The following recollection of the history of Epsilon Beta from the every beginning is taken from the application made by Tau Upsilon to Alpha Tau Omega. Tau Epsilon was a local fraternity at the University of Arizona which evolved into Epsilon Beta of Alpha Tau Omega.
______________________________________________________________________________
Petition to the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity
With Information Regarding
Tau Upsilon
and the
University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
April, 1930
We the undersigned members of the Tau Upsilon local fraternity, recognizing the high purpose and ideas of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, its strength and splendid national organization, do hereby petition that we be granted a charter for the establishment of a chapter of Alpha Tau Omega at the University of Arizona.
Fred J. Baker, Norman C. Bann, Kenneth C. Bayard, John D. Brooks, Don C. Farver, Allen A. Hauter, Jack H. Hopper, Ernest E. Johannsen, John M. Johnson, Robert C. Kepple, David C. Minton, Richard O. Pence, Elias E. Romley, Douglas A. Sheffield, Fred M. Sperry, John F. Stanley, Carl D. Tisor, Alvin E. Wadin, Chester V. Wadsworth, Charles C. Walcutt, William E. Wood, Stanley S. Young.
Pledges: Jay B. Boone, David M. Cameron, Frank S. Doran, James C. Gardner, Fred B. Gillard, Don G. Havens, James C. Herndon, George W. Jackson, Lawrence J. Murphy, William E. Oswald, Edward H. Oswald.
The University of Arizona
The Act of the Legislative Assembly authorizing the formation of the University of Arizona was passed in 1885. By 1890 three of the departments for which it provided, the College of Agriculture, the College of Mines and Engineering, and the Agricultural Experiment Station were organized. From these beginnings in pioneer days the University advanced slowly for the first twenty years of its history.
This long germinal period was followed by a decade of rapid expansion. The Territory had become a State, and high schools had multiplied so that the attendance increased eightfold in ten years. New departments were formed, the faculty was enlarged, and campus improvements on a larger and more permanent scale were begun with the erection of Arizona Hall and the Agriculture Building, for which appropriations were made in 1911 and 1912 respectively. The swimming pool, the Mines and Engineering Building, Mechanical Arts Building, the Berger Memorial Foundation, Maricopa Hall, the Stewart Observatory, and Cochise Hall were built in quick succession. The College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences was established and the several Colleges segregated under individual deans and faculties.
In the year 1916, the University of Arizona was placed on the accredited list of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.
A survey of the University was made by the Bureau of Education of the Department of the Interior in the spring of 1922. This body reported as follows: "The people of Arizona must realize that their institution is no longer the simple college of twenty years ago, but that it is a real State University , comparing favorably in scope with the higher educational systems of most of the other states of the Union." Since this survey was issued many additions have been made to the University, A College of Education, a College of Law, a School of Military Science and Tactics, and a School of Music have been established.
In 1924 came an outstanding step in the development of the University when the Association of American Universities placed it on their list of approved institutions in November of that year.
A new Library building was finished in 1925. This modern renaissance in design, three stories in height, and covers a ground area of 195x110 feet. The old Library building was converted into quarters for the College of Law and at present, thanks to an appropriation of $40,000, has been thoroughly renovated and modernized. This renovation was completed in December, 1929.
The new Gymnasium, located on the Eastside of the campus, was completed in 1926 at a cost of approximately $715,000. With a floor space of 220x120 feet, it is the largest and most adequate gymnasium in the Southwest. A new athletic plant, consisting of a football stadium, baseball field and grandstand, and a men's swimming pool, has been completed this year. The stadium was dedicated on October 12 with a 35-0 victory over the California Institute of Technology. The ease with which the $155,000 was raised for this project is an excellent criterion of the support and co-operation that the University enjoys from the businessmen, as well as its alumni, throughout the State.
The present total value of the University of Arizona is approximately $3,300,00, and this figure is steadily rising; because of the statewide support which it receives and the untiring energy of its president Dr. Homer L. Shantz, the University has come to enjoy an enviable financial security.
APPROPRIATIONS
The following appropriations are made each year:
| State Funds | $670,000.00 |
| Federal Funds | $127,761.25 |
| The Land Fund | $55,000.00 |
| TOTAL | $852,761.25 |
Besides these appropriations there are numerous endowment funds including the Dougles Endowment Fund, gift of Dr. James Douglas of New York, and the Freeman Endowment Fun, the gift of Dr. Merrill P. Freeman, of Tucson.
FACTS ABOUT TUCSON, THE HOME OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Tucson, which has a population of 55,000, is located in Pima County, Arizona, on the main line of the Southern Pacific railway. It is the terminus of the Southern Pacific de Mexico. Tucson lies on a plateau, and is 312 miles west of El Paso; 500 miles east of Los Angeles.
The charter for the Pueblo of Tucson was granted by the King of Spain in 1552, making it one of the oldest European settlements in America. The Mission San Xavier del Bac, one of the most beautiful and well preserved of the old Spanish missions, was founded at Tucson by Padres Kino and Salvatierra in 1687.
The city is now the southern center of production for the great copper, cotton, and cattle industries of the State. Large flour mills, ice plants, the manufacturer of brick and clay productions, railroad repair shops, utilization of cotton oil and cotton compress, and oil refining are the foremost industries of the city itself.
Because of its wonderful climate, sunny, mild, dry, and invigorating, Tucson is rapidly becoming one of the best known Winter resorts. A new resort hotel, El Conquistador, has been completed at a cost of $1,000,00. It is located just east of the city limits, between two golf courses, and having a splendid view of, and easy access to, the famed Santa Catalina Mountains. There are eight other hotels in Tucson, most of them catering to winter residents, and another is under construction. Nearly every day of the year is suited to out-of-door recreation -- golf, motoring, polo, horseback riding, tennis and hiking.
The rapid growth of the city of Tucson in the past nine years attests to the brightness of its future. The population of 20,292 in 1920 has almost tripled itself in the short space of nine years; the census of Tucson in 1929 was 55,195.
The recent opening of the Temple of Music speaks for the cultural side of Tucson life. This monument to music and art was constructed at the cost of over $100,000, and in its auditorium such artists as Chaliapin and John McCormack are presented to the Tucson public.
Situated in the midst of the oldest culture of America, Tucson has, nevertheless, held itself open to the new culture; and along with this, Tucson, in this era of progress, has been playing a great part in the development of the vast resources of the newest part of the United States.
HISTORY OF TAU UPSILON
In the fall of 1922 James A. Cox from Iowa Beta Alpha at Simpson College registered at the University of Arizona after spending the summer in Los Angeles. While on the coast he met with the Los Angeles Alumni Association of Alpha Tau Omega and at their suggestion he investigated the fraternity situation at the University of Arizona. Finding it favorable but with no local available for petitioning for a charter of Alpha Tau Omega, he immediately started organizing a group for this purpose with the assistance of John Burroughs from Colorado Gamma Lambda.
The charter members which were chosen by these men were: Ben Horace Hooper, Richard Scott Washington, Walton Conover Armstrong, Robert Burns Gutherie, Kelvin Kenneth Henness, Walter Joseph Stolze, William James Upton, Edward Emmet Terrel, Frank Hector Carpenter and Louis O'Neill Fiscel.
The fact that all of these men had received at least one bid from other fraternities provided beyond a doubt that they were good fraternity material. They were individually well-known and active in all campus affairs as is shown by their list of activities. A regular organization was soon perfected and the group began to operate as nearly like a fraternity as they could, without being recognized by the University officials. Dr. Paul H. Clements (deceased) was elected to membership and became their faculty advisor.
In the fall of 1923, still operating without recognition the group pledged Al Lowman, Walter Blair, and John Hedderman. One of the deans loaned them a house and they held their meetings there for the entire year. Local recognition for the group was held up until the summer of 1924 because the percentage of fraternity men to non-fraternity men on the campus was over 40% and the Administration refused to consider them until the enrollment of the University should increase. This is a very strict rule and insures plenty of good fraternity material.
This picture of the Tau Upsilon Chapter House is from the 1930 Petition. The Petition does not indicate the address.
When the college opened in 1924 the group took a house near the campus and functioned officially. They pledged nine men, and, with a membership of 22 had a very successful year. Mr. Cox did not return to college in 1924, and in his place Mr. M.F. Wharton, an A.T.O. from Oregon Alpha Omega and a member of the faculty, became the fraternity's guide and advisor. Three other Alpha Taus, Professor Frank S. Maturo of Ohio Alpha Nu, a member of the Spanish Department, Leandor F. Sheldon of Wyoming Gamma Psi, and James E. MacDonald of Ohio Beta Omega, were in the University at that time and were active in sponsoring the group.
In the fall of 1926, the group moved into a new and larger home. The membership at that time totaled 25, which was about the same as that of the other fraternities on the campus.
This group picture of Tau Upsilon members is in the 1930 Petition.
In the fall of 1927 twenty men from the Occidental chapter of Alpha Tau Omega came to Tucson with the team for the Arizona-Occidental football game; in fact they were the football team. Tau Upsilon entertained them for the two days that they were here and since then they have been active in furthering our cause on the west coast. The same year Tau Upsilon sent a member to the Alpha Tau Omega Congress at Tampa, where he received a great deal of valuable information regarding our future actions. The delgates from the California and Nevada chapters stopped in Tucson on their way home and were the guests of the group at a banquet at the Tucson Country Club.
At the last Alpha Tau Omega Congress several men from Tau Upsilon were in Los Angeles and had the opportunity and pleasure of meeting many of the delegates. The group which has been most instrumental in the guidance of our fraternity is the Southern California Alumni Association of Alpha Tau Omega. We cannot over estimate the benefits which have accrued to Tau Upsilon from their advice.
A group of fifteen Tau Upsilon Alumni have organized in Phoenix, 135 miles north of Tucson and the Capitol of the State, and hold semimonthly luncheons with the Phoenix Alumni Association of A.T.O. This group has been very helpful in aiding us to establish connections with the officials of Alpha Tau Omega. They visit Tucson often and keep in close touch with conditions here.
ACTIVE MEMBERS OF TAU UPSILON
| Frederick James Baker | Clifton, Arizona | Junior | Pre-Medic | University Band, Frosh Track, Senior Follies '28 |
| Norman Chester Bann | Yuma, Arizona | Sophomore | B.S. in B.A. | Frosh Track, Intra-Mural Basketball |
| Kenneth Oscar Bayard | Calumet, Michigan | Post-Graduate | M.S. - Metallurgy | Scabbard and Blade, Tau Beta Pi, Powell Honor Award '27, A.I.M.M.E., Second Lt. ROTC, Vice President, Miner's Society '28, '29 |
| John Brooks | Tucson, Arizona | Faculty, Professor of Spanish | Ph.D. | Phi Beta Kappa, Modern Language Association, American Association of Teachers of Spanish |
| Donovan C. Farver | BS in C.E. | Junior | A.A.E., Polo, 1st Lt, ROTC | |
| Jack Hicks Hopper | Somerton, Arizona | BS in E.E. | Senior | Theta Alpha Phi, Scabbard and Blade, Tau Beta Pi, Pi Delta Tau, Vice President, IFC '30 |
| Allen Gauter | LaGrange, Illinois | BS in Chemistry | Sophomore | Football, Cross Country, YMCA President, Spanish Club |
| Ernest Everett Johannsen | Yuma, Arizona | BS in Agriculture | Sophomore | Football, Cross-Country, Basketball |
| John Mercer Johnson | Douglas, Arizona | L.L.B. in Law | Senior | Phi Alpha Delta, Intra-mural Tennis |
| Robert Clair Kepple | Vandergrift, Pennsylvania | B. S. in Commerce | Senior | Desert Staff, Follies, Shaman Players, University Band |
| David Carson Minton, Jr. | Phoenix, Arizona | B. S. in Engineering | Senior | Theta Alpha Phi, Pi Delta Tau, Tau Beta Pi, University Players |
| Richard Owen Pence | Eldon, Iowa | B. S. in BA | Senior | Alpha Kappa Psi, University Players |
| Lewis Oscar Roberts | Phoenix, Arizona | BS in BA | Senior | Alpha Rho Tau, Shaman Players, Cross Country |
| Elias Romley | Phoenix, Arizona | L.L.B. In Law | Junior | University Debate, Junior Debate Team, Phi Delta Phi |
| Douglas Alvin Sheffield | Puntenney, Arizona | B.W. In EE | Junior | A.A.E., A.I.E.E. |
| Frederick Miller Sperry | Hollywood, California | L.L.B. In Law | Junior | Track, Scabbard and Blade, Pi Epsilon Delta, ROTC |
| John Frank Stanley | Yuma, Arizona | BS | Senior | Cross Country, Intramural Basketball |
| Charles Child Walcutt | Tucson, Arizona | A.B. | Senior | Phi Kappa Phi, Tennis, Wildcat Staff, Desert Staff |
| Chester W. Wadsworth | Sterling, Illinois | AB | Junior | International Relations Club |
| William Eugene Wood | Winslow, Arizona | L.L.B. In Law | Senior | Phi Delta Phi, Senior Follies, University Band |
1930 INITIATES
| Benjamin Frank Batey | Sophomore | Phoenix, Arizona |
| Carl David Tisor | Freshman | Tucson, Arizona |
| Stanley Archer Young | Freshman | Douglas, Arizona |
| Albin Henry Wadin | Junior | Phoenix, Arizona |
PLEDGES
| Jay Bates Boone | Freshman | El Paso, Texas |
| David Molloy Cameron | Freshman | El Paso, Texas |
| James Carl Gardner | Sophomore | Tucson, Arizona |
| Frederick Butler Gillard | Freshman | Winslow, Arizona |
| James Culbertson Herndon | Freshman | Fierro, New Mexico |
| George William Jackson | Freshman | Winslow, Arizona |
| Lawrence Joseph Murphy | Sophomore | Douglas, Arizona |
| William Eugene Oswald | Sophomore | Williams, Arizona |
| Edward Herbert Oswald | Freshman | Williams, Arizona |
SOCIAL FRATERNITIES AT THE UNIVERSITY
Fraternities
| Kappa Sigma | May 29, 1915 |
| Sigma Alpha Epsilon | September 26, 1918 |
| Sigma Nu | March 30, 1918 |
| Sigma Chi | April 21, 1921 |
| Phi Delta Theta | May 3, 1923 |
| Pi Kappa Alpha | January 1, 1924 |
| Delta Chi | May 2, 1925 |
| Zeta Beta Tau | April 10, 1926 |
| Beta Kappa | March 18, 1929 |
| Zeta Delta Epsilon (local) | Petitioning Phi Gamma Delta |
| Beta Chi (local) | Petitioning Beta Theta Pi |
| Tau Upsilon (local) | Petitioning Alpha Tau Omega |
| Omicron Phi Omicron (local) | Petitioning Delta Tau |
Sororities
| Pi Beta Phi | August 1, 1917 |
| Kappa Alpha Theta | September 17, 1917 |
| Kappa Kappa Gamma | June 14, 1920 |
| Gamma Phi Beta | April 9, 1922 |
| Delta Gamma | March 22, 1923 |
| Chi Omega | March 1, 1922 |
| Alpha Phi | March 13, 1926 |
| Phi Omega Pi | July 15, 1929 |
| Alpha Gamma Omicron (local) | March 12, 1929 |
PROPORTION OF FRATERNITY MEN TO TOTAL ENROLLMENT
The following figures give the regularly enrolled men students available for fraternities for the second semester of the school year 1928-1929:
| Total Men Registered | 1135 |
| Total National Fraternity Men | 339 |
| Total Local Fraternity Men | 116 |
| Per cent National Fraternity Men | 29.8% |
| Per cent Local Fraternity Men | 10.6% |
| Total per cent of all Fraternity Men | 40.4% |
BUILDING FUND
Looking forward to the time when we may build our own home, we have provided a building fund. At the time of initiation each initiate signs a $100 note maturing in from two to ten years. The note is non-interest bearing. Tau Upsilon probably will purchase, this winter, a lot adjoining the University campus. Present plans call for the building of a new house in four to five years. To date the financial policy of the group has been very conservative. The men have preferred to keep a small membership, rather than undertake building a larger house with the consequent dangers of too rapid expansion.
LETTERS OF SUPPORT
The application included letters of support for charter from: Arthur W. McCord, a member of the Alpha Tau Omega High Council; Roy S. Milligan, Chief of Province XII; Dr. H.S. Shantz, President, University of Arizona; Arthur H. Otis, Dean of Men, University of Arizona; Alfred I. Mellenthin, President, Southern California Alumni Association of Alpha Tau Omega; Walter Ben Hare, President, and John P. Hale, Secretary, Phoenix Alumni Association of Alpha Tau Omega; William M. Hood, President, Interfraternity Council, University of Arizona; Shiela Baker, President, Panhellenic Council, University of Arizona; and W.F. Dickson, J.B. Cunningham, J.F. Smith, M.F. Wharton, K.C. Goodwin, M.M. Evans, Edwin W. Sticker, Edward Van der Vries, Virgil G. Preston, Wm. W. Stevenson and W.B. Stevenson, members of the Tucson Alumni Association of Alpha Tau Omega.