![]() I bought the candy store under the stairs. Chapter meetings were according to protocol. We studied in our rooms, slept in the loft, and were served excellent meals in the dining room. Preston “Hack” Hackley, general factotum, had been retained by the Navy to maintain the building, so if you will excuse me, everything at Willard Way was “shipshape.” The carpets, furniture, pool table, and dining tables were returned from storage and were unharmed.įraternity life seemed normal. I pledged in the spring of 1946 and moved into the house that fall. I am told that during the war years, the chapter, significantly reduced in size and, burdened by restrictive military schedules, was able to hold only a few sporadic meetings in a building downtown. Owen “O.J.” Black was one of my three new roommates at Llenroc. Heaven help you if you had a quiz the morning after you stood a 2:00–4:00 a.m. Someone was on fire watch in all dorms 24/7. All meals were served in dining halls (temporary buildings long since removed) situated below the Baker halls. Saturday afternoons were reserved for drill. inspection and lunch at 12:30 p.m., muster for dinner at 6:00 p.m., in our room at 8:00 p.m. muster (roll call) for breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Campus swarmed with sailors dressed in “whites” and those funny hats in summer, “blues” and a knitted watch cap in cold weather. (I later learned that these fancy digs had been the home of Cornell’s first president and the word was Cornell spelled backwards.) All fraternity houses, as well as other facilities across campus, had been requisitioned by the Navy as housing for the V-12 Naval Officer trainees.Īs we were officially in the Navy, we were in uniform at all times. Arms full, I was directed to my dorm, which carried the strange name: Llenroc. The following Friday afternoon I was marching up the hill to Sage Hall to be issued uniforms, shoes, and bedding. Thus, my high school class of ’45 graduated on a Monday night in 1944. I (and I presume thousands of others across the country) was allowed to enlist in the Navy and graduate from high school in three years. Yes, World War II did come to Cornell and Gamma Theta. Share your news with us! Log in to submit your news to share with your brothers! Or, send an email to we would love to hear from you!Įditor’s Note: Many thanks to Jerry Frost ’48 for sharing memories of his time at Sigma Nu, and his wonderful donation of $25,000 to the windows renovation project. ![]()
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