Miami Mentions
Trustees Re-Elect Orville Read as President, Harry W. McCobb as Chairman of Board
Members of the Board who are in the second year of their current terms are John C. Jadel, Bowling Green ’52, Richard S. Rimanoczy, Miami ’25, Carlton H. Rose, Califomia ’24, and C. Earl Schooley, Nlissomi ’28. Henry A. Federa, Louisville ’37, serves as the last past president choosing to fill this seat on the Board.
J. Paul McNamara, Miami ’29, continues to serve as a vice president.
Miami Chapter's Hundredth Anniversary Is Celebrated at Homecoming
The Homecoming crowds cheered in the stands and strains of “Old Gold and Blue” filled the air. The Miami University Band, climaxing the half-time show, moved into a huge Delta and Upsilon. It was Miami University’s salute to our chapter’s 100 years of service on the Miami campus.
Our chapter had come a long way since that founding day back in 1868. Now we looked back on the first 100 years with fond memories and set aside this fall weekend to officially celebrate it. Months of planning and work were finally being realized as our alumni started pouring in. Friday night saw the first alumni arrivals. They and their families stopped over to see the chapter house, note the improvements and changes, talk over good times, and see old friends.
Saturday morning the chapter greeted the alumni at an informal coffee hour. During this time we had them register and fill out information sheets to help us update our alumni files. They also picked up tickets for the Homecoming game which pitted Miami against Kent State. The chapter had reserved a block of seats for alumni and friends. Along with their tickets, the alumni received a mum corsage for wives and dates.
At game time the brothers and alumni headed for the stadium “en masse” singing the great old DU songs as we walked. At the stadium we sat through the first half of the game in anxious anticipation of the half-time show. The half-time sounded, and the Miami University Band moved on to the field. They marched through their various formations playing a variety of marches and showtunes. But then the familiar strains of “Old Gold and Blue” filtered through the crowd. And as the band moved into a giant Delta and Upsilon, the stadium resounded as all the brothers, young and old, stood to sing along with the band. The announcer then gave a short resume of our chapter’s history and activities.
The Miami University Band forms the letters Delta and Upsilon as they play “Old Gold and Blue” at Homecoming.
Meritorious Service Awards are presented to J. Paul
McNamara, left, and Dean Everett Lykins, right, with Phillip Shriver, the evening’s guest speaker.
Dr. Phillip Shriver, Kent State ’44, president of Miami University, and J. Paul McNamara, Miami ’29, former chairman of the Miami Board of Trustees, were saluted as brothers of Delta Upsilon. This brought the half-time show to its climax as the band marched off the field. The brothers rose to cheer Miami on to a victory.
After the game there was a reception at the chapter house. The Centennial cake, fashioned in the shape of our chapter house, was cut by Louis Hoffman, ’18 (who had flown in from Mexico); Jim Bova, our current president; and Mrs. Ruth Hockenberry, our housemother. The punch and brotherhood flowed freely.
The Centennial banquet was held in the Towers Room of the University Center. We found our places around the tables and enjoyed a delicious meal of roast beef with all the trimmings. After the dinner, the program got under way with Brother Everett Lykins, Assistant Dean of Men, as master of ceremonies. Brother Lykins read telegrams from Orville H. Read, president, and Bill Butler, executive secretary of Delta Upsilon. They sent their congratulations. Both were sorry for not being able to attend because of the previously scheduled assembly.
Meritorious service awards were given to J. Paul McNamara and Dean Lykins for their outstanding service to the Miami chapter. Brother McNamara is a vice president of Delta Upsilon.
Next was the presentation of fifty-year membership certificates to several of our alumni whose loyalty has lasted over the years. The recipients were Silas Trumbo, Harvey Bunce, Marcus Goldman, Louis Hoffman, and Hugh Sollars.
Besides these presentations, we recognized our chapter’s alumni and financial advisor, Watson R. Pults, ‘II, for his invaluable advice and assistance in maintaining the Miami chapter over all these years.
The keynote speech that night was delivered by Brother Shriver, Miami University president, who spoke on the relevance of the presence of fraternities like Delta Upsilon on university campuses throughout the country.
William T. Hollingsworth, Dean of Men, and Gilbert Siegel, the Dean of Fraternity Affairs, were the special guests of the chapter. At the conclusion, Brother Bova led the entire group in the singing of “The Highest Praise.” All the brothers with their dates and families then adjourned to the chapter house for a night of brotherhood and good times.
Sunday morning brought the alumni back to the house for a buffet luncheon. We then went to the University chapel where Robert Marzec, field secretary, conducted a centennial renewal of vows. Brother Marzec issued the charge to all the brothers present in a very meaningful ceremony. The charge was a very fitting conclusion to our centennial celebration, a memorable weekend filled with fun, festivities and brotherhood. That weekend officially marked the first hundred-year point. The enthusiasm and interest shown during that weekend proved that there would be many more hundred years to celebrate in the future.
Honored by Miami U.
Dr. Arthur R. Mead, Miami ’09, received the Bishop Medal recently from his alma mater in ceremonies at a reception on the Miami University campus. The award, the highest alumni honor which the University presents, was given to him by Dr. Raymond A. Dennison in honor of his long service to the University.
Gives Miami Seal
A large walnut replica of the Miami University seal has been hand carved by Steven E. Renneckar, Miami ’66, and is hanging in the main lobby of Murstein Alumni Center.
The seal represents more than a hundred hours of work by Brother Renneckar, who presently is working toward his law degree at Ohio State University. In 1967 he suffered the loss of both legs above the knees following severe burns sustained when the metal mast of the boat he was sailing in the Florida Keys hit a power line. Â More information on Brother Renneckar:Â Steve Renneckar hardly misses a beat after accident