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

Vol. LV, No. 6THE SCROLLPHI DELTA THETAcollege catalogs, among them that ofWittenberg, a Luthern institutionfounded in 1845 at Springfield, Ohio.Several early attempts were made toestablish a chapter at Hanover andHugh MacHatton, a charter memberof the Centre chapter, was authorizedto initiate his brother, Joseph, a juniorat Hanover. This was done but theHanover chapter did not immediatelyresult.Joseph MacHatton later attendedWittenberg and on February 20, 1852,the Ohio .\lpha chapter authorized himto establish a chapter at Wittenberg.MacHatton initiated two men and thethree applied to the parent chapter fora charter which was granted underdate of May 18, 1852. "The chapterexisted only about two years, andnever was in a flourishing condition."April, 1853, saw only two active members,and its last report was made February8, 1854. There were but eightmembers altogether, all of them longsince dead. Several strong fraternitieswere later established, including* K *, B 0 n, A T n, and * r A.The General Council in 1883 refusedan application from Wittenberg andthere have been several subsequent attemptsat revival.The "Prime" in the chapter name,Ohio Gamma Prime, comes as a resultof the chaotic nomenclature which existedfor many years and involvednumerous chapters in frequent changesof name. Wittenberg was at first OhioGamma, in 1871 the Ohio Wesleyanchapter was rechartered as Ohio Gamma,and in a general revision of chapternames in the epochal 1880 conventionthe Ohio University chapter becameOhio Gamma. For some yearsthe initiated membership at Wittenbergwas included with other Ohio chapters,but the catalog of 1894 labeled it OhioGamma Prime, and such it has sincebeen.Texas Alpha Prime, the chapter at.\ustin College, another of the quartetof "prime" chapters, was about asephemeral as the chapter at Wittenberg.It, too, had only eight mem­[367]bers; the 1926 Catalog indicated thatone of them was still living. .Alexander,McK. Rafter was initiated in thefall of 1854 as a member of the secondMiami chapter, the one which a fewweeks later reunited with the originalMiami chapter. At his initiation Rafterwas authorized to establish a chapterat Austin College. Rafter wentthere during that college year and anapplication for a charter, dated May30, 1853, was signed by him and threeothers. Ohio .Alpha granted them acharter on June 9, 1853, this being thefirst trans-Mississippi chapter of anyfraternity. The members soondropped out of college, however, andthe chapter suspended in 1854.A. T. McKinney of the Austin chapter,then in Princeton, late in 1856 attempteda revival of the chapter. Atthe suggestion of McKinney some correspondenceresulted between an OhioAlpha member and one from .Austinand in June, 1857, the -Austin memberwrote, "I initiated three young men,all choice spirits, with whom you canfreely commune without any mentalreservation whate\er." Probably thecommuning was of little avail sincePalmer concludes, "Doubtless thechapter died with the graduation ofmembers in 1858."Five of the eight members of theAustin chapter served in the ConfederateArmy; one was killed in action;and one was recommended for a colonelcy.The General Council in 1895refused an application from AustinCollege sponsored by a Phi professorfrom the Westminster chapter. Thisrejected local then organized ^ * *with the intention of making it an intercollegiatefraternity. This wasdone, but the new fraternity died aslow death in the early years of thiscentury. The editors of the 1894 Catalogwere responsible for christeningthe Austin chapter as Texas AlphaPrime.The beginnings of the chapter at theKentucky Military Institute illustratethe delightfully informal way in whichmany an early chapter was launched