tuesday, november 20, 1979
daily nebraskan
Fraternity's cook
mixes up active life
pag3 10
By Patti Gallagher
Take a combination of feeding a house full of hungry
males, leading many Lincoln civic activities and raising a
growing family, ami you've got three major components
in the make-uo of cook Lenora Letcher.
Letcher, 66, has been cook at Beta Sigma Psi fraternity
for 33 years, president of the Lincoln Branch or the Na
tional Association for the Advancement of Colored People
People, as well as mother of three, grandmother of eight,
and proxi-mother to the boys at Beta Sigma Psi, whom
she calls "her kids."
Letcher, whose son, Paul, is a UNL student and foot-
ball player, said that in various prusuits, her philosophy is
to aid people regardless of creed or religion, and to "help
upgrade mankind in any way 1 can.' 1
Thirty -three years ago, Letcher came to Lincoln and to
Beta Sigma Psi as a cook. Her duties include, lunch and '
dinner preparation,-and anything in between. She quit
making breakfast four years a'go.
Letcher attributed her longevity at the house to a genu
ine enjoyment of the work and the students.
"I enjoy them, and they seem to enjoy me too, I
guess "Letcher said.- ,
LETCHER ALSO SAID one plus in her extended years
at Beta Sigma Psi is the return of alumni to the house. She
said that when past members return "I'm the only one
they remember."
Letcher said that during the years the change most
apparent in college students has been their age. She said .
that when she began working with students in 194.6, they
were older and many were veterans.
Continued on Page 1 1
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PrrTTOT'c1 330 No. 13
LvULjWkS H Elk Love Lib.
V f Li
0
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. . . Photo by Jerry McBride
After 36 years of service to the university, James Thomas Lees requested to be buried on the university campus.
Lees ashes are bured outside Architecture Hall. -
Last resting place is UNL campus
By Mary Ray Wayman
Students and faculty are concerned about education
f at UNL these -days,; but hpw many know of a faculty
'' member so dedicated to this' university ! that he
requested burial on campus?
James Thomas Lees was buried on campus in 1926-
after 36 years of service to the university:. A 58Q pound
granite rock outside Architecture Hall marks the
resting place of Lees' ashes. That building was tlie"
former university library. ." . V .
The rock's inscription . reads: "Dr. James .Thomas
Lees; He served well; 1889.1926." " - J
v r In attempting to discover the reason for this campus
grave a trail of red tape was followed from nearly every
possible source, the dean of the architecture college to
the physical plant and business offices. Even question
ing a meeting of the Emeriti Association of retired
faculty was suggested . 4 -J . - .
After the stone had rested on campus for 54 years
no one seemed to know the reason for it or whether it
actually marked a grave.
But Lee's portrait hangs in the University , Archives
' and it was there that his life was remembered. Files of
60-year-old photographs and dissertations on subjects,
in Greek, maintain the memory of this man who so
loved the university, .
During his years at NU the British-born Lees. was a
Greek professor, head of the Greek departmentfehair-;
.man of the department of ancient languag'es, and the '
first university provost. . ;J k
. The regents created the undefined position of pro
vost for Lees. He worked to simplify the university's
organization, to eliminate duplicate courses and to re
duce the size of the catalog. As provost Lees was a
- memoer - or ail iacumes : ana, ail ; courses. oi.iSiuay4i;
Lees came to the university in 1889 after re
- ceiving his masters and doctor of philosophy degrees'
. trom John Hopkins University. 1 . r Z-Vrr.
J.C. vWhitten said that Lees joined the university
staff at a time when.NU was moving. in to a. place of
recognized leadership among American universities.
The university was called then by some the "Athens of j
the Plains," Whitten said in a 1975 letter-to-theditor. ?
Lees was forced to - retire in 1922; Jjeause of "a ;
"painful and mysterious disease," according to papers-,
in the university archives. Lees-retired from active ,
work and moved to California where he died at the age
of66. ; . .. .. -
i Lees was a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Phi
Beta Kappa and a 36 degree Mason . -
- It was Lees wish that he be buried on the University
campus. His wife and Chancellor Samuel Avery
arranged a memorial service near the university library
in May of 1926. ' :,k .'z.j'' : ' -
Chancellor Avery said of Lees, "His passing Waves
one less in the group of men and women who have
been great University builders during the period of its
greatest growth and activity. His career covers the
state's period of development and its growing maturity.
In his passing the University loses from its councils one
'of a group who might be termed 'the elder statesmen.' "
fe 1 ; l
I - I
H
AIM FOKCE
EOTC
7d
HERE ARE THE FACTS
. . n
When you re discussing something as important as your future, it's urgent that you get the straight
facts .1. . and that you understand them. Air Force ROTC can be an important part of your future. We would
like to outline some of the facts and invite you to look into gathering more.
It's a fact: the Air Force needs highly-qualified, dedicated officers . . . men and women. It's a fact: we need
people in all kinds of educational disciplines. It's a fact: we're prepared to offer financial help to those who can
qualify for an Air Force ROTC scholarship. .
Get together with an AFROTC representative and discuss the program. Well give you all the facts It
could be one of the most important talks you've ever had with anyone about your educational plans,
Cowoy to o great way of M,
Lt. Col. Tom Skinner
Rm. 209M&NBldg.
472-2473
