Sunday, February 21, 2010

May 15, 1924, Volume 5, Number 8 - Additional

For Memorial Day, The Archi published the names of all deceased members of Alpha Rho Chi. With only 13 names, it is also a reminder of how young the fraternity was at this time.

Prof. Louis Holmes Boynton of Iktinos was the most recent entry on this list. His obituary appears on page 6. Initiated in 1914, it's apparent he didn't consider his membership as merely "honorary."



Since no photo of Boynton appears in The Archi, here's one taken from the Michiganensian yearbook of 1916 (click to enlarge). The caption attests to his connection with students across the department.

Friday, February 19, 2010

May 15, 1924, Volume 5, Number 8

Housing Boom

The Paeonios Chapter finally established a chapter house, located at 1020 Houston St. Manhattan Kansas. The purchased house was no small hovel. It had been the previous residence of the President of the University, W. M. Jardine. It had been designed by the university architectural department, and had been recently remodeled. It sounds like a lovely place.

Is it still there? You bet it is! It doesn't look like it changed a lick.



On Page 6, we begin to see the first discussions of a real estate development being managed by the Mnesicles alumni. The alumni purchased 5 lots across from the Minnesota Stadium that was under construction at this time. The development is being called "Fraternity Court" and 2 of those lots were reported sold to the Sigma Phil Epsilon fraternity.



That must have been quite a party!



The Andronicus Chapter held it's spring formal at one of Los Angeles's lost landmarks - the Garden of Allah. It was located on the corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights Boulevards, on what would now be noted as the eastern end of the Sunset Strip. Initially, the property began as a mansion, built by actress Alla Nazimova, and was notorious for wild parties. The property did not develop into a hotel until 1927, so the chapter may have had shared close quarters with the famous actress, who lived openly as a lesbian.



In the 1930's the Garden of Allah was a regular stomping ground for hollwood types looking for a good time, the most notable of which was F. Scott Fitzgerald. Unfortunately, it was torn down in 1959.



E-Bay alert!

At the above-mentioned party, the female attendees were given silver bracelets mounted with the fraternity crests. If you find one online, you know what to do...



This is not always easy...

On Page 5, the final paragraph of the Mnesicles update, shows evidence of the kind of confusion this project encounters from time to time.

"Milton John Anderson, '20, who was still single at the lsat report is employed by German & Jensen, Architects and engineers
of Duluth. Milton L. Anderson, '21 often his partner in
crime, is also single but is located in Los Angeles with an architectural
office."

After being brothers for three years, you'd think this crazy coincidence would have come up by now. Instead, i had to backtrack and separate the entries for the 2 men on their middle initials.. Initials, i might add, that are NOT terribly far away from in the alphabet OR the keyboard. Shame on me for making the assumption that the editors had made some typos. Goodness knows that they haven't always been perfect....