NUTS & BOLTS

MAJOR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

FOR RESTORATION OF DEKE HOUSE

BASICS: our Deke House needs our help. Although a sound and beautiful structure, the house needs a lot of refurbishing. it needs to be made a more desirable place in which to live. When I was a brother there in the fifties, the Wesleyan community had nothing to compare with it. it was clearly the best. I've heard it said from one who knows them all that our house is potentially the -be-stbf all the Deke'h6-ases in the country. However, today, it needs a lot of upgrading. It is far from the most desirable living quarters at Wesleyan. It's 70 years old. A lot wears out and needs replacing in 70 years. When it was built in 1929, the Deke alumni raised $100,000. This would be millions today. But luckily we don't have to build a house. We only have to upgrade it and put it on a sound financial footing. We can do a good job for one-half million dollars. With this amount we'll be able to pay off the mortgages of some $180,000 and update the house so that it is a more desirable place in which to live with standards comparable to other quarters at Wesleyan. if we can develop the fund beyond this into an endowment, we'll secure the house indefinitely.

NEEDS: A new furnace is needed. Back in 1929, steam heating was installed. With steam one gets a blast of heat that is frequently too much, followed by no heat that is too little. There are no adjustments, so the radiators are either scalding hot or cold. if we put in a good hot water system, it could cost us $50,000 to $100,000, depending on how many of the old pipes we could use. - The third floor is closed. We need to make repairs and install proper exiting so it can be reopened and rented. - A lot of the plumbing from 70 years ago is overdue for replacement. A total upgrading would reduce plumbing problems for years to come. Water damage is probably our biggest threat. o There is a continual need for better wiring. Wiring today includes cable and phone connections plus many more outlets and greater capacity. o The dining room is closed. It should be reopened. it offers an opportunity to get to know our fellow brothers better. The relaxed atmosphere, the camaraderie, the bonding - we have the dining room to thank for a lot of our fond memories. - It is time for a new front porch and entry. - The bedrooms need painting, repairs and furnishings. - Fixtures, floors and windows all reflect on the quality and desirability of the house, and there are many that need to be replaced. - The shutters that were on the original house rotted and had to be removed. To me, the house looks barren without them. - The landscaping needs to be improved so that the grounds match the neatness Wesleyan buildings enjoy. All this upgrading would go into a house that is structurally sound with a long life ahead of it. At present all the Dekes do not choose to live there. If we can get the rooms totally rented out, we can earn enough money to cover operating costs of the house and keep it up to high standards, but there is not enough money to cover major improvements. There never was enough money for major improvements. For this the alumni were always called on and they always came through. in essence we lived at the house for less than the cost of living in such a mansion. Now it is our turn to help with the costs so future students can enjoy what we had. it is fairto say that we owe it to the house.

CAMPAIGN: To organize this campaign, some brothers were contacted for their support and help - Herb Kelleher, Bill Ludington, and Pat Kelly, just to name a few you might know. This sam9piing, indicated a stron interest in saving the Deke House. Do you know some Dekes who could afford to make substantial donations? List them on the reply envelope and we'll make a personal appeal to them.

HOUSES AT WES: There are 29 large houses at Wesleyan and ours is one of them. Four of the houses are not owned by the college, Beta, AD, Psi U and Deke. These independents, plus Chi Psi, use Greek names. The Chi Psi House was bought by Wesleyan, but the Chi Psi fraternity still occupies it. Many students live in the dorms, principally the freshmen, but they are not the dwellings of first choice. The college owns most of the properties around its campus. 1 50 of the smaller houses that can hold 3-6 people are a popular choice for seniors where they can live with a few special friends. 25 of the larger houses are reserved for groups like ours. The students form their own group, then apply for the houses. They call this Program Housing. It is, in essence, a fraternity system. To qualify, the group must be non-discriminatory, have a leader and a mission, all of which must conform to the Program Housing guidelines. This is a popular alternative at Wesleyan for sophomores and juniors.

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