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THE MERCER CLUSTER, NOVEMBER 6. 1976 — PAGE 6
w __ I no iiigav. cn V.UJ316R, 9, l»/tt —
Lee Battle Lecture Series - A Storv In Itself
Macon. Ga. - A black man affection, according tn Mi*. famed km* . . .... J
, Ga. — A black
who gave almost 40 years of his
life to Mercer University and its
students is being honored by
the school's black studies
department in a 1973-74 lecture
Although Let
more than 30 years ago. all
alumni who attended Mercer
during the years when he was a
with
affection, according to Mias
Frances Floyd, secretary of
Mercer Alumni Aseocaitioo.
"Each student during this era
seems to have his own favorite
Lee Battle story." said Mias
Floyd.
Janitor was only a title for Lee
Battle — he was much more
than that. An avid support of
Mercer's football team, Battle
accompanied the group to the
I ml Alpha Phi Alpha preeeated a history
of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to University Librarian. Daniel
Metis.
famed 1933 games
Army and Navy. According to
old records, the train made a
special stop at a crossing on the
edge of the campus, and while
the band played, the team —
and Lee Bottle - boarded. At
the last minute Bottle gave his
famous rebel yell. Students had
earlier taken up a collection to
buy him a warm overcoat for the
trip.
An honorary — and probably
unofficial — doctor of philoso
phy degree was presented to
Battle, and be also received
honorary membership in the
Alumni Association. Described
as the eternal optimist, he gave
students pep talks, invited them
to his small cottage near the
• campus to play checkers and
drink lemonade, loaned them
money, listened to their
troubles, and saw that they got
up in time for breakfast.
Once when he was gravely ill
in a local hospital. Mercer
rtudenta waited in line to offer
blood for a transfusion he
needed.
When Battle died December
8. 1939. his body lay in state in
the old trustees room at Mercer
before burial in Forsyth. Ge.
Members of Blue Key honorary
fraternity were pallbearers at
kis funeral in Unionville Baptist
Church. Later Blue Key mem
bers gave a granite stone in his
memory which is located in
front of Sherwood Hall on the
Mercer campus. Numerous
poems and eulogies were
written on hia death
In 1968 the Mercer class of
1912 gave to the university a
portrait of Battle, protrayed in
his characteristic white apron
trnk News
Phi Delta
Phi Delta Theta had 9 pledges
instead of the 4 listed under
"Rush Results'' of the last'
edition.
New officers are as follows:
President. Joel Wood. Vice-
President. Michael S. Meyer
Bremen. Secretary. Tim
Floyd, and Treasurer. Chuck
Shelton
and cap. delivering one of the
spontaneous orations for which
he was known. The portrait of
in hand,
now hangs in the W.G. Lee
Alumni House.
Grtek Nows
The Snakes of Eta Chapter.
Sigma Nu Fraternity enjoyed an
active week. The' weekend of
Halloween sew a ridiculously
boisterous party at the Snake
Den. Winners of the annual
Beastly Ball Costume Contest
were Donnie Fountain and Julie
McCraney.
On the gridiron, there was of
bourse the celebrated contest
against ATO on Monday.
Tensioa preceding the game
was apparently keen as the only
two undefeated Greek Squads
prepared to square off.*
, In intramural individual e-
vents. Snakes* Chris Geiger and
Tom Mathias copped respective
Sigma l\u
first and third places in place
, Sigma Nu’s excellent pledge
class has selected Jean Arm-
bruster as Sweetheart Officers
have also been elected for the
class as follows: Commander.
Tom Mathias: Li. Commander,
Donnie Fountain: Recorder,
Steve Garner: Treasurer. Jeb
Blackburn: Chaplain. Ken
Brown. Congratulations to all
these fine people, especially the
pledge class as a whole for their
excellent Sweetheart selection.
The Snake Pit h^a also been
invested with a new television,
replacing the stolen set, which
was taken during the summer.
Kappa Sigma
The Alpha-Bets Chapter of
Kappa Sigma and Phi Mu
staged a smashing Halloween
party last Thursday night. With
the help of Mercer's Special
Services Division, over 5Q
children {rom the Mercer area
were able to enjoy a Halloween
they wHl not soon forget.
Activities included e Spook
House set up by the Brothers.
Refreshments for the kids and
thier parents, apple-bobbing
and a performance by the Phi
Mu Washboard Band. Everyone
had a tremendous time.
The Brothers would also like
to announce the pledging of
Steve Chambers. Steve is s
Great addition to the Fraternity
and is hoping to play Basketball
for the Bears this season. The
new pledge class officers are
Chfrlie Brannen as President.
Garry Johnson as Vlce-
Presidsnt, Jim Devara as
Secretary and Paul Fonts js
Treasurer. The pledge fl«f
also proudly announces the
selection of Susan Debor as
Pledge Sweetheart.
Alpha Phi Alpha
The Iota Eta Chapter of Alpha
Phi Alpha formally |*eeenled a
copy of its history u> Mercer
University on Thursday evening
October 21. 1976. The ceremony
was held in the Trustees'
Dining Room, and was wit
nessed by a large group of
students and staff
Chapter President Carlton
Jackson made the presentation
to Mr Metis. Librarian of
Mercer University Mr Metis
thanked the Brothers for such a
worthy contribution to the
library He assured the Bro
thers that their gift would be
forever treasured and housed m
the reference section of the
library for the benefit of all. Dr.
Joseph M Hendricks. Assistant
to the President, made remarks
concerning the presentation and
the overall performance of the
local chapter. Julian Gordy,
Director of Student Activities,
also expressed his appreciation
and listed the chapter’s
achievements
The history is entitled A
History of Alpha Phi Alpha. A
Develop meat Li f/oUege Life. It
is suthori^Jjy / Dr Charles
Harris Wesley, who served as
General President of Alpha Phi
Alpha from 1932-1940 and has
■erved as Histooan since 1940
The history contains nineteen