Buck Marsh Digital History Museum
By David Kennedy, Alabama Beta Chapter Advisory Board
Have you ever known a member of the Greatest Generation? This generation grew up during the Great Depression and a world at war. They made enormous sacrifices to bring peace to the world before resuming their lives. This generation included over 14,000 Phis who served actively during the war, with around eight hundred giving their lives. When the soldiers returned home after the war, many colleges and universities experienced a surge in enrollment, including Auburn University, located in East Alabama. In the years following 1945, the Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Auburn initiated several of these veterans. Recently, the chapter found a way to honor one of these brothers who supported the chapter for many years by creating a digital history museum of the chapter in his name. His name was Malcolm “Buck” Marsh, and his Alabama Beta Bond Number was 884.
Buck, a native of Florence, Alabama, and his two brothers served in the military during the war. Buck was stationed in the European theater, and after surviving many battles, he arrived at Auburn University in 1946 and pledged Phi Delta Theta. Later in life, he served the chapter for forty years as a house corporation board member, including sixteen years as president. Buck was a constant presence at the chapter house. He chose the location for the new house in 1986 and oversaw its construction when the chapter needed to relocate. He advised and supported the chapter and its alumni for the rest of his years. He was deeply missed when he entered the Chapter Grand at ninety-eight in January 2022.
A few years before Buck passed away, the chapter wanted to digitize the many composites hanging in the house. Not only was there an issue with available wall space, but some composites were starting to fade, and others had simply vanished over the years. A few chapter alumni began discussions with a company called History IT, which specializes in the historical preservation of fraternal organizations. History IT offered to assist the chapter with the digital preservation of composites, along with the creation of a digital historical museum for the chapter. This presented an exciting opportunity for the Auburn brothers. Chartered in 1879, Alabama Beta is the oldest continuous student organization on Auburn’s campus! The chapter has a lengthy and rich history, yet there was no central collection of this history, and certainly no digital archives were available for viewing in the chapter house. To honor Buck, a digital museum of the chapter has been established and named in his memory.
To create this digital history museum, a six-member alumni committee was formed, and a memorial fund in Buck’s name was established with the support of the Phi Delta Theta Foundation and the approval of the Marsh family. This fund has not only financed the history project but has also provided leadership scholarships for the brothers of Alabama Beta. History IT collaborated with the composite photography company, and the digital composites became a reality after several years. Forty composites are now part of a basic digital museum of the chapter called the Buck Marsh Digital History Museum. A large touchscreen display in the chapter dining hall showcases the digital composites and the museum. It is extremely popular on game days and during other events. The museum is accessible to everyone via the internet and has become a valuable educational tool for Phikeia education training. In addition to a historical timeline, the museum honors notable brothers of the chapter. It contains documents, memorabilia, newsletters, photographs, and a short video of Buck describing his early days at Auburn.
The Buck Marsh Digital History Museum is an ongoing project led by the alumni history committee. Every year, the chapter selects an initiated brother to serve as the chapter historian, inviting him to join the committee to help preserve the chapter’s history in real-time, as each school year brings a new collection of chapter history. The members of Alabama Beta believe they have a unique chapter that embodies the ideals of Friendship, Sound Learning, and Rectitude. With Bond Numbers approaching three thousand, this chapter boasts an impressive history, and its members have made significant contributions to the country and the world. The Greatest Generation included many heroes and leaders like Buck Marsh, and there will surely be more in the years to come. This museum seeks to honor Buck and his generation while celebrating the chapter’s history—it aims to inspire future generations of brothers and leaders to strive for greatness, just like Buck and his Greatest Generation.
