The History of Navajo Fraternity and Early History of Iota Alpha Chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity At Ball State University 1921-1964 The Teachers College Years By James D. Garretson with Jerry D. Hill Published by DeHart Publications Co., LLC Carmel, Indiana 2002 Second Edition 2011 This book is copyrighted 2002, 2011. No use or reproductions of any sections of this book may be made without permission of the authors and/or publisher. Published by DeHart Publications Co. LLC 55 York Drive Carmel, Indiana 46032 ii Acknowledgements I first became aware of Jim Garretson‘s history of Lambda Chi Alpha at Ball State when I met him at a chapter reunion in 2010. Most of us who had gathered for the event were from the Teachers College era but had not known about Jim‘s effort that started in the mid-1960s while he was working summers in Estes Park, Colorado. As president of the chapter he had access to all the fraternity‘s records, including minutes of Navajo Fraternity meetings dating back to 1921 when the fraternity began. Jim used those minutes extensively to write the history from the very beginning. Following Jim‘s retirement from teaching in January 2002, he recalls remembering those files and retrieved them. While they had been originally typed on a manual typewriter, he retyped the history on a computer, embellished it with 38 years of experience and knowledge, and improved the text. After the reunion Jim provided me with an electronic copy of his original book, which he had contributed to the Ball State library when it had been completed. I was impressed with the thoroughness of Jim‘s work and the details it contained. It occurred to me that a much wider distribution was possible now using the Internet, e-mail, and some of the capabilities of desktop publishing. His book could now reach hundreds of our brothers who were dispersed all across the country, far beyond access to the Ball State library. Furthermore, the book could serve to help define the legacy of the chapter that was then being recolonized on the Ball State campus. When I approached Jim about my idea for a second edition he graciously agreed to let me edit his manuscript. It has been embellished with photos provided to me from several of the brothers from my era but most of the text is still Jim‘s original work. I am especially indebted to Chuck Langham, Bill Waechter, Rick Reeves, Tom Kinghorn, Larry Campbell, and Art Endres for their photo contributions. Thanks to Jim Garretson for his editorial comments and suggestions. A special thanks goes to former Navajos Richard Whitton and Marshall Willis for sharing their personal fraternity memorabilia. Over 50 years have passed since my graduation from Ball State but few things in my life have created memories like those I share with my Lambda Chi brothers. It truly is the bond of a lifetime and working with Jim on this second edition of his history has been a distinct honor and a sincere pleasure. Yours in ZAX, Jerry Hill, Iota Alpha 250 Ball State class of 1959 Houston, Texas May 2011 iii History of Navajo Fraternity and Lambda Chi Alpha At Ball State TABLE OF CONTENTS Prologue ............................................................................................................................... 5 The Navajos 1918 - 1922 ..................................................................................................... 9 The Campus Grows 1922-1924 ......................................................................................... 15 The Depression Years 1929 - 1933 ................................................................................... 19 The Second Decade 1934-1937 ......................................................................................... 28 Prelude to War 1938-1942 ................................................................................................. 40 The War Years and the Aftermath 1942 - 1950 ................................................................ 45 The Big Change 1951-52 ................................................................................................... 50 The National Connection 1952 – 1954 .............................................................................. 60 The 50s Come Alive 1955-57 ............................................................................................ 68 Best on Campus 1958 - 1960 ............................................................................................ 81 The Pre-Baby Boomers 1961 - 1964 ................................................................................. 93 The Early Sixties An Overview of the Times ................................................................... 110 Epilogue ........................................................................................................................... 136 Appendix 1 - List of all Iota Alpha Initiates 1951-1965 ................................................. 139 Appendix 2 - List of Crescent Girls 1951-1966 .............................................................. 147 Appendix 3 - Cornerstone Letter ..................................................................................... 148 iv History of Navajo Fraternity and Lambda Chi Alpha At Ball State Prologue The history of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity chapter at Ball State University is rich and unique In one facet it mirrors the history of the college/university in Muncie, Indiana, and in another facet demonstrates the cyclical nature of social fraternity life on college campuses during the 20th Century. For predating its affiliation with Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity in 1951, this fraternity had a lengthy history as a local club/fraternity dating back to 1921. They were called the Navajos, the first social club on the young state campus. In examining the evolution of this local club into a chapter of one of the nation‘s largest and most respected fraternities, one needs to keep his/her examination in the context of the growth and evolution of Ball State University. Recently, Professors Anthony O. Edmonds and E. Bruce Geelhoed of the BSU History Department authored the first definitive history of Ball State (published by the Indiana University Press). This task began in 1993 when a sesquicentennial committee appointed by the president of Ball State was charged with planning the 75th anniversary of the state institution The committee made as one of its chief priorities the research and publication of such a history that charted the school‘s start through the auspices of Provost Warren Vander Hill, a member of the committee. Fortunately, the book is a very readable history as both Edmonds and Geelhoed desired to publish an ―interpretive history‖ rather than a litany of facts and figures on people, places and things. In their introduction, the authors point out that Ball State‘s history was not dissimilar to that of dozens of other institutions in neighboring states. Institutions such as Miami University (Ohio), Ohio University, Akron University, Kent State University, Bowling Green University, Northern Michigan University, Western Michigan University, Central Michigan University, Eastern Michigan University, Northern Illinois University, Illinois State University and Indiana State University. In all cases these institutions were begun as ―normal‖ schools, a term applied to colleges created to train teachers for the growing public school system in America. By the end of the 20th Century, Indiana state government supported two major research oriented universities—Indiana University, the oldest, and Purdue University, a land grant college created in the 1860s. Indiana State University (formerly Indiana Normal College) was created in the 1850s. Vincennes University, while founded early in the 19th Century, remained in private ownership until mid-twentieth century, when the State agreed to take over ownership. Ball State joined the state system in 1918 as a gift from the Ball Brothers, and was originally made an appendage of Indiana Normal College (Eastern Division). Prologue page 5 History of Navajo Fraternity and Lambda Chi Alpha At Ball State The famous ―baby boom‖ in the post World War II period sent an avalanche of students into the nation‘s education system. This tidal wave of humanity was due to hit the post-secondary educational level in the early 1960s. Most states prepared by creating a system of community colleges or junior colleges, but Indiana‘s General Assembly opted for a different approach that had been pressed by the administrations of Indiana University and Purdue University. This plan called for the creation of ―extension centers‖ around the state that could eventually offer four-year degree programs. Ball State‘s leadership decided to avoid the creation of extension centers and offer an outreach program of courses rather than institutions. Indiana State, however, did create one branch at Evansville, a decision that both President Herman Wells (IU) and President Fred Hovde (PU) were very unhappy about. This extension center eventually was made an independent State university in the early 1980s and dubbed the University of Southern Indiana. At the end of the 19th Century there were approximately 8,200 students enrolled in eleven state colleges in Indiana (including normal schools in Valparaiso, Danville, Indianapolis, Angola, and Marion). Most of these were private. By the end of the 20th Century over a quarter of a million students would be enrolled in Indiana‘s bevy of private and state college campuses. Approximately 80%,