the classroom on both sides of the chalkboard.
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“The effect of our work is often seen by students entering STEM fields, coming to work with NASA and through mentorship with younger school-aged children,” Semple said. “My work with teachers is very rewarding. The opportunity allows our team to directly provide resources for classroom teachers to help student learning. Live video conference events/connections with these schools allow for face-to-face interactions and give each student the mindset that they are doing NASA research.” For Dietrich Johnson, his intent to major in aerospace engineering and his desire to fly through the air are all part of the family business. Both of his parents are in the aviation field. His work with RGEFP, he says, helped solidify that plan. “Floating in microgravity on the G Force One is by far one of the coolest experiences of my life. Even though my design team’s experiment was medical in nature [testing the feasibility of active compression-decompression CPR in
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microgravity) the week-long program helped reinvigorate my interest in working toward a career in engineering and a dream job at NASA,” Johnson said. For Johnson, the Brotherhood - as it was for Semple - has also greatly impacted his life. “Through my glimpses of different fraternities during my first week of college, Lambda Chi seemed the most like a family. I was glad to find out I was right, as the brotherhood at Alpha-Delta Zeta is one of the closest there is. The support I receive from my brothers during times, both good and bad, is unparalleled,” Johnson said. Johnson, who describes himself as having been usually quiet and reserved in high school, found that joining the brotherhood was the beginning of a transformation. “Lambda Chi Alpha has transformed me into a leader. I am outspoken and have held office in several of my university clubs and design teams. As my chapter’s vice president over the summer, I authored a standards system that led to the reestablishment of my chapter’s standards committee.” The two brothers discovered their mutual affiliation prior to flight week as the team was preparing their experiment. “It’s always a pleasure to hear the stories of brothers from other chapters,” Johnson said. “Despite the physical distance between the hundreds of zetas, we are all united through the same core values taught by the Paedogogus and our Ritual. Seeing how successful Semple has become, in part by applying the same lessons that I am still learning as an active undergraduate member, has helped give me confidence that I too will be able to positively contribute to the world after graduation.”
even a chance they’ll meet an astronaut during these lecture periods. The main event, flight time, is the highlight for each of the teams. Each university experiment flies two times, and each student is guaranteed to fly at least once. A typical flight lasts about an hour and 45 minutes and takes place over the Gulf of Mexico. Soon after takeoff the students are released from their seats and each team prepares their experiments for what comes next. The aircraft completes a set of parabolic maneuvers. Each parabola starts with a hypergravity pull-up for 40-50 seconds followed by a microgravity fall (push-over) for about 20-22 seconds before the plane again pulls back up into hypergravity. A typical flight is scheduled to complete 32 parabolas of varying gravity conditions. “The entire nine-month program hinges on a successful flight week so we always have high hopes for good weather and a problem-free flight,” Semple said. “The goal of every flight week is to have the teams and their experiments be as successful as possible. Luckily that was the case with this flight week and the teams were able to gather some excellent data from their experiments.”
Come Fly with Us! The Reduced Gravity Education Flight Program is looking for undergraduate teams to join them on their next adventure. For more information on how to apply please check out the Microgravity University website: https:// microgravityuniversity.jsc.nasa.gov/
During flight week the schedule is rigorous and there is very little room for additional activities or downtime. For the teams the days are spent either preparing their experiments for flight, receiving clearance from technical reviews, or even attending lectures on such subjects as NASA’s Orion Program and other future educational opportunities. There’s www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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I Give To Lambda Chi Because... Header As the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation wraps up the Future Leaders Campaign, brothers express why they donate funds to the Fraternity. By Travis Smith (Indiana)
Starting on Founders Day, November 2nd, we will kick off a 10-day, online campaign to share stories of Lambda Chi’s impact on our lives and to accelerate our progress toward completion of the Investing in Future Leaders Campaign. We invite you to join us over these ten days and celebrate with stories of brotherhood, shared in person and online. We will culminate this event through an online experience on November 12th; a conversation with philanthropist, volunteer, leader, and brother, Jeff Stuerman, who serves as President of Edward Jones Trust Company, a leader in one of America’s most respected trust and wealth management firms. We will gather to hear about one brother’s rise to personal and professional success and then have the chance to ensure the legacy of Lambda Chi endures through the decades. Keep an eye out for email communications, join us on Facebook and Twitter, and then join us on 11-12-13 for more reasons why Lambda Chi is the fraternity of True Brotherhood.
I give because… “Of what Lambda Chi Alpha has given me and to ensure that it can give to future brothers. It has built and shaped me to be the man I am today, and Lambda Chi Alpha is too big a part of my life to not help protect its future.” -Scott Eggers, Wabash
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So I can grow as a leader of character… “Lambda Chi has given me a set of values and ideals that serve as a foundation to guide my life, a family of brothers to support me during trying times and to celebrate triumphs with, and a way to give back to the world, whether through stewardship to the fraternity or service in philanthropies…It has enriched my life and given me the tools to be a man “of sterling character.” -Giovanni DiCristina, WPI
I give because… “I believe in the future of Lambda Chi Alpha and the role our fraternity plays in building tomorrow’s leaders. The programming that is offered today truly helps prepare our brothers to be shining examples of what leadership means in today’s world.” -Jared Hanson, Maine
So I can be a servant leader… “Being a leader and officer within my colony I have learned so many important life lessons that you just can’t get in a classroom. Lambda Chi Alpha has taught me how to organize events, complete transactions, give back to my community, and to be a better leader. Starting a colony from scratch allows you to decide how your fraternity will be known. It allows you to decide what kind of reputation you will have and to take a blank slate and mold it into something great. It is for this reason that I try to be the
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best I can be no matter where I am; whether it’s inside the classroom, in the dormitories, or walking around town in my letters. I always know that I am a part of something special and will do what I can to continue to be a leader on campus and in life.” -Ryan Pratt, Drexel
I give because… “Lambda Chi Alpha supported me with a family, a purpose, and a set of achievable goals during my college years that became the platform from which I launched a successful, fulfilling career and life.” -Michael S. Byington, Tennessee – Chattanooga
So I can be a scholar… “Lambda Chi alpha has placed a stamp on my life that will forever remain there. It has reinforced the ethics and morals I was raised with and has pushed me to do well in my school work, and to get involved around campus. With its help and motivation, I became an orientation leader on campus, made the dean’s list, and was elected Tau. Overall, my brothers have taught me the true meaning of brotherhood and have always been there for me when I needed them most. I can honestly say that becoming a brother of Lambda Chi Alpha has been one of, if not the best, choices in my life. I will forever be grateful for everything the Fraternity has taught me, encouraged me to do, and for teaching me to be a true brother.” -Cody Moore, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
treasure I give to Lambda Chi Alpha help steward the great values of Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Service & Stewardship, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage.” -Criswell Fiordalis, Denver
So I can learn Lambda Chi Alpha’s Values… “Lambda Chi Alpha has enhanced my college career through both moral and social development. I was a man before, but since becoming a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha brotherhood I have found new meaning and increased maturity and responsibility in being a man. One of the rewards Lambda Chi Alpha has given me is the opportunity to grow and better myself through the fraternity’s Seven Core Values. Applying these values, Lambda Chi Alpha has given me an edge among all other men. This shows in both academics, social life, and even later in the professional world.” -Zach Rankin, University of South Carolina
I give because… “The values that Lambda Chi Alpha has instilled in me have truly made a difference in the decisions I have made in life. Being part of a values-based institution has helped me lead others in my career and make the ethical decisions that can sometimes be hard. I am confident that the time, talent, and www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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Lambda Chi Tennis Great Celebrates 100-years Gardnar Mulloy, an Order of Achievement recipient and chapter founder, spent 14 years ranked in the U.S. singles top 10, achieving the No. 1 ranking in 1952. By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
Editor’s Note: Gardnar Mulloy is arguably the greatest athlete that Lambda Chi has ever produced. In celebration of this Wimbledon winner’s 100th birthday on November 22, we decided to reprint an article written about his achievements, both in Lambda Chi Alpha and on the tennis court, from the February 2008 Cross & Crescent. Ask the 94-year-old Gardnar Mulloy if he can still play a competitive game of tennis and he’ll admit that he may have lost a step or two since his prime.
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“Instead of running after the ball, I shuffle now,” Mulloy (Miami-FL 1936) says. “I enjoy it. I play in tournaments in my age group and I can still win them because all I do is drop shot and lob (my opponents) and chase them around so I don’t have to run.” Mulloy still travels occasionally to play in senior pro celebrity tournaments to raise funds for various charitable organizations. He attributes much of his health and longevity to his commitment to eating just two meals a day, being a vegetarian, not smoking or drinking alcohol, daily exercise, and a good night’s sleep.
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Tennis Career At his prime, Mulloy was ranked in the top 10 singles nationally between 1939 and 1954, and he was No. 1 in 1952, the year he also was a U.S. Open finalist. In his prime, he was known for his complete game, including his volley and overhead skills and his unique ability to master both singles and doubles. Mulloy and doubles partner Bill Talbert became one of the finest teams, winning the U.S. Open title four times (1942, 1945, 1946, 1948), as well as being finalists in 1950 and 1953. They also won the decisive points in the 1948 Davis Cup victory over Australia. Mulloy also was on the U.S. Davis Cup team six other years, helping the team win the cup in 1946 and 1949, and serving as the winning player-captain in two other zone matches in 1952 and 1953. On the honor of being selected to play Davis Cup, Mulloy says, “Oh that’s another ultimate. You’re representing your country and not representing yourself… It’s like a hero in a war.” Winning Tradition His most stunning win may have been the Wimbledon doubles in 1957 at age 43, when he partnered with Budge Patty and the unseeded team won Wimbledon, a tournament that Malloy considers to be the most prestigious of them all. In his 1960 book, The Will to Win, Mulloy wrote about the tremendous relief of winning a Wimbledon championship after being a finalist six times. “Game. Set. Match. I cannot remember whether or not
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I actually heard the umpire say these words,” he wrote. “There seemed to be a second of suspended time between the fact and the realization. Dimly I was aware of cheering crowds as I stood on the baseline, relaxed my limbs, flexed and unflexed my toes. My glasses were steamed and blurred from my exertions in the blazing June sun… Then it hit me. With Budge Patty I had at last won a title at Wimbledon and I was forty-three years old. That, I thought, would give them something to put in the record books.” After they won the match, carpets were rolled out on the court and within moments Queen Elizabeth II of England approached them to congratulation them and present the trophy. “This was the moment of my life,” he wrote. “For a tennis player the apex of achievement is a Wimbledon Championship; to win one and be presented with the trophy by the Queen is a twin event which takes a bit of beating.” World War II In 1941, Mulloy’s tennis career took a brief hiatus when he was drafted to serve in the military during World War II. He joined the U.S. Navy, became a lieutenant, and was assigned as the commanding officer in charge of a landing ship tank, which included 13 officers and 154 men, assigned to the North African and European invasions. During one ship’s many tense missions, he orchestrated a dangerous rescue of a stranded allied ship that was in peril and about to be smashed against some rocks. His act of heroism earned him the U.S. Navy Medal of Commendation. Of the 36 ships that sailed with his fleet
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FEATURE at the start of the war, only five – including Mulloy’s survived the enemy and the elements. During his four years of active duty, he experienced many tragedies and acts of heroism and he recounts many of them in his book. Upon his return home, Mulloy was promoted to lieutenant commander, and shortly thereafter was discharged from the military in 1945.
Miami & Lambda Chi Born on November 22, 1913, in Washington, D.C., Mulloy has lived almost all of his life in Miami, Florida. He earned both a bachelor’s degree and law degree from the University of Miami, and he also organized, coached, and played No. 1 singles on Miami’s first tennis team. Originally given an athletic scholarship to play football, which he had played in high school along with tennis and baseball, Mulloy quickly had a change of heart. After taking several poundings as a member of the freshman football squad, he went to university President Dr. B.F. Ashe and asked if he could assemble a tennis team and change his scholarship to tennis. Ashe agreed, and Mulloy then asked and received six additional tennis scholarships so he could recruit and assemble a competitive team. From the day he formed the team, Mulloy was focused on winning the college championship, and in 1936 the team achieved that goal. The team traveled up and down the East Coast, beating all of the top college teams and claiming the national prize.
“I became the manager, coach and No. 1 player,” he says. “We scheduled matches against teams up in the East. We had the advantage because we are a sunshine state and we could practice all year round and they could only practice in the spring. We packed in a car and drove up there. We had the advantage because they weren’t in shape and we were. Because of that we claimed the national championship.” When the team returned to Miami, they were greeted by the college band and a welcoming committee led by the mayor. Thousands of people turned out to congratulate them. Tennis was now a successful sport at Miami even though there weren’t any university tennis courts on which to practice. “We practiced on those loaned to us by the Biltmore Hotel a mile away,” Mulloy says. “I felt the time was now precipitous to do something about this, so I again approached Dr. Ashe. We were a small struggling school in those days and to my question of why couldn’t we have our own courts, he replied that the college was broke.” That being the case, Mulloy decided to raise money on his own. He held raffles, organized football pools, and wrung dollars and dimes out of friends, acquaintances and complete strangers….and the new courts were soon built. When Mulloy first attended Miami, he and some of the athletes formed an organization called the M Club, which eventually became the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter.
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“Suddenly we were petitioned,” he says. “Several fraternities went after the M Club because we had a pretty good organization to become a fraternity. And we liked Lambda Chi Alpha the best. We had several meetings and that’s the one we voted on, or accepted their request, and that’s how we became Lambda Chi Alpha.” Mulloy was then a charter member of the chapter, and later as an alumnus he also helped form the Miami Area Alumni Association, often hosting receptions at his home. In 1964, he was presented with the Fraternity’s Order of Achievement in honor of his tennis career.
Second Book In 1972, Mulloy was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He also was inducted into the Florida and Miami halls of fame, as well as several others. Nearly 50 years since writing his first book, Mulloy is now working on a second book in which he plans to share more insider stories about his tennis days, as well as to share a few additional war stories and some of the letters he has received from U.S. presidents and other foreign leaders. The book will compare today’s athlete with athletes from his era, with Mulloy’s preference for his own generations. The current title for the book is As it Was.
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A High Pi Testimonial
Mike Andreski (Iowa) shares his story about the fulfillment he has received from being the chapter advisor for Alpha-Tau at Iowa State.
By:Mike Andreski (Iowa)
[Editor’s Note: If you are interested in learning more about becoming a chapter advisor, please contact George Taylor, the associate director of alumni involvement. His email address is gtaylor@lambdachi.org] “You’re going to do that where?!?” Those were my wife’s words when I told her that I was considering being the High Pi at Alpha-Tau Zeta at Iowa State University. Being an initiate of Iota-Chi Zeta at the University of Iowa, as well as holding two degrees from Iowa, I had to admit it was a bit of a surprise to me as well. Now if you haven’t paid close attention, I would be a University of Iowa graduate advising at Iowa State University. Those of you who are not Midwesterners may not know the degree of animosity between the two schools. Let’s just say that there is little love lost between the alumni and fans of each of these fine educational institutions. Knowing that I’d recently moved to the Des Moines area after completing my doctorate, my friend, Master Steward, and then Iowa High Pi Jeff Emrich mentioned that the Iowa State chapter was looking for a new High Pi. I said that I would maybe be interested and to go ahead and have the Iowa State chapter contact me. My only contact with the Iowa State chapter had been the previous fall when my son, a student at Iowa, was initiated in a joint Iowa-Iowa State initiation due to member numbers at Iowa State. I knew that the chapter had been undergoing some big changes, and thought it would be an interesting challenge.
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One of the things that you find as you gracefully mature is that you are often motivated to make a difference in the world, be it with your family, your profession, or a religious or civic organization. Having successfully raised a family, and achieving academic and professional success, I was ready for another challenge. I reflected on the part that Lambda Chi Alpha had played in my life over the previous 29 years; the friends made as an undergraduate, the two Lambda Chis that I’d worked with as case partners during my MBA studies, seeing my older son becoming my brother, and all the other times the teachings and principles of Lambda Chi Alpha had touched my heart and challenged my mind. I decided that the challenge I was seeking could be working to make a difference with AlphaTau Zeta.
If you chose to work with an undergraduate chapter that is not your initiating chapter, this will become increasingly true as you open your heart and your mind to a group of brothers who want, need, and respect your advice and counsel. It’s been a great experience for me, and it can be for you as well. Yours, In ZAX, Mike Andreski IX 337, High Pi, Alpha-Tau Zeta
Once I met with the active chapter at Alpha-Tau I felt most of my worries about being from another chapter start to melt away. The brothers seemed to be very open to working with a brother from another zeta and, outside of some good-natured ribbing about the rivalry between the two schools, it felt comfortable from the outset. As time has passed, we certainly have had our challenges as a chapter and as brothers, but outside of a few issues where I needed to learn chapter specific history and culture, being an alumnus of another chapter has not been a problem. Being the High Pi at Iowa State has deepened my understanding that brotherhood in Lambda Chi Alpha is above the superficial rivalries between schools. This does not mean that both you and the chapter will never need to work to understand each other and to expand your understanding of Kalepa Ta Kala. Despite our surface differences in types of schools, majors, and other interests, we share the bond of brotherhood, we stand together in ZAX. www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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FRATERNITY NEWS
2013-2014 SAC & CoP Members
A new group of undergraduate brothers, who comprise the Student Advisory Committee and Council of Presidents, attended their first Grand High Zeta meeting on November 25-27, 2013, in Indianapolis.
By Tad Lichtenauer (Denison)
Two new groups of undergraduate brothers, who comprise the Student Advisory Committee and the Council of Presidents, attended their first Grand High Zeta meeting on November 25-27, 2013, in Indianapolis.
president, judicial chair, and fraternity representative. He also has been an SGA senator, a member of Sigma Alpha Iota, vice president and president of Preview and Orientation Leaders Organization, vice president of the Economics Club, and co-director of Presidents Pride.
Student Advisory Committee In 1970, the General Assembly approved legislation creating the Student Advisory Committee and placed its chairman (Grand High Sigma) and vice chairman (Grand High Theta), elected by the committee, on the Grand High Zeta. There are 12 members of the SAC, each representing one of the conclave areas. SAC discusses topics facing the Fraternity and often develops legislation to be submitted to the General Assembly.
Chairman Hayden Sherwood (Coe) -- Great Plains Conclave Sherwood has served as his chapter’s scholarship chairman and alternate Executive Committee member. He also served as the chair of the Coe College Republicans, opinion editor for the campus newspaper, co-host for a political talk show on campus radio, and communications/ public relations officer for Student Senate. He is currently spending the semester in Washington, D.C., as an intern for Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger.
Vice Chairman Floyd Cogburn (East Tennessee State) - Bluegrass Conclave Cogburn has served his chapter as scholarship chairman, vice president, and fraternity educator. In addition, he was IFC vice president of scholarship, executive vice www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
Josh Blatt (Richmond) Colonial Conclave Blatt has served as his chapter’s vice president. He is very involved with philanthropy events on campus and helped with Richmond’s Homecoming celebration. Blatt is a member of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.
Richard Bradley (Louisiana-Lafayette) -- Gulf Coast Conclave Bradley currently serves as the social chairman. Previously, he has served as Homecoming chairman and Standards for Chapter Excellence chairman. He also has been the chapter’s ritualist for two years, a member of the Executive Committee, and big brother chairman. In 2012, he was on the International Ritual Team.
Kyle Ferguson (Oklahoma) -- Ozark Conclave Ferguson has served his chapter as secretary and house manager. On campus, he serves as the chairman of the Class of 2015 Council and chief of staff to the current SGA President, who also is a Lambda Chi. Ferguson has served on the executive team for the Campus Activities Council official philanthropy that has raised more than $250k for Children’s Miracle Network. Prior to attending Oklahoma, Ferguson
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completed six months of U.S. Air Force training and currently serves as a senior airman in the Oklahoma Air National Guard.
Austin Harrison (Mercer) -- Great South Conclave Harrison serves as the chapter’s treasurer, IFC representative, as well as the intramural chair. He also is the SGA treasurer and a peer advisor, which is a position that assists with freshmen orientation. Harrison is an active member of his campus’s College Republican chapter and was recently inducted into the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.
department and is a member of the President’s Leadership Program.
Ryan Pratt (Drexel) -- Atlantic Conclave Pratt has served his chapter as scholarship chairman, vice president, harm-reduction officer, alumni chairman. He was a member of the 2011 International Ritual Team. In addition, he has been the IFC president, vice president administrative affairs, vice president membership development, and secretary. He was a founding member of Sport Management Student Union, new student orientation staff member, and Dean’s Advisory Council member.
Kevin Maestre (Florida International) -Peninsula Conclave
Ben Seadler (Illinois) -- Midwestern Conclave Seadler has served his chapter as chapter president, Executive Committee AtLarge member, and house manager. He is currently serving as IFC executive vice president.
Maestre serves his chapter as vice president and Executive Committee AtLarge member. He also is a team leader for Miami Children’s V.A.C.C Camp. He serves as a resident assistant and SGA Engineering senator. He has been a peer advisor and orientation leader.
Nicholas Meyer (Oregon State) -- Pacific Northwest Conclave Meyer served his chapter as chapter president and recruitment chairman. He also serves as the captain of the Water Polo Club.
Jared Michini-Kerr (Colorado State-Pueblo) -- Rocky Mountain Conclave Michini-Kerr has served his chapter as chapter president and scholarship chairman. He also serves as a resident assistant for the University housing
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Theo Smigelski (Boston) -- Northeast Conclave Smigelski has served his chapter as the alumni chairman, ritualist, and standards chairman. He also has been heavily involved with his chapter’s Fraternity Education Committee. He is a student advisor for the College of Engineering, serving this year as Student Advisor Coordinator. He has worked for the university as a summer orientation student advisor and program assistant for the College of Engineering.
Ben VanZoest (Kettering A) -- Great Lakes Conclave VanZoest currently serves as the chapter’s president. Previously, he has served as scholarship chairman,
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treasurer, and a member of the Executive Committee. On campus, he is involved with Student Alumni Council, Kagle Leadership Initiatives, and the Ultimate Frisbee team. On the Student Alumni Council, VanZoest has served as the vice president of alumni relations and vice president of membership.
Council of Presidents
his second term as president of his chapter, as well as senior delegate on IFC. Davidson is a presidential scholar and will graduate with a degree in political science in 2015.
Tyler Tordsen (South Dakota) -- Vice Chairman Tordsen served on the 2013 International Ritual Team and was the recipient of the Cyril F. Duke Flad top undergraduate award. Tordsen has served his chapter as president, vice president, ritualist, fraternity educator, and alumni relations chairman. He also served as the 2012-2013 Student Advisory Council representative for the Great Plains Conclave.
The council was formed at the 2004 Council of Presidents’ Conference to create additional undergraduate representation on the Grand High Zeta. A chairman and vice chairman of the council are selected by other chapter presidents attending the summer conference. The chairman and vice chairman also serve as members of the Grand High Zeta, serving as the Grand High Nu and Grand High Psi, respectively.
Brendon Davidson (Southern Indiana) -Chairman Davidson serves the university as a voting member on the Board of Trustees and the USI Foundation. He has held the office of scholastic chairman and is currently serving www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
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An Examination of Secrecy (Part II) Historian Mike Raymond looks at the work of Michael Pearce, PhD, an expert in ritual and secrecy. By Michael Pearce, PhD
Duke Flad, and Linn Lightner. Even our modern member development effort, the True Brother Program, borrows elements from the Masonic Fraternity. The influence of Freemasonry on our fraternity and in particular the Ritual of Lambda Chi Alpha is without question. I think Pearce’s comment that just reading a Ritual book does not provide the same experience as participating in a Ritual is true. He summarizes this concept with the words, “Map is not territory”. I also think that our members share with Masons a desire to keep the following elements of our fraternity experience secret from non-members: no sharing of our Ritualistic work; no sharing of our grips, signs, or special words; and no sharing of the personal secrets of our brothers. As you read through this second installment of Pearce’s article, I encourage you to think upon your own initiation. Give some thought to the role that secrecy played in your initiation. Are the secret oaths that you took during our Ritual still meaningful to you today? Mike Raymond (Miami-OH)
6. Silence
This article originally appeared in the Spring 2010 issue of the Philalethes magazine. It is reproduced with the permission of its author, Michael Pearce, PhD. The first part of this article on fraternal secrecy appeared in the November 2013 issue of the Cross & Crescent. As you read this second part of Pearce’s article, you might want to keep our Initiation Ritual in mind. As most Lambda Chis know, many of our influential leaders were Freemasons. The list of these leaders includes Warren A. Cole, Jack Mason, Bruce McIntosh, www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
Simmel notes that many secret societies, in particular the Pythagoreans, required prospective members to undergo training in silence before they were allowed to enter into their preliminary initiatory ceremony. (21) The inner circle is protected from the betrayal of its secrets by an initiate’s progression through a series of degrees, gradually revealing moral instruction in a ritual framework. (22) The Pythagoreans took this requirement to extreme lengths, expecting their exoteric probationers to endure five years of silence until they were allowed to become esoterics who could both see and listen to Pythagoras himself. Prior to the conclusion of this five-year period probationers were only allowed to listen to his words,
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being excluded from his presence by a veil. (23) There were exceptions to this rule, for instance Abaris the Scythian was already an old man when he came to Italy from the Hyperboreans, and was welcomed by Pythagoras as an esoteric without having to pass through the period of silence. (24) The words esoteric and exoteric mean “inner” and “outer” respectively and esoteric has become synonymous with arcane knowledge and occultism. (25) It is fitting that the origin of these words comes from a group whose access to the esoteric was initially through silence. Secrecy requires silence. Indeed, admonishments to secrecy and silence are found at the heart of the Western Mysteries: the Corpus Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius remain perhaps the most significant group of texts in the tradition. The Corpus includes a number a dialogues between either Poimandres or Hermes and Asclepius or Tat in which some of the secrets of the inner working of the universe are hinted at and revealed. During the Renaissance the text was regarded as a source of Egyptian wisdom, but Casaubon (26) suggested that it comes from the first three centuries after Christ, with connections to the Egyptian heritage of the Neo-Platonic lineage [rather] than a direct link to the Alexandrine mysteries. The transmission of this fundamental text was to be closely guarded as a divine treasure: Copenhaver notes that in the prologue of Book One of the Kuranides we find: ‘...the god Hermes Trismegistus received this book from the angels as God’s greatest gift and passed it on to all men fit to receive secrets.’ (27) In the opening dialogue of Hermetica the “mind of sovereignty”, Poimandres introduces the creation to Hermes, describing it as “the mystery that has been kept hidden to this very day.” (28) Upon Hermes’ expression of yearning to hear more, Poimandres admonishes him to remain silent, answered by Hermes’ “As you see, I am silent”, a state Poimandres approves of, rewarding him with further instruction. (29) The implication is that an initiate hoping to hear “the mind of sovereignty” speak must attend in receptive silence. But the mind of sovereignty is not a remote being: “...your mind is god the father, they are not divided from
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one another for their union is life.” (30) Hermes’ mind (and our minds collectively) is one with the mind of sovereignty! Thus in the hermetic tradition we are enjoined to meditation, contemplating the interior mind in silence in order to approach the universal mind. Indeed, the rewards of silence are clarified in XIII.8-9, a passage so potent that I have made no attempt to summarize its contents but include it in full: “From here on, my child, keep silence and say nothing; if you do so you will not obstruct the mercy that comes to us from god. Henceforth, my child, rejoice, the powers of god purify you anew for articulation of the word. To us has come knowledge of god, and when it comes, my child, ignorance has been expelled. To us has come knowledge of joy, and when it arrives grief will fly off to those who give way to it. The power that I summon after joy is continence. O sweetest power! Let us receive her too, most gladly, child. As soon as she has arrived how she has repulsed incontinence! Now in fourth place I summon perseverance, the power opposed to lust. This next level, my child, is the seat of justice. See how she has expelled injustice, without a judgment. With injustice gone, my child, we have been made just. The sixth power that I summon to us is that opposed to greed - liberality. And when greed has departed I summon another, truth, who puts deceit to flight. And truth arrives. See how the good has been fulfilled, my child, when truth arrives. For envy has withdrawn from us, but the good, together with life and light, has followed after truth and no torment any longer attacks from the darkness. Vanquished, they have flown away in a flapping of wings.” (31) Here the gracious rewards of meditative silence are the knowledge of god, the knowledge of joy, continence, perseverance, justice, liberality, and truth. These seven oppose ignorance, grief, incontinence, lust, injustice, greed and deceit, which are banished. Furthermore, good follows after truth and envy withdraws. How beautiful are the rewards of silence?
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7. The Role of Secrecy in Present Day Craft Masonry
“Secrecy is indispensable in a mason of whatever degree. It is the first and almost the only lesson taught to the entered Apprentice”. (32) Why should this be? It should be reasonably clear by now that secrecy is attractive to certain men, but what are the goals of freemasonry that must be kept secret? New initiates to the craft are urged to keep their experiences secret, but in many blue lodges exactly what it is that must be concealed from non-masons is unclear. Our Entered Apprentices may well gather in uncertain huddles, and in whispered conversations attempt to clarify their limitations: newly filled with excitement at having being initiated into the greatest of the orders of the Western mystery tradition they are immediately told not to talk about it. Perhaps this is intended as one of the tests of being a true mason for the newly obligated brother: to understand exactly what the secrets of freemasonry are, so he can avoid careless indiscretion. What are the secrets of Freemasonry? Charity? The Ritual? The Obligations? Are our well-known symbols to be concealed from the uninitiated?
Secrecy and Charity
In the Blue Lodge our secrecy is sometimes defended as a means to protect true charity, following the teaching of Christ in the Gospel of Matthew that the left hand should not know what the right hand is doing: “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (33) Although the charitable activities of the order are praiseworthy, it is not really its philanthropy that is defended by Masonic secrecy. Individual charity may be veiled by masonry, but the Grand Lodges make much mileage of the millions donated annually to charity. Indeed, Masons benefit by their association to this public declaration of the benevolence of the order, although they may do little individual giving to merit the praise of society. We rest upon the laurels of the extraordinary philanthropic work of the brethren of the early Twentieth Century, whose trust funds continue to support a variety of charitable organizations.
The Secrets of the Brethren
Three secretive topics are covered by Masonic oaths: Masons will not discuss the ritual work, in other words, the initiation ceremonies; they will not share the grips, signs or words with a non mason, as these are the means by which masons recognize each other; and they will keep the secrets of brethren as their own. This last promise is a
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powerful commitment that binds masons to their fraternal obligation, raising the stakes of admission to the order to a higher bar. The door to the preparation room must be guarded well if the brethren are to swear this kind of allegiance to the men entering it: are these men whose secrets they will be reluctant to keep? This obligates members of the fraternity to the new members as much as the new members are obligated to the organization they have joined. On the face of it this situation presents an ethical dilemma, because although the teachings of the society may be morally upstanding, the acts of the candidate once he has been initiated may not satisfy accepted standards, in which case the policy of keeping his secrets presents a serious problem: does the organization simply ignore his violations, or take action? What if the initiate is breaking the law? In the past this dilemma has resulted in corruption. The solution chosen by many groups when confronted with members who violate their moral standards is not to expel the member because of all the attendant risks of exposure by an embittered man, but to punish him within the order, apropos certain pedophilic clergymen who felt the lash of a storm of opprobrium when their perversity was made public knowledge. Is this kind of secrecy appropriate to a moral organization? There is no avoiding this problem, and to the credit of masonry I believe that it is uncommon that a Mason completely disgrace [sic] himself.
Secrecy in Masonic Initiation
We visited the subject of the secret nature of the initiations earlier, but now we will look a little more closely at the preservation of the liminal experience in freemasonry particularly. The fact that the texts of our rituals have been in the public domain for many years and are therefore no longer de facto secret has led many to declare that masonry is merely a society with odd handshakes and signs, or a private society, or a philanthropic fraternity with some quaint old traditions; but reading a published ritual does not provide the same experience as a candidate’s multi-sensory participation in the Masonic degrees. In other words, the initiatory experience may follow a published text, but the experience of the four-dimensional event far exceeds www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
the literary version, which can only be a shadow of the real thing. A copy of King Lear may offer the pleasure of reading the wonderful poetry of Shakespeare’s language, but it will not give the reader the same overwhelmingly cathartic experience of the play as that of the audience member at an excellent production. Map is not territory. We may hear that the secret of masonry cannot be spoken, that it is the bond experienced by fraternal brethren. But the oaths made by candidates to the degrees are bold and bloody declarations of fidelity to keep all the secrets of masonry to themselves, only revealing them to other brethren if certain of their status as masons; they are promises of the silent preservation of that which has been entrusted to the initiate’s care. These promises maintain the secrecy of the rituals: the secret is the process of initiation itself. (34) Simmel views the revelation of secrets as “the climax” of secrecy: “Secrecy involves a tension which, at the moment of revelation, finds its release. This constitutes the climax in the development of the secret; in it the whole charm of secrecy concentrates and rises to its highest pitch -just as the moment of the disappearance of an object brings out the feeling of its value in the most intense degree.” (35) The conferral of the degrees of masonry represent both the giving away of the secret rituals and their simultaneous expression in their highest form. We are afraid of the term “secret society” because we are aware of the potential for public interpretation of masonry as a sinister force with an unknown agenda; anti-masons spin spectacular conspiracies to scare the unaware, using our secrecy as the means to support their ideas. However much we may attempt to dodge this issue by claiming that we have exposed our secrets and offered our ritual for televised consumption, we remain a secret society in that our catechisms demand secrecy from our members and we expect them to keep their promises not to discuss their experiences. If Masonry follows the pattern Simmel describes then dispensing with secrecy is the first step toward the disintegration of the order.
Arcana
There is an old saying that Freemasonry is “a peculiar system of morality, veiled in allegory and illustrated by
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symbols”. The ritual includes a broad range of symbols that are interpretable by an inquiring mind, through research into the literature of the Western Mystery Tradition, but we should mistake neither allegories nor symbols for secrets. Valentin Tomberg makes useful comments: “...allegories are, in fact, only figurative representations of abstract notions, and secrets are only facts, procedures, practices, or whatever doctrines that one keeps to oneself for a personal motive, because they are able to be understood and put into practice by others to whom one does not want to reveal them.” (36) Furthermore: “...authentic symbols… conceal and reveal their sense at one and the same time according to the depth of meditation. That which they reveal are not secrets, i.e. things hidden by human will, but arcana, which is something quite different.” (37) This needs further explanation: to Tomberg symbols are not secrets in their own right, but they inspire deeper study and may serve to remind an initiate of the teachings associated with them. Masonic symbols are frequently used against the order to discredit it with accusations of witchcraft, while their actual use is more often as a device to help jog the memory and recall the text of the rituals. In this sense the symbols are secretive in that they help in the recollection of elements that outsiders are not welcome to learn, but in themselves they serve no magical purpose. The topics of secrecy within the order have been laid out, but there are other reasons for the secrecy of our fraternity that we will examine briefly, the first deeply within the historic roots of modern freemasonry, the second found in the degrees of the Scottish Rite.
8. Secrecy in the Renaissance
Although modern Freemasonry officially began with the formation in 1717 of the Grand Lodge of England in London, masonry had clearly been in existence prior to this date in order for the four London lodges to meet together. Records of early speculative initiations predate the Grand Lodge by over a century, including John Boswell’s initiation into the Lodge of Edinburgh on 8th June 1600, Sir Robert Moray’s into a lodge in Newcastle www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
on 20th May 1641 and Elias Ashmole’s initiation with Col. Henry Mainwaring on 16th November 1646 to a lodge in Warrington, Lancashire. The early Seventeenth Century was not a time to be incautious about one’s religious beliefs; these were the last days of witch burning and the imprisonment and torture of heretics. In 1600 Giordiano Bruno had lost his life for heresy, and Galileo narrowly avoided a similar fate at the stake. Seventeenth Century British subjects were uncertain of their religious leadership, with a procession of monarchs alternating their allegiances followed by the rule of Cromwell and the Puritans. While Masonry provided a place for men to meet and discuss arcane matters in private and without mention of religion it was in its interest to remain secretive until Britain settled into the calm of the eighteenth Century. A similar pattern was followed by the elite Royal Society: founded by masons and alchemists, and having begun their meetings as the Invisible College it was only with the royal patronage of Charles II that they became the Royal Society in 1660. Looking further back in time to the uncertain history of operative masonry and the origins of the craft is a difficult affair that we shall not visit here, but to note that it was risky to pursue the secrets of geometry, engineering and geomancy in the climate of persecution that pervaded the Middle Ages. It is reasonable to expect the masons, many of whom were busy exploring these sciences to conceal their knowledge in secrecy when the alternative was to perish at the stake. If our roots are found in secrecy, our persistent grip on the secrecy of the ritual despite its repeated exposure may be seen as pleasure in the traditions of the order.
9. Secrecy in the Present-day 4th Degree Ritual of the Scottish Rite
Of course, the initiations of the three preliminary degrees are not the only secrets of freemasonry. Master Masons who read and explore the craft quickly discover the existence of further mysteries concealed in degrees beyond the blue lodge in the York and Scottish Rites. In the 4th degree of the Scottish rite, Secret Master, we are introduced to the idea that the symbolism of the degrees is interpretable at different levels and revealed to be multi-
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layered and elusive. Pike declared, almost with contempt, that the first three degrees were unsatisfactory to “the true mason” who is “an ardent seeker after knowledge,” (38) and that by taking the 4th degree: “You have taken the first step over its threshold, the first step toward the inner sanctuary and heart of the temple. You are in the path that leads up the slope of the mountain of Truth; and it depends upon your secrecy, obedience, and fidelity, whether you will advance or remain stationary.” (39) Here we have the first statement in the Masonic system of an inner and outer order: masons of the Scottish Rite may be seen as participants to an inner initiatory organization concealed and doubly insulated from prying outsiders by the outer order of the blue lodges that bears the brunt of their intrusion, allowing only a limited experience of the serious business that is revealed in the higher degrees. This secret has survived better than those of the blue lodge: few outsiders are aware of, or understand the nature of the Scottish Rite, let alone its emphasis on withstanding religious and political tyranny. The key that appears in the fourth degree is a useful symbol of secrecy: the bearer of a key has access to whatever lies behind the lock: his guardianship of the key implies that he is trust-worthy. When he included the key in the symbolism of the Secret Master degree Pike may have been thinking of the old ceremonies of the third degree in the Adonhiramite Rite: “What do you conceal? All the secrets which have been intrusted (sic) to me. Where do you conceal them? In the heart. Have you a key to gain entrance there? Yes, Right Worshipful. Where do you keep it? In a box of coral which opens and shuts only with ivory teeth. Of what metal is it composed? Of none. It is a tongue obedient to reason, which knows only how to speak well of those of whom it speaks in their absence as in their presence.” (40) What is the message of the ivory key? Keep your mouth shut! (41) www.lambdachi.org/cross-crescent
For more information about the article that was cited in this story, visit The Philalethes Society’s website: http:// www.freemasonry.org/.
Footnotes
21. Simmel, 1906, 474 22. Ibid, 50 23. Iamblichus, 1988, 74 24. Ibid, 80 25. “occult” simply means “obscured” 26. Casaubon thought that the Greek used in the Hermetic texts showed that they were written in the first three hundred year after Christ. However, Ralph 27. Cudworth argued that Casaubon’s assessment did not apply to all the texts. 27. Copenhaver 2000, xxxiv (my italics) 28. Copenhaver 2000, 4 29. Ibid 30. Ibid, 2 31. Ibid, 51 32. Pike, 2007, 99 33. NIV 6:1-4 34. Bogdan 2007, 47 35. Ibid 36. Anonymous 2002, 4 37. Ibid. 38. Pike 2007, 98 39. Ibid 40. Mackey 1929 Volume I, 517 41. The key reappears in the thirty-second degree, when it is used to unlock the balustrade leading to the holy of holies.
Bibliography
Pike, Albert. 2007, Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Nu-Vision Bogdan, Henrik. 2007, Western Esotericism and Rituals of Initiation, SUNY Press Copenhaver, Brian. 2000. Hermetica. Cambridge Guthrie, Kenneth. 1988. The Pythagorean Sourcebook and Library. Phanes Mackey, Albert. 1929. Revised Encyclopedia of Freemasonry. Volumes I and II. The Masonic History Company Simmel, Georg, 1906 The Sociology of Secrecy and of Secret Societies. The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. 11, No. 4. (Jan., 1906), pp. 441-498. University of Chicago Press Felix, Minucius, Octavius Online transcription accessed 29th July 2007 at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/ text/octavius.html
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