The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-05-31

vived An exception was 1.-THE Rain
bow of w. w. W., the origin south
ern college society, University of Mis-
sissippi, 184S. Following it came soutn-
ern societies as named: Sigma Alpha
Epsilon, University of Alabama, 1896.
Delta Tau Delta, Betheny College, west
Virginia, 1860, Alpha Tau Omega, VIZ
ginia Military Institute, 1865. Kappa
Aloha tSouthern) at Washington
University, Virginia, also in 1862
Kappa Sigma at the University OF VIZ
GINA in 1867, Phi Kappa Alpha also
al the University of Virginia in 1862
Sigma NJ at the Virginia Military IN
stitute in 1869, and, among the pa
bies of this family, Tau Delta Sig
ma at the University of the South. Sc
vance. Tenn, in 1883. 1t may De
worth mentioning the nine local col
lege societies which on account OF age
or prominence have ali honorable as
tinction. The three senior societies at
vale are regarded as secret of the Sc
cret. each selecting fifteen of the mem
bers of the tunior class at the close OF
the Junior year. But older than any
of the Yale senior societies Grot Greek
letter. is Iota Kappa Alpha at TRINITY
college. Hartford. founded in 1929, next
in point of age coming Phi NJ Theta,
Wesleyan, Connecticut, 1887, Kappa
Kappa Kappa at Dartmouth, lS42 Del
ia Psi mo relation to the eastern gener-
al fraternity by that name), University
of Vermont in 1850, Phi Zeta Mu. Dart
mouth, 1857. and Alpha Sigma PM.
Marietta college, Ohio, 1860.
The anti-Masonic wave which passed
over the country between 1927 and
1885 seemed a signal for reaction
early in the sos and during that decade.
One of the first effects was to cause the
abandonment of the secrecy which had
hedged the parent fraternity. Phi Beta
Kappa The tradition runs that the
Adamses, Everetts and others were
SO overcome by the then very general
sentiment that they advised the Har-
ward chapter of Phi Beta Kappa to
abandon the secret part of their organ
ization, make public what they had I'M
til then regarded as secret. The advice
was taken and since that time Phi
Beta Kappa has furnished great
many young gentlemen with handsome
watch keys of not much practical val
ue. and the unlocking world with the
information that the wearers gradua-
ted with high standing.
The three great Greek letter fraterni-
ties have been, and continue to be Al
pha Delta Phi, Psi Epsilon and Delta
Kappa Epsilon, which early invested
!
deges with chapters and afterwards
extended into the west. They are tbs
| greatest rivals of judging from the
many distinguished names in profes-
sional, political, commercial and indus
trial life on the lists of their alumni
they continue to enjoy the highest
standing as Greek letter fraternities
Many of their chapters own their owr
! houses or temples. At most of the
older eastern and middle state col
leges and universities chapters of tw,
of two of these fraternities are to b.
found, and at many such institutions
the three are found as rivals. In tn,
latter instances, as pointed out b.
Baird, the colleges are historic. TIL
explanation lies in the fact that fort.
years ago such colleges were the cen
ters of the literary activity of the coun
try. Each of these three great fra
ternaties is strongly marked.
AN ERA OF EXTENTION.
After the formation of the Kappa Al
pha at Union in 1925, followed tw
years later by Sigma Phi and Delft
Phi (the two latter in imitation of tn
former), Sigma Phi began an active ca
reer by establishing a chapter at Ham
ilton college, New York, in 1851, whe
it, the mother chapter, was four year
old. In the meantime, Kappa Alph
not to be outdone, sent a delegatio
of its members to Hamilton to fin
candidates to establish a chapter c
Kappa Alpha. The Hamilton student
approached took the matter unde
advisement but finally declined to hel
form chapter of Kappa Alpha, pre-
ferring TO found a new fraternity
which they did in 1892, calling it Alph
Delta Phi. The great impetus give
the movement to extend the then thre
of four Greek letter fraternitie
throughout the colleges of the countr
appears to be due principally to til
energy displayed during the first fiftee
years of its existence by Alpha Delt
Phi which shocked even the conserve
tism of those days by placing chapter
in the most instances in advance of r
vafs. in nearly all of the eastern co
leges and as far west as Miami un
versity, Ohio. Its great rivals. Psi Ell
silon, starting at Union in 1888, clost
ly paralleled Alpha Delta Phi in il
work When Delta Kappa Epsilon we
formed by a number of dissatisfie
psi US" and others at Yale in 1874