The story of the founding of FarmHouse is well-chronicled. The spring of 1905, while attending a Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Bible study, a group of young men studying agriculture at the University of Missouri enjoyed one another's fellowship so much that they decided to organize a club, rent a house, and live together. What's not often remembered is the difficulty and tremendous challenges the men would encounter over the next couple of years.

From the ambitious plans in the spring of 1905, fast forward four months to that fall. The original group numbered 11 men. Each had pledged to return in the fall and bring a roommate. This would fill the 22-man house that was rented at 107 Sixth Street. However, when September arrived, only seven of the original group returned (all returning as sophomores). Immediately the men were thrust into a situation of having to find boarders to fill the rooms and tables. And all but one of the men were working to pay part or all of their expenses.

That first fall semester, trying desperately to make ends meet, D. Howard Doane (MO '05) and the other six founders would gather regularly in Henry H. Krusekopf's (MO '05) room.

“Many a night, this dear old bunch assembled with gravest doubts assailing them, and they wondered if it was all worthwhile,” Doane wrote in his diary. “There seemed to be so many reasons for saying ‘no' and only one for saying ‘yes.' That one yes was so big it always won … (for) an agreement had been made, (our) word had been pledged—it could not be broken … . The spirit of honor, the sacredness of a pledge and a determination to ‘carry on' that which was begun carried us over those first hard years.

“Long will we remember the night we gathered in Bob (Robert Howard) (MO '05) and Kruse's room to hear the treasurer's and commissary's last report. The big question was, ‘Will we have to dig up to pay up, or will there be a surplus?' There was a surplus. If I remember correctly, it was less than a dollar each, but never did a dollar look bigger. It meant we could continue; it meant the FarmHouse would live. It meant ‘that stunt that that bunch of freshmen started' (quotes credited to the upperclassmen who laughed at the beginning) would justify its founders.

“The end of the first year by no means marked the end of the struggle, although on that memorable night, when we declared our first dividend, we most certainly thought we had ‘crossed the Alps.' It was the enthusiasm of youth, the determination to hit back a little harder than we were hit, that kept us going.”

Over the next few years, the group grew, and the men moved into their second house at the corner of Missouri and Rollins. By that time, the original club of seven lost its identity and was part of the larger group. By then, the house was made up fully of FarmHouse members.

Founder C. B. Hutchison (MO '05), in his 50th-anniversary address to members attending the Conclave, said, “It should be noted that no one among the little group of founders had any thought that he and his fellows were founding a fraternity, nor had they any intention of doing so. Indeed, had anyone seriously suggested at the time that this would or might be the ultimate outcome, the little acorn from which this mighty oak has grown would doubtless not have been planted or, if planted, would not have survived the seedling stage.

“Such was the reputation of fraternities in general in the youthful minds of the ‘founding fathers,' some of whom, I know not whether all, had already had invitations to join well-established Greek-letter fraternities in their university community. This was not to be a fraternity, but a club, and it was made so again in those earnest but youthful minds by definition …

“The basic point in our minds was to find a place where we could live and work together to promote our mutual interests in stimulating companionship and fellowship. To make sure no one would think of our club as a fraternity, we gave it what we thought was a nonfraternity name. It was to exemplify agriculture and rural living despite the fact that, of necessity, it had to have an urban locale.”

Doane is credited with first conceiving the idea of forming an association to consist only of agricultural students. During the YMCA Bible study, Doane talked up the “farmers club,” mostly with members of his class, and developed the plan of organization. It is evident, therefore, that FarmHouse was not a spontaneous conception, quickly executed, but it was the result of deliberate thought and definite purpose.

FarmHouse had its first picture in the Missouri yearbook, the Savitar , in 1907 and was listed as a club. During those early years, FarmHouse men played key roles in starting a chapter of Alpha Zeta at the university, the Farmers Fair and the agriculture club between 1904
and 1908.

Nebraska Becomes Second Chapter

Upon graduation in 1908, founder Robert F. Howard accepted a position with the horticulture department at the University of Nebraska. In the spring of 1911, a few of the top students in the College of Agriculture developed the idea of creating a similar organization on campus to what the men at Missouri had started. While organized independently, it is believed Howard was one of their original advisors.

The first meeting was conducted late in April 1911 in the room of Will Forbes (NE '11). A second meeting for planning the organization was conducted in Forbes's room. That September, with most of the faculty of the College of Agriculture signing the lease as security, the organization of the chapter was completed.

The first Nebraska chapter house was located at 1436 S Street. In 1914, a second house was rented at 307 N. 24th Street.

Two of the men in the original class at Nebraska—Will Forbes and L. T. Skinner (NE '11)—were selected to the prestigious Innocents Society, a select senior honorary recognizing the top 13 students on campus, in 1912-1913. From its origins, the Nebraska Chapter was known for its outstanding scholastic record and leadership on campus.

Illinois Makes Three

In the fall of 1914, a few of the leading students in the College of Agriculture realized the need for a fraternity of men in their intended profession. George S. Hendrick had learned of the Nebraska FarmHouse from John W. Whisenand (NE '14), who at that time was taking graduate work at the University of Illinois.

The first meeting of men organizing the Illinois Chapter was conducted October 15, 1914, in Room 117 of the Agriculture Building. Five University of Illinois students (G. S. Hendrick, F. W. Farley, C. H. Rehling, R. L. Reese, and A. T. Semple) met with Whisenand and two other Nebraska FarmHouse members to learn of the working principles of FarmHouse.

Plans were made for a future meeting at which the work of drafting a constitution would be undertaken. Nebraska FarmHouse provided a copy of its constitution. The Nebraska constitution was acted upon, and changes were suggested to suit the conditions at Illinois. The men next met with campus administrators, who strongly supported the formation of the proposed organization. One dean expressed the opinion that freshmen be excluded. After those consultations, a petition was presented to the University Senate and was favorably acted upon.

The second decade of FarmHouse was a developmental one, with much of the framework of the organization built shortly after Illinois became the third chapter in October 1914. The real work of nationalization began in spring 1915. Each of the three chapters appointed committees on nationalization, and those committees did the first work on drafting the constitution. Many drafts were made, and much correspondence ensued before an acceptable instrument was accepted. A few changes also would be made in the constitution and bylaws during the first and third Conclaves.

The first FarmHouse Conclave took place in April 1917 at the University of Missouri. Much of the meeting focused on revising the bylaws and constitution and approving important items, such as the ritual of initiation, the badge, and the pledge pin. Already at the first Conclave, it was debated whether the organization should be called FarmHouse or FarmHouse Fraternity. At the time, it was determined to maintain simply the name FarmHouse.

Almost immediately after the 1917 Conclave, World War I interrupted many of the great plans put into place at Conclave. No expansion was seriously considered during the period of the war, as many student bodies were drastically depleted. The second Conclave was in 1919—just after the war ended. But little activity was reported.

In 1920, the coat of arms and the seal were debated and approved. The third Biennial Conclave in Champaign, Illinois, was a busy one as charters and the membership shingle (certificate) were adopted. A well-bound house registry (now called the Herd Book) was developed that would have room for up to 30 years of members for each chapter. Many other forms also were developed.

FarmHouse as a national organization became a reality in 1921 when the constitution and bylaws were approved by each of the active houses and they gave up some of their individuality and became chapters of the greater FarmHouse.

Expansion to Wisconsin and Kansas State

Within five weeks of the third Conclave, in 1921, two new chapters were chartered — Wisconsin and Kansas State.

Both groups were chartered within a couple
months of being formed. A student at
Wisconsin, David Lacey (WI '21), had attended a student convention at MU earlier in the term and came back “radiating enthusiasm” to develop a chapter at Wisconsin. It wasn't long before 18 charter members took the oath of membership into FarmHouse. Just five days later, the Kansas State Chapter was chartered. Missouri brother Earl Maxwell (MO '18) had visited the school on May 2, 1921, and discussed the idea of starting a chapter with some faculty members and with several men who had visited other FarmHouse chapters.

Ira K. Landon (KS '21) and S. D. Capper (KS '21) began discussing it with the dean of agriculture and decided to run with the idea. The two selected a third to join them, then the three selected a fourth and so on until there were 26 men ready to petition for a charter. Just a month after deciding to form a chapter, the charter was issued on June 2, 1921.

New Challenges

Nationalization helped challenge the more established chapters as the newer ones were formed with excellent scholarship records and impressive activity reports.

FarmHouse continued to grow and prosper through 1923 and 1924. At the fourth Biennial Conclave in Madison, Wisconsin, it was reported that the official badge, coat of arms, and seal had been copyrighted, and plans were made to create a songbook.

Although the leadership had ongoing discussions with men from a number of universities, one of the most promising opportunities at the close of the second decade was with the Lanthus Club at Iowa State University. The men's club had been seeking to become a chapter as early as 1922, but the group ran into some challenges with the university in regards to affiliating with a national organization.

The period from 1925 to 1934 probably was the most difficult FarmHouse Fraternity has faced.

It began with one of the chapters proposing a name change to Greek letters at the 1925 Conclave in Manhattan, Kansas. Two of the five chapters expressed some interest in such a change, but the other three emphatically opposed it. Some said the Fraternity was missing many good men because it did not bear a Greek-letter name. Others countered that many of the good men then in FarmHouse would not have joined a fraternity with Greek letters. Since the majority of delegates opposed such a change, the subject was dropped.

That didn't end the debate. In 1926, the FarmHouse National Executive Committee mailed a questionnaire to 786 alumni and undergraduates and 78 respected administrators at agricultural colleges. Of those who responded, 265 voted against a change and 129 favored one.

The Wisconsin-Madison Chapter continued to struggle with the name and soon decided to return its charter and withdraw from the national organization. Rather than widespread dissension, that decision brought the other FarmHouse chapters closer and developed an even stronger sense of brotherhood among FarmHouse men. Despite the organizational name debate and the Depression that followed the stock-market crash of 1929, the Fraternity prospered between 1925 and 1934. Three new chapters formed, and FarmHouse's standing in agriculture and campus leadership increased.

Expansion to Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Minnesota

After more than five years seeking to become a FarmHouse Chapter as the Lanthus Club, the Iowa State Chapter was chartered on January 22, 1927. From its days as a club, the chapter took its academics seriously, setting records for the highest grade-point average fraternities had seen at Iowa State University in the chapter's first two years. It also had many campus leaders, varsity athletes, and leaders in the agricultural college. All brothers were members of their departmental clubs.

A year later, a FarmHouse chapter was installed at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State) on May 12, 1928. Twenty-five men were initiated as charter members. The Oklahoma State Chapter also was founded on high scholastic ideals. From the day of chartering, the chapter was widely known and respected on campus—with brothers leading agricultural clubs, playing varsity sports, editing the campus newspaper, participating in student religious organizations, and dominating the Alpha Zeta agricultural honorary with 13 of the 14 members.

Another FarmHouse chapter emerged during the Depression. Like several of the earlier chapters, the Minnesota Chapter evolved from an agricultural club. The group operated secretly for the first few years before being chartered as a FarmHouse chapter in 1931. The charter class numbered 20 men—leaders in athletics, student government, and campus activities.

Effects of the Depression

FarmHouse chapters certainly were not sheltered from the effects of the Depression. Several encountered severe financial problems as members struggled to pay their house bills and dues.

This decade began with the economy still reeling from the Great Depression of the early 1930s, and the installation of another FH chapter and ended with most chapter houses being shut down during 1943 and '44 with World War II.

Michigan State Charters

The FarmHouse club at Michigan State University was formed in 1932 by a group of students and faculty members who were FarmHouse alumni. The club was an infant of the Depression, taking several years to charter. By the time the petition for a FarmHouse charter was accepted in 1936, the men ranked first in scholarship and held many prominent positions on campus.

The April 25, 1936 chartering included the initiation of 28 active members and 29 alumni of the club who had already graduated. Between 1935 and 1937, the men moved between three houses, settling on 526 Sunset Lane in December 1937.

The chapter hired a housemother, Mrs. Bartlett, in 1937, with her salary split between FH and the university. The school's 1940 yearbook carried the headline, “Only Fraternity on Campus with a House Mother”.

Doane Award

In the early 1940s, a plan was presented by FarmHouse founder D. Howard Doane to establish an annual award to be given to the FarmHouse man in each chapter who best exemplifies the values of the Fraternity. The award would be voted on by the undergraduate members in the chapter. It would serve as the highest honor a chapter can present to a graduating senior member each year. Thus, the inception of the Doane Award.

World War II Years

The 1940s began as the most financially strong years ever for FarmHouse. Membership was at an all-time high, interest in college fraternities was on the rise, and universities were seeing a nice increase in enrollment in ag colleges.

World War II put a temporary halt to the progress that FarmHouse was making as 1,022 FarmHouse men (40 percent of our total initiated membership at the time) were called to service.

Harold Steele (IL '41) remembers when he and his brothers at the Illinois Chapter first learned on the radio of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and of the announcement from President Roosevelt that war had been declared. He remembers that it took a day or two for them to see the pictures and realize the devastation of the attack. “It really hit home with each of us when we were attacked,” said Steele, who served as a platoon leader during combat in Europe with General Patton and retired from the U.S. Army as a captain.

“Every one of us felt an obligation to serve. There was no question by any one of us. We were all prepared to be a part of the solution and fight.”

A total of 59 percent of the FarmHouse men who served during the war were commissioned officers, with 39 FH men receiving the Gold Star for their service in the war.

The majority of our undergraduate members were among those called away in 1943 and '44. A few chapter houses were used by the military during those years, while others were used as dormitories for ladies on campus.

Several chapters were able to continue to operate with a few members under the age of 18, those in veterinary medicine and those not physically qualified to serve in the military.

On the lighter side, Steele returned to campus in '44 as part of the Army specialized training program. The Illinois chapter house had been rented to female students. Steele and two fraternity brothers who were back from the war requested and gained admittance into the house to see how the ladies were doing at keeping up the place and also to answer the burning question, “What were the ladies using the urinals for?” Upon inspection, they found potted geraniums growing in the urinals.

Involvement in NIC

This decade began with the close of World War II and a mass return to campus and ended with planning the 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Return from the War

With the return from the war, this was the beginning of the Baby Boomer era. Many FH men decided to immediately start a family rather than return to life in the fraternity house. It wasn't until fall 1947 that all of our FarmHouse chapters were fully operational. Of the FarmHouse men serving during World War II, 596 earned commissions, while 38 members and one pledge died for the cause.

New Chapters Formed

The Fraternity experienced unprecedented growth during the decade 1945-54. A total of six chapters chartered, despite a cautious approach to expansion by D. Howard Doane (MO '05), the National Board, and other founders. Doane was particularly concerned with the prospect of rapid expansion of chapters.

The six groups that chartered included—Colorado State, Wyoming, Kentucky, Purdue, North Carolina State, and Arkansas.

The Purdue Chartering on April 5-6, 1952 had a particularly large turnout of FarmHouse members. The ceremony was attended by 192 FarmHouse men from 12 states—63 of which were the Purdue brothers who were initiated into FarmHouse.

Pearls & Rubies

After years of first producing The FarmHouse Record , other semi-regular national publications and later The Gleaner , the FarmHouse National Board adopted a proposal to make Pearls & Rubies the official publication of the Fraternity.

In 1947, Pearls & Rubies began being produced on a quarterly basis. Preston  McDaniel (MO '36) served as editor of the magazine for much of the 1940s and 50s. Meanwhile, H. K. Wilson (IA '27) served the better part of this decade as the national secretary-treasurer (now called executive director) for FH.

Doane and Master Builder Awards

Because of World War II, the Fraternity was delayed in beginning the process of each chapter selecting the most deserving senior for the Doane Award. The award was officially started in 1947, with Daddy Doane himself providing the funds for each chapter to have
a permanent plaque on display to engrave the winner's name each year.

In 1950, the Master Builder of Men was created. The award would serve as the highest honor that FarmHouse can bestow on an alumnus. Six men received the Master Builder Award in its year of inception (1950)—the six living founders—Doane, Howard, Hutchison, Krusekopf, Earl Rusk, and Henry Rusk.

Trial Merger with Delta Theta Sigma

After two years of discussions concerning a possible merger, Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, having 150 members and FarmHouse, having 2,700 members, agreed at the 1948 Conclave to a period of “trial merger.”

The two fraternities shared many similarities. FarmHouse at the time had eight chapters and DTS had three. Debate ensued once again over the next two years about coming to common ground on a name of the merged organization.

After the two-year trial and several joint meetings, both organizations called off the proposed merger at the 1950 Conclave.

Golden Anniversary Fund

In preparation for the Fraternity's 50th anniversary, the Golden Anniversary Fund was launched in 1952. This fund was to provide a

broader financial base and support for the Fraternity's operations.

It was the forerunner of the Foundation, which would officially start 10 years later.

During this decade the 50th anniversary was celebrated, six chapters chartered, and the first full-time executive was hired.

50th Anniversary

Two separate events were held—one on the 50th anniversary of the founding of FarmHouse, the second being the Golden Anniversary Conclave, which took place in Columbia, Missouri in September 1956.

The first event occurred April 15-17, 1955. More than 60 alumni from the Missouri Chapter and a few from other chapters attended. Much time was spent discussing the future of FarmHouse.

The larger event was the 1956 Conclave. More than 200 people attended the activities. One of the new additions to Conclave included the first “National Chapter Achievement Award,” the forerunner of the Ruby Cup, given to the outstanding chapter
during the past two years.

Another highlight of the 50th anniversary was the publishing of a 116-page commemorative issue of Pearls & Rubies . The magazine included reflections from founders, challenges from Fraternity leaders, a look into the future, and stories about FH men and the impact they made in more than 20 different professions. Unfortunately, it appears the 116-page issue might have broken the bank. The next issue of Pearls & Rubies was published two years later.

Foundation's Launch

In 1955, the Golden Anniversary Fund became the Golden Opportunity Fund.
Delegates at the 1962 Conclave approved a trust agreement establishing the FH Foundation.

First Full-Time Executive

Another important decision that was made at the 1962 Conclave was to establish the national secretary-treasurer-editor role as a full-time salaried position. Previous men who occupied the role were paid for their part-time work.

Darl Snyder (IA '42) was appointed to serve the Fraternity as its first full-time executive in 1963. Snyder had served the Fraternity in the role on a part-time basis since 1959, following the death of H. K. Wilson (IA '27),
who had served as national secretary-treasurer for more than 20 years.

Football Hall of Fame

Two brothers were recognized during this period for their contributions on the playing field. Ed Widseth (MN '35) and Don Faurot (MO '21) were elected into the College Football Hall of Fame. Widseth was an All-American tackle from 1934-36 at Minnesota, and Faurot played at Missouri in the early 1920s before a 30-year coaching career (the Missouri football field was later named Faurot Field in his honor).

FarmHouse and the World

New worlds and opportunities were opening up at this time. Many brothers traveled overseas to help the people of the former Soviet Union, Japan, China, Bolivia, East Africa, India, and many other countries with their agricultural practices.

Back at home, our chapters were realizing how much they could gain by recruiting men from different nationalities. The Washington State Chapter welcomed in three brothers from other nations in 1964—two from Pakistan and another from Iran.

While this decade offered much promise for FH and its members, these were also difficult times with difficult issues to address. The Fraternity mourned the loss of a Nebraska
undergrad who was killed in Jerusalem while on a goodwill tour—mistakenly wandering into “no-man's land” between the Arab and Israeli lines that divide the holy city.

This decade was a hotbed of political and societal tragedy and change - with conflict escalating in Southeast Asia, the Cuban Missile crisis, the assassination of President Kennedy, discrimination and the civil rights movement at the forefront.

On campus, the buzz was all about throwing a great hootenanny (for our younger readers, it's a gathering at which folksingers entertain with the audience joining in).

Quite a decade, indeed.

It was the age of the flower child, Vietnam War protests, and the Race to the Moon. The decade spanning the late '60s and early '70s was one filled with growing tension between students and “the establishment,” students
questioning the war, and questioning who
they were and what they believed.

FarmHouse was not immune to the societal, political, and cultural debates surrounding it. To a lesser degree, the organization was facing similar issues of conflict and debate, albeit on a much different plane.

Whereas the youth of the day were experimenting with their newfound freedoms, FarmHouse chapters and alumni passionately debated possible changes to the cornerstone beliefs of our Fraternity. As the Fraternity grew internationally, issues had to be addressed including whether the Fraternity should allow women to be members, whether co-ed housing was the wave of the future and what the Fraternity's official position on alcohol would be.

Hot Issue Number One – Women in FarmHouse

Two of the major topics of conversation and debate in the early 1970s were whether women should be allowed to become members of FarmHouse and whether the organization should consider co-ed living in chapter houses.

Much of the debate was sparked by a proposal by the Iowa State Chapter in 1970 to change the bylaws and constitution to allow women to become members. The proposal was defeated but brought up again at the 1972 Conclave.

The debate led the National Executive Board to form a committee to study the concept of co-ed housing further. Ultimately, the committee of undergraduate and alumni leaders concluded that such a program would not be beneficial and was largely opposed
by members.

The committee suggested instead that chapters further investigate the formation of sisters groups, chapter sweethearts, etc.

Hot Issue Number Two – Alcohol

Since its founding, FarmHouse has maintained a tradition of responsible behavior and alcohol-free living. The definition of alcohol-free has been a hot button over the years. For several decades leading up to the 1960s, alcohol-free living facilities were the norm for most men's fraternities. University officials maintained much greater control over students.

As with changes taking place in society at large, the late '60s and early '70s for FarmHouse were times when students questioned status quo and were not afraid to voice their opinions. While FarmHouse had long maintained a tradition of alcohol-free housing in the majority of chapters, no set policy was in place in regards to alcohol. After much debate, discussion and analysis of what local chapter alcohol practices were, the first official FarmHouse alcohol and drug policy was adopted in 1974, which prohibits alcohol and drugs from all FH chapter houses and property.

FarmHouse Men in Service

Dozens of FarmHouse men answered the call to service for the United States during this decade.

Among the FarmHouse brothers leading the charge were: Lt. General Earl Hedlund (NE '35), who had flown 170 fighter missions in World War II before becoming Director of the Defense Supply Agency for the US Armed Forces; and Dean Mead (WY '62), who served as a Green Beret for the US in the war.

The Space Race

Much of the world's attention during the first half of this decade was focused on the race to the moon. The United States and the former Soviet Union were in a mad race to see who could land a man on the moon first.

The first FarmHouse man to become an astronaut was Jim Thar (MI '56), who was accepted into the Aerospace School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, in 1968. Thar had previously completed more than 100 in-country combat missions in Vietnam and 30 out of country. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for service in Vietnam.

Moving to St. Joe

The FarmHouse national office moved to St. Joseph, Missouri in 1969, at the same time that Wick Haynes (NC '57) was named to be the second full-time national secretary-treasurer-editor (position later renamed executive director) of FarmHouse Fraternity. Haynes served in this capacity for the Fraternity until the end of 1972.

Here's Bob…

Following an extensive national search for Haynes' successor, Bob Off (CO '64) was hired to serve as the Fraternity and Foundation's executive director and editor of Pearls & Rubies. He had previously worked at South Dakota State University as assistant director of housing after a stint in the US Army.

Going International

After four years of work, the Alberta FarmHouse club chartered as a chapter in 1974, officially making FarmHouse an international organization. Despite a Canadian postal worker strike that prevented many of the alumni members from learning of the time, date, and location in time to attend the event, the chartering ceremony was nonetheless a huge event that signaled new opportunities for FarmHouse.

Other Charterings

Besides Alberta, other chapters to charter during this decade included Georgia in 1965 (since inactive), South Dakota State in 1966, and Auburn in 1971.

The birth and rise of the Auburn Chapter was particularly impressive. The group was formed in 1969. One of the savvy moves was a notable column in The Auburn Plainsman student newspaper written by then-colony president Bobby Keen (AU '71), who explained why Auburn needed FarmHouse on campus. He pointed to how fraternities need to return to the principles and values they were founded on.

“In the beginning fraternities had no pledges, because fraternity men were not interested in creating a second-class membership of subservients,” Keen wrote. “They played sports when they felt like it because they wanted to participate athletically as gentlemen—not as competitors striving for another quantity of brass. They sang because they enjoyed each others' company as men and as individuals. They discussed the issues of the day and from these sessions developed some of the great minds of America.”

The chapter would charter in 1971. Less than a year later, the Auburn Chapter was named the outstanding fraternity on campus, Jerry Batts (AU '71) was elected student body president, and Bill Minor (AU '71) was elected ag student council president.

Leadership in National FFA

The late 1970s and early 1980s were prosperous times for men's fraternities and for FarmHouse. The Vietnam War was over and college enrollment began to steadily increase. As the US celebrated its bicentennial in 1976, a year later the fraternity movement also celebrated its bicentennial.

Hollywood's way of celebrating the fraternity movement's 200th anniversary? The release of “Animal House” in 1978. One might argue that never has a movie had more of an impact on a collective group of organizations than this film did on fraternities.

Fraternity membership soared after the release of the film, which depicts the crazy, wild, free-spirited delta-kegger stereotype of
what fraternities are about. However, some 27 years later, the negative fallout from the film is still being felt.

FarmHouse Expansion

The decade saw considerable growth within FarmHouse. Six new chapters chartered between 1975-84—including Texas Tech in 1978, Montana State in 1979, West Virginia in 1981, Cal Poly-Pomona in 1982, and Tennessee Tech and Illinois State, each in 1983. To better support our chapters, FH first
added a part-time expansion consultant, Roy Wilson (PU '73), and later a full-time assistant executive director to assist executive director Bob Off (CO '64). David Morford (IA '73) and Mike Goolsby (OK '73) later served as full-time assistant executive directors, before C.J. Gauger (IA '37) led the expansion efforts on a part-time basis from 1981-84. In 1984, Ken Converse (SD '81) was hired as director of expansion.

Loss of Our Founders

The decade also saw the loss of the final three living founders. Krusekopf died in 1979 at the age of 94. He was professor emeritus of soils at the University of Missouri. Hutchison died in 1980 at the age of 95. He was retired dean of agriculture at the University of California and former mayor of Berkeley, California. And lastly, Doane died in 1984. He was 100. Doane's impact on agriculture was most noteworthy, founding Doane Agricultural Services and serving on several presidential commissions.

Each man was widely respected and admired as a leader in agriculture. Fortunately, the Fraternity was able to capture Krusekopf's and Doane's reflections on FarmHouse on video in the late 1970s.

Women in FarmHouse

Debate and discussion continued throughout this decade about the role of women in FarmHouse, with members looking at how the FH experience could be duplicated for women.

In 1978, the International Board prepared a proposal for FarmHouse Fraternity Women's Chapters.

Each of the five Conclaves during this decade discussed the issue at great length. Students and alumni alike had strong opinions on the topic, as voiced at Conclave and in letters to the editor in Pearls & Rubies . Much of the debate focused on the impact that a women's agriculture fraternity would have on the sister groups that existed to support many chapters.

A proposal was passed at the 1980 Conclave that pilot women's FH clubs be formed on select campuses. The committee that was investigating also conducted an extensive survey of FH chapters and associations, with 65 percent in support of a women's agricultural fraternity.

Much of the debate centered on FarmHouse losing its name recognition as a men's organization. An alternative proposal for the “establishment of an agricultural-related women's sorority” with a name other than FarmHouse that would be “formed in the image of FarmHouse” was unanimously approved by delegates at the '84 Conclave.

Through the survey and brainstorming, the ladies involved and a committee of FH men selected the name Ceres Fraternity for the separate women's fraternity. Ceres is the Roman Goddess of agriculture.

In 1985 Ceres became a reality with the chartering of its first chapter at Colorado State.

Liability Issues

As the decade came to a close, fraternities were seeing all-time highs in membership. Like it or not, “Animal House” had helped propel fraternity membership during this decade and paint a picture of the fun-loving, wild times one could experience in a fraternity.

The farm crisis of the 1980s proved to have far-reaching effects on North American agriculture and FarmHouse.

The early/mid '80s were marked by double-digit interest rates approaching 30 percent, rising machinery costs, price uncertainties for products and eventually decreasing land values, foreclosures, and bankruptcies.

Times were not good for family farms, with stress levels high among farm families. Children growing up on farms witnessed first-hand the roller coaster of the business of farming.

Ag Enrollment Drops

As corporations began to gobble up land and many families sold out or were forced into bankruptcy, FarmHouse began to see an increasing shift in the number of students from family farms and small towns who were electing to major in non-agriculture programs. One study showed that from 1975-1988 there was a 34 percent decrease in the number of students in ag schools.

Throughout this decade, Pearls & Rubies featured numerous stories highlighting the challenges family farms were facing and the increasing number of non-ag majors in FarmHouse. More than ever, FarmHouse was initiating young men from the farm who decided to pursue careers in engineering, law, business, and other non-agriculture curriculums.

Further, delegates at the 1994 Conclave took a historic step by amending the FarmHouse bylaws to enable the Fraternity to charter chapters on universities that don't offer a degree in agriculture (due in large part to an outstanding group of 30-plus student leaders at Troy State University (Alabama) who wanted to share in the FarmHouse experience).

Alcohol and Risk Management

Debates and discussion about the FarmHouse alcohol policy shaped much of the discussion at Conclaves during this period.

The 1986 Conclave voted to alter the alcohol policy to allow chapters to experiment with modifications of the traditional policy of no alcohol in the chapter houses. The pendulum swung back in 1988 as chapter and association delegates overwhelmingly voted to return the policy back to original form.

Risk management became an increasing focus of the Fraternity during this decade. In 1989, FarmHouse joined FIPG, which was a consortium of fraternities and sororities hoping to pool their efforts to establish an insurance purchasing group. The insurance part failed, but what evolved was a standardized risk management policy and association to help fraternities learn how to better manage their risks.

In 1994, FarmHouse joined the liability insurance purchasing group now known as FRMT that provides $6-million worth of liability protection for our chapters, associations, and other fraternity volunteers.

AIDS was another hot topic of the decade, with AIDS awareness and education a programming focus for FarmHouse.

Expansion

FarmHouse chartered six chapters during this decade. Unfortunately, four of the chapters closed within eight years of their founding.

Nebraska-Curtis was chartered in 1985 (inactive); California-Davis, 1987 (inactive); New Mexico State, 1987; Morehead State, 1988 (inactive); Wisconsin-Platteville, 1989; and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, 1993 (inactive).

When they chartered, many of these chapters didn't have the liability insurance coverage that was becoming necessary due to the increasingly litigious environment. These additional insurance costs, coupled with low membership and lack of enough alumni involvement caused these and several other chapters to go inactive in the early 1990s.

Ceres Becomes a Reality

After more than a decade of discussions,
Ceres International Fraternity was officially formed on October 12, 1985. The FarmHouse International Office provided programming and staffing support until 1994, when Ceres had grown to the point that a part-time executive director was hired to provide support for its chapters and members.

Office Moves to Kansas City

After much study, the FarmHouse International Office moved from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Kansas City, Missouri, in June 1993.

Joining executive director Bob Off (CO '64) on staff at different points during this decade
were FarmHouse men: Doug Larsen (IA '81);
Galen Lee (ID '84); Frank Fabijanic (ND '82); Darrin Wentz (ND '86); and Neil Wheeler (PU '85)—all as expansion directors.

Kevin Kirby (OK '83) served as director of chapter services and later as assistant executive director from 1988-95. Kirby was responsible for most of the top-notch leadership development and training programs the Fraternity began during this decade, including the first Presidents' Leadership Conference in 1993, which was fully funded by the FarmHouse Foundation.

Foundation's Growth

The Foundation grew substantially during this decade, with an increase in donors from 654 to 1,554 and increase in donations from $54,511 to $242,395 between 1985-1994. Another major highlight of the decade was a $50,000 bequest in 1986 from Founder D. Howard Doane's estate.

Never has one single donation impacted our organization more than the major gift from magazine publisher Roy Reiman (IA '55) and his wife Bobbi. The Reiman family's generous gift to the FarmHouse Foundation in 1998 enabled the Fraternity to expand the former Presidents' Leadership Conference (which started in 1993) by adding tracks for chapter recruitment chairs and an additional officer. The three- track format began in 2000, when the conference was renamed the FarmHouse Leadership Academy.

“From the moment I left home to the moment I returned, I was ready to soak up information; to beg, borrow and steal ideas; and to pick anybody's brain that I could,” past Illinois State president Ryan Zimmerman (ILS ‘95) said.

“What I did not know was that (the Academy) would give me more than I ever could have expected. I was awestruck at the brotherhood that existed among the chapters—even though separated by hundreds of miles. I came home from (the Academy) that year inspired and motivated beyond my own expectations.”

Without the gift from the Reimans, the Academy would still be the Presidents' Leadership Conference, with 60 fewer young men being impacted each year.

Foundation/Fraternity Staff Restructuring

An important decision in fall 1996 by the FarmHouse International Board and the Foundation Board of Trustees paved the way for Bob Off (CO '64) to become the first full-time executive director of the FarmHouse Foundation. The move enabled Bob to devote 100 percent of his time to building the Foundation's endowment and annual fund. Bob had split his time between both entities as executive director of the Fraternity and Foundation for nearly 24 years.

The move has paid huge dividends for FarmHouse—with the net assets of the Foundation increasing from $687,047 in 1996-97 to $3,503,045 in 2003-04.

Jim Griffith (MO '91) was hired to serve as the Fraternity's executive director in 1997 and continues to serve in this position (he served the previous two years as director of chapter services for FarmHouse).

FarmHouse men joining Bob and Jim on staff full-time at different points throughout this decade included: Neil Wheeler (PU '85), who served as director of expansion; Jason Rohr (ND '95) and Adam Edwards (TN '94) as expansion consultants; Alex Eckert
(MO '90) as director of expansion; and Joe Stephens (MO '93) as director of expansion and recruitment.

Currently on staff with Bob and Jim are: Lorie Widdice, who is the office manager and has served on staff since 1993; Jonathan Hawley (PU '98), who is director of chapter services; Allison Rickels, who is senior director of the annual fund and communications with the Foundation; Trent Niemeier, who is the Fraternity's first full-time educational leadership consultant; Jo Berryman, who is secretary; and Brian McCann, who has served as our Webmaster since 1996.

Charterings

The decade began with a bang as new chapters at Troy State (now Troy University), Clemson, and Western Kentucky chartered in 1995. Thanks to Wheeler's tutelage, it was the first time in the Fraternity's history that three chapters chartered in the same year.

Additional charterings occurred during the decade with Arkansas re-chartering in 1999, after two years as an inactive chapter, and the Texas A&M Chapter chartering in 2004.

Programming

In addition to the continued expansion and
improvement of the FarmHouse Leadership Academy, the Fraternity made huge strides in its other programming during the decade—by reformatting and building up the Regional Leadership Conferences and placing more
emphasis on career development.

The Fraternity incorporated a leadership book series into the RLCs, taking top leadership books and building FarmHouse-based programs around them. The added funding from the Foundation enabled participants to take home top leadership books and learn how to incorporate the principles in their chapters.

To help students make career connections with alumni, the Fraternity developed a Career Days program for students to get a chance to learn about companies where they might work. The program enables students to interact with and learn from top alumni employers. The Fraternity also began hosting a career section on its Website and sponsored programs at conferences on resume preparation, interviewing, dress for success, and business etiquette.

One of the highlights of the decade was the creation and implementation of the Chapter Award of Excellence, a minimum standards-based re-certification program that measures each chapter's performance and helps the Board and staff gauge the health of each chapter. The Award of Excellence program has helped increase the expectations and level and caliber of programming in our chapters.

Coupled with the Award of Excellence was the creation of the Ruby Cup Award in 1995. The traveling trophy is presented to the overall outstanding chapter of the Fraternity annually. Chapters are also now divided into green and gold divisions, based on their size and total lifetime initiates. These improvements have helped boost participation in the chapter awards program from less than 25 percent of chapters participating to more than 80 percent.

Improvements in Communications

In 1997, the Fraternity took a big step in its communication with alumni by publishing Pearls & Rubies as a magazine again, rather than a tabloid newspaper. The move to the tabloid format was made in the 1970s for cost reasons. The Fraternity was able to make the switch back to a magazine format due to lower prices for printing and improvements in printing technology.

The magazine took another leap forward when Lance Ziesch (KS '96) took over the design of the magazine. Ziesch served as design editor of the magazine from 1999-2002, helping make Pearls & Rubies a four-color magazine and taking the design to another level. Allison Rickels took over as design editor of the magazine in 2002 and continues to improve
the award-winning publication.

The first FarmHouse International Website was developed in 1995. Fortunately, alumnus Brian McCann (MS '95) took over our Website in 1996 and has served as volunteer Webmaster since then. McCann has provided the Fraternity with invaluable service developing and administering the site that would cost the Fraternity thousands per year otherwise. The site—http://www.FarmHouse.org—includes great amounts of resources, news, and information at an alumnus, undergrad, or visitor's fingertips.

NIC Recognition

Unlike other decades, FarmHouse Conclaves during this decade included only mild discussion and debate regarding the FarmHouse alcohol and drug policy. In fact, this decade was marked by a changing culture towards alcohol around FarmHouse. As many as a dozen other men's fraternities announced and have embarked on various forms of alcohol-free housing.

FarmHouse was seen as a leader that other fraternities pointed to and wanted to model themselves after—an organization with high academic standards, an alcohol-free living environment, and strong values-based leadership. FarmHouse was presented with the Laurel Wreath Award at the 1998 North-American Interfraternity Conference annual meeting for its leadership by example in the alcohol-free housing movement.

Campaign 2005

The decade ended with the Foundation well on its way to meeting and exceeding the $4-million goal established for its “Campaign 2005” capital campaign. The primary focus of the campaign has been to establish endowments to perpetually fund specific programming as well as to provide income to be used at the trustees' discretion to meet the changing needs of the Fraternity.