THE BETA MU STORY
A charter was granted by the Put-in-Bay convention on
July 18, 1903 to twelve petitioners. On September 26, 1903 nine
students signed an agreement with the Purdue faculty under which
a chapter was to be permitted. On October 27, 1903 the chapter was
installed by Betas from DePauw and Indiana, among them: Lewis Terrell
DePauw '04, Roy Shackelton Indiana '05, and Harry H. Baugh Indiana
'06. The name Beta Mu was given to the new chapter. Purdue is the
sixth Hoosier chapter of Beta Theta Pi, not the fifth, as one might
suspect, for we had a chapter at Northwestern Christian University,
now Butler, from 1878 through 1881. Purdue is the 88th chapter of
the fraternity. Purdue first had a chapter house in the college
year, 1910-1911. The present house was dedicated on April 9, 1927.
On January 29, 1912 the Purdue chapter adopted its chapter coat-of-arms.
In addition the fraternity's coat-of-arms, the chapter has added
a gear wheel, and on the scroll our motto: Machinery is King.
|
|
Stanley Coulter
While there are many memories of Purdue's Betas, none
is warmer in our hearts than Stanley Coulter Hanover 1871,
and his long association with Beta Mu. As a faculty member Dean
Coulter advised many Beta Mu men, and as a host he was known for
his dinners for the chapter.
|
|
George Peppard
The most recognizable face to come out of the Beta Mu
chapter was actor George Peppard Purdue '52. Brother Peppard
was best known for his work on the series "The A-Team"
and his roles in such films as Breakfast at Tiffany's, The
Blue Max, and The Carpetbaggers.
|