1930–31 Volume 55 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

Pennsylvania Epsilon Has Beenat Dickinson for Fifty YearsWN OCTOBER 27, 1930, PennsylvaniaEpsilon completed fifty years of continuousexistence, the charter havingbeen granted by the National Conventionon October 27, 1880. Three ofthe seven founders are still living andall three have now become membersof the Golden Legion. These men—John Marvin Colaw, of Monterey,Virginia; Philip Sheridan Hills, ofWillimantic, Connecticut; and HenryWilliam Spangler, of Denver, Colorado—wereall members of the class of1882 of Dickinson College.The story of the founding of thechapter can be briefly told. C. J. Reddig,an alumnus of Pennsylvania Beta,took a special interest in the establishmentof a chapter of A © at DickinsonCollege, after his election as Presidentof the Executive Committee in1878. On February 4, 1880, with thehelp of W. N. Mateer, he initiated F.A. Bergstresser, P. S. Hills, G. E.Kleinhenn, and H. W. Spangler, all ofthe class of 1882; and H. N. Cheesmanand A. W. Weaver of the classof 1883. John M. Colaw, was initiatedApril 9 of the same year. The charterwas granted by the fall convention,held in Indianapolis.Brother Hills tells of the foundingas he remembers it: "Seven or eightstudents, myself among the number,met one evening in one of the smallrooms of East College and founded atDickinson the Pennsylvania Epsilonchapter of the * A © Fraternity.There was not much ceremony in theorganization, but there was some singingand according to the custom ofthose days, we all knelt down upon ourBy GEORGE B. ELLIOTT, Dickinson, '31Chapter President[264]knees while Brother Kleinhenn, whowas religiously inclined, offered prayerin a fervent way for the success andusefulness of the chapter. I think weeach contributed $5.00 upon the occasionand in turn received a handsomegold badge with a scroll upon it,which we wore with pride during theremainder of our college days."Brother Spangler gives the story ofthe first chapter room the fraternityoccupied: "I remember when we organizedwe were without means andwere without wealthy members, andwe rented a room north of the college,across the street, where we met timeafter time while I still remained incollege. The room was furnished witha desk, and I think a rug, and six orseven chairs. That was the start ofthe $ A © Fraternity at Carlisle."All three men are still actively engagedin their respective professions,even though well advanced in years.Brother Colaw has been engaged inthe practice of law since his admittanceto the bar of the state of Virginiain 1886. In addition to his lawwork, he has devoted much of his timeto education. He taught at Montereythree years, for two years being principalof the high school. In 1884 heand B. F. Finkel founded the AmericanMathematical Monthly and fornine years he was a co-editor of thispublication.For fourteen years he was a jointauthor with three other men of twocomplete series of Arithmetics and Algebras.The Colaw Arithmetics andAlgebras have been extensively used,having at different times had state