LOVING CUP LORE

Following an inquiry from Skip regarding the
whereabouts of the Loving Cup Skip sent the following

Thank you for letting me know that our Loving Cup was safely in the hands of brother Haskell in Cincinnati. He has sent me an email to that effect.

In so far as the Cup’s history is concerned, my memory is somewhat sketchy. My Dad, whose name was the same as mine is — I was a junior — attended OWU from 1910 -1914. At one point, he was President of the Chapter, I believe. A native of London OH, Madison county, he was the son of Charles and Minnie Cheseldine, 117 N. Main St. My Dad’s father, my grandfather died very early of unknown causes. My father was about 14 or 15 at the time.

During the four years my Dad was at Wesleyan, his mother, my grandmother, was host to Beta Brothers on weekends, many, many times. Her house, 3 ﬂoors and still standing and now an interesting and comfortable B & B, the Alexandra House, contained a large second ﬂoor “sun room” that would comfortably sleep 12-15 Theta Brothers. She loved having them and I can only imagine the scene.

In any reference to London, OH, mention should be made of my very dear brother in Theta, Ned Speasemaker who still presides at the old family homestead at 65 S. Main St. Ned and I, as you may have recognized, were in the same pledge class (’46) and both of us graduated from OWU in 1950. (Actually it was me who pulled him through!!)

Ned’s father was a Beta at OWU in 1910 but did not graduate because a death in his family brought him home to manage their farm and other enterprises.

Ned’s older brother, Cass Speasemaker, was a Theta Beta at OWU during the War years of the 40’s. An Infantry 2nd Lt, Platoon Leader, Cass was killed at Normandy in 1944 while Ned was serving in the Navy on an LST at Okinawa. The Speasemaker family is legendary in Madison County and Central OH.

There have been a number of Theta Betas from London. Ted Chaney who lives near London was one of those who was at OWU when Ned and I were there. He was OWU ’53.

Apparently Theta did not have a Loving Cup and my Grandmother bought, engraved and presented one to the Chapter at what exact date, I don’t recall.

I arrived at OWU in September of 1946 and the Cup was the center piece of all those trophy memorabilia so proudly displayed in the wonderful old house at 54 West Lincoln. The war years had not been kind to the old Loving Cup and when my father saw it he asked that it be handed to him for restoration which he accomplished.

My lips ﬁrst touched its beautiful rim at initiation in the basement of the Old House in February 1947. Since that time, I’ve drunk deeply from her as have hundreds of Loyal Theta Betas. What cherished memories!!

I lost track of the Loving Cup with the sad demise of Theta on the Wesleyan campus until informed that Marty Haskell was its honored custodian.

I think I speak for all of the Brothers when I say we hope and pray to be there in person or spirit when next the Old Girl is passed, Brother to Brother in the halls of Theta of Beta Theta Pi.

And lastly if you have space, tell any and all Brothers where we live and they have an open invitation to come stay with us. We have a guest bedroom and bath which come with a key to the liquor closet, too! And if they want to try some worldclass ﬂy ﬁshing—I’m their man!!!

-KaiSkip Cheseldine, OWU 1950,
#792 on the Rolls of Theta Chapter
4751 Bonita Bay Blvd., Bonita Springs, Fl 34134-0768
PH (941) 949-0139

The 1946 Beta Pledge Class — First Row—
L to R: Bill Wright, “Moon” Naughton, Mamma
Linn, Bob Barracka, Al Long, Ed Dobson
Second Row—L to R: Bill Pratt, Bob Rouge,
Keith Gaspitch, “Skip” Cheseldine, Ned “Spease”
Speasemaker, Earl Cramer