1993 Volume 116 No 1–4 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

Alumni Notes
Purdue chapter turns
100, renovates house
Indiana Theta is celebrating its
centeimial with a $1.5 iiuUion
campaign to renovate and
expand the current chapter house.
The history of the current fadUty
is interesting enough to eam the
attention of the Wabash VaUey Trust
for Historical Preservation, which
recognized the chapter last fall with a
Historical Preservation Plaque in a
ceremony at the Tippecanoe Coimty
Courthouse.
Before the current house was
biult, the chapter's foimders rented
four rooms in downtown Lafayette.
In 1903, after Uving in three consecutive
rented houses, property was
purchased at the present location,
503 State Sfreet, but construction
didn't start on the house untU 1909. U
is the oldest fraternity house in
Indiana and one of the oldest in the
U.S. The house was designed by
Brother EUner E. DurJap, Illinois '97,
and the construction was supervised
by Brother W. F. StiUweU, DePauw '77.
In 1958, an addition was constructed
to increase house capacity
and provide a new kitchen and
dining room. The original six stately
piUars were left intact, but in 1976
these were replaced.
Dxu-ing the 1980s, it was apparent
that years of wear and tear made a
major renovation necessary to bring
the house in compUance with current
buUding and safety codes. Architectxu'al
plans were prepared, and the
capital campaign was started in 1990.
Alumni have pledged approximately
$500,000 to date.
To avoid being condenmed
because of code violations, renovation
began in May, 1992. Phase I
included smoke detectors, sprinklers,
new water, fire and sewer lines, new
vdndows, wiring, heating system,
removal of asbestos and tUe insulation.
The doors and waUs of the
original house were reconfigured to
enlarge the chapter room, create a
Uving room, add a Ubrary, new rest
room, and laimdry faciUties. To
finance this, the house corporation
Above: Indiana
Theta's house;
left: Neil
Armstrong and
Ed Elliott; below:
John Trudeau,
chapter pres.,
and Russ Partin,
VP, with plaque.
chairman of a current $250 milUon
Purdue capital campaign. At the "lift
off for the Purdue Campaign, Ed
EUiott,'36, campaign chairman for
the Indiana Theta Renovation
Project, told NeU that the Phi Delt
project was also important to Pvirdue
because of the student housing it
provided and the buUding's historical
significance.
Former president of the Purdue
Board of trustees, Maurice Knoy, '33,
obtained a $680,000 construction loan.
Approximately 60% of study and
sleeping accommodations are in the
1958 addition. Phase H renovation of
these and the kitchen and dii\ing
faculties is estunated at $600,000.
How much of this wUl be completed
this sununer depends on the success
of the current campaign. Alumni
may send gifts to the campaign
office at P.O. Box 2385, West
Lafayette, IN 47906, phone: 317-743-
8778.
Indiana Theta's most famous
alumnus, Neil Armsfrong '55, is coand
former president of the Indiana
Theta Alunmi Board, Alfred
McAUister, '24, were also key
supporters of the Uruversity and
Indiana Theta. McAUister estabUshed
a $100,000 scholarship fund for the
chapter.
Indiana Theta Phis are encouraged
to attend the chapter's 100*
Birthday Party dxiring Piu-due's
Homecoming Weekend October 15 -
17,1993. •
110 TheScroU * Summer 1993