The building’s architecture is outdated.
At best, it should be torn down and reconstructed.
At the least, it could use some modern touches and a few coats of paint.
Tucked away among the grandiose mansions in Mizzou’s Greek town, stands the home of Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.
Built in the mid-1960s, the 110-yard two story building is made of dark brick and grey stone. It presents as a structure whose time has long past.
Yet, to many, it stands proudly as an edifice of achievement; some hardship, much friendship, and most of all brotherhood.
Though the building’s years number 55, the memories created inside reach into the thousands.
High achieving professionals have resided within its domain.
Many became accountants, attorneys, dentists, journalists, surgeons and business owners. One even the radio voice of the Dallas Cowboys football team.
Some found their soul mates. Many marriages followed.
In January 1970, after high school graduation and a six-month stint in the Coast Guard reserves, I passed through its doorway for the first time.
Wary and nervous I searched around. After a few minutes I saw some familiar faces.
A handful of friends from my high school alma mater, Ladue, had joined the fraternity and were already living there.
They rushed up and greeted me.
Soon 75 others would engulf me. One by one they introduced themselves.
It would take time to remember them all and as I would soon learn, I would be required to do so.
I joined the fall freshmen as part of a pledge class. Pledges were not yet full brothers. They had to undergo a variety of mental and physical “tests” before they were accepted.
The pledges had virtually no authority. They were ruled by their pledge master and other initiated brothers. Rules had to be followed. Commands had to be obeyed.
AEPi was at capacity then and freshman slept four to a room. You were assigned to a bed by the pledge master.
The pledge class had to fulfill many tasks. Some were rituals that been passed on from one class to another. Others were more focused centered on community building.
The main one was the construction of a campus wide party to be held in the front yard and inside the fraternity called Jungle Party.
Trees were secured from a forest and brought to the house. Freshmen would dig into the ground and erect them. Swinging bridges and other jungle-like décor were created.
The party took several months to create. Hundreds came from various parts of the campus to drink, dance and revel in the exotic atmosphere.
Yet the pledges could not enjoy the party for long. They were required to drop off their dates and return to the fraternity no later than midnight. It was then that the tear-down would begin.
Trees and decorations had to be dug up and removed.
It took to the wee hours of the morning. Eventually the front yard returned to near normalcy.
The next day the members of the fall freshman class were initiated as full brothers.
Since I had only recently joined, I was not included. It left me as a pledge class of one.
The pledge master really didn’t know what to do with me. He gave me a few chores and a few minor things to do.
Months later, as the winter semester neared its close, I was initiated as well.
I resided in the house for four years. I served in various executive capacities, including rush chairman, assistant master and master (president) of the house.
As rush chairman, my charge was to recruit high school students for the next group of pledges.
This included inviting interested 12th graders to attend our fraternity parties. Many would travel from Chicago, Kansas City and St. Louis. I had to ensure they had a good time and helped them secure dates with unexpecting college co-eds.
I felt sorry for the girls who had to endure an evening with a slightly less than mature high schooler.
The job also required meeting with parents of prospective students. Perhaps the funniest question was, “Does he need to bring his own toothbrush, or will one be provided for him?”
I emphasized this was not summer camp. And their son would need to bring clothing, toiletries, books and recreational material, basically everything he would need to survive a semester in college.
During my years dozens of brothers passed through the fraternity. Many were highly ranked scholars. Some left due to family issues or were unable to survive the studying and rigors of a college education.
All members of the fraternity had a nickname. Many were best known by their pseudonym.
Mention Kush, Gut, Gooby, Old Man (who looked 20 years older than he actually was), Young Man (Old Man’s brother), Goose, Hawk, Purse, Pouch, Peanutman, Yenta and his brother Little Yenta, Kono, Katz, Shaky and Weezer, everyone knew to whom you were referring.
Through the years, though seldom seen, many had remained in touch.
Four years ago, some of the Chicago-based fraternity brothers had a meeting. They wanted to have a reunion.
They volunteered to make calls and send emails to connect with former classmates.
A date and location were decided. Invitations sent out. And some 40 of us, many with spouses, gathered for a weekend in St. Louis.
They came from as far away as New York and Miami.
The event was successful, so another was held the following year in Kansas City.
Then in 2023 it was time to meet again. Columbia was selected and many of the activities focused inside the AEPi house.
Around 30 attended. We mingled with many of the current students. Fifty years had passed but there we were sitting on a couch inside a room at the fraternity. It felt as if time had never passed.
While there we learned the street housing AEPi had undergone a name change from Maryland to Tiger Avenue.
The university had upgraded surrounding facilities, redesigned other buildings and now even changed the street name.
I realized that one thing they will never change though is the soul of the brotherhood that was and is Alpha Epsilon Pi.
All contained within the walls of that old building we call The House.
