Purple and white

218 E Seventeenth Avenue

The fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (ΦΓΔ) has changed a lot since 1925, as has 218 E. Seventeenth Avenue. The Omicron Deuteron Chapter began there in 1878 as Ohio State's first fraternity. Charley quickly became involved when he went to OSU in 1921 and Grandpa was happy to follow in his shoe steps the next year.

Fred (upper left) and Charley (lower right)

Uncle Charley was a "Fiji" as was Grandpa Fred. They both seemed to live the Greek life to its fullest. If you look through their Makio yearbooks, you see the epitome of 1920s stereotypes: jazz age kids with raccoon skin coats, bobbed and shingled hair, and lots of pomade.

I wonder, did the fraternity colors of royal purple and white resonate with the brothers since those were also the colors of Logan High School.

I find myself staring at the above pictured fraternity house and wonder if one of those windows looked in on their bedroom or bathroom. Did Uncle Charley or Grandpa Fred look through them and what did they see? A bright future?

I then look at the photo of the brothers with their Brothers in this 1925 Makio photo. I'm glad they did not know what was coming, other than a desire to warn them.

I believe the original Phi Gamma Delta  building was torn down in the mid '60s, because the current apartment building on that site was built around 1966. The current Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house is nearby at 94 E. Fifteenth Ave.

 -30-