Reminiscing with Brother Al Albrecht ’48 Bond #783

I enjoyed reading the February 2005 issue of The Theta Data. It is good to receive news about Theta even though it is no longer on campus. It was of interest to note that the names of 15 brothers appeared in the issue that were at 54 W. Lincoln when I was at Ohio Wesleyan ’46-’48. I helped pledge Paul Koch, Lewis “Bugs” Clemmer, Dan Ransom, Skip Cheseldine, Evan Roderick, Keith Gaspitch, Norm Slenker, and Don Wedge. Over the years considerable alumni support has come from the alumni who were in school over the period 1946-52. I believe it stems from the fact many were from Ohio and kept close contact with each other. Also, the Chapter was very strong after WWII. When I pledged Feb. 1946 there were 25 actives, and pledges. The following year—1947, the Chapter had grown to 65 actives and pledges to 78 in 1948 … (And we rushed 24 men without alcohol).

There was an article in the issue by Marty Haskell ’68 regarding the building of Men of Principle chapters within the fraternity, currently 40 out of 120 plus chapters. Not a real good record. What struck me was that the Chapter as it stood in 1946-48 maintained the moral values and ethics associated today with the standards set by Men of Principle. We did not need to have those values written out for us. I guess we just knew what was right and if we wandered, Mama Linn would be quick to have a private talk and bring us back in line. We had the utmost respect for her and did not want to disappoint her.

I find it difficult that it is necessary to say to a Chapter you will have positive hazing-free pledge period, will rush alcohol free, not destroy property, and have a dry house. The house was dry, and there was no alcohol at the Saturday night date nights or formals. I was pledge master my junior year, and believed that attending class, study hours at the house and work duty was enough to keep
a freshman busy without the need for hazing. We kept the house in pristine shape. Hank Hubbard saw to that. The house had just been remodeled. It was in pretty bad shape when I pledged the second semester 1946. We owed the restoring of the house to Stan Mauck ’16, and The Theta House Company.

Alcohol and binge drinking is by far more of a problem on the college campus today than drugs. I watched the downfall of the Chapter over the years as kegs were brought into the house, moral standards declined, the interior of the house destroyed, which resulted in eventually Theta being kicked off campus, and deservingly so. That is when I stopped supporting Theta Chapter. However, what I never understood was how the University had the right to ownership of a house that we (the Alumni) had built and paid for. They may have some legal rights, but morally it was wrong, and they should be paying rent to the Theta House Chapter.

I would like to see Theta Chapter brought back on campus, but only as a dry house with another strong housemother. (There will never be another Mama Linn but someone with her values.) Should that happen I would be glad to help in re-establishing the Chapter.

What ever happened to the Theta Chapter Charter? When I pledged in 1946 they did not have one, or it was lost when the girls lived in the house during the war. I wrote one that was adopted, but apparently it is no longer in existence. It covered some of the founding fathers objectives and principles.

I had a copy of the 1948 Theta Data; the Chapter published it at the time. Bill Robinson was the editor, and Bill Pfister the art director. He did an etching of 54 West Lincoln that appeared on the cover. Both Fred Olds and Bill Pfister, art majors, had the back room over the kitchen. Fred Littick had a Studebaker Coupe. Ray was from Jackson Heights, and Chuck Corey and I were from the East and would ride home with him at Christmas to save train fare. We would help pay for gas … about .68 cents a gallon at the time.

I recall that our food budget was in the red, and Mama Linn and Harriet our cook solved the problem. Mama Linn bought several turkeys left over from Thanksgiving. They were on sale, and Ted Vanderevort’s Dad, who ran a cannery, sent us several cartons of creamed corn. I believe we had turkey every way it could be served with creamed corn for the whole month of December. (And yes, we came to dinner with a suit or sport coat or we didn’t eat.)

The town (Delaware) brothers were Tom Farahay who worked at C. J. Wilson’s of Course clothing store, Morrie Hollenbaugh, and Jim Johnson. There were several pairs of brothers: Bob & Ray Leech, Bob & Don Mauck, Wayne & Bob McFarland, and later the Long brothers—Al, Tom & Bill, and the Wyants, Jim and Bob.

Last of all, I have wondered what happened to the President’s Badge and the Watson Badge. They were both large pins. The Watson Badge was awarded to the outstanding senior, and I wore it my senior year. They belong to Theta, and if anyone reading this has one, or knows where they are, it would be nice if they would return the badges to the Chapter. I have been told we still have the original Loving Cup. [Yes, Al, we do still have the Loving Cup. Alas, though, both the President’s pin and the Watson pin are both missing and have been for many, many years.]

I left Ohio Wesleyan in 1948 with a BA in math and economics, and went on to Ohio State where I received a BS in Metallurgical Engineering in 1951. I spent 45 years in the machine tool industry. First in research and development and then as head of sales with Monarch Machine Tool Company, Sidney, OH, and as Vice President Sales & Marketing Textron’s machine tool division in Cheshire, CT. I became Vice President and major stockholder (co-owner of NATCO a machine tool company in Richmond, IN.) I sold my interest in 1989 and formed Albrecht Associates, a consulting firm for the industry. I am still married to my Beta Sweetheart, Nancy Cecil Albrecht ’47 Kappa. We have four daughters, all married and 13 grandchildren … two currently at West Point.

Yours in kaiAlbert (Al) Albrecht ’48
3190 Toddsbury Lane
Richmond, IN 47347
Phone: (765) 962-4906
Fax: (765) 939-8260

Mama Linn