Article by Keith Hellems, M.D. ’62 [email protected]
As I headed back to the University of Michigan for my sophomore year, I was headed to the 1st of 3 years that I would live in the Delta Chi house. My first year had not been particularly glorious with respect to grades, getting a D in the first semester of freshman English and a C in Honors physics for the year. The C in honors was about the lowest grade they gave you, but it was clear I would not become a physics major like my fraternity brother, Dave Falconer ‘62. Pressures were being applied by my parents about grades, doing more homework consistently and of course, the biggest enemy, my own internal desire to do well.
As I was settling in, someone mentioned how a Chinese student felt shamed by poor grades and had abandoned school only to live secretly and unbeknownst to anyone in the attic of the First Methodist Church on South State Street. This story was very disconcerting to me at the time (and even today, 60 years later), knowing that external and internal psychological pressures could result in such a dramatic and drastic move. However, at the time, coming into my sophomore, make it or break it year, such an option came onto the radar as a possible course of action if I failed. I probably would not have moved to an unknown attic, although at the time the Delta Chi fraternity probably would have considered letting a previous U. of M. student and Delta Chi member, live in their attic for a small amount of rent. Filling the house in those years was an effort.
Fortunately, I endured with the help of my fraternity brothers and did not have to take evasive action. While helping Howard Gandelot ‘64, Frank Morrey ‘64 and Dave Falconer ’62 raise money for the new house, many old memories from those days returned. This story was remembered, and behold, with Google, articles in the Michigan Daily from that time, and later follow-up articles in both the Detroit News and New York Times, the story was fleshed out. A nice follow-up article in July 1986 is included for your perusal – see links below (1st and 2nd parts of the 1986 article).
https://aadl.org/sites/default/files/aa_news/aa_news_19860720-Shame_Made_Him.jpg
https://aadl.org/sites/default/files/aa_news/aa_news_19860720-Shame_Made_Him_contd_0.jpg
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