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HISTORY
DELTA BETA FAST FACTS
Membership
Facts
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Actives: 115
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Pledges: 13
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Rank:
3
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Alumni: 716
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Spring 2008
Scholastics Facts
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House GPA:
2.969
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Beta Active Avg:
2.987
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Beta Pledge:
2.951
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All Fraternity Average:
2.6940
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All Greek Average:
2.8610
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All Women Undergrad Average:
2.964 (17-23
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All Male Undergrad Average:
2.775 (17-23)
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All Undergrad Average:
2.743 (17-23)
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Greek Population:
3,358
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Undergrad Student Body:
29,070
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Greek Composition of
Undergrad Body: 12%
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Chapter History
The
University of Arizona Chapter
The
University of Arizona Delta Beta Chapter of Beta Theta Pi has
an interesting history which reflects the Spirit of its
Brotherhood in a sphere of ever changing social and political
events. History is extremely difficult to write and record
when it is a product of many voices and memories of events
fused into a single meaningful narrative. It is the Delta
Betas Alumni Associations hope that the following is a
representative summary of our past.—John Libby ‘64
The
Arizona initial petition (circa 1930)—The Delta Chi’s
The Delta
Chi’s were an early local fraternity who petitioned the
General Fraternity for a charter in or about 1930. The General
Fraternity at that time had some reservations regarding the
academic standing of an institution which was created during
the geographical areas territorial days and had only recently
achieved statehood. It is significant that this group was
eventually “Initiated” under the auspices of the General
Fraternity in 1959 when the University of Arizona Charter was
granted.
The
Arizona Beta beginning (1959—1970) The Formative Years
In 1957, a
Beta brother named Louis Linxwiler, Jr. Oklahoma State '53
#527 was transferred by the Valley National Bank of Arizona to
its Tucson branch. Lou didn’t know a single Beta in Tucson,
but was soon welcomed at one of the monthly luncheons
sponsored by the Tucson Beta Alumni group.
A couple of
months after Lou’s arrival, the older members of the group
decided to make an overture to the General Fraternity office.
They welcomed the eager and energetic abilities of the
youthful Lou and of Henry B. Anderson ( Ohio Wesleyan '52), a
graduate assistant at the university and the son of a
well-known Tucson attorney. They accepted the young men's
offer to assist in forming a colony at the University. Henry
Anderson then prepared and presented to the Trustees of the
Fraternity a specific plan for developing a local fraternity
called Delta Beta into a potential chapter of Beta Theta Pi.
Lou and Henry
then held informal rush events in the Student Union and the
first pledges were “rushed” and selected. These enterprising
two men rented an apartment building with 8 bedrooms, using
one as their home the remaining rooms became the home of the
Delta Beta a local fraternity. The use of Delta Beta had been
selected because it would be the name of the chapter of Beta
Theta Pi if and when the colony was chartered.
Eventually
things were in enough order to apply for official Chapter
status with the national fraternity. Key support for the
application was received from Arizona Congressman John Rhodes,
Kansas State '38, who spoke in support of the cause at a
meeting of the Board of Trustees in May, 1959, in Washington
D.C.
In August of
1959, six members piled into Lou Linxwiler's 4-cylinder 180D
Mercedes and proceeded to French Lick, Indiana in pursuit of
the charter at the National Convention. The trip was not in
vain and the charter was granted. The Delta Beta Chapter was
subsequently installed October 31, 1959, with Sherwood Bonney,
President of Beta Theta Pi, as installing officer.
The new
chapter immediately made its mark on the Campus by quickly
ranking high in scholarship, politics, and athletic prowess.
Peter R. (Pete) Diener, AZ '61, had become the President of
the Chapter and then vice president of the Interfraternity
Council as well as its judiciary committee chairman. Charles
Raetzman, AZ'60, was awarded the Governor's Trophy as the
outstanding senior football player, and Anthony Matz was
elected 1960 football captain. Miles (Gus) Zeller and Newton
Lee were starters on the varsity basketball team. Zeller was
also a starting pitcher on the varsity baseball team and saw
action in the College World Series.
The
University of Arizona was at that time expanding rapidly. The
school had inadequate dorms and not enough student apartments
could be found in the area. A housing shortage inspired The
University to pioneer new ways to fund residential structures.
Among the opportunities was the University’s plan to create a
fraternity row using Federal money. The funds would be
received by the University and then redirected to fraternities
that were interested in acquiring new housing; the
fraternities would then enter into an agreement for repayment
of the funds.
Delta Beta
was offered the opportunity to build and only a year after
being chartered, Delta Beta was on the way to a more permanent
new home. The Beta Theta Pi Board of Trustees heard
representatives of the Delta Beta chapter detail plans for the
financing of the house at their meeting on August 27, 1960.
The house was occupied in the fall of 1961. With room for 40
men along with a large living room/dining room area, the
all-important Chapter Room, a useful roof area and the full
basement, it was a stellar improvement over prior living
arrangements. Beta’s presence on campus expanded and the
Chapter grew apace.
The chapter
succeeded owing to forces unique to that era of state history.
The University of Arizona, founded in 1886, had been, until
the fall of 1959, the only university in Arizona. It was
the place where students from throughout the state went,
both for the undeniable diversity of educational opportunity
and the opportunity to attended school away from home. The
then twenty six fraternities on campus had been in place for a
good number of years and enjoyed significant rushing
advantages as well as assurances of alumni support. Thus, the
Betas were pledged by many young men who had either a passing
knowledge of Beta from their home areas in the East, or came
from a prep-school environment that viewed fraternities more
positively than might those from public high schools.
Even from the
first, the Chapter tended to attract a more mature, well
traveled experienced individual who could identify with those
who, amazing as it sounds today, might not wear socks with
their loafers. (Almost a social gaffe at that time in
Arizona.) The chapter appealed to individuals who favored
Madras shirts, Topsiders, and Bermuda shorts, in the midst of
an environment where the standard mode of attire for most men
at the University consisted of Levis and a white tee shirt.
Clearly, the Betas dressed differently, had perhaps wider
perspectives, different ideas and attracted those who had
similar life experiences. During these years in addition to
the Chapters continued prowess in intramural and collegiate
athletics others were devoting their talents to endeavors
other than athletics. Richard Rea became IFC Vice President;
Peter Winterble, The Editor of the Arizona Wildcat, the
University newspaper; John Wulffson, the Commanding Officer of
the U.S. Air Force, Cadet Wing and Thomas White and William
Nicholls, members of the Student Senate
The end of
the initial chapter’s life (1970) began on the killing fields
of Vietnam. The painful events of that era shattered or
changed many lives, including those at the University of
Arizona. The threat of being drafted was high, fewer men were
pledging, fewer were making grades (making those that failed
susceptible to draft) and the entire picture began to look
bleak. As a result the social fraternity system as a whole was
undergoing a relatively severe down cycle and the Formative
years came to a close
There is no
reasonable way that the current, excellent cadre of Beta
Brothers could have been influenced by these events. There
may, however, be a lesson to be learned from the obvious love
that each of those “early adapters” express presently for each
other after nearly 50 years. If today’s Brothers can come
close to this intense feeling and maintain it as it has been
maintained by their Alumni, then these examples will have
provided benefit to all
—Richard Rea ‘63/Peter Winterable’64
The
Re-charter (1986 - Present) (Coming soon)
Chapter Roll Book
Membership List
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The complete listing of all
initiated members of the Delta Beta Chapter of Beta Theta
Pi. If you believe that our
information may be out of date or incorrect in any manner,
please contact our Alumni Relations Chairman Danny Baker at
dwbaker@email.arizona.edu. |
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