From collection Phi Gamma Delta Photograph Collection
Exile's Toast by Frank Norris (University of California Berkeley 1894)
Origins of The Exile's Toast
"An Exile's Toast" was a short speech written by Frank Norris in 1900 in Roselle, New Jersey. It was originally read by Ralph Hathorn at the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta's graduate Pig Dinner on November 20th, 1900 at the University of California. It is now traditionally read during the annual Pig Dinners of every chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. The speech is written in a fake German accent, uses arcane language, and references brothers from the Delta Xi chapter during the 1890s.
An Exile's Toast was inspired by the American comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids. The two main characters of this strip, Hans and Fritz, are mischievous and rebellious. Their tomfoolery was reminiscent of the shenanigans Norris and his brothers engaged in at the Delta Xi chapter. The main characters also have dialogue in a thick German accent, which Frank Norris emulated in his speech.
Frank Norris wrote An Exile's Toast to be read at the graduate Pig Dinner tradition, which had been continued by the Delta Xi chapter since its first occurrence on May 18th, 1894. The references in the speech were relevant to those in attendance at the Pig Dinner in 1900. Upon Norris' death in 1902, the celebration was dedicated to him and became a tradition of all chapters of Phi Gamma Delta during the following years. While the speech was traditionally read annually the night before Thanksgiving and the Stanford University versus the University of California, Berkeley football game, it is now read during the Pig Dinner ceremony hosted by each chapter in the spring. An Exile's Toast embodies the purpose of Pig Dinner by signifying strong camaraderie among brothers in the fraternity.
While not officially documented, An Exile's Toast is sometimes modified to allude to members of a specific chapter in the present day to make the speech more relevant.
The story behind the pig began in 1893 during a day of activities at the University of California. The Phi Gams could not compete against Beta Theta Pi and Delta Kappa Epsilon for their involvement in campus activities, so one Phi Gam named Ralph Hathorn decided to release a pig in the middle of the activities. When the Fijis recaptured the Pig, they decided to make a meal out of it and perform a ceremony to rekindle the brotherhood and allegiance among the members of the Fraternity. Frank Norris wrote An Exile's Toast to solidify forever the meaning of that Pig Dinner.
The original text of "An Exile's Toast" was sent to the Delta Xi chapter of Phi Gamma Delta from Roselle, New Jersey by Frank Norris. It was sent in response to the graduate chapter's invitation to attend the Pig Dinner. The speech is written in English but has the words spelled out to emulate a German accent. There are many references to now-deceased members of Phi Gamma Delta, as well as inside jokes between Frank Norris and his chapter in the speech.
Original Text of the Toast
To the Committee:
Gesundheit! Ach mein lieber vriendts, dot note she gome today, You're dinin' bei der Poodle in der same ol' jolly vay; While me, ach Gott, du Lieber Gott, I've sit me down undt wept Dat your kindt invitationing I cennot yet accept. Der Poodle! Do and I know der blace, say blind mein eyes oop tighdt Undt standt me bei der Plaza on, I findt der haus alle righdt. Der glass-ware I've ge-broken dere, der sboons I hef ge-stole! Der vhiskey Chimmie Vhite hef drunk; from ous der sugar-bowl! Ach dose were days, Der Gibbs he knows, undt Mairsch he knows ut too Undt Hethauern could ree-member yoost a leeddle ting or two Undt dot poy Earnie Hoentersohn, he's leedle put oh my, He nef'r sets his schooner down until he's drunk her dry. Undt ulzoh Wallie Every-bit, who alle-ways knows ut alle; Undt Gibbons - 'Loaf-of-women'; He leads Shermans at Lunt's Halle, Undt den, Ach hoch der Vaterland; dere is der soldier man Der terror oaf der Sbanniards in der charge of San Joo-an, Der Awful Captun Sailfridge, he's a howlin Martinet, (Vhen speakun to him, touch der cap, he loafs dose Etiquette) Undt Brooksie Balmer he gomes too, dot quiet leedle poy Dey galls him vhen he's vairy goot, der Sewing Circles Joy. Undt Hoomphries he's der sly one, undt he knows der historie Yon efry Fiji chapter in der landt from Sea to Sea. Undt Pilly Schmidt undt Emory, Dey does deir leedle stunts Fallutin mit der "Younger Set" each Saturday at Lunt's.
Hi aile you Grads, you lucky Grads who dis T'anksgiving Day Cen shtop at home joost tink oaf us, der Exiles far away. Dere's Chunky in Geneva, undt dere's Corbett in Paree, Undt Doodle's gone to Noo Orleans, undt in New York, dere's me, Undt Hooston's in St. Louis undt dere's Rethers -- Gott knows Vair Ve sits undt vaits undt vatches undt ve groan undt tear der hair; Ve reckons oudt der difference in der time undt everyone Ve says oudt loud "Dey hef kicked off, der game hef joost begun" Undt we aindt dere to see ut played, undt we aindt dere to yell Undt we aindt dere to see der team joost knock em into Hell. Vail, vhen you all sits down again to eat dot Poodle lunch You alle joost try to vancy dot we're mit you in der bunch. Here's to der Team; Bei Gott - stand oop - dis aindt no usual drink, Stand oop - Hands round - between us alle it is der gommon link Stand oop. It is der Exiles Toast we're mit you alle today We're back once more in der ol' blace, undt back again to stay Stand oop, Stand oop; From East undt West we've gome to be mit you We're dinin at der Poodle joost as once we used to do Dis day we show our colors undt let alle der Eagles scream
For We're dinin at der Poodle undt we're drinkin to der Team.
Very Fraternally
FRANK NORRIS
Notes on brothers, locations, and events mentioned in Toast
"Dot Note" was an invitation to attend the Thanksgiving Eve dinner of the University of California Berkeley Chapter. It was a big event of every chapter year and attended by many out-of-town Fijis.
"Der Poodle" was the Poodle Dog restaurant on Bush and Grant avenues, San Francisco, where the dinner traditionally was held.
"Chimmie Vhite" was John H. White (University of California Berkeley 1891), founder and headmaster of White's Preparatory School in Berkeley.
"Der Gibbs" referred to George Gibbs (University of California Berkeley 1895), Milwaukee steel magnate, president of the company bearing his name.
"Mairsch"-- John Alfred March (University of California Berkeley 1893), San Francisco lawyer.
"Hethauern"-- Ralph L. Hathorn (University of California Berkeley 1893), the brother who recruited Norris, house manager, "sponsor for the original pig," and later a San Francisco lawyer.
"Earnie Hoentersohn"-- Ernest N. Henderson (University of California Berkeley 1890), professor of philosophy at Adelphi College, mentioned in Who's Who.
"Wallie Every-bit"-- Wallace W. Everett, Sr. (University of California Berkeley 1897), San Francisco magazine publisher and later Napa Valley fruit farmer. Both he and his son Wallace W. Everett, Jr. (University of California Berkeley 1927) were Fraternity Archon councilors.
"Gibbons"-- Morton R. Gibbons (University of California Berkeley 1895), distinguished San Francisco physician.
"Lunt's Hall" was a very fashionable dance hall in San Francisco. Archon Councilor Wally Everett explains that it "catered to teaching dancing to the little monsters of top society in the 1890s" and also was the location for "the highly chaperoned dances of older groups." "Shermans" refers to dances.
"Captain Sailfridge"-- Edward A. Selfridge Jr. (University of California Berkeley 1894), listed in the 1940 Directory of Members as a lumber specialist in the U. S. Department of Commerce. In the Spanish-American War, he fought at the battle of San Juan Hill as Captain of Company K, 71st New York Infantry US Volunteers (Frank Norris was also there as a newspaper correspondent). Selfridge was also the Fraternity's section chief for the West Coast when the Toast was written.
"Brooksie Palmer"-- J. Brooks Palmer (University of California Berkeley 1892), San Francisco lawyer.
"Hoomphries"-- William P. Humphries (University of California Berkeley 1892), San Francisco lawyer.
"Pilly Shmidt and Emory"-- William H. Smith, Jr. (University of California Berkeley 1898), San Francisco lawyer, and his brother, Emery T. Smith, (University of California Berkeley 1900), distinguished World War I colonel.
"Chunky"-- J. Russell Selfridge (University of California Berkeley 1897), a San Francisco merchant and brother of Edward A.
"Corbett"-- Harvey Wiley Corbett (University of California Berkeley 1895), a nationally known architect in New York and listed in Who's Who; had gone to Paris to study architecture at the famous Beaux-Arts school.
"Doodles"-- Seymour Waterhouse (University of California Berkeley 1895), merchant in San Jose and one-time roommate of Norris. It was at the Waterhouse mine in the Sierras that Frank Norris found his principal character of the dentist in his novel McTeague.
"Hooston"-- Albert J. Houston (University of California Berkeley 1895), celebrated ear, nose, and throat specialist in San Francisco.
"Rether"-- Harry F. Rethers (University of California Berkeley 1892), career army officer, a veteran of the Spanish-American War and World War One. Retired as a brigadier general.
California lost to Stanford in the 1900 football contest, 5 to 0. (Cal had won the previous two years by huge margins.)
Details
"An Exile's Toast" was a short speech written by Frank Norris in 1900 in Roselle, New Jersey. It was originally read by Ralph Hathorn at the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta's graduate Pig Dinner on November 20th, 1900 at the University of California. It is now traditionally read during the annual Pig Dinners of every chapter of Phi Gamma Delta. The speech is written in a fake German accent, uses arcane language, and references brothers from the Delta Xi chapter during the 1890s.
An Exile's Toast was inspired by the American comic strip The Katzenjammer Kids. The two main characters of this strip, Hans and Fritz, are mischievous and rebellious. Their tomfoolery was reminiscent of the shenanigans Norris and his brothers engaged in at the Delta Xi chapter. The main characters also have dialogue in a thick German accent, which Frank Norris emulated in his speech.
Frank Norris wrote An Exile's Toast to be read at the graduate Pig Dinner tradition, which had been continued by the Delta Xi chapter since its first occurrence on May 18th, 1894. The references in the speech were relevant to those in attendance at the Pig Dinner in 1900. Upon Norris' death in 1902, the celebration was dedicated to him and became a tradition of all chapters of Phi Gamma Delta during the following years. While the speech was traditionally read annually the night before Thanksgiving and the Stanford University versus the University of California, Berkeley football game, it is now read during the Pig Dinner ceremony hosted by each chapter in the spring. An Exile's Toast embodies the purpose of Pig Dinner by signifying strong camaraderie among brothers in the fraternity.
While not officially documented, An Exile's Toast is sometimes modified to allude to members of a specific chapter in the present day to make the speech more relevant.
The story behind the pig began in 1893 during a day of activities at the University of California. The Phi Gams could not compete against Beta Theta Pi and Delta Kappa Epsilon for their involvement in campus activities, so one Phi Gam named Ralph Hathorn decided to release a pig in the middle of the activities. When the Fijis recaptured the Pig, they decided to make a meal out of it and perform a ceremony to rekindle the brotherhood and allegiance among the members of the Fraternity. Frank Norris wrote An Exile's Toast to solidify forever the meaning of that Pig Dinner.
The original text of "An Exile's Toast" was sent to the Delta Xi chapter of Phi Gamma Delta from Roselle, New Jersey by Frank Norris. It was sent in response to the graduate chapter's invitation to attend the Pig Dinner. The speech is written in English but has the words spelled out to emulate a German accent. There are many references to now-deceased members of Phi Gamma Delta, as well as inside jokes between Frank Norris and his chapter in the speech.
Original Text of the Toast
To the Committee:
Gesundheit! Ach mein lieber vriendts, dot note she gome today, You're dinin' bei der Poodle in der same ol' jolly vay; While me, ach Gott, du Lieber Gott, I've sit me down undt wept Dat your kindt invitationing I cennot yet accept. Der Poodle! Do and I know der blace, say blind mein eyes oop tighdt Undt standt me bei der Plaza on, I findt der haus alle righdt. Der glass-ware I've ge-broken dere, der sboons I hef ge-stole! Der vhiskey Chimmie Vhite hef drunk; from ous der sugar-bowl! Ach dose were days, Der Gibbs he knows, undt Mairsch he knows ut too Undt Hethauern could ree-member yoost a leeddle ting or two Undt dot poy Earnie Hoentersohn, he's leedle put oh my, He nef'r sets his schooner down until he's drunk her dry. Undt ulzoh Wallie Every-bit, who alle-ways knows ut alle; Undt Gibbons - 'Loaf-of-women'; He leads Shermans at Lunt's Halle, Undt den, Ach hoch der Vaterland; dere is der soldier man Der terror oaf der Sbanniards in der charge of San Joo-an, Der Awful Captun Sailfridge, he's a howlin Martinet, (Vhen speakun to him, touch der cap, he loafs dose Etiquette) Undt Brooksie Balmer he gomes too, dot quiet leedle poy Dey galls him vhen he's vairy goot, der Sewing Circles Joy. Undt Hoomphries he's der sly one, undt he knows der historie Yon efry Fiji chapter in der landt from Sea to Sea. Undt Pilly Schmidt undt Emory, Dey does deir leedle stunts Fallutin mit der "Younger Set" each Saturday at Lunt's.
Hi aile you Grads, you lucky Grads who dis T'anksgiving Day Cen shtop at home joost tink oaf us, der Exiles far away. Dere's Chunky in Geneva, undt dere's Corbett in Paree, Undt Doodle's gone to Noo Orleans, undt in New York, dere's me, Undt Hooston's in St. Louis undt dere's Rethers -- Gott knows Vair Ve sits undt vaits undt vatches undt ve groan undt tear der hair; Ve reckons oudt der difference in der time undt everyone Ve says oudt loud "Dey hef kicked off, der game hef joost begun" Undt we aindt dere to see ut played, undt we aindt dere to yell Undt we aindt dere to see der team joost knock em into Hell. Vail, vhen you all sits down again to eat dot Poodle lunch You alle joost try to vancy dot we're mit you in der bunch. Here's to der Team; Bei Gott - stand oop - dis aindt no usual drink, Stand oop - Hands round - between us alle it is der gommon link Stand oop. It is der Exiles Toast we're mit you alle today We're back once more in der ol' blace, undt back again to stay Stand oop, Stand oop; From East undt West we've gome to be mit you We're dinin at der Poodle joost as once we used to do Dis day we show our colors undt let alle der Eagles scream
For We're dinin at der Poodle undt we're drinkin to der Team.
Very Fraternally
FRANK NORRIS
Notes on brothers, locations, and events mentioned in Toast
"Dot Note" was an invitation to attend the Thanksgiving Eve dinner of the University of California Berkeley Chapter. It was a big event of every chapter year and attended by many out-of-town Fijis.
"Der Poodle" was the Poodle Dog restaurant on Bush and Grant avenues, San Francisco, where the dinner traditionally was held.
"Chimmie Vhite" was John H. White (University of California Berkeley 1891), founder and headmaster of White's Preparatory School in Berkeley.
"Der Gibbs" referred to George Gibbs (University of California Berkeley 1895), Milwaukee steel magnate, president of the company bearing his name.
"Mairsch"-- John Alfred March (University of California Berkeley 1893), San Francisco lawyer.
"Hethauern"-- Ralph L. Hathorn (University of California Berkeley 1893), the brother who recruited Norris, house manager, "sponsor for the original pig," and later a San Francisco lawyer.
"Earnie Hoentersohn"-- Ernest N. Henderson (University of California Berkeley 1890), professor of philosophy at Adelphi College, mentioned in Who's Who.
"Wallie Every-bit"-- Wallace W. Everett, Sr. (University of California Berkeley 1897), San Francisco magazine publisher and later Napa Valley fruit farmer. Both he and his son Wallace W. Everett, Jr. (University of California Berkeley 1927) were Fraternity Archon councilors.
"Gibbons"-- Morton R. Gibbons (University of California Berkeley 1895), distinguished San Francisco physician.
"Lunt's Hall" was a very fashionable dance hall in San Francisco. Archon Councilor Wally Everett explains that it "catered to teaching dancing to the little monsters of top society in the 1890s" and also was the location for "the highly chaperoned dances of older groups." "Shermans" refers to dances.
"Captain Sailfridge"-- Edward A. Selfridge Jr. (University of California Berkeley 1894), listed in the 1940 Directory of Members as a lumber specialist in the U. S. Department of Commerce. In the Spanish-American War, he fought at the battle of San Juan Hill as Captain of Company K, 71st New York Infantry US Volunteers (Frank Norris was also there as a newspaper correspondent). Selfridge was also the Fraternity's section chief for the West Coast when the Toast was written.
"Brooksie Palmer"-- J. Brooks Palmer (University of California Berkeley 1892), San Francisco lawyer.
"Hoomphries"-- William P. Humphries (University of California Berkeley 1892), San Francisco lawyer.
"Pilly Shmidt and Emory"-- William H. Smith, Jr. (University of California Berkeley 1898), San Francisco lawyer, and his brother, Emery T. Smith, (University of California Berkeley 1900), distinguished World War I colonel.
"Chunky"-- J. Russell Selfridge (University of California Berkeley 1897), a San Francisco merchant and brother of Edward A.
"Corbett"-- Harvey Wiley Corbett (University of California Berkeley 1895), a nationally known architect in New York and listed in Who's Who; had gone to Paris to study architecture at the famous Beaux-Arts school.
"Doodles"-- Seymour Waterhouse (University of California Berkeley 1895), merchant in San Jose and one-time roommate of Norris. It was at the Waterhouse mine in the Sierras that Frank Norris found his principal character of the dentist in his novel McTeague.
"Hooston"-- Albert J. Houston (University of California Berkeley 1895), celebrated ear, nose, and throat specialist in San Francisco.
"Rether"-- Harry F. Rethers (University of California Berkeley 1892), career army officer, a veteran of the Spanish-American War and World War One. Retired as a brigadier general.
California lost to Stanford in the 1900 football contest, 5 to 0. (Cal had won the previous two years by huge margins.)
