Phi Kappa Psi History Notes

by the Historian of the Fraternity

March 2, 2014

Minnesota Alpha

A Story of Deep Passion for Phi Kappa Psi

This account by Phi Kappa Psi Historian Michael H. McCoy originally was shared March 3, 2010, via the Phi Psi 150 Yahoo Group. Minor revisions have been made for this March 2, 2014, update.

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When a Chapter has a short life as did Minnesota Alpha, there's a natural tendency to think its chartering was a mistake to begin with. Or the Chapter closed because of some failing of its members. Or both. That would be unfair to say about Minnesota Alpha, based on the available evidence we have today. The short life of Minnesota Alpha instead appears to be a story of deep passion for the Fraternity. It's also a story that illustrates the impact just one Brother can have in the life of Phi Kappa Psi, as well as a reminder to us of the individual struggles and sacrifices that sometimes come to Phi Psis committed to the Fraternity's advancement. Here's how Phi Psi Historian J. Duncan Campbell tells the tale, with his separate accounts of two phases of Minnesota Alpha's history merged here. He begins his report two years before an 1883 letter was mailed to the Grand Chapter. ****** The Grand Chapter received a letter from Joseph E. Ware1, who had been one of the earliest initiates of Wisconsin Gamma, in 1881. He had transferred from Beloit to Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota, for his sophomore year; the object of his letter was the grant of a charter. "Carleton College (he wrote) is not an old school, but nevertheless a very good one -- perhaps the best in Minnesota; therefore, a proper place to form a society of such character as ours. "There are no intercollegiate fraternities here, although there has existed for two years the secret organization which now desires to enroll itself with Phi Kappa Psi. As I am a regular member of Wisconsin Gamma, might I not form a chapter here in the same way as Mr. Van Wie2, of Wisconsin Alpha, did our society at Beloit?" There was no statement requesting information about proper procedure for a charter in the entire letter. The idea suggested was to repeat a method previously used which was contrary to fraternity law, at least in spirit.3

1 2

Wisconsin Gamma 1881, badge no. 16 Clarence D. VanWie, Wisconsin Alpha 1879 3 Apparently a reference to Wisconsin Gamma having gotten past faculty opposition to its establishment at Beloit College, other than as a sub rosa group, by having its first members-to-be initiated at Wisconsin Alpha at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. They then returned to campus at Beloit already Phi Psis.

The law in Phi Kappa Psi, with regard to establishing chapters, seems to have been one of disregard for the written word. Those, like Georgia Alpha and Ohio Delta, who tried to enter in the prescribed manner either failed completely or waited endlessly. Ware probably knew that his best chance for establishing a chapter at Carleton was to get something definite underway before the matter was voted on by the subchapters4. By showing a dozen or so brothers as petitioners there was less risk of refusal. There was no endless delay in the granting of a charter for Minnesota Alpha, at Carleton. The first letter written by Ware was dated Nov. 3, 1882. The Grand Chapter asked that he submit a formal petition, and this was not received until January, 1883. The sixty-day period of voting ended in March, 1883, and within a month of that time the chapter was founded5. The official records of the Fraternity show that three men had been initiated in 1882, prior to the granting of a charter. Although no definitive light can be shed on the circumstances involved, it is believe they were taken into the Fraternity under a dispensation. These first three on the chapter roll are: Frederick G. Barrows, James F. Jackson, and Dwight E. Woodbridge. On Apr. 6, 1883, the following charter members were initiated by J. E. Ware probably assisted by the three brothers just named: W. D. Abbott, W. T. Bills, Lafayette Bliss, E. K. Cheadle, F. N. Dickson, A. C. Finney, G. J. Fifield, E. W. Kellogg, J. W. Morris, A. R. Nichols, D. Robertson, and G. M. Williamson. ...From its very beginning the chapter operated sub rosa. In an early letter the Secretary of the chapter wrote: 'We are quite certain that the faculty has some knowledge of our existence, or rather the existence of a secret society of some sort. But they are making a still hunt. They do not wish to put us on our guard by advancing their skirmish line till they are fully prepared for battle. "In the meantime we are straining every nerve to acquire such a degree of strength as shall make it impossible for them to uproot us. And I am convinced that we shall succeed. What we want is the cooperation of all the Fraternity when the struggle comes. At that time I have no doubt a few words in our behalf from 'the men of might' in the order would help us vastly." Minnesota Alpha lived a full year without any conflict with the college authorities; it fitted out a hall where the brothers relaxed, and held their meetings; it sought additional members in the college with an astounding degree of openness, and yet no word of it seemed to get back to the faculty. However, in 1884 the college catalogue contained a new rule: "No society will be allowed whose constitution and bylaws have not been read by the faculty, and approved." Opinion as to what to do about the matter was divided in the chapter. Some thought this was the opening gun of the battle; others that it was a golden opportunity to throw off the cloak, and walk in sunlight.

The reference to subchapters is to all the other Phi Psi chapters then in existence. They were considered as subchapters of the Grand Chapter. 5 The Grand Catalog of Phi Kappa Psi shows the chartering date as March 2, 1883, and cites the 1902 history of Phi Kappa Psi written by Charles L. Van Cleve, as its source.

Brother William A. Hunt, the chapter Secretary, wrote to the Grand Chapter on Sept. 16, 1884: "The faculty have ascertained the fact of our existence and demanded our Constitution and Bylaws for their approval. The faculty are all divided on allowing our existence, but the majority are in our favor -- one or two of them being secret society men. Desiring to be recognized and our existence acknowledged by the faculty, and thus not be compelled to act sub rosa longer, and on the word of one of them that our Constitution and Bylaws would be approved when read, at one of our meetings we decided to send in a committee to read them to the faculty, and they did so last night. "Of course the Bylaws were ours to present if we choose, but did we do wrong in reading the Constitution to them? We did so for the following reasons: "First, on careful examination of it we found no orders, edicts, rules, etc., which forbade it. The oath of secrecy on other matters says nothing of this. "Second, from the very character of the Constitution there is nothing in it dissimilar from other constitutions (except names of officers, etc., which we changed to President, Secretary, etc.,) i.e., like all constitutions it contains articles like the following: Object, Officers, Duties, Membership, etc., none of which are at all objectionable, and similar to all constitutions. "Third, Masons, Odd Fellows, etc., show their constitutions to outsiders wishing knowledge of them. "Fourth, we were almost compelled by circumstances to present them before we could write you and get a reply. "The majority feel we did not overstep our privileges, but a few wished us to write to the Grand Chapter. We left no copy, nor did they see the writing. Of course they saw only the constitution. All else was omitted. "The faculty will notify us this week of their action. If they go back on their word and don't approve it, and order us to disband we can send in our resignation to the Grand Chapter (which you need not accept) and we will tell them we sent it in. Then we can run on as before sub rosa. But they will do the fair thing, and Phi Kappa Psi is now as well as acknowledged by our faculty, but we cannot so announce until they notify us. "Hoping to write you next as a free and open society." In October the Grand Chapter wrote asking the outcome of the reading of the Constitution, for they had received no further word. On the twenty-second of that month a reply was received from Minnesota Alpha: "They decided against us by a close vote." The remainder of the letter concerned plans for the future -- underground. After five full years of sub rosa life, the chapter sent a delegate6 to the GAC of 1888 in Washington, D.C., who was thoroughly imbued with a love for his Fraternity. Upon his return, he felt so confident that Phi Kappa Psi could win over the faculty by its pure principles, that he persuaded the chapter to go once more to that august body, with its plea to take up an open life in the college.
6

The GAC delegate is identified elsewhere in the Centennial History as Marshall D. Snedicor, initiated in 1887 and the recipient of badge 39. After the faculty's last decision, he and four other Alphans transferred to the University of Minnesota, and joined Minnesota Beta.

A committee was appointed on Apr. 25, 1888, and proceeded to its disagreeable duty. On May 5, 1888, the chapter correspondent wrote to The Shield: "Since April twenty fifth we have been waiting as patiently as could be expected under the circumstances for the decision of the faculty. Our hopes rise and fall like the ebb and the flow of the tide, as the various rumors of the faculty's deliberations reach our ears. They seem to be having a lively time over the matter, if we may judge from their frequent meetings. At present writing we dare hardly venture a prediction as to what our fate will be...." The writer closes with an expressed wish that this may not be the last letter to The Shield. The faculty debated the matter for several weeks without decision, and finally rejected the plea. The faculty ordered the group to disband by commencement. None in the chapter had heart to continue after receiving a second foul blow from the college authorities. The members of the chapter felt that a grave injustice had been committed by the faculty, and most of them left the college in June, never to return. No new members were initiated after 1888, resulting in the slow death of the chapter as each graduating class took its toll. In its lifetime of five years the chapter contributed a total of forty four members to the rolls of Phi Kappa Psi....