October 1959 Omegaphone
President's Views
Two major areas of accomplishment last semester at Omega were (1) an improvement in the physical plant of the chapter house and (2) an improved spirit through more hause functions.
One of the major "sore spots" in Omega's physical plant, until last semester, was that of a room adjoining the dining room in the basement of the chapter house. This room contained a piano and a ping-pang table-- thus.it was known as "the game room." For the past three years plans had been formulated for the alteration of this room into an extention of the dining room. These plans were formulated, discussed, a cost estimate made, and the project was abandoned because of insufficient funds. Last semester something was done about this condition. With the help of the alumni, the entire room was renovated. The consensus of the actives is that the alterations were very worthwhile. 'We hope the alumni will agree.
The second area of accomplishment in which we feel we have made great progress is that of building spirit and cooperation, among pledges and brothers through more and better home functions. A few of these functions were rushing smokers, sorority mixers, freshmen women mixers, and many long song practices. All of these functions appear to have been well worth the added effort and time spent in their preparation and completion. To illustrate, Omega placed 1st in the annual Regional Convention Sing and fifth in the annual I.F.C. Sing Competition. Also, we received 1st place for the best optional song choice. In addition, for the first time in Omega's history, the chqpter placed second in all-around Spring Week activities, a great boost for interfraternity relations.
To conclude, we at Omega are looking forward to another year of worthwhile academic and social activities, in order to accomplish our major common objective - Alma Mater First - Theta Chi for Alma Mater.
New Officers
Omega Chapter's annual elections have been held and the new officers have been installed. Rich Jones succeeds himself as president. Rich is a seventh semester Psychology major from Bethlehem, Pa. Trig Rohrbach, a sixth semester Industrial Engineer from Glenn Rock, succeeds Al Johnson as vice-president. Al has taken 'up the secretary's Pen from Ed Walker. Bill Kress replaces newlywed Dick Jones as treasurer. Bill is a seventh semester Electrical Engineer from Camp Hill, Pa. Pledge Marshall Glenn Weishaar comes from Gettysburg, Pa. and is a Mechanical Ehgineer of seventh semester status. He replaces Al Barron. Other new officers include: Norm Steen, rushing chairman; Jack Mallino, caterer; Mike Lazorchak, house manager; John Coleman, athletic chairman; Tom Herrala, librarian; Ian Ramsay, historian; George Bukes, aluini secretary.
Social Life at Omega
Our social program at Omega this past spring was one of the biggest successes in the memory of the brotherhood. The first jam session of the semester was a combined Saturday night party with the Phi Kappas at which the Rockefellers played. Several costume parties followed, including a Suppressed Desires and a Beatnik party. The regularly scheduled fifteen minute song practices showed themselves to have been valuable when we placed fifth in the I.F.C. sing and won a much coveted trophy for first place in the Regional Conference Sing at the University of Maryland.
Spring Week was the largest social activity and the greatest success of the spring semester. Our He-man Contest entrant, Dick Bartolazzi, took fifth place. A second-place trophy was awarded us for our entry in the Float Parade, a mechanized fifteen-foot high Cyclops throwing a rock at Ulysses' ship. Our booth at the Carnival, complete with Dixie land band, dancing girls', and a skit entitled, Like Man, Julius Caesar, copped another second place trophy. Awards Night came and we were all tremendously proud to hear the emcee announce, Second place all around, Theta Chi and Macallister Hall! All in all it was one of the most successful Spring weeks in our history.
The last party of the year was a combined Marriage Party with ZBT, complete with fake Justice of the Peace and humorous marriage certificates. We have big plans for the fall semester, especially for Alumni Homecoming Weekend, so be sure, to drop in. We're expecting one of the biggest crowds ever.
New Brothers
Omega Chapter has been strenhened by the Brotherization of six new men. The new brothers initiated this September are:
Michael Lazorchak, Norm Steen, Michael Megraw, Ian Ramsay, William Kimmel, and John Hewetson.
Mike Lazorchak, a junior in Secondary Education comes from Jostown, Pa. Mike is taking over the post of House Manager this semester.
Norm Steen, a Engineering Science. major from Wiikensburg, Pa., is our new Rushing Chairman. Norm is a junior and a member of the University Symphony Orchestra.
William Kimmel, from Lepoyne, Pa. is a junior in Mechanical Engineering. Bill is active in sports and is also priminent in house activities.
Ian Ramsay, a junior in Business Administration, comes from Glenside, Pa. Ian is the new Omegaphone editor.
Michael Megraw, the new Social Chairman for this semester, comes from Salem, New Jersey. Mike is a junior in the Division of Counseling.
John Hewetson, who hails from Gettysburg, Pa., is a junior in Pre-Med. John is a member of the University Chapel Choir and recently toured Europe with the choir.
New Pledges
This fall's pledge class is made up of seven sophomores, three juniors, and two seniors.
Albert Stahl, a third semester Mechanical Engineering student, is from Tarentum, Pa. He is currently active in Thespians, and his interests are music and sports.
James Stalder, from Pittsburgh, Pa., is a third semester student in the Division of Counseling. Jim is interested in math, sports, and automobiles.
John Weidner Jr., a Business Administration student, eames from Sumneytown, Pa. He is interested in sports and coin collecting.
Walter Bilger Jr. comes from King of Prussia, Pa., and is a third Semester Business Administration student. Walt in interested in an accounting or sales management future.
Keith Straley, from Jacobus, Pa., is in the college of Business Administration. Keith is a member of the Accounting Club and the Outdoor Club. He is also interested in sports, photography and rare coins.
Joseph Perugini, a third semester Chemical Engineering student from Springfield, Pa., is an active member of Thespians. Joe also is interested in sports and clothing styles.
Edward McDeavitt hails from Butler, Pa. He is a third semester student in D. O. C. Ed is interested in sports and music, and is also a member of the Boy Scouts.
Bob Burlbaugh is a fifth semester Dairy Science student. He is a member of the Penn State Outing Club and the Dairy Science Club. Bob has reptile collecting and boxing as his hobbies. Bob lives in New Kensington, Pa.
Jack Fredine, a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, comes from Bethesda, Maryland. John is a fifth semester Mining Engineering student.
James Heller Jr. is a fifth semester Marketing major from Yeagerstown, Pa. Mike, as he is known, is sometime planning to be a salesman. He is interested in sports and classical music.
Ronald Navas is from Bethlehem,. Pa. He is a seventh, semester student majoring in accounting. Ron is a member of the Accounting Club.
John Deemer Jr., a seventh semester student in Secondary Education majoring in math, comes from Greensburg, Pa. John is also it member of the University Chapel Choir.
Omega Wins Sing at Convention
Last year's annual Theta Chi regional convention was held the weekend of April 4, 1959, with Alpha Psi chapter, University of Maryland, as host.
A short business meeting on Saturday afternoon, and a dinner-dance Saturday evening were the high points of the convention.
Twenty-three men represented Omega chapter. The Omega chorus, directed by Rich Jones, was named winner in the Sing competition, and another trophy was added to our collection.
This year's convention will be held next Spring at Beta Delta chapter, Rutgers University. Omega will be represented by the entire chapter. We shall again enter the 'Sing.' Omega served as host chapter in the Spring of 1956.
Sports News
The Red and White are looking forward to a successful sports campaign for the: '59-'60 season after a very respectable showing last year.
The Spring of 1959 saw Theta Chi advance to the volleyball finals before suffering an upset at the hands of Delta Upsilon. Glenn Weishaar, Jack Mallino, John Coleman, George Loulis, Tome Herrala, Bill Read, and Mike Kuhar, all of whom have returned for anotherr year with the exception of Kuhar, carried the squad.
Glenn Weishaar will again quarterback the football team which makes its debut against Delta Theta Sigma. The Oxmen will miss the services of Dick Bartolazzi and Dick Hill, but hope to be bolstered by the return of Bill Frame, and newcomers John Weidner, Joe Perugini, and Jim Stalder.
Paul McConnaughey and Al Johnson will initiate the tennis season October 9, in a round robin tournament. The bowling team came back strong last spring after a slow start to finish in the upper third of the interfraternity bowling league. Al Barron, Al Johnson, and Ed Walker will return this year to attempt to repeat their fine sabwing. The squad will need replacements for Jim McDeavitt and Dick Bartolazzi.
The swimming, team welcomes George Will, an accomplished diver who transferred from Lycoming.
Letter to the Alumni from E. T. Gifford
It gives me great pleasure to have this honor to express my sincere appreciation at being able to welcome you to another Alumni Homecoming - this being my twentieth year with Theta Chi, a period of which I am justly proud. I boast of the lasting friendships and acquaintances that I have made and am now enjoying throughout the years. I am grateful to Our God, Who has allowed me to enjoy good health down through the years. I am sure you join me in giving thanks to Him for being so wonderful to us all. Sometimes our fields are so green that we, as human beings, lose perspective with our surroundings and that of our brothers and unknowingly become ingrates and take everything for granted. But let us forget not our lives, our successes, and our happiness, and give thanks to our God for He is just. Therefore, let us us His blessings to the best of our ability and treat ourselves by coming to Theta Chi to dwell once again in unity with the Brothers, both old and new.
I am still able and willing to serve you in the same capacity. And with great anticipation I hope you will make this reunion the best in the twenty years that I have been serving you. I realize that conditions will not permit some of you to visit with us, but we will be waiting for you anyway. I will have lots of things to shoot the breeze about with you. We have lots of room for you; you see, we also have felt the cold grip of the steel strike, and it has been a little unkind to us too. So come and let us forget together and reassure ourselves by cementing our friendship with some Theta Chi spaghetti - Giffie style, and a pig dinner. Maybe the first twenty years are the hardest, but I am unsubdued; I have hoped, I have planned, I have striven; to the will I have added the deed; the best that was in me I've given; I have prayed, but gods would not heed; I have dared to reach only disasters; I have battled and broken my lance; I am bruised by a pitiless master that the weak and the timid call chance. I am old, I am bent, I am cheated of all that youth urged me to win... but name me not with the defeated. Tomorrow again, I begin.
Your humble servant,
GIFF
New Alumni
June graduation has brought nine brothers into the ranks of Omega Alumni.
Clem Bauer, a graduate in Dairy Science, is employed in a dairy in Erie, Pa.
Brother Paul Baroutsis recieved his degree in business and is currently working in Lancaster, Pa.
Being assistant manager of a Finance Co. keeps Lou Brast busy. Business was Lou's curriculum at State.
Second Lt. Michael Kuhar is now with the U.S. Martnes at Quantico, Va. Mike also graduated in the Business curriculum.
Dick Gerhard, now working in the Middle-west, graduated in Commercial Arts. Dick finished an extensive thesis about Hawaii just before graduation.
Newly married Dave West resides in Alexandria, Va. Dave is looking forward to a future in politics.
Known to his pupils as Mr. Nocera, Bob is teaching school in New Castle, Pa. Bob was graduated in Secondary Education.
Dick Hill, a graduate in Liberal Arts, has taken the entrance exams for Law School. We all wish him the best of luck.
Last but not .least is Dick Potter. Dick graduated in Industrial Engineering, and is now working for the Bell Telephone Co. in Pittsburgh.
Thank you to all those brothers that shared their news.
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