Article by H. Keith Hellems, M.D. ‘62
During the fundraising campaign I started to gather pages from Michiganensian publications that had the name of Delta Chi in them. I started in 1897 and went to 2008. Delta Chi went off campus during the depression in 1933 and came back on campus in 1949. We plan to publish these over the next months, usually 2 or 3 years at a time for your interest. Below is a brief history of the Michiganensian excerpted from Wikipedia:
“The Michiganensian, also known as the Ensian, is the official yearbook of the University of Michigan. Its first issue was published in April 1896. The yearbook is editorially and financially independent of the University of Michigan’s administration and other student groups. It is published yearly in late spring by a staff of several dozen students. The book is the second oldest publication on campus, and it contains articles and original photography related to campus life, student activism, university athletics, and current events.
In its earliest form, the Michiganensian served as an illustrated directory, providing information on organizations, fraternities, and athletics. As the publication evolved in the early 1900s, more space was dedicated to writing and photographs, but the publication still focused largely on fraternities and athletics. Now, in its current form, the Michiganensian is composed of photography and stories about campus life, student activism, current events, and athletics. The 125th issue also split with precedent by including limited fraternity and sorority coverage, amid student criticism of secret societies on campus and a nationwide ‘Abolish Greek Life’ movement.”
In this month’s eDelt, we feature the Michigan Delta Chi class of 1968 and 1988
Thanks to John Hasse ’68, we have the backstory for the picture used in the Delta Chi Michiganensian in 1968. “That photo was taken at what is now Wayne Metropolitan Airport. At that time, an Air National Guard Photo Recon wing was stationed there. As you can see, the pilot is our own Frank Morrey, who was flying for the Air Guard in those days.
Once again, the Ensian folks had said we could take our Frat picture wherever we wanted. Frank mentioned that various groups were taking photos like this on aircraft, so one Sunday we all drove out to the base and had our photo taken. The photo is not the best quality, because we weren’t given the original negative and the Ensian people rephotographed an 8 x10 the Air Guard had given us.
I’m the guy who is not looking at the camera. When we got to the base, we had been ordered to board a bus and were driven out to the flight line. I had driven to Metro with my girlfriend, later my wife, and she had remained on the bus. It was very cold as I recall. But as we were taking the photo, the bus driver started driving off with my future wife and I turned and started cussing him out. That’s why everyone is laughing so hard in the photo. In the bond, John Hasse, ’68.”
John later added another anecdote: “Frank Morrey ’64, alerted the brothers living in the House ahead of time, and then one afternoon he buzzed the House in his photo recon ship. The guys told me he came in over the House at very low altitude and woke up the whole neighborhood. I’m sorry I missed that one.”
1988 group were into the road rally to Lake Michigan, formal at the Palmerhouse Hilton on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, party music by a friend of Joe Walsh, a former member of the Eagles, and food by chef William R. Morrow, III. In addition, member Steven Wei was a co-founder of the drinking game “Delta Dice” which was sweeping the nation.
