1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

340 THE SCROLLTHE CHAPTER HOUSELocated in the prettiest section of the university district, the newhome of Minnesota. Alpha is one of the most conspicuous fraternityhouses at Minnesota. The location is at the corner of 11th andUniversity Avenues, S. E., a three blocks walk from the centerof the campus.The exterior of the house is. red brick to the second floor sills,the remainder being finished in stucco. There is a terrace of brickacross the front leading to the main entrance. The interior hastwenty-two rooms, including living accommodations for sixteenmen. The basement includes the chapter room, storage room,laundry, vegetable room, furnace room and servants' toilet and isfinished in pine, painted. The first floor is finished in fumed oakwith the exception of the dining room which is finished in mahogany,size 16x22, and a sideboard is built in. The living room proper is16x33 and it opens up into the library and the reception hall, allof which together form a rectangle enclosing the fireplace and stairs.When social functions are held at the house, all of these rooms arethrown open, which with the dining room give excellent facilitiesfor dancing and entertainment. The vestibule and kitchen completethe first floor, the latter of which is completely equipped. Plateglass windows throughout the first floor give a very distinctive touchand the fire place in the living room is of native cut stone and is veryattractive.A landing on the stairway between the first and second floor addsmaterially to the effect produced. The second floor consists of thematron's room and five large bedrooms each accommodating two men.A commodious bathroom and linen closet complete the second floor,the furnishings throughout being birch, finished natural. The. thirdfloor consists of compartments for servants as well as three bedrooms and a bath for the men, the finish being pine, painted, withbirch flooring.The house is furnished with every convenience and the floors arehardwood throughout. • The large number and size of the closetsthroughout the house are a very pleasing feature. The numerouswindows, averaging three to each bedroom give excellent light. Thehouse on the whole, without the sacrifice of anything architecturallyhas been built to live in, and for fraternity purposes, we think thatit is almost ideal.The house movement of Minnesota Alpha was formally begunin 1905 when Harry C. Flannery and L. M. Sowle started the notesystem, by which method the lot was cleared in June 1912. Throughthe efforts of Dr. W. H. Condit, C. Z. and W. R. Brown, S.C. Confer,J. E. Jensen, James B. Lindsay, Henry Thrall, and other loyalalumni, ground was broken on September 2 last, and the chaptermoved into the house January 3 1913.The house was formally opened on February 14 1913 on which