The
origins of the Gamma Mu Chapter of Delta Tau Delta
began around 1905 and centered on an agreement made
by three members of the 1905 graduation class of Seattle
High School. These three seniors pledged to
organize a local fraternity upon entering the University
of Washington in case all three were not bid by the
same fraternity.
H.H.
Barter - Illinois 04' & Robert Grass - Stanford
07'. |
They
were not, and so Delta Delta was established in January
of 1907. Due to acquaintances with A.J. Craven
(an alumnus of Beta Rho of Delta Tau Delta - Stanford),
H.H. Barter (an alumnus of Beta Upsilon - Illinois '04),
and Robert Grass (a transfer from Beta Rho '07) the
name Delta Delta was decided upon. The reason
for this name as well as the wording of its constitution
provided "that the purpose of Delta Delta shall be to
become absorbed by Delta Tau Delta." Approaches
by several other prominent national fraternities were
not even considered. Their motto was "Delta Tau
Delta or nothing!" On the house name plate, stationary,
etc., a space was left between the words Delta and Delta
for the missing TAU.
In
1908, Delta Delta's dream was realized when their
petition was accepted.
In
1916, Mr. R.M. Dyer, father of a member, started work
on the Shelter and the same year Gamma Mu moved into
its new home. The Shelter was the first house
at the University of Washington to be built as a fraternity
house, and the Delts were the envy of all the Greek
houses.
World
War I broke out in 1914 and by 1917 most of the Delts
went into service. During the period of 1917-1919,
Alpha Xi Delta, then a new sorority on campus, leased
the Shelter. According to legend, they went
so far as to plant geraniums in the urinals.
At
the turn of the 1930's, Delta Tau Delta startled the
University Campus by introducing the first fraternity
house mother on the campus. The Delts ignored
the sharp criticism leveled by the other fraternities
concerning the new idea. All of the other houses,
however, soon followed suit. Ironically, Delta
Tau Delta was also the first fraternity to abandon
the post. As campus attitudes changed, the house
mother became an unnecessary encumbrance. At
the turn of the 1950's, then chapter president Bob
Mucklestone ushered Gamma Mu's last housemother out
the door.
During
World War II, the U.S. Navy used the shelter as barracks
for Navy reservists. However, all of the Delts
in the V-12 program were billeted in it.
The
1950's and 1960's say the house to grow to a membership
of 130 men. In 1963, an annex was added.
It doubled the capacity of the shelter and made it
the largest house on campus in terms of both capacity
and floor space. During this period, the chapter
was universally acclaimed as the top chapter on campus.
The 1960's also saw the house receive three Hugh Shields
Awards for Chapter Excellence (1964-65, 1966-67, 1967-68.)
The Hugh Shields Awards are awarded for being one
of the Top 10 chapters throughout the United States
and Canada.
The
turmoil on college campuses in the early 1970's caused
Gamma Mu to suffer severely. Membership dropped
from 130 in 1968 to a low of 15 in 1973. It
was only through the diligent efforts of certain devoted
actives and alumni that the chapter stayed alive at
all. Eleven other fraternities on campus folded
during this period. In 1974, the campus climate
was changing and the alumni saw an opportunity to
turn things around. They recruited a young alumnus,
John P. Luidema '72 to lead the recruitment efforts
of that summer. He was extremely successful,
pledging 25 men of a caliber beyond anyone's wildest
expectations.
However,
during the early to mid 1980's, the chapter experienced
a decline in membership. "Live-in" membership
dropped to 42 in 1986. Yet, with the enthusiastic
"Gamma Mu Renaissance Campaign" (1987) headed by alumnus
George Bray '66, the chapter was revitalized with
the induction of 29 quality men. During the
same year the Gamma Mu Delt's nationally recognized
Miss Greek Pageant, benefiting the Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Institute, was initiated. Although
suffering a financial loss during its first year,
first year chairman Christopher Chan began a philanthropy,
which has raised over a quarter of million dollars
in the last six years alone.
During
the next three years, with selective pledge classes
of at least 28 each year, Gammu Mu again became one
of the leaders both nationally and locally (Delta
Tau Delta International Court of Honor during those
three years) winning Homecoming and placing in every
other Greek event during 1989-93. After two
decades, the Shelter was once again filled over capacity
for the second consecutive year with over 80 members.
Highlighting
the 1991-92 and 1992-93 years were the presentations
of the fourth and fifth Hugh Shields Awards to the
chapter. Gamma Mu still retains the flag for
five Hugh Shields Awards as a symbol of excellence.
The chapter had come along way and even now is only
a step away from winning its sixth Hugh Shields for
being among the top ten chapters of Delta Tau Delta.
With the arrival
of the 1997-98 year, the University of Washington Greek
System has encountered decreasing membership numbers.
Delta Tau Delta has survived because of its enthusiastic
and relentless membership. The Gamma Mu Delts'
have overwhelmingly led Greek philanthropic efforts
through the Miss Greek Pageant. The Pageant has
raised an enormous amount of money ($60,000 1996, $64,000
1997, and $68,000 1998) for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer
Research Center based in Seattle. The 1999 Ms. Greek
efforts are on track to match, if not better, all previous
years.
The undergraduate
members of Gamma Mu take great pride in and responsibility
for the fact that the money donated to Fred Hutchinson
funds the research of two scientists and without which
the work done by these two scientists would not be
possible.
1998-99
has been a year full of promise. With a resurgence
in alumni support and participation through the efforts
of our undergraduate members and alumni such as Denny
Brawford, Greg Ashihara, Mike Nelson, and numerous
others, Founder's Day was a huge success. Founders
Day (May 1999) looks to be another huge success. Gamma
Mu Chapter also continues to shine in various other
aspects. During the summer several delegates ventured
to Karnea 98 in Kansas City, Missouri. Two weeks later
the chapter accepted its first award for Internet/Web
Site programming with the Arch Chapter's August 1998
Website of the Month. Just recently, the 1999 Western
Pacific Division Conference was held in the Bellevue
Hilton with Gamma Mu as the host chapter. The conference
was a huge success with International President Tom
Huddleston, 2nd V.P. Steve Chandler, and several other
Arch Chapter members in attendance. Another success
at the conference saw Gamma Mu's Ritual Crew led by
Patrick Lindblom and Jeremy Wilson perform the Ritual
to perfection. The conference also saw the awarding
of a several more awards to the chapter for Best Financial
Management and another Arch Chapter award for the
best chapter website in the Division. With successful
recruitment efforts already underway during the winter
quarter of 1999 and the resounding success of the
1999 Divisional Conference, the Gamma Mu Chapter is
looking to cross that last bridge towards the awarding
of another Hugh Shields Award in 2000.
With
the size of the facility, the quality of membership,
and the recent resurgence in alumni support through
this year's Founders' Day festivities, the Gamma Mu
Chapter of Delta Tau Delta has once again tasted the
unlimited potential for both growth and excellence.
We have a great heritage and our future greatness
will not be denied.
Delt
Alumni, If you have any
suggestions, additions, questions, and or comments
about this page, then please
email us and let us know.
Written by Jeremy Wilson (May 21, 1998.) Last revised
April 27, 2000.
Extra
special thanks to Steve Zehrung and Rashid Sykes (1997-98
Pledge Educators) who amended this brief history of
the chapter.
Back to top