I.

 I.  A Humble Beginning

            "During the early part of the year 1904, several of the non-fraternity men in the University conceived the idea of forming a local fraternity with the ultimate intention of petitioning Delta Tau Delta for a charter and that they be established a chapter at the University of Maine. Among its founders was E. M. White, already a member of the Delta Tau Delta chapter at Brown University and upon whom in great measure rested the successful launching of this society.  Considering the rapid growth of the university and the fact that hardly fifty per cent. of the whole student body were fraternity men, it was believed that ample material for another fraternity was offered. Consequently, on the 18th of February, the Omega Lambda Upsilon Society was organized at Oak Hall, the "Mother of all fraternities" at the University of Maine.  The charter members were: E. M. White, L. C. Smith, S. Cassey, M. G. Comerford, C. J. Huen, H. F. French and E. L. Cotton.

            The Society's first aim was to establish a firm foundation and to this end the members endeavored to select new men of a social and business type.  As a result, the Society prospered and at the end of the first year, the membership was eighteen, proportioned among the classes as follows: 1904, 2; 1905, 3; 1906, 5; 1907, 8.

            Moreover, on the 16th of November of this year, the Society was incorporated under the laws of the state and a permanent organization was established.

            At the beginning of the year 1905, the work was eagerly renewed. Although no society house had as yet been provided, nearly all the members engaged rooms at the same dormitory, Oak Hall, that they might be near together and thus be able to work to better advantage.  They also engaged rooms in which to hold meetings at Oldtown, a city adjoining the Campus. Early in March, a house was located near the Campus and know as Sperin's Inn, was leased for a term of years and the Society has occupied this up to the present time.

            During the following year, 1906, the Society, believing that it had become established upon a firm basis, took up in earnest the matter of trying for a national fraternity and as a result of a formal vote it was unanimously decided that application be made to Delta Tau Delta and no other, as first intended.  Shortly afterwards, what was practically a bid was received from another national fraternity, but it was never favorably considered.

            Last fall, work on this national fraternity matter was renewed even more earnestly and preparations made to publish a booklet descriptive of our University and Society. Moreover, the Society began considering the advisability of erecting a house on the Campus and on the 11th of November, the Board of Trustees of the University of Maine voted to assign the fraternity, for a site, on of the best building lots on the Campus.  With this impetus, a Committee was appointed and active work was at once undertaken.  After careful consideration, a house design and plans were accepted, as described on the following pages.

            The fraternity numbers among its members men ranking high in the various activities of the University.  Some of the more prominent honors held are the following: Two are of the Phi Kappa Phi (an honorary Society of Scholarship); one President of the Y.M.C.A. two years; one Varsity Track Captain; one, a winner of the Sophomore Prize Declamations; two, holders of college Track Records; and one holder of State Track Record.

            The active membership at present is 28, divided among the classes as follows: 1908, 5; 1909, 7; 1910, 10; 1911, 6."

-From Omega Lambda Upsilon to Delta Tau Delta, 1906

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 II. Alpha Nu Kappa (Beginning of a Noble Pack)

In the fall of 2002, a handful of students, some rebelling from the absurdity of other Greek organizations, along with men who had unsuccessfully tried to find a Greek organization to fit them, and yet others just looking for purpose gathered together under the name of Alpha Nu Kappa.  Alpha Nu Kappa was formed with the idea of creating something that could change many peoples idea of what a fraternity really is.  Once they found out that a chapter of Delta Tau Delta was here at one time, the interest group then contacted the national office of in hopes of reforming the Gamma Nu chapter.  The national recruitment team and chapter consultants were eager to help the new organization get started.

Gamma Nu Crescent Colony was reinstated to the University of Maine Campus on the Seventh of February, 2003, with eight members of the Alpha Class.  These eight members quickly grew to more than twenty building great report on campus making Gamma Nu a booming new Colony. In the spring of 2003, 22 men, many of who were completely unknown to each other gathered to be initiated as the new Gamma Nu Crescent Colony of Delta Tau Delta. This group would move on to lay down the groundwork of the brotherhood that has continued to today.

 Things however were not perfect for the promising new group of men.  In the fall of 2003, seven members were lost due to either academic standing with the university or apparent conflict of interest with the organization, as they had given no formal reason for their departure.   This was truly a devastating blow to the colony as several of these men held leadership positions.  The remaining members didn’t let it stop them.  With some strong recruitment and hard work they were able to regain their composure and once again shoot for the ideals set forth by the eight founding men.

Since then the colony has been strengthening its structure and brotherhood by constantly changing and growing.  As of the Spring 2004 several of the brothers moved into the vacated Phi Eta Kappa house and in the Fall 2004 it became the temporary shelter housing 20 men. Today there are 30 members and have finally moved back into the Delt Shelter as of  Sept. of 2005.

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