June 2006
eVisions The electronic newsletter of Gamma Kappa Zeta Happy
Fathers
Day
St Louis Alumni Calendar Social calendar for Lambda Chi’s in the St. Louis area
Golf June 22, approximately 9:30 AM Either Quail Creek or Forest Park Please RSVP by July 8 to play and vote on location [email protected]
Grants Farm August 6 www.grantsfarm.com Get the family together and meet us at Grant’s Farm! Meet outside the General Store at 1 PM to tour through the park and see the animals. We will walk through some of the activities together, and then enjoy brat’s and two complimentary beers at the Baurnhoff inside the park before we go look at the world famous Clydesdales. (Entire family welcome and encouraged to attend!)
Happy Hour Thursday’s 3rd
Every Thursday in St. Louis around 5:30 will find a group of choppers getting together after work. No RSVP necessary. The schedule so far is as follows: June 22 – Helen Fitzgerald’s www.helenfitzgeralds.net July 13 – Trueman’s Place www.truemansplace.com August 3 – Trailhead , St. Charles www.trailheadbrewing.com August 24 – Harpo’s Chesterfield September 14 – Schneithorst in Frontenac Please suggest where you would like future happy hours
KC Look for details on a get-together at Harpo’s Westport! June 2006
Undergraduate Profile: Chapter President Matt Zellner, Gamma Kappa 1477 Matt Zellner is a 20-year-old Broadcast Journalism major from Norman, Oklahoma entering his Junior Year. Matt’s promising college football career ended with a torn ACL in high school. A star recruit for Lambda Chi, Matt received a 31 on his ACT and graduated number one in his class. Before serving as the 2006 Gamma Kappa president, Matt was elected the Executive Vice President-External and Philanthropy Chair as a second-semester freshman. As Philanthropy Chair, he organized and conducted Watermelonfest, the largest philanthropy on Mizzou’s campus. All proceeds went towards raising 150,000 pounds food, placing Gamma Kappa in the top five chapters in the nation for food raised. Also, during his tenure as philanthropy chair, Gamma Kappa won or placed top three in every sorority’s philanthropy that it participated in. Due to his philanthropic efforts, Gamma Kappa was the recipient of Lambda Chi national scholarships. After his undergraduate years, Matt plans on attending Law School in hopes of a career in politics and public office. Volume 1, Issue 2
eVisions The electronic newsletter of Gamma Kappa Zeta Nicknames Phil Batton, Graduated 1956 Phil Batton, after graduating from Springfield Senior High Schoo (Missouri), came to Mizzou to be an Engineer on a Naval ROTC scholarship. Phil joined Lambda Chi and served as Rtualist and Rush Chairman. Phil married a “townie,” Shirley Lyle. Shirley was a ZETA, (the ZETA house was next door at that time), Lambda Chi Alpha Crescent Queen at the White Rose Formal, December, 1954 and also a former date of his roommate. After college, Phil flew for the Navy until 1959 when he developed myopia. Phil used his engineering degree to succeed in commercial construction. While working for companies in El Paso Texas, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Boston, he earned his masters from the University of Missouri-Rolla. In 1989, he shifted to consulting insurance companies on contractor bond defaults. Phil’s wife maintained a career in education. She earned a Masters in Education, and a Masters in Special Education. As the moved from town to town, she worked as an elementary school teacher, a special reading teacher, and a special educator. Their daughter, Cheri, an Alpha Chi Omega at Mizzou, works as a school Psychologist in Phil’s new hometown of Phoenix. Phils son, a graduate of Pittsburgh State University is a marine insurance adjustor in Olathe, Kansas. Both children are married and have given Phil and Shirley 1 grandchild each. In retirement, Phil plays some golf, shoots trap and skeet, and flies light airplanes while Shirley maintains her skills at the bridge table. Interestingly, Phil and Shirley have joined the RV life. A local RV club sponsors week-long caravans during the winter season. In the summer, they escape to cooler country, seldom staying anywhere more than two weeks at a time. We are happy, healthy and enjoying retirement to the fullest. Story continued….
June 2006
“Hey Stork!” It still happens. 8 years after college and I still have people, often people that I don’t recognize, walk up to me with that greeting. My nickname was the best thing that happened to me while on campus, and it still pays off. I still haven’t met another person named Stork. What are your memories of nicknames. Whether it was yours or someone else, send to me nicknames and stories.
Trivia We all know that John E. “Jack” Mason wrote our ritual in 1913. Where did Mason retreat to for peace and quiet while writing the ritual? First person to respond with the correct answer wins a Lambda Chi Alpha gift! Have a good Lambda Chi or Gamma Kappa trivia question? Submit it.
Chapter Bits Homecoming is October 21 vs. Kansas State. Lambda Chi is paired with Gamma Phi Beta. June 24 - Housing Corporation Meeting and Chapter officer retreat in Columbia
Future issues Nicknames – send in nicknames “The Group” – Phil mentioned stories about attending football games with “The Group.” Are you a member of “The Group?” Send in your memories.
Volume 1, Issue 2
eVisions The electronic newsletter of Gamma Kappa Zeta Extended Stories and Memories of Phil Batton in his own words. I graduated from Springfield, Missouri, Senior High School, May, 1950 (one of 500+ graduates), and pledged Lambda Chi Alpha at Mizzou in the Fall of 1950. I graduated, January, 1956, with a BS in Civil Engineering. I was a Naval ROTC scholarship student......tuition and books supplied plus $50.00/month living expenses. The House Bill was $76.00/month. Dad made up the difference plus "walk around" money (beer, etc.) One needs to understand that at Mizzou in the 50’s Alcohol flowed like water and there was no marijuana, cocaine, meth., heroin, etc. I got drunk and passed out the night I pledged......quite a celebration.....helped my reputation......I was introduced to "Vanishing Vision"......a mixture of Vodka and Seven Up. Further, in 1950, many of the Chapter's actives were World War Two veterans attending school on the GI Bill. I would guess the average age of the Chapter members was around 25. Not a group to pay a lot of attention to University rules and regulations. The "Keg" room was a true keg room......with a keg of beer most Saturday nights. Clean up by the pledges on Sunday morning was a standard chore. The previous school year, the Chapter won the Savitar Frolics with a song and dance production of "The Wizard of Miz", a take off on The Wizard of Oz. The finale song of that production, "Somewhere Down in Missouri", became the Chapter theme song for many years thereafter. The Chapter won the Frolics again in 1951 with another song and dance production, "Samson Was Delighted", a takeoff on the movie, Samson and Delilah. My involvement with the Frolics in 1951 and later years was minimal......just a grunt. The Panty Raid of May, 1951, was a wild night for Lambda Chi. One Brother, who had the misfortune of having his photo, as he exited a sorority house, on the front page of the Kansas City Star, was expelled by the University. Another stole a policeman's cap and was nearly decapitated by a clothesline as he ran away through a residential back yard. He successfully escaped and the cap was discovered in the Chapter Room closet some forty years later. During the Spring of 1951, my Dad had to take a medical retirement......his income was divided by four and he could no longer support my college education. I had many part time jobs.......ramp attendant at a drive-in theater, gofer at the Chemical Engineering Laboratory and washing dishes in the Lambda Chi house for three years. The dish washing job paid the board portion of the house bill. The Spring semester of my sophomore year, four of the Brothers and myself raced a stock car at the local track. One of the Brothers provided a 1936 Ford. Another welded a steel pipe cage around the driver. The number, "69" in fire engine red was proudly painted on both sides of the car. Drivers had to be at least 21 years old. Only one of the five was 21......so, no matter who was driving, the 21 year old's name was announced over the race track loud speaker. Not all five drove in the races.......I performed once.......we always started the race in front as we were the slowest car in the time trials and always finished last. On the fourth or fifth race day, one of the Brothers flipped the car and blew out two tires........we were out of business as we had no money to buy replacement tires. I was placed on scholastic probation for poor grades. I started dating Shirley Lyle, a Zeta, in the Fall of 1953. The Zeta Tau Alpha house was next door in those days. We met at a fraternity/sorority exchange dinner. Actually Shirley had dated my roommate the previous semester, I was involved elsewhere. The relationship between Shirley and my roommate was not serious, so, no problems when Shirley and I started dating. Shirley grew up in Columbia. As a 'town-girl', Shirley had better hours than those living in University housing, dorms and Sorority houses.......that was a bonus and we could borrow her dad's car! We went through the usual process of 'going steady', pinning and engagement. Shirley was crowned Lambda Chi Alpha Crescent Queen at the White Rose Formal, December, 1954. We married, June 11, 1955, in Columbia. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last year. June 2006
Volume 1, Issue 2
Fathers
Day
St Louis Alumni Calendar Social calendar for Lambda Chi’s in the St. Louis area
Golf June 22, approximately 9:30 AM Either Quail Creek or Forest Park Please RSVP by July 8 to play and vote on location [email protected]
Grants Farm August 6 www.grantsfarm.com Get the family together and meet us at Grant’s Farm! Meet outside the General Store at 1 PM to tour through the park and see the animals. We will walk through some of the activities together, and then enjoy brat’s and two complimentary beers at the Baurnhoff inside the park before we go look at the world famous Clydesdales. (Entire family welcome and encouraged to attend!)
Happy Hour Thursday’s 3rd
Every Thursday in St. Louis around 5:30 will find a group of choppers getting together after work. No RSVP necessary. The schedule so far is as follows: June 22 – Helen Fitzgerald’s www.helenfitzgeralds.net July 13 – Trueman’s Place www.truemansplace.com August 3 – Trailhead , St. Charles www.trailheadbrewing.com August 24 – Harpo’s Chesterfield September 14 – Schneithorst in Frontenac Please suggest where you would like future happy hours
KC Look for details on a get-together at Harpo’s Westport! June 2006
Undergraduate Profile: Chapter President Matt Zellner, Gamma Kappa 1477 Matt Zellner is a 20-year-old Broadcast Journalism major from Norman, Oklahoma entering his Junior Year. Matt’s promising college football career ended with a torn ACL in high school. A star recruit for Lambda Chi, Matt received a 31 on his ACT and graduated number one in his class. Before serving as the 2006 Gamma Kappa president, Matt was elected the Executive Vice President-External and Philanthropy Chair as a second-semester freshman. As Philanthropy Chair, he organized and conducted Watermelonfest, the largest philanthropy on Mizzou’s campus. All proceeds went towards raising 150,000 pounds food, placing Gamma Kappa in the top five chapters in the nation for food raised. Also, during his tenure as philanthropy chair, Gamma Kappa won or placed top three in every sorority’s philanthropy that it participated in. Due to his philanthropic efforts, Gamma Kappa was the recipient of Lambda Chi national scholarships. After his undergraduate years, Matt plans on attending Law School in hopes of a career in politics and public office. Volume 1, Issue 2
eVisions The electronic newsletter of Gamma Kappa Zeta Nicknames Phil Batton, Graduated 1956 Phil Batton, after graduating from Springfield Senior High Schoo (Missouri), came to Mizzou to be an Engineer on a Naval ROTC scholarship. Phil joined Lambda Chi and served as Rtualist and Rush Chairman. Phil married a “townie,” Shirley Lyle. Shirley was a ZETA, (the ZETA house was next door at that time), Lambda Chi Alpha Crescent Queen at the White Rose Formal, December, 1954 and also a former date of his roommate. After college, Phil flew for the Navy until 1959 when he developed myopia. Phil used his engineering degree to succeed in commercial construction. While working for companies in El Paso Texas, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Boston, he earned his masters from the University of Missouri-Rolla. In 1989, he shifted to consulting insurance companies on contractor bond defaults. Phil’s wife maintained a career in education. She earned a Masters in Education, and a Masters in Special Education. As the moved from town to town, she worked as an elementary school teacher, a special reading teacher, and a special educator. Their daughter, Cheri, an Alpha Chi Omega at Mizzou, works as a school Psychologist in Phil’s new hometown of Phoenix. Phils son, a graduate of Pittsburgh State University is a marine insurance adjustor in Olathe, Kansas. Both children are married and have given Phil and Shirley 1 grandchild each. In retirement, Phil plays some golf, shoots trap and skeet, and flies light airplanes while Shirley maintains her skills at the bridge table. Interestingly, Phil and Shirley have joined the RV life. A local RV club sponsors week-long caravans during the winter season. In the summer, they escape to cooler country, seldom staying anywhere more than two weeks at a time. We are happy, healthy and enjoying retirement to the fullest. Story continued….
June 2006
“Hey Stork!” It still happens. 8 years after college and I still have people, often people that I don’t recognize, walk up to me with that greeting. My nickname was the best thing that happened to me while on campus, and it still pays off. I still haven’t met another person named Stork. What are your memories of nicknames. Whether it was yours or someone else, send to me nicknames and stories.
Trivia We all know that John E. “Jack” Mason wrote our ritual in 1913. Where did Mason retreat to for peace and quiet while writing the ritual? First person to respond with the correct answer wins a Lambda Chi Alpha gift! Have a good Lambda Chi or Gamma Kappa trivia question? Submit it.
Chapter Bits Homecoming is October 21 vs. Kansas State. Lambda Chi is paired with Gamma Phi Beta. June 24 - Housing Corporation Meeting and Chapter officer retreat in Columbia
Future issues Nicknames – send in nicknames “The Group” – Phil mentioned stories about attending football games with “The Group.” Are you a member of “The Group?” Send in your memories.
Volume 1, Issue 2
eVisions The electronic newsletter of Gamma Kappa Zeta Extended Stories and Memories of Phil Batton in his own words. I graduated from Springfield, Missouri, Senior High School, May, 1950 (one of 500+ graduates), and pledged Lambda Chi Alpha at Mizzou in the Fall of 1950. I graduated, January, 1956, with a BS in Civil Engineering. I was a Naval ROTC scholarship student......tuition and books supplied plus $50.00/month living expenses. The House Bill was $76.00/month. Dad made up the difference plus "walk around" money (beer, etc.) One needs to understand that at Mizzou in the 50’s Alcohol flowed like water and there was no marijuana, cocaine, meth., heroin, etc. I got drunk and passed out the night I pledged......quite a celebration.....helped my reputation......I was introduced to "Vanishing Vision"......a mixture of Vodka and Seven Up. Further, in 1950, many of the Chapter's actives were World War Two veterans attending school on the GI Bill. I would guess the average age of the Chapter members was around 25. Not a group to pay a lot of attention to University rules and regulations. The "Keg" room was a true keg room......with a keg of beer most Saturday nights. Clean up by the pledges on Sunday morning was a standard chore. The previous school year, the Chapter won the Savitar Frolics with a song and dance production of "The Wizard of Miz", a take off on The Wizard of Oz. The finale song of that production, "Somewhere Down in Missouri", became the Chapter theme song for many years thereafter. The Chapter won the Frolics again in 1951 with another song and dance production, "Samson Was Delighted", a takeoff on the movie, Samson and Delilah. My involvement with the Frolics in 1951 and later years was minimal......just a grunt. The Panty Raid of May, 1951, was a wild night for Lambda Chi. One Brother, who had the misfortune of having his photo, as he exited a sorority house, on the front page of the Kansas City Star, was expelled by the University. Another stole a policeman's cap and was nearly decapitated by a clothesline as he ran away through a residential back yard. He successfully escaped and the cap was discovered in the Chapter Room closet some forty years later. During the Spring of 1951, my Dad had to take a medical retirement......his income was divided by four and he could no longer support my college education. I had many part time jobs.......ramp attendant at a drive-in theater, gofer at the Chemical Engineering Laboratory and washing dishes in the Lambda Chi house for three years. The dish washing job paid the board portion of the house bill. The Spring semester of my sophomore year, four of the Brothers and myself raced a stock car at the local track. One of the Brothers provided a 1936 Ford. Another welded a steel pipe cage around the driver. The number, "69" in fire engine red was proudly painted on both sides of the car. Drivers had to be at least 21 years old. Only one of the five was 21......so, no matter who was driving, the 21 year old's name was announced over the race track loud speaker. Not all five drove in the races.......I performed once.......we always started the race in front as we were the slowest car in the time trials and always finished last. On the fourth or fifth race day, one of the Brothers flipped the car and blew out two tires........we were out of business as we had no money to buy replacement tires. I was placed on scholastic probation for poor grades. I started dating Shirley Lyle, a Zeta, in the Fall of 1953. The Zeta Tau Alpha house was next door in those days. We met at a fraternity/sorority exchange dinner. Actually Shirley had dated my roommate the previous semester, I was involved elsewhere. The relationship between Shirley and my roommate was not serious, so, no problems when Shirley and I started dating. Shirley grew up in Columbia. As a 'town-girl', Shirley had better hours than those living in University housing, dorms and Sorority houses.......that was a bonus and we could borrow her dad's car! We went through the usual process of 'going steady', pinning and engagement. Shirley was crowned Lambda Chi Alpha Crescent Queen at the White Rose Formal, December, 1954. We married, June 11, 1955, in Columbia. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary last year. June 2006
Volume 1, Issue 2
