1903-04 Volume 28 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLL. 245HISTORIC FRATERNITY CONTESTS.*When New York Alpha was re-established at Cornell, 1886,it was given its former position, with relation to other fraternities,in the annual Cornellian. When New York Delta wasre-established at Columbia, 1893, it was given its former positionin the annual Columbian. But when California Alphawas re-established, 1886, the other fraternities at Californiarefused to give the chapter its former position in the annualBlue and Gold. Justice was not done il> A © in this publicationuntil 1902, when E. C. Anthony, being editor-in-chief,placed California Alpha next after the pioneer fraternity, Z *.At Northwestern the first chapter of any fraternity was establishedby * A ©, 1859, but two years later it was broken upon account of the war. When Illinois Alpha was re-establishedthere, 1887, the other fraternities refused to give thechapter its rightful position in the annual Syllabus. The samething occurred at Ann Arbor, Michigan Alpha when re-established,1887, not being granted its original position in theannual Palladiicm. The same discrimination against * A 0was exercised at Wisconsin; but after years of contention,4> A 0 won a complete victory at Wisconsin, while at Michiganit finally secured equal representation, though not itsoriginal position in the annual. At both Wisconsin andMichigan the fights over the annuals were complicated withthe unfairness of other fraternities in regard to inter-fraternitysocial events.At the University of Wisconsin $ A © had the only chapterbefore the civil war, and it suspended on account of the war.Wisconsin Alpha was reorganized, 1880. B ® n had establisheda chapter there, 1873; * K *, 1875; X *, 1878. Thefirst students' annual at Wisconsin, called the Troches, waspublished in the spring of 1884 by the class of '85. C. L.Allen, of Wisconsin Alpha, who was editor-in-chief, arrangedthe fraternities in the order of their establishment in the university.The other fraternities objected to this arrangementand called for a vote of the board of editors. Four of theeight members of the board were non-fraternity men. Theresult was a vote of five to three in favor of * A 0. Theother fraternities would not abide this decision, and, led byX *, withdrew their support, taking with them all literarymaterial which had been prepared for the annual. Theseactions, especially that of withdrawing the literary material.* Written for "The History of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity," now in press.