THEmiNE TREE A^re.' APR0 719S7 sn ••«S5tV W Ill- ^".y'A ^FtllSc OLONO, ME.. omega .J.. MARCH 1987 UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Cherish Is The Word For Years Of Fraternal Association Brother Serota '66 To Speak At Norris Pig Dinner A Tribute To Ted Curtis '23 Arthur D. Serota '66 is an attorney-at-law, a columnist, a talk show host, and an author Graduate Brother Ted Curtis' membership in Phi Gamma Delta has been a lifetime experience, one that he enjoys sharing. whose work appears in several prominent journals and maga In the living room of his 123 Main Street home in Orono, zines. He is also an Omega Mu amidst a collection of antique furniture, is a table covered with several photographs. While Ted gazed at these neatly displayed graduate brother, and he will be snapshots, his mind took a journey back through time. the guest speaker at the annual Norris Pig Dinner on April 11. He recalled the names of several brothers and de.scribed the Brother times he shared with them as if the events had happened just the day before. He explained how coal was delivered to the house by work crews who spent hours shoveling the black fuel into the basement. (The house where that coal was delivered burned in 1924.) He described how, on weeknights, brothers had to observe mandatory study hours and how, at dinner, brothers sat at a diamond-shaped oak table with cabinet officers at each point. Times have changed. Webber Energy, Inc., delivers oil ami pumps it into a fuel tank; Pink Floyd, the Doors, and R.E.M. are sometimes heard emanating from room stereo systems on week- nights; and cabinet officers eat in the same style as the rest of the Serota is a senior partner in the law firm of Serota, Katz, Sasson & Hoo.se in Spring field, Massachusetts. He special izes in civil rights, ci\ il, criminal defense, and api^ellate cases. Between 1980 and 1981, Serota conducted development and aid work in Zimbabwe. He was a developer, fund-rai.ser, and projects administrator for a variety of rural development, agri cultural, and educational projects from 1985-'86. In 1980 Serota was a member of the board of editors of the brothers. Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, a journal that serves the bar and But there are more important ways to measure the strength of a chapter. They are the characteristics of brotherhood and the ability to work together through gofxl times and bad. These, says Ted, have not changed. "Over the years, my association with the chapter house has judiciary. In 1982 he was a columnist for the Springfield In quirer, a black community weekly, and he has since published articles in the Springfield Sunday Republican. Win Magazine. Journal of Social Change and Development, and Peacework. been excellent, and I commend the performance, formulation, Open Forum radio program, a daily talk and interview program and duties of all the cabinet officers and the many challenges they've responded to." Behind him lay a thick pile of correspondence, its paper brittle and faded with age. Ted reachedoverand gently pit ked up on WTCC-FM. He has also had considerable experience as a the pile, then gingerly removed the elastic band that has held the letters, together for neatly half a century. ordinator of the Western Massachu.setts (xtalition Against Apart heid; chairman of the Bench-Bar Committee for the District ing Ted's 30-year reign as Purple I.egionnaire. Otbers were for mal reports sent to national headquarters. Ted's bundleof paper Western Massachusetts American Friends Service Ciommittee. He is also a fund-rai.ser and administrator for the Youth Ciontact Some letters were written to Ted by past cabinet officers dur is written proof of times good and bad and of the many chal lenges of maintaining a healthy chapter. Between 1976 and 1980, Serota was a host and producer for the speaker and lei turer at universities, churches, and community organizations. Since returning from Zimbabwe, .Serota has .served as co Courts of Hampen Cioimty; and a member of the area board of ihe Centre Scholarship Service, which he founded while living in Zimbabwe. He searched further into the collection of photos and pulled Brother .Serota has leturned to his law firm in Springfield and out an original of the first Gmega Mu chapter house before it continues to do cotntnunity service. He writes that he hopes someday to leave the law practice atid to devote himself toiotn- burned to ashes in 1924. On the front steps were several Fijis (continued on pa^e two) L_ tnutiitv work oti a fitll-tiitie basis. \r\nTHE PINE TREE FIJI PAGE TWO Marathon Nets $4G For Charity Our major social service project of the year was the Fiji 24-Hour Relay Marathon, which was held on February 7 and 8 in the fieldhouse here at the University of Maine. This year's mara thon was a huge success and helped us raise approximately $4,000 for the Maine Division of the American Ciancer Society. Preparations for this event began in earnest as the committee, led by Social Service Chairman Mark Russell, met last October to discuss ways to improve the marathon over the preceding one. Since the participation of off-campus teams had been decreasing in recent years, we decided to obtain the servic es of the most pop ular radio station in the area, VVVVFX, in an attempt to rec ruit more entrants from across central Maine. Although the airwaves were inundated with our marathon ads for four weeks prior to the event, only two off-campus teams entered. One of these two, the Maine House Democrats from Augusta, won the "most money raised" trophy. Led by Representative Steve Bost, this team con tributed more than $1,000 toward the fight against cancer. Also of Cherish Is The Word, continued note was the extraordinary unicycle team that was entered. whom Ted knew after he joined the house as a sophomore in the This .sort of project requires 100 percent participation, and I'm happy to report that the brothers of Fiji gave it their all. Ten early '20s. A graduate of Free|X)rt High .School, Ted was enrolled brothers ran on our team, and the other 35 were responsible for counting laps. Although exhausting at times, the Fiji Relay Marathon was an exciting and fun-filled 24 hours for all who participated. Stephen Cosgrove '87 Cabinet Members Cite Goals The newly elected cabinet is a tnixture of older and younger brothers. President Michael Klein is a senior economics major from Duxbury, Massachusetts. He tincl the other officers have two main goals: ccjiuluc ting a succ essful rush and reduc ing the house debt. "I feel thtit rush is the key, " says Klein. "Cietting the rush numbers will take care of the debt." When asked what spec ial skills he is bringing to the job, Mike replied, "I feel my greatest asset will be my enthusiasm." This semester's treasurer is Harry "Chip" Taylor, a sopho more math tnajor from Holden, Massac huseits. Hisgoal, hestiys, in the University erf Maine's school of agriculture. There was ;i moment of silence as Ted collected his thoughts. His face momentarily revetiled his emotions as he recalled the names of brothers who, during his undergraduate career, helped lead the chapter to athletic victory. The 1986 inductee tcr the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame, Ted remembered the year the house took the intramural btisketball championship. He also recalled simikir victories in cross-country led by Brother Bud Herrick and winterskiingslaloms with Brother "Scrapper" Hay. He clapped his knees and grinned as he remembered chef Tom Tier, who cooked for Omega Mu for nearly 31 years. "Tom Tier was a great chef. He meant an awful lot. You could come back after seveial years, and he always remembered your name." Among the pile of scattered photos was one of the QTV house, the earliest fraternity at the University of Maine, established in 1870. Pictures of QTV's founders were placed on the same sheet. Ted's Main Street home is over 150 years old. Beneath its anticiue ceiling (mticleof materitil imported from Italy) are rooms of anticiue furnituie and shelves of hardcover books tuc keelnetuly in the corners. Aset of Frenc h doors, the glass of which iswarped with iige, gives way to an historical room. It was in this loom that Dean James N. Hart, who in 1887 was named the first clean of the University of Maine, and George H. Hamlin, ;i professor of engineering, studied the survey ing plans for the kind upon whic h the first Fiji cluipter was built. Gurtis is to reduce the chapter's $8,000 clefic it. "I'm looking forward to doing a good job for the brotherhood," he says. Historian Brian Durkin, a junior political science major from bought the house from Dean Hart and h;is lived there since. According to Gurtis, every 1,000 feet of the 33'2-;urc lot was MtinslitJcl Township. New Jersey, has several goals: "I'll work hard with the new initiates; ... I plan on laying a solid founda tion lor the future of the house; 1 also plan c)n kee])ing tin ace iiitue and strtiightforwaicl history of the house." Ciamma Dc lt;i and the ntnnes of Brothers Hart ;mcl Handin were engnivecl. •As a sophomore, Brian received the Educational Foundation .\waicl, the house's undergiacluate ac hieveinent award. I he new tccording secrettiry is Mark Russell, a senior econ omics major from Edclington, Maine. " This is an important job lot me, " he stiys, "and 1 feed that 1 can do a very good job for the house and biotherhoocl. Living out of the house as 1do, 1 htive a different irerspec tive on my role." Russell is also the soc ial service (haiiinan tmd is the man behind this year's maiathon. mtirked off bycedtir posts. ()n the lop ofeac h post, symbols ol Phi .Suspended from the ceiling ;u the f;n end of the room is a brown and withered tapestry covering shcdves of trophies and pkiciues tluit highlight Ted's athletic ac hievements. "Em very happy about the years of tissoc iation I've had with the chtipter. I'm glad to have seen the good parts ;mcl the bad parts and seeing the experience of others ,go through them." Robert Hardy '87 Editor .Steven Moore, from Lewiston, Maine, is this semester's corre- sponcliiig secietary. " There is a lot ol personal, individual work with this position," he says, "but there is also a great deal of responsibility. . . . My greatest ,go;d is to ust my position to THE PINE TREE EIJI tepresent and aid the biotheihood as a whole." Published by the Omega Mu Ghapter erf Phi Ciamma Delta Fraternity at the Unicersity of Maine for its members and friends. Mooie, a junior liuance major, honed his skills in ititerpersonal ccjinmunication as the I«istle's I'MFB repiesentative well crme and mav be sent to Alumni Rcxorcis Oflic e, Pbi (»amma ;md also as a membei of the (.eneial Student Senate. Delta Frauanity.'p.O. Box 8228, Portland, ME 04104-8228. News contributions, address corrections, and pfiotographs are \r\nMARCH 1987 PAGE THREE President Aims For Strong Rush And Improved Finances Another spring semester is upon us iiere at the Castle, and it is with great enthusiasm that my cabinet and I take over the admin 0.23 quality points above the all-men's average and third among the 17 fraternities on campus. Alscj, we just completed our istration of Omega Mu. annual running of the F'iji 24-Hour Relay Marathon. Thanks to We begin the new semester with two primary objec tives: to continue the work of the last cabinet in eliminating our financial the special efforts of Mark Rus.sell '87 and Steve Cosgrove '87, this problems and to maintain a strong rush program over the next In coticlusion, I would like to eticourage all of you to attend this year's Norris Pig Ditiner on .April 11. Brother Rick Blaisdell '87, our graduate relations chairmati, assuies me that this year's pig dinner, like those of years jtast, will help renew the spirit of two semesters. Rush is especially crucitil, as we must deal with the loss of 17 brothers to graduation. Omega Mu currently has an active hrotheriiood of 43 mem bers. February finds us with a new pledge class of 12 men, th;mks to the efforts of Rush Chairman Joe McCluskey. Brother A1 year's marathon was a great success. brotherhood among all Phi Gamma Deltas. I look forward to meeting and talking with all of you in April. Douville '87, our pledge educator, is very pleased with the new pledge class. One of our recent accomplishments was the improvement of our house grade point average from 2.20 to 2..56. This places us Fraternally, Michael P. Klein '87 President Omega Mu Bids Farewell To John "J. T." Thomas As the spring '87 semester comes to a close, we at Omega Mu mark the etid of an era. Ottr master chef, John "J.T." Thomas, has decided that after 16 semesters of dedicated service to the fraternity, it is time for him to move on. He will be greatly missed, atid we wish him success in all his future endeavors. John H. Thomas was horn on February 17, 1941, in DoverFoxcroft, Maine. He graduated from Bangor High School in 19,59 and then attended the Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. Most recently, in 1986, John received a degree in international affairs at the University of Maine. m Brother Thomas was employed by the U.S. Army from 1962'65 as a court stenographer iti Germany. He theti spent four years with the 3M Ciompany in Minnesota, Ohio, and Maine. John has had m;my different types of jobs over the years. He has worked as a theatrical producer, director, and perlormer, and he recently played the part of Daddy VVttrbucks iti Annie. He has been affiliated witb the Mis.H America Scholarship Pageant as both judge and prtxiucer. He has worked for two radio stations, and he has taught Spanish in public schools. He is the proprietor of "Le Petit Gourmet," a well-resitected Megan is a sophomore at Bangor High School. catering service that boasts such clients as Vice Presidetit Bush, Brother Thomas first became associated with Phi Gamma Senator Bill Ckahen, and Governor John McKernon. Still, John is probably best known as the executive chef at the Asticov Inn in Delta in the fall of '79 when William Horr '79, then president of Omega Mu. sitggested that heapirly for the chef's position at Fiji. Northeast Harbor, Mtiine. .At that time John wanted a job that would allow him summers John has been married for 24 years to the fortner Joyce lAindgren. They have three children—Jenny, Matthew, and Megan. Jen is a senior and Matt a freshman at the university; off to work on the Maine coast. After 16 semesters, or eight years, as an employee of the chap ter. John has seen thebrotlierhood go through high periods and low periods. One of those highs occurred on October 26. 1985. wben John was sworn in as a dul\ initiated brother in the fraternity of Phi Ciamma Delta. Thiswasa proud moment forall of the brothers who have benefited over the yearsfrom his advic e. good humor, and genuine contern lor the chaptei. The list ofwhat"J. T." has done for the chapter seems endless. It inc ludes leading us tocic tory in the Crieek .Sing and creating incredible feasts for Homecoming, the Norris Pi.g Dinnet. Pat ents Weekend, faculty clinneis. formals. and C'.iiristmas parties. We also owe him out thanks foi helihng us earn extra money with his catering busntess; baking us birthday cakes, enteittiin- ing us with his somcnvhat fabric atecl stories; helping us in both private and fraternity matters; putting upwith out complaining, leticling us his car; . . . the list goes on and on. "J. T" hopes someday to teac h high school in CTcrmatiy . pio- duce musicals on Broadway, own a Freiic h-style lestaurant. and write a hook. Whatever the future has in stoic lor you. "J. T." your brothers wish you happiness and good fortune. .As vou al ways said (in your hospitable way). "For vou the door to the Gastle is alwavs open, and there is alwavs a pot on the stove. \r\nTHE PINE TREE FIJI PAGE FOUR We Hear From Our Graduate Brothers 1933 — William Bartlett Pond is a retired engineer who worked for IBM, Bendix Aviation, Space Techlabs, and Aerojet Generan in Hillsboro, Oregon, for many years. He now operates bis own consulting business, which specializes in electronics. He and his wife, Jane, have three children—Alden, Richard, and Barbara— and live at 1001 NE 21st Ave., #23, Hillsboro, OR 97123. 1940 — Arthur W. Richardson is an education officer with the U.S. Power Squadron. He is retired from Westinghouse, where he was employed as a professional engineer. This former house historian enjoys boating, golf, and fishing, and he and wife Bess reside at 6023 Cassowary l.ane. New Bern, NC 28560. 1944 — After receiving a bachelor's degree in mechanical engi 1956 — Donald V. Shields was recently elected to the board of trustees of the Sunhaze Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He is the owner and president of the Lifetime Home Products Company in Bangor, and in his spare time he enjoys Atlantic salmon fishing. 1960 — Attorney Donald L. Mooers is president of the 15,000- member George Washington University Law Alumni Associa tion. He is also chairman of the University of Maine Cumberland County Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund. Brother Mooers is the father of four children—Don Jr., Elizabeth, John, and Tory— and can be reached at his business address of Mooers 8c Mooers, 111 Commercial St., Portland, ME 04101. neering, Charles E. Stickney Jr. attended Harvard Business .School and earned an advanced degree in management. He is 1960 — After more than 25 with Libbey-Owens-Ford Co., Freder ick W. Pierce 111 recently accepted the position of chairman and chief executive officer of Harding Glass Industries, a $60 million now an executive for Deering Ice Cream in Portland. Brother glass wholesaler and retailer. The former chapter president and Stickney has four grown children—Andrew, Anne, Alice, and recording secretary has two children, Frederick IV and Susan, Elizabeth. He makes his home with his wife, Anita, at Oilman Rd., Yarmouth, ME 04026. and lives with his wife, Diane, at 9104 W. 115th Terrace, Overland Park, Kansas City, MO 66210. 1945 — A retired professional engineer, Charles Furbish enjoys photography and collecting antique automobiles. Brother Fur bish has two children, Gary (a Lambda Chi from Cornell) and Sherry. He and Dorothy can be reached at RED #1, Box 102, Topsham, ME 04086. 1969 — Raymond W. O'Keefe earned a master's degree from the University of Southern California and is currently a student at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, the National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, DC. This former chapter historian is married to Nancy McKeone, a Chi Omega of 1970, 1952 — William W. Russell is a self-employed insurance agent in and they make their home at 8912 Narem PI., Annandale, VA HaVnilton, Mas.sachu.setts. He has two daughters, Janet and Patricia, both of whom are graduates of the University of New Hampshire. 22003. 1971 — Robert Alfred Duetsch is Cxtmmander for the U.S. Navy Reserve, Fitron Two Zero One, Naval Air Station, Dallas, Texas. He is the father of two children, Robert Christopher (8) and Meghan Elizabeth (3). He lives with wife Susan and the kidsat 11 Sue Court, Mansfield, TX 76063. 1971 — Dick Paganucci is a property claim manager for the A Message From The Editor With the new year comes anew /oo/t