1953–54 Volume 78 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

398 THE SCROLL of Phi Delta Theta for May, 1954
a fiction writer I considered it a good year if
I sold fifty percent of my stuff. In my opinion,
non-fiction writing is infinitely harder,
more exacting and demanding, but the
mortality is not as high."
Pete has vaguely thought that some day,
when old age catches up with him, or his
health cracks up, that he might try to get a
job on some pleasant college campus lecturing
once a week on writing for magazines
and maybe taking on a non-fiction bookwriting
assignment now and then. "But the
real truth is that I am work happy," he
says. "I'm afraid that I would be lost not
having an office to go to every day and a certain
amount of pressure upon me to produce
a certain amount of work. I certainly
don't want to go fishing. That would be
too active for me. My idea of exercise is to
sit in the sun and pick up a tan or read."
This seems to be quite contrary to Pete's
early history as a high school and college
athlete. Apparently physical exercise seems
out of place in a world of writing and reading.
Or perhaps Pete finds physical challenge
in the process of pursuing interviewees.
Jack Alexander, Post associate editor and
specialist in profiles, calls Pete the most
indefatigable interviewer he knows. "When
Martin goes after information, he's like that
Pluto dog in the movie cartoons. He puts
Twogood and Gill
(Continued from page }86)
who himself attended both Oregon State
and University of Southern California, shot
the photograph now seen in THE SCROLL.
The year 1954 has been Gill's 26th season
as a basketball coach. He entered Oregon
State from Salem, Oregon, high school,
played on the varsity five three years and
captained it in his senior year. After graduating
he coached in Oakland, California,
and tied for that city's prep championship,
then returned to O.S.C. in 1926 and coached
the freshmen for two seasons before moving
up as varsity head man in 1928. Besides his
seven Northern Division championships in
the Pacific Coast Conference, Gill has taken
his Beavers on to capture the conference
title three times. Seven of his players have
won places on the basketball All-America.
his nose down, sniffs loudly, and follows the
trail wherever it goes. Wh^en he corners
somebody, he shakes information out of
him like Pluto worrying an old slipper."
February apparently is Editor Ben Hibbs'
lucky month. In 1952 he marked up the
then record total circulation of 4,652,000
with the February 9 issue which carried the
first installment of the Whittaker Chambers
serialized story of the Hiss Case.
He topped this with Pete Martin's first
installment of the Bing Crosby story, "Call
Me Lucky," when total circulation for a
single issue reached 4,935,000 copies—an increase
of 464,000 from the Post's sale the
previous week.
Then came the current champion issue of
February 13, 1954, with the initial chapter
of Bob Hope's story, "This Is On Me," as
told to Pete Martin.
Today, Editor Ben Hibbs finds himself in
the same challenging position which faces
many a sales manager of U.S. companies.
This year's sales record is but the base for
next year's goal. The assignment sheet for
1955's entry in the circulation sweepstakes
is on Ben Hibbs's desk. Pete Martin may not
draw it. But there is no denying that he is
the odds-on favorite.
COPYRIGHT 1954 BY
PHI DELTA THETA FRATERNITY
Rushing Program Pays Off
(Continued from page }8j)
sentative from General Headquarters talks
to the group on what a college fraternity
is, and explains the advantages of being a
member. This year Brother Marvin Perry
was on hand. After the evening's festivities,
the seniors are free to ask questions.
This formula of the Columbus Alumni
Club has paid rich dividends to $ A ©.
Being the only fraternity in Columbus to
hold a rush banquet, many high school
seniors are favorably impressed, and know
about * A 0, before they ever step on a
college campus. It also gives the rush chairmen
from the active chapters an early
chance to talk to the men they will be rushing
the following Fall. If more alumni clubs
would follow the lead of Columbus, it would
greatly assist and strengthen $ A ®.