Wall of Honor
Gamma Rho, as did many fraternity and sorority chapters, annually had a composite photograph made of all the Brothers (and sometimes the current Pledges – some of whom were never initiated). The form of these photographs varied little from year to year; fraternity name, chapter year, seal and the school, surrounded by head shots of the current chapter members. Sometimes the individual names and fraternity office held were included. Generally, these pictures were taken by traveling photographers employed by companies who specialized in this work.
Greek organizations with houses traditionally hung a framed copy of the photograph on a prominent wall in the house and each class looked forward to joining the pictures of those who had gone before. Unfortunately, it was also a tradition for one group to steal as many of the pictures as they could from their rivals - more damaging by far in the long run than a pantry raid as consequently few, if any groups, now have a full set of the photographs.
Each person pictured in the composite was coerced into buying an unframed copy of the photograph each year. Although some of the pictures may have hung on and off in the Duke Beta Section there was never a tradition of trying to assemble a complete set although a few dusty unframed photographs of a couple of previous years could often be found in the closet of the Card Room.
In 2009 John Cashwell # 426 decided it would be a fitting tribute to the 1301 men initiated into Beta Theta Pi at Duke beginning on October 6, 1939 with the initiation of # 1 Bob Miles, through the initiation of # 1302 Matt Pilnik on December 7, 2007 (# 911 was never assigned). He solicited the assistance of The Duke Beta. The job sounds simple enough – just get together all 70 pictures from 1939 to 2008. It wasn't!
No pictures have located for the years 1939-1949 and 2000-2008, but there are now only five of the intervening years missing – 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, and 1998. It is not known if pictures were made in all of the missing years. Any information as to this, and especially pictures for the missing years should be sent to TDB (they will be returned) and would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks to the Duke Betas, and their relatives, who took pictures out of frames, searched attics, garages, basements, storage sheds, barns, and who knows where else to find the 45 shown here. Also many thanks to the staff at Oxford, Duke University Archives, and Edward Vantine Studios in Hamilton, NY (the company that took most of the pictures and unfortunately had a water damage disaster in 1978 and lost everything prior thereto). Smith Studio in Raleigh, NC and Fraternal Composite Service in Utica, NY, both took at least one of the composites and searched but found none of the missing pictures. Without all of this help there would be far fewer pictures.
Not having a wall in a fraternity house, or even a section now, upon which to hang these pictures they are hereby posted on The Duke Beta web site for all to enjoy (and they cannot be stolen, either.
Pictures are missing for the following years: 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1964, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008.
