Theta Xi - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

www.alpha6294.com Theta xi 3 Calendar of Events for 6294 L ess than six months from now the brothers of the Alpha Chapter of Theta Xi will gather in Troy for their largest reunion in living memory to celebrate the 150th anniversary of our founding. Make sure you're there! Over 150 alumni are confirmed returning, including strong contingents from the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s. The '90s and '00s are well represented as always, and of the recent alumni from the 2010s, over 80% have confirmed their return. Whether you're looking to meet the actives after a few years away, reconnecting with your classmates from decades ago, or you're back for the third time this decade, from April 24 to 27, 1490 Sage Avenue is the place to be. The schedule of events for this year's 6294 will be extended, and the gravity of the events magnified in relation to the importance of the occasion.   April Thursday 24 6 p.m. Annual charity Texas Hold'em at the chapter house. Organized by Mike Petronino '94 (A1359) and Ron Vogel '89 (A1288). Half of all proceeds go to house renovation funds. Friday 25 Morning golf tournament at Frear Park (organized by Mike Petroninno). Sign-up will be organized early next year. Saturday 26 11 a.m. BBQ/brunch at the house with Dixieland Band sponsored by1950s alumni, led by Ned Spain (A1678). History presentation and artifact display (Friday-Saturday) at the house with Matt Glaccum '92 (A1324). 12:30-12:45 p.m. Group photo taken in front of house 5 p.m. Casual attire kick-off dinner at The Recovery Sports Grill located inside the Hilton Garden (parking in the rear). Sit with your friends, order what you want, and pay your own bill. Mike Petronino, Ron Vogel, and Ned Spain have organized events. They've dedicated their time and efforts to make sure that the event they wanted to see would happen. There is still time for you to help organize an event! Overlapping time slots still exist, and Sunday is still open for wrap-up events.  Contact Spencer Anunsen '11 (A1581) at s.m.anunsen@gmail. com or Dave Fowkes '89 (A1275) dwfowkes@verizon.net if you have an event you'd like to sponsor or to RSVP for the 150th Anniversary 6294. 12:45-1:15 p.m. Ricketts Building and Theta Xi bench photos 1:15-3 p.m. Alumni Association meeting in the DCC auditorium Evening Alumni Gala and Active Formal at Franklin Terrace in Troy. Details and sign-up will be organized early next year. Sue Armstrong Shares Memories Growing Up with Theta Xi ue Armstrong was born into a home filled with Theta Xi tradition. She grew up with the men of Theta Xi being her own brothers. All of her family memories include the young members of the Alpha Chapter. Through the good and bad she has seen what Theta Xi can do for men. Her father, C. Leonard "Len" J. Ager Jr. (A327), served as the chapter advisor for 47 years, and her mother, Bee, acted as unofficial house mother for several years. S "Another one of the things I remember was the change in young men when I was young. Before the war, the men that went to RPI were privileged young men coming to an expensive school from a privileged background," says Sue. "Then the war changed that with the GI bill. They were probably the first members of their families to come to college. They were a much more diverse group of men at the house at the time after the war." Her parents chose to give so much of their time to the chapter because her father enjoyed being a member, and they both loved having the men around the house. "My mother was very hospitable, so was Dad. She didn't have any sons, and she really did enjoy the young men from the house," says Sue. "For the men, it was a home away from home. There was always food, and there was always a card table for brothers." The war brought many difficult obstacles for the men of Theta Xi. Six brothers were killed in WWII, including Brother Don Sherwood '37 (A510). "His parents sent his fraternity pin back to my parents after they had gotten his personal effects. It meant a great deal to my mother, and she treasured it for years," shares Sue. One of Sue's funniest memories came from when she was still a young girl. "The boys got dinner at the house one Sunday night and I had gone to bed. One of the boys couldn't be bothered to go back to the house because he was so tired so my mother told him he could sleep in the guest room upstairs. Well, I had been in the bathroom when he came up, because when I returned to my room, there was a boy asleep in my bed," laughs Sue. Sue has noticed that, although the strong brotherhood remains the same at Theta Xi many rules are different than when she was young. "Back then for initiation the men did an orienteering thing in the pitch black country. This always made my father very anxious. One year, Tom Lavin '50 (A735) decided he had done enough, hitch-hiked home and fell asleep. Come dawn, everyone was panicking because there was a pledge missing. Everyone was (Continued on page 4)

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