In time, Clarkson women founded three sororities of their own: Delta Zeta, Phi Mu, and
Phi Sigma Sigma.
"Pinky" Ryan Died.
Philip "Pinky" Ryan '35, associate director of athletics, died in Syracuse
at age 64, six weeks after a heart attack in Potsdam. He had served on the Clarkson staff since
1947, when he returned after graduating in 1935.
He had been elected ice carnival king in 1934, and was the first ice carnival king to
marry his ice carnival queen, Virginia Melius. He was a member of Sigma Delta, Phalanx, and
had been one of the most outstanding athletes in Clarkson's history. Following his graduation
from Clarkson, this Syracuse native played baseball for three years on the Malone team in the
former Northern New York League. Later, he served as athletic director and baseball and
basketball coach at St. Michael's College in Winooski, Vermont. During the 1940s, he served as
physical education director at the University of Vermont for Army Air Force cadets.
Cheating?
After a physics graduate student scored the highest percentages on his examinations
that the physics faculty had ever recorded, the faculty became convinced that the young man
had cheated and levied charges against him. Composed of Professors John Rollins, ME
department, and Bill Harrison, CE department the Cheating Committee questioned the young
man at length. They were told that all the calculations were performed in his head; he didn't
need or ever use a calculator. Dubious of this claim, the two profs put the young man through a
rigorous series of tests. He convinced them that he indeed had that unique mathematical
facility; no cheating was involved.
Phi Kappa Phi Chapter.
On April 25, the Clarkson chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, one of the most
prestigious honor societies in American education, was established on the Clarkson campus.
Members are elected from the top 10 percent of the graduating class, and the top five percent of
the junior class.
This society differs from the other major honor societies such as Phi Beta Kappa and
Tau Beta Pi in that its membership is not limited to a single academic field, but is taken from all
fields. Its motto is
philosophia krateito photon
-"may the love of learning rule mankind."
Founded in 1897, it had 140 chapters with over 240,000 members.
Graham Made Chancellor
. At his request, the Trustees changed John W. Graham's title from
president to chancellor and chief executive officer, and then they began the search for a new
president and chief operating officer.
By this move, Clarkson adopted a practice followed by a number of educational
institutions including NYU, University of Rochester, and MIT. It allowed Graham to concern
himself solely with long-range planning of the institution, public affairs, and fund raising. The
new president was to act with and for the chancellor in providing the primary educational
leadership to the administration, faculty, and students consistent with the mission and resources
of the College. By this move, the position of provost was abolished.
Ceglarski Resigned.
Len Ceglarski, hockey coach since 1958, resigned to become the head
coach at his alma mater, Boston College. In his 14 years as Clarkson coach, he amassed one of
the finest records in college hockey. In 361 games, his charges compiled a 254-97-10 record
