1930–31 Volume 55 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLLPHI DELTA THETA January, 1931Washington University, Brother Danforth,a far:n boy himself, who firmlybelieved that the farmers of Americacould be rendered a real service by thescientific preparation of mixed feedsfrom the best ingredients, founded thePurina Mills which, under his leadershipand limitless energy, has growninto the world's largest organization ofits sort. So devoted has Brother Danforthbeen to his ideal of youth developmentthat today his company iswidely known as "Purina University."Business as well as manufacturingtakes a part of the time of this versatileSt. Louisan. He is a director ofthe First National Bank of St. Louis,of the St. Louis Union Trust Company,of the St. Louis Joint Stock LandBank, and president of the FirstSecurity Bank of Charleston, Missouri.He served as a Y.M.C.A. director inthe 3rd Division, A. E. F., in 1918.He is a tru.stee of Berea College inKentucky, Iberia Junior College inMissouri, and his own school, WashingtonUniversity. He is a trustee ofthe Community Fund of St. Louis anda director of the St. Louis ProvidentAssociation. He has been president ofthe American Youth Foundation andalso of the Danforth Foundation whichhe sponsors. He has written a considerablenumber of books.So we may justly call Brother Danforthnot only a manufacturer of foodsbut also of character and manhood.Those who attended the Detroit conventionmust have carried away memoriesof that railroad president who socompletely fulfilled that trite but truecharacterization, "the life of theparty." He was "Bill" Bremner—successivelygeneral attorney, generalsolicitor, general counsel, president,federal manager, president, and receiverof the Minneapolis and St.Louis Railroad Company, if you wanthis official record.Brother Bremner, Iowa, '91, althoughhis parents were amply able topay for his college education, chose towork his own way through school.[268]And so he did, taking the degree ofC.E. from the University of Iowa in1891 and his LL.B. four years later.His college days were active ones too,what with playing football, managingbaseball, being in the literary societyand numerous other activities. Therailroading game seemed to have a sortof inherent attraction for BrotherBremner even before he got into itpermanently. During his earlier yearsWM. H. BRF.MNER, Iowa, '91he was both ticket agent and maintenanceengineer.However, he entered the generalpractice of law at Des Moines with abrother Phi and classmate, Robert A.Shular, Iowa, '95. He was elected citysolicitor of Des Moines in 1902 andoccupied that office for six years followingwhich he returned to privatepractice. In June, 1909, he moved toMinneapolis to begin his connectionwith the Minneapolis and St. Louis,and therewith began his steady rise tothe highest positions in the company.Brother Bremner's club connectionsare numerous. However, it takes noseventh son of a seventh son to seethat he holds * A © among his mostcherished memberships.A little less than two years ago wordcame out of Pittsburgh that AndrewWells Robertson, Allegheny, '06, hadbeen elected chairman of the board of