In September of 2007, Tom McCelland was one of four pals who organized a Theta Chi Fraternity Reunion (San Jose State University). The 3-day gathering was a huge success. His Gamma Xi chapter had a big turnout, considering they represented college men from the 50s and 60s.

More than a hundred brothers turned out for the major reunion of Gamma Xi brothers in September 2007. Some 24 brothers played golf on Friday. While most had a good time hacking at the ball, Bill Harvey laughed his way to victory, shooting just one over par for18 holes. He also had the longest drive. Tom and Joan Barton hosted a party at their house on the 12th hole of the Boulder Creek Country Club.

The Saturday picnic was sensational. Brothers who had not seen one another in 40 or 50 years got reacquainted. What a time they had. There was a luscious Bar-B-Q lunch served at Roaring Camp followed by a steam-engine train ride through the beautiful redwoods. Bill Boggie’s massive display of enlarged photos and clippings from bygone days was a big hit.

Brothers came from far and near. Jamie Maher arrived from New Mexico. Al Bache, from Virginia. Vern Perry, Massachusetts. There were some from the original local fraternity that became Theta Chi.

Dinner at Scopazzi’s was such a big turnout that the restaurant gave its entire Saturday seating to Theta Chi. There were no long speeches. The deceased brothers were honored. The men stood and sang “My Dear Little Girl of Theta Chi,” and it was a decent rendition considering the lapse of time since they last sang together. After dinner, most gathered at the Brookdale Lodge to enjoy the Bill Boggie slide show. Where does he get all those pictures?

A farewell brunch at the Lodge concluded a wonderful weekend of real camaraderie. Plans were underway to have a repeat performance in two years, site, host and dates to be determined. Meanwhile, Gamma Xi of Theta Chi will celebrate 60 years at SJSU in 2008.

Spartan Fight Song

Fight on for dear old San Jose State
Fight on for victory!
We are with you in every way
No matter what the price may be!
Onward for Sparta noble and true
Fight hard in everything you do!
And so we’ll Fight! (RAH!) Win! (RAH!)
March onward down the field
And we will win the day!

HANSEL THE MASCOT
Hansel, the fraternal boxer dog, was every Theta Chi’s pal for eight years at SJS.
Bob Custer—roommate of brothers George Anderson, Joel Thornley and Jim VanHouten—brought Hansel to the fraternity after a cocktail party in 1952. Custer had admired the dog, so the host said “You want him, you got him.”

Bob and Hansel arrived at about 1 a.m. and Bob’s roommates met the soon-to-be popular mascot for the first time.

Custer gave Hansel his first name, and Dick Garcia applied the long German surname. He became Hansel von Helfen von Gaben III. Hansel died in 1960, almost simultaneously with the tearing down of the original fraternity house. He looked upon 11th Street as his. He would spend mornings walking Theta Chis to campus.
He had powerful flatulence in his last years, and, once, when Ed Burke had him at his feet in a morning class, the class had to be dismissed. It was Hansel’s fault. The professor loved Hansel but said that they had best not bring Hansel to class anymore.

Custer was a local D.J. for KLOK. His “Custer’s Caravan” had a big campus following. Every Saturday night Custer played the latest hits, and occasionally interviewed famous personalities such as Patti Page, Kay Starr and Eddie Cantor.
—Evan Howard

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