Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-30

| 90: Norman NJ. Wardwell, '25; War
| rem L. Frye, '26; December 4, 1922:
Ralph S. Robinson, "a: February S,
1923. Who gave their lives in an ef-
fort to save Others"
The bronze tablet is is by 20 inches
IN size and was designed last spring
by Charles NJ. Clough, "a of Water
, Vile, who is another member of the
Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity. The
tablet, has been placed in the CHM
ney wall directly over the open fire.
place where it may be seen by all
| who enter the building and in the
| words of the president of tho Colby
! chapter of the fraternity at the dedi-
cation services held last month,
May it serve as constant inspira-
ton to the men of the fraternity and
of the college and as reminder of
the Christian virtues displayed by
these, orr brothers, who gave un-
stintedly their last full measure Of
love and devotion" At the time Of
! the dedication and memorial services,
the house was filled with relatives
and friends of the men who lost their
lives, members of the college faculty
and ter wives and many of the
friends of the fraternity in and about
Watorville.
The fire which took such d toll from
amongst the circle of happy and
care-1ree students occurred about 8
o'clock on the morning of December
4, 1922 when the mercury was hover
ing around zero and nearly 30 MEM
bers Of the fraternity were sleeping
soundly on the fifth floor of the an
cient brick structure. There had
been quite a heavy fall of snow on
the afternoon before the fire. which
was Sunday and the ground was COW
cred with the white mantle, making
conditions even more unbearable
with the bitterly cold night.
Most Of the students who were
sleeping on the top floor were prac-
ticaily trapped BY the sudden rush
Of the flames through the open hall
ways and only the heroic efforts of
Ralph S. Robinson, "a, of Nashua en-
abled these men to descend safely.
1t was Robinson who first smelled
smoke and gave the alarm to the
sleeping men. Three Of those who
lost their lives, Wardwell. Andrews
and Frye, were sleeping in their
rooms and were trapped by the
flames in the corridors. It hes al
ways been thought that Wardwell
was the only man to leave his bed
as his body was found near the front
entrance to the building where he
was thought to have fallen in his
dash for the door to safety.
Treworgy was sleeping on the top
floor with the rest of the men but
in a heroic effort to assist those below
whom he knew were trapped, he lost
his own life. TIe left comparatively
safe place to render aid to others and
in SO doing gave his own life. Sew
eral Of the other members were In
jured in. more or less degrees ana
compelled to leave for their homes.
The blow was the most terrible
that had ever struck Colby or the city
Of Wateryille and it stunned everyone
with its terrible consequences. The
citizens of Watervil1e, organizations
and clubs rushed aid to the stricken
survivors in the form Of clothes ana
money and there was no end to the
Kindness shown to those few stu
dents The same afternoon IN the
college chapel, memorial services
were held for three bodies whicn nao
been found and not until then were
1.-The minds of all brought to think
that four who a>few hours oetore nao
been so much with the lire OF the COL
lege, had been taken away. very
little was accomplished from then
until the recess for Christmas.
AT the end of the Christmas vaca-
t,on. all of the members of the fra
ternity with the exception of Lloyd
Treworgy, brother of Charles. re.
turned to college to carry on ana
build up their sadly stricken and de.
pieted organization. With the aid
of the national fraternity and the
college officials and generous friends
in Waterville. the chapter managed
to hold weekly meetings ana plan
for the future. Foremost IN TINS
movement was Robinson ana Wnen
took him from the organization,
black dispair again descended. Rob-
inson had assumed q leading part IN
the reconstruction of the chapter
and had put his heart and soul into
his fraternity. His hard work.
coupled with unusually hard expert
ences at the time OF the IRE lead to