Random Thoughts from a Random Memory

By Edward Master

I recently learned that Jack Buzzard was a member of the Phi Sigma Kappa (national) fraternity while at Clarion University (now Penn West). At least 20 years ago, my fraternity, Phi Sigma Epsilon, combined with Phi Sigma Kappa and so essentially Jack and I were fraternity brothers. I have a feeling both Jack and myself could have easily exchanged some knee-slapping tales of fraternal exploits at the college on the hill.

A few years back at a reception for Autumn Leaf Festival goers, I ran into an older brother of a fraternity brother of mine, who at one time was one of my pledges during a recruitment period. This fellow was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity in the early to mid 60s. My frat brother was Tom Truman from Kane, but I forget the name of the Sig Tau. However, during our conversation/reminiscing of former college doings I learned that during that period a former teacher/coach at A-C Valley, Jan Gallagher, was also a Sigma Tau Gamma at that time.

I had never known that many former Clarion grads who became one of my former teachers, especially (I came to realize) in elementary school. My grandfather (on my dad’s side) had a cousin (Isabel Jones) who was my second-grade teacher (graduate from Clarion Normal School), but she was the only one I ever knew from anything Clarion University related. Longer story shorter, I realized that I remembered reading that my first-grade teacher (at St. Petersburg, also a Turkey City native) Phyllis Hale (then Jordan) was a member of the Delta Zeta sorority while at Clarion State Teachers College. I just wish I would have known that tidbit while she was still alive. I last saw her on an elevator at UPMC Northwest. I was getting my blood test for my marriage license and she was on a hospital visit. So, I’m going back in time a few years.

Phyllis always called me “Eddie.” I was a head higher than her so she had to look upward at me. I had seen her at Jordan’s hardware in Knox every so often over the years. She had retired from teaching long ago. I think she would have enjoyed seeing one of her students, especially from first grade, as an adult. I could have regaled her with a tale of the D-Zs and Phi Sigs, with the ladies in their pink and green sister suits, and the guys in red jackets with white leather sleeves (though the Phi Sigs weren’t on campus until mid-1960s).

I get the feeling that a sorority story would have perked up her day. Actually, I did meet another Delta Zeta at a wedding one time. She happened to be a relative/friend of either the bride or groom so we laughed over Greek stories at our respective colleges. Over the years I’d meet up with a frat guy or sorority girl at work or socially, but not that often.