H. John Lyke (“Smiley”) Rho ‘55

Just thinking about Psi Upsilon brings back many fond memories. What a treat it is for me to reflect on the experiences I had when I was a brother in the University of Wisconsin, Rho chapter of Psi Upsilon.

It is such a pleasure to be able to return to those many memorable experiences. After reflecting a bit on “What Psi U means to me,” I concluded that what Psi U did for me was to affirm me as an individual worthy of the chapter’s respect, care and love, the cherished attributes that makes each of our lives worthwhile living. It was the first time I recognized I belonged to a prestigious organization where I didn’t feel I had to jump through any hoops like maintaining a certain academic standing or behave in a certain way to be accepted. Continue reading »

Fred Rodgers, Gamma ‘62 (Amherst)

The Psi Upsilon Fraternity is celebrating its 175th Anniversary in 2008, and it was already 135 years old in the summer that I graduated from law school. But this great Fraternity and my Amherst College experience were far from my mind in June 1966 as I prepared for the New York State bar examination and pondered the implications on my nascent legal career of the draft notice I had just received from the U.S. Selective Service Agency instructing me to report for induction into the Armed Forces. The downtown law firm which had promised me an associate’s job wished me well.

Disturbing as was the prospect of entering the U.S. Army as a 25 year old “buck private” after seven years in academe –and three and a half very pleasant years as a member of Amherst’s Gamma Chapter of Psi U– friends were somewhat reassuring, offering good wishes like “Hope they don’t send you to Vietnam” and “Lawyers don’t get sent to the front, do they?” Continue reading »

Tom Hanford, Gamma ‘62 (Amherst)

” ‘That fall Gehrig pledged Phi Delta Theta (Columbia). He had enough independence, at least, not to join Sigma Nu, the fraternity that employed his mother. He would eat dinner with the Phi Delts, then rush over to Sigma Nu to help his mother clear tables. . . no wonder he had trouble making friends.

Columbia men came from mostly wealthy families and elite private schools, not from tenements. Gehrig aligned himself, not with his fraternity brothers, but with his mother, as he would most of his life. (When the Yankees went to spring training in 1926 only Gehrig came with his mother). ‘

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Jack Anderson, Kappa ‘59 (Bowdoin)

In early September, 1956, I was one of twenty four pledges at the “old green Shoebox”on the Bowdoin College campus, the Kappa Chapter of Psi Upsilon.

The following nine months were probably nine of the best years of my life. The Ron Goltz’s, Don Bennett’s, Ernie Belforte’s, Chet Cooke’s, Steve Anderson’s, Buzzy Burrowes’, and “Brud” Stover’s, to name a few, along with my fellow pledges will always be in my fondest memories. Alas, I partied, raised hell, and “strayed” from academia, and was not invited back for a second year.

But life went on, I survived and still have lasting friendships and my fond memories of “Old Psi U”!

Jack Anderson, Kappa ‘59 (Bowdoin)

PS. Looking forward to the 50th reunion of Bowdoin’s Class of “59″…

Chuck Eilers, Omicron ‘91 (Illinois)

A Bond of Friendship
Dean C. Marinakis, Bach and Fraker. Nasser Shams and Clancy Foley. Woytek and Lannert, Bitty and Folds, Tim Richards and Double D. Scooter, Thomas P. Slattery, Yosh, Chris Jones, Brent Langman, Ross, S. Dev. Hanlon, Stan, McClean and McManus.

And who could forget Smoke and Tuttle? Dudley, Oley, Mike Stein and Mr. Andersen. Hansen and Wargin and Louuuuuu! Has anyone seen Call? I could literally go on and on and on. The friendship and comradery, still to this day. Thank you Psi Upsilon.

YITB,
Chuck Eilers, Omicron ‘91 (Illinois)