Draft:Lambda Pi Fraternity
| Lambda Pi | |
|---|---|
| LP | |
 | |
| Founded | 1944; 80 years ago |
| Type | Social |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Status | Alumni |
| Scope | California State University Chico |
| Motto | Loyalty Prevails |
| Colors | Primary: Kelly Green Skeeter White |
| Philanthropy | Legacy Scholarships, CSUC Seufferlien Sales School |
| Chapters | 1 |
| Members | 1,000 collegiate |
| Nickname | The Pi's |
| Hangout | Oasis Bar and Grill Chico , CA |
| Website | https://lambda-pi.org/ |
History of Lambda Pi
[edit]Lambda Pi was formed on the campus of Chico State in the Fall of 1944 by Don Greene, Harry Estes, Wayne Gaskill and Delbert Raby. These four men were pledging the only fraternity on campus at the time and decided to leave and form their own fraternity because they objected to the required public initiation of pledges on campus. Eight other men joined them to form Lambda Pi: Ed Chew, Bill Fisk, Harry Humes, Jack Turner, Bob Herbert, Vic Brownell, Marty Wood and Dick Hinton.
During ‘Hell Week’ while their former fraternity was initiating their pledges publicly on campus, Lambda Pi pledges wore a coat & tie on campus with a Lambda Pi name badge and all initiation activities occurred off campus. This action gave Lambda Pi a positive image and was the main catalyst for its rapid growth and acceptance on campus.
A constitution for the new fraternity was drawn up and presented to Dr. Aymer Jay Hamilton, then the president of the college. The original advisor was Dr. Hal Draper and the first president of Lambda Pi was Don Greene.
Advisors who have served since Dr. Draper are: Dr. Oliver, Dr. Rodgers, Dr. Neumann, Dr. Meran, Mr. Gibb, Dr. Gardner, Dr. Houx, Mr. Russell, Mr. Bassow and Mr. Kohen.
Of special note: In 2004, at the dedication of the Lambda Pi Bench on campus in honor of the 60th anniversary of the fraternity, three members of the original 1944 class were present: Delbert Raby, Vic Brownell, and Harry Estes. In a recent discussion with Delbert Raby, he related that in 1944 there were few males at Chico State (around 50) due to the war, however there were several hundred women. Unfortunately, Delbert joined the Army in Feb 1945 and left all the women behind until he returned to Chico in 1947; he graduated in 1950.
History of Houses
[edit]Since Lambda Pi's beginning, there have been four houses
- The Oak Park House
- The Sacramento House
- The Third & Ivy House
- 432 Cedar Avenue House
Oak Park House
[edit]This was the first official house of Lambda Pi. It was built in the early sixties by the actives using the alumni money and land. The outside framework is designed after the letters Lambda and Pi. It slept forty actives and pledges in dormitory style. This house was equipped with a pool (which is in the same of a Lambda), recreation room, industrial kitchen, walk-in refrigerator, and sat on two acres. This 10,000 square foot building was the most modern fraternity house on the west coast when it was finished. The fraternity resided there for five years (1962-1967). The main reason for leaving was the fact that the actives did not want to live dormitory style. Elma was the cook at Oak Park.
Sacramento House
[edit]This house was bought in 1968 by actives. The members pooled their dues money and put it on the stock market. A good bit of luck produced enough money for a down payment on an American Colonial house at 1133 Sacramento Avenue. this house sat on two acres, had seven bedrooms, a circular driveway, and crud room upstairs. The house burned down under mysterious circumstances on May 5, 1975.
Third & Ivy House
[edit]Was built in 1902 by the White family and is a registered historical landmark known as the “White House”. It is a Dutch style house, sitting on a quarter of an acre, with six bedrooms and two baths.
This house was bought in 1975 for $48,000. The down payment came from insurance money from the Sacramento house fire. The house was sold in the fall of 1999 for $130,000 after it was found abandoned by the active group.
The profit from the house was later used to help purchase the Cedar Street House. Also in the Fall of 1999, Lambda Pi received non-profit status and began funding scholarships for Chico State students beginning in the Fall of 2000.
Cedar Street House
[edit]A reinvigorated alumni group established in Fall of 1999 took the $130,000 profit from the Third & Ivy house sale and raised another $70,000 through alumni donations to purchase a new house at 432 Cedar. Located near the corner of 5th and Cedar on the same side of the railroad tracks as the Oasis, the house was painted appropriately green and white and dedicated in 2000 as the Lambda Pi Fraternity House.
The active group rented the house from the alumni association and received a great deal of support from alums. A special note of thanks to the alums who donated significant monies to purchase the house and gave personal time to support the active group and new house.
Unfortunately, after a few years the active group began to experience problems: society, the “University” and the Chico community’s attitude had changed towards “Greeks”– all impacting and changing the experience of being Greek at CSU, Chico. Consequently, the active group notified the alumni association members would no longer live in the house.
At the May 2007 annual meeting of our alumni association, the members present voted overwhelmingly to dissolve the active group and turn the house into a non-fraternity student rental property. Since 2007, the house has been a rental property producing a positive cash flow for the Association.