A Short History of California Beta
by Enrico Hernandez, '78
Chapter Founding: California Beta's establishment at Stanford University is
unique, for it happened without any kind of ceremony. There
was no initiation of charter members, no banquet as was the
custom and no great knowledge of the event until early 1892.
Our founding date, December 18, 1891, was quite arbitrary.
The chapter was alive and initiating members under dispensation
from the Executive Council.
California Beta's existence began when Stanford University
opened its doors in 1891. Thirteen members of California Alpha
at the University of the Pacific (UOP) in San Jose transferred
to Stanford. By the end of 1891, membership in the "chapter"
at Stanford numbered twenty men. The charter members were:
Fred G. Burrows, Stewart D. Briggs, Virgil C. Richards, Olin
W. Marsh, Raymond C. Morgan, Pember S. Castleman, Clarke B.
Whittier, Robert L. Gruwell, Leslie M. Burwell, Richard T.
Buchanan, Henry R. Timm, Arthur H. Barnhisel, James B. Newell,
William F. Blake, Ernest R. Hill, Aylett R. Colton, Howard
T. Trumbo, John M. Lewis, Walter C. Hazzard and Walter H.
Kirkbride.
In the first letter to The Shield, the correspondent for
the new chapter wrote:
One evening during the holidays Brother Whittier came and
told me that he had received a Christmas present that he wished
me to share. He kept me in suspense while we climbed two flights
of stairs to his room, and then read me a letter from Brother
Smart, stating that a charter had been granted for California
Beta. He sent the news as a Christmas gift, and gladly was
it received.
In closing Brother Burrows wrote:
Housing: Plans for California Beta's chapter house have been submitted
to the architect for estimates and details. We expect to occupy
a house built according to our own plans and expressly for
us, to cost something like $7,000 or $8,000. The house will
be built by Senator Stanford, and we will take a perpetual
lease. Rent at about 10 per cent.
The price for California Beta was California Alpha. When
the great exodus from UOP ended, three brothers were left
at California Alpha. The chapter ceased to exist in June of
1892.
The chapter continued to grow and occupied its house at 550
San Juan Street. In the early seventies, the general declining
interest in fraternities hit California Beta. At the end of
the 1975-1976 school year California Beta became inactive.
The causes were long, sad and involved. In 1973, because
of deterioration of the house, the University told the chapter
to renovate the house or move out. The cost of renovation
was estimated to be $250,000 to $300,000. The House Corporation's
assets were $100,000. Jerry Wood '32, John Cahill '36 and
Bill Kelley '47 met to arrange to improve the house as much
as possible. Then, in 1975, the house was deeded to the University
to make further improvements. The chapter house was then leased
back to the chapter.
In 1975, with the implementation of the Guaranteed Housing
Plan, the chapter was unwilling to revert to an all-male status
after having allowed woman boarders. Interest in Phi Psi declined
and the chapter became inactive in 1976. The charter however
was not suspended in the hopes that the chapter would soon
return.
Revival of the Chapter: The chapter did return during the 1976-1977 academic school
year. A group of men, Allen Amen '78, Carlos Hernandez, '78
and Mark Reinecke '78 pledged the chapter in 1977 and were
initiated the following year. The reactivated chapter was
the first of the unhoused fraternities at Stanford and continues
to prosper, now twenty-five years after the chapter's re-establishment.
The oldest fraternity on campus, the chapter boasts over 1420
initiates since the founding. As in the past 111 years, California
Beta continues to offer Stanford men one of the best fraternity
experiences. High! High! High!
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