Guide to the Delta Tau Delta Records,
1890-2001

Collection Number: 37-4-1002

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3530
Fax: (607) 255-9524
rareref@cornell.edu
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:
Herbert Finch
Date completed:
November 1994
EAD encoding:
Kim Bedetti, June 2002

© 2002 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Delta Tau Delta records, 1890-2002
Collection Number:
37-4-1002
Creator:
Delta Tau Delta. Beta Omicron Chapter (Cornell University).
Quantity:
2.1 cubic ft.
Forms of Material:
Correspondence, plans, pamphlets, printed material, the original charter of the fraternity, photographs.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Includes correspondence, plans, pamphlets and other printed material; also, the original charter of the fraternity. Major correspondents are Malcolm J. Freeborn '29, and Edward J. Trethaway '49. Includes photographs of the various houses.
Language:
Collection material in English

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

Beta Omicron Chapter of Delta Tau Delta was incorporated on January 25, 1890 at Cornell University. Original house was the old Ezra Cornell home (Forest Park).
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Since the Delta Tau Delta records came from several sources, the collection was arranged into two chronological series: the undergraduate chapter, Beta Omicron, and the alumni chapter which organized as the House Corporation and functioned with trustees. Both chapters dealt extensively with the national (arch) chapter. The primary collectors were Malcolm J. Freeborn '29 and Edward J. Trethaway '49.
The bulk of the records were created during the 1960's when there was much discussion of the role of fraternities on the campus, changing social patterns, race relations and civil rights. The collection documents the fraternity's role in pressing Cornell to develop a small group housing policy including resident advisors and the efforts of the alumni chapter to raise money for and to build a new shelter. The correspondence with the membership during the final months of the campaign (primarily the spring and summer of 1964) is arranged alphabetically to show the response of individuals to the effort. Samples were kept of the actual pledge cards and of their gathering and transmission to the University. There is a file of "The Cordelt," and there are copies of Donald L. Mallory '17, "80 Years at Cornell, 1890-1970. A History of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Cornell University."
Besides Freeborn and Trethaway, major correspondents are: Joseph S. Barr '18, John C. Dorfman '48, William R. Ebersol '45, Louis C. (Whitey) Edgar '33, Robert A. Eyerman '32, George B. Marchev '43, Reed L. McJunkin '32, Warner D. Orvis '06, V. Stewart Underwood '43, officers of the national chapter including: Alfred P. Sheriff and Frederick D. Kershner and officers of Cornell University including: Walter Bruska, John E. Burton, Deane W. Malott, Albert S. Miles, Neal Stamp, John Summerskill, Charles E. Warwick and J. L. Zwingle.
SUBJECTS

Names:
Delta Tau Delta.
Freeborn, Malcolm J.
Trethaway, Edward J. (Edward Joseph), 1926-
Cornell University--Societies, etc.

Subjects:
Greek letter societies.
INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:
Delta Tau Delta Records, #37-4-1002. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
Access Restrictions:
Building plans are restricted to permission of the office of Planning Design and Construction.
RELATED MATERIAL

Edward J. Trethaway Papers, #41-5-2617. Divison of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
SERIES LIST

Series I. Beta Omicron Chapter (undergraduate) Box 1
Series II. House Corporation (alumni) Boxes 2-6
CONTAINER LIST

Description
Container
Series I. Beta Omicron Chapter (undergraduate)
Activities: Rushing, reunion, summer jobs, etc.
 Box 1 Folder 1
Activities: Peter Schneck's shelter design project, 1959
 Box 1 Folder 2
Financial reports, 1957-1969
 Box 1 Folder 3
Shelter operations, 1963-1966
 Box 1 Folder 4
Shelter operations, 1967-1968
 Box 1 Folder 5
Chapter advisor, 1960-1969
 Box 1 Folder 6
Chapter advisor, Mr. Freeborn's notes, 1960-1966
 Box 1 Folder 7
"The Cordelt," 1926-1977, miscellaneous issues
 Box 1 Folder 8
"The Cordelt," 1978-2001
 Box 7 Folder 4
Membership directories: 1932, 1950, 1957, 1963, 1969, 1980
 Box 1 Folder 9
Miscellaneous publications including: Donald L. Mallory '17, "80 Years at Cornell, 1890-1970. A History of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Cornell University."
Box 1 Folder 10
Relations with the Arch Chapter (National Office), Secret matter
 Box 1 Folder 11
Correspondence, 1957-1967
 Box 1 Folder 12
Correspondence, 1968
 Box 1 Folder 13
Correspondence, 1969
 Box 1 Folder 14
Statistics, 1930-1957
 Box 1 Folder 15
Form letters, 1957-1962
 Box 1 Folder 16
Form letters, 1962-1966
 Box 1 Folder 17
Form letters, 1967-1968
 Box 1 Folder 18
Form letters, 1968-1969
 Box 1 Folder 19
Form letters, 1969
 Box 1 Folder 20
Relations with the Eastern Division, Form letters, 1966-1969
 Box 1 Folder 21
Photographs, Delta Tau Delta brothers, 1946, 1949
 Box 8 Folder 1, 2
Photographs, Formal parties and Spring Day group shots, 1947, 1948, 1949
 Box 8 Folder 2, 3
Series II. House Corporation (alumni)
Governing documents
Certificate of Incorporation [photostat], June 7, 1890, approved and filed June 16, 1890. Constitution and By-Laws, 1905, 1911, 1920, n.d., n.d., 1963, 1964. Correspondence relative to ammendments.
Box 2 Folder 1
National Constitution and By-Laws. 1968
 Box 2 Folder 2
Officers and trustees, 1946-1965
 Box 2 Folder 3
Agenda and minutes of meetings, 1954-1959. Occassionally minutes of other groups and sometimes correspondence and documents are attached. See 1957 for a housing proposal, for example.
Box 2 Folder 4
Agenda and minutes of meetings, 1960-1964. See 10/22/60 for Warner Orvis' financial history of the local chapter.
 Box 2 Folder 5
Agenda and minutes of meetings, 1965-1975
 Box 2 Folder 6
"Our Future Image at Beta Omicron Chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity," by Malcolm J. Freeborn, June 19, 1965. The publication of a speech delivered upon his resignation as president of the House Corporation. Correspondence included.
Box 2 Folder 7
Correspondence
Correspondence, 1953-1959
 Box 2 Folder 8
Correspondence, 1960-1961
 Box 2 Folder 9
Correspondence, 1962-1963
 Box 2 Folder 10
Correspondence, 1964-1965
 Box 2 Folder 11
Correspondence, 1966-1967
 Box 2 Folder 12
Correspondence, 1968, visit of Justice Tom C. Clark
 Box 2 Folder 13
Correspondence, 1969, Trethaway's "Statement...," 10/11/69
 Box 2 Folder 14
Correspondence, 1970-1991
 Box 2 Folder 15
Correspondence, 1992
 Box 5 Folder 14
Correspondence, 1993
 Box 5 Folder 15
Correspondence, 1994
 Box 7 Folder 1
Correspondence, 1995
 Box 7 Folder 2
Correspondence, 1996-1998, 2001
 Box 7 Folder 3
Stewart Howe Alumni Service, Correspondence, 1957-1964
 Box 2 Folder 16
Stewart Howe Alumni Service, Position papers
 Box 2 Folder 17
Cornell University, Group Housing
Group housing, 1956-1959
 Box 3 Folder 1
Group housing, 1960-1961
 Box 3 Folder 2
Group housing, January-August, 1962
 Box 3 Folder 3
Group housing, August-December, 1962
 Box 3 Folder 4
Group housing, 1963
 Box 3 Folder 5
Group housing, 1964-1965
 Box 3 Folder 6
Group housing, 1966-1992
 Box 3 Folder 7
"Commission on Residential Environment" [Saperston Commission], 1967
 Box 3 Folder 8
Cornell Intrafraternity Alumni Association/Resident Fraternity Advisors, 1958-1970
 Box 3 Folder 9
Resident Advisor Program, 1965-1968
 Box 3 Folder 10
Clippings and Statistics relating to fraternities, 1962-1965
 Box 3 Folder 11
New Shelter, Fundraising Committee"
Organization, 1960-1961
 Box 3 Folder 12
Correspondence, 1961-1965
 Box 3 Folder 13
Form letters, 1961-1964
 Box 3 Folder 14
Information, 1961; "Solicitor Instructions," "Donor Information," "Finance Committee Report, New Chapter House"
 Box 3 Folder 15
Lists and reports, 1924-1961
 Box 3 Folder 16
Lists and reports, 1961
 Box 3 Folder 17
Lists and reports, 1962-1963
 Box 3 Folder 18
Lists and reports, 1964-1969
 Box 3 Folder 19
Correspondence with members, A
 Box 4 Folder 1
Correspondence with members, B
 Box 4 Folder 2
Correspondence with members, C
 Box 4 Folder 3
Correspondence with members, D
 Box 4 Folder 4
Correspondence with members, E
 Box 4 Folder 5
Correspondence with members, F
 Box 4 Folder 6
Correspondence with members, G
 Box 4 Folder 7
Correspondence with members, H
 Box 4 Folder 8
Correspondence with members, J
 Box 4 Folder 9
Correspondence with members, K
 Box 4 Folder 10
Correspondence with members, L
 Box 4 Folder 11
Correspondence with members, M
 Box 4 Folder 12
Correspondence with members, Mason
 Box 4 Folder 13
Correspondence with members, N
 Box 4 Folder 14
Correspondence with members, O
 Box 4 Folder 15
Correspondence with members, P-Q
 Box 4 Folder 16
Correspondence with members, R
 Box 4 Folder 17
Correspondence with members, S
 Box 4 Folder 18
Correspondence with members T
 Box 4 Folder 19
Correspondence with members, Tinan
 Box 4 Folder 20
Correspondence with members, V
 Box 4 Folder 21
Correspondence with members, W
 Box 4 Folder 22
Correspondence with members, Warner
 Box 4 Folder 23
Correspondence with members, Y
 Box 4 Folder 24
New Shelter, Building Committee
Building Committee
 Box 5 Folder 1
Robert A. Eyerman '32 F.A.I.A., 1961-1963
 Box 5 Folder 2
Robert A. Eyerman '32 F.A.I.A., 1964
 Box 5 Folder 3
Robert A. Eyerman '32 F.A.I.A.
 Box 5 Folder 4
Specifications, "Group House Number Seven," February 18, 1965
 Box 5 Folder 5
Specifications
 Box 5 Folder 6
Dedication, Correspondence, 1965
 Box 5 Folder 7
Dedication, Programs and speeches
 Box 5 Folder 8
Dedication, "Forest Park," by Professor Stephen W. Jacobs
 Box 5 Folder 9
Dedication, Publications and photographs
 Box 5 Folder 10
Whiteprints, May 2, 1963, "F" July 9, 1963, "G" August 1, 1963, "I" October 23, 1963, "No.12" February 18, 1965 [24 p.]
 Mapcase Folder 1
Whiteprints, September 13, 1963, "H" [4 p.]
 Mapcase Folder 2
Old Shelter
Old shelter, 110 Edgemoor Lane, Appraisal, Warren Real Estate, May 6, 1963
 Box 5 Folder 11
Sale to Cornell, 1964-1965
 Box 5 Folder 12
Second Century Fund, Centennial, 1990
 Box 5 Folder 13
"Appraisal of the Delta Tau Delta House..., May 18, 1912;" The American Appraisal Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Includes a full description of the building and all furnishings. Bound volume, 91 pages plus measured drawings.
Box 6
Plaque, "In Memory of Willard D. Straight '01, Donated by Joseph D. Trethaway '19 and Edward J. Trethaway '49"
 Box 6
Forest Park, 10 photographs, 11"x13" (Home of Ezra Cornell and his descendants, 1957 to 1929 and site of new shelter).
 Box 6 Folder 1
Old house/new house memento with correspondence, 1966
 Box 6 Folder 2
Photograph, 1947, of Otto, Prager[?], Orvis, and Wigton
 Box 6 Folder 3
Printed copy of photograph of Delta Tau Delta, 1896-1965, at 110 Edgemoor Lane, bought by Cornell 1965 and torn down
 Box 8
Photographs of Delta Tau Delta house, 110 Edgemoor Lane, interior and exterior
 Box 8 Folder 4
Negatives of Delta Tau Delta house, 110 Edgemoor Lane, interior and exterior
 Box 8 Folder 5