Botanist Interior 43.1

18 THE MICHIGAN BOTANIST Vol. 50 “FRATERNALLY, ED”—A REMEMBRANCE OF ED VOSS FROM UNDERGRADUATE DAYS Tom S. Cooperrider Department of Biological Sciences Kent State University Kent Ohio 44242 I met Ed Voss (Fig. 3) in 1947 (65 years ago!), when we were both freshmen at Denison University in Granville, Ohio. Ed had enrolled in September 1946. I was discharged from the Army in November and enrolled at Denison in January 1947. By the end of the spring semester, we were members of the same frater - nity. Over the years since then, he always closed his letters with the words, “Fra - ternally, Ed.” Those who know us might not think of either Ed or me as a typical fraternity man, and that would be correct. An understanding of how we came to be frater - FIGURE 3. Ed Voss as an under - graduate at Denison University. 2012 THE MICHIGAN BOTANIST 19 nity brothers requires an understanding of the times and the environment. Acad - emically, Denison afforded its students a first-class education and a close work - ing relationship with the inspiring professors. Socially, college life at Denison in the 1940s was in some ways like that depicted in early Hollywood movies, com - plete with everything from sweetheart serenades to pep rally bonfires. Among other traditions, coats and ties were required for dinner, and following the meal we remained at the table and sang college and fraternity songs. Of the male stu - dents, 95% joined a fraternity, and the other 5% were mostly students living at home. For the men residing on campus, belonging to a social fraternity was al - most a necessity. Fortunately for those of us inclined toward independence, there was the American Commons Club (ACC). Despite the lack of Greek letters in the name, ACC was a genuine fraternity. We had a residential house on campus with study rooms, a sleeping porch, a dining room, and a large lounge for social events and meetings of the brotherhood. Much of our college education came from life in the ACC house, and it influenced us for the remainder of our years. For Ed Voss, belonging to the American Commons Club was a special source of pride because his father had been a member a generation earlier. After graduating in 1950, I continued to do occasional ACC work for the next few years, as did other members. Ed continued on for the next 60 years. His work for the group ended in May 2009, with the final edition of “Commoner News,” an alumni newsletter he edited. The American Commons Club at Deni - son had closed down some years earlier. Ed and I both became botanists. We made our way to botany separately, by a kind of convergent evolution. Our friendships started at Denison. So also did our affection for the university and fraternity. During our senior year, Ed served as secretary for the fraternity. The highlight of Monday evening business meetings was Ed’s reading of the minutes of the previous meeting, written and read with his customary logic and wit. He also wrote and edited that year a weekly in-house newsletter for ACC members: GRANVILLE GRAVEL, “We leave no stone unturned.”.

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