This just in…

What a great picture! Former swim coach and Wabash Athletics Hall of Famer Gail Pebworth just came by with this incredible gift for the Archives. It was sent to her by the family of Albert Otto Deluse, a Beta in the class of 1925. It is a picture of the first Beta House in its Homecoming finery in the early 20’s. This house was the first residence of the fraternity and is in the same location as the Beta house of today. Later in the 1920’s this house was extensively remodeled. The front porch was removed, leaded glass windows were added and the whole house was bricked rendering an “English” effect.

Although not dated, this photo is probably from 1921 or 1922. With the donor being a member of the Class of 1925, we might assume it was taken during his time here. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, there is a replica of a football field including miniature bleachers and yard markers on the left. On the football field there is a scoreboard listing Wabash and the “Aggies” and a quick phone call to SID Brent Harris gave me the answers I needed. Brent could tell me that we played the Michigan State Aggies, as they were then known, from 1907 to 1922. He added, also off the top of his head, that we went 1-5-1 against them. The last time Wabash played this team was in 1922 which would limit the timeframe to just a couple of years.

I am delighted with this donation and the chance it gives me to tell a little of the story of this old house!