The Rest of the 1940s
The base for much of the progress had been laid in 1946, and both the Fraternity and Illinois Chapter used it to advantage as they moved through the 1940s. The Board of Directors worked diligently to reestablish the prewar standard of Nabor House. The Board wanted to create and maintain a sound financial basis in which both groups could operate in the future and worked toward that end.
Members of the Illinois Chapter pursued their scholastic and extracurricular activities with enthusiasm and dedication. All men in the house belonged to the Ag Club and the YMCA and were involved in a myriad of activities on the campus and in their churches and religious foundations. In 1947, they renewed the practice of having a weekly faculty guest for dinner and discussion. Herbert L. Sharp, who was serving as resident graduate adviser at the time, was given associate membership on Feb. 10, 1949.
Members of the Illinois Chapter pursued their scholastic and extracurricular activities with enthusiasm and dedication. All men in the house belonged to the Ag Club and the YMCA and were involved in a myriad of activities on the campus and in their churches and religious foundations. In 1947, they renewed the practice of having a weekly faculty guest for dinner and discussion. Herbert L. Sharp, who was serving as resident graduate adviser at the time, was given associate membership on Feb. 10, 1949.
New Era EnteredIn the fall of 1947, the products of their hard work the year before brought high scholastic recognition to some individuals and to the house as a whole. It was the beginning of an era of trophies. Donald N. Duvick, '48, was named the winner of the Men's Independent Association Scholarship Award for the individual with the highest scholastic average. Ellery L. Knake, '49, was named the winner of the Association's award for the freshman with the highest scholastic average. The capacity crowd in the Auditorium roared its approval as these two men walked down the stage steps, each carrying a trophy.
Then, it was the whole house's turn. The house received a plaque for having the highest average in the Association. Its 4.2 average (on a 5.0 scale) was unofficially the highest average ever attained by an organized house at the University of Illinois. Scholastic recognition continued when Donald N. Duvick, '48, was the first Nabor to be named Bronze Tablet. The next year, James A. Rogers, '49, was the second Nabor to make Bronze Tablet. In 1949, D. Eugene Becker, '45, received his Ph.D. from Cornell University, becoming the first Nabor with a doctorate. |
New Recreation AreaFor some time, the actives had wanted two of the basement rooms at 811 W. oregon made into a recreation area. To do this, concrete floors were needed to replace the dirt floors. The Board of Directors authorized the expenditure at $100, and the Chapter agreed to do the work. Professional cement finishers would cause an overrun of the budget. So the actives persuaded two actives' fathers, Virgil Ferree and C.M. Curry of Mattoon, Ill., to help.
A humorous thing occurred -- humorous, perhaps, to all but a few. The ready-mixxed cement was dumped from the truck through a window. When it was poured, except for a small area under a the window through which it had been coming, a serious problem arose. how could this last patch be completed and the last worker get out without leaving his footprints? Nabor House ingenuity came to the fore. Paul J. Ferree, '48, hung head down through the window and smoothed the last small portion of the floor. Mission accomplished. More InnovationsIn 1947, someone suggested that a picnic be held. It could be for the family, parents, and friends of Nabors, and in additions, it would give the actives a chance to get together during the summer. The suggestion was approved, and the First Annual Nabor House Picnic was held July 11, 1948, at Fairview Park, Decatur, Ill.
Another first occurred in 1948. The Big Brother Program began that fall. Designed to smooth the way for incoming men, it has been a permanent fixure ever since. And the famous kitchen motto made its appearance in 1948: When it's smokin', it's cookin', |