History of the Cal Sigma Pi (Iota Chapter)
The history of the Iota chapter begins in 1894 when a small group of close friends banded together to form a club known as the Pirate Club. The purpose of this club was quite logical: they wanted to rid themselves of some of the dreaded burdens of housekeeping and cooking during their college years. It was felt that by rotating these jobs among friends they would lighten their individual tasks. As the constitution, written in 1905 states: "The object of the club shall be to maintain a clubhouse and to promote fellowship among members."
Not too much is known of the early history except what was written by Frank Merrill in greatly abbreviated form. To quote from Brother Merrill's ancient history: "In the early days of the Pirate Club it was strictly a baching affair. No furniture was allowed in the parlor, No member was to cut a swell figure in society." Later information from Mr. Merrill explains that the reason why no furniture was allowed in the parlor was that the room was used for boxing practice, and they didn't want to damage the furniture. Until 1905 all the club members rotated the cooking responsibilities and paid a house bill of $15 a month.
By 1905 the baching days of the Pirate club were over, for they acquired not only a new clubhouse but also a cook. The club continued to rise in prominence and membership until by the fall of 1912 there were 19 active Pirates. On August 26, 1912, a committee was formed to consider a fraternity chapter. The committee prepared an extensive pamphlet containing Pirates' history, records, and interests. This was to become the petition for membership in Sigma Pi. On May 5, 1913, a special meeting was called by the Chief Pirate, forerunner of today's sage, for initiation of its members and alumni. The founding of the Iota Chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity was celebrated at the Westin St. Frances. In Iota's first years, the successful transformation of the original Pirates club into a chapter of Sigma Pi was accomplished. The only thing that hindered the progress of the chapter was World War I. However, by the spring of 1918, a few of the members were returning from the war and the chapter was back on its feet.
The decade following the war was probably the finest in the chapter's history. By 1920 The University of California, with 8,000 students, may have already been the country's largest; and Iota with 44 actives was rising to unprecedented heights. Anyone familiar with the University will remember the importance of athletics during the Twenties and the fabulous Wonder Team. Iota was exceptionally well represented by its athletes. Three Sigma Pi's won letters in 1923 and returned the next year with more chapter members and took five of the 19 football letters awarded. In 1925-26, with house members participating in every major sport, the combined house total of letters won was 12, a record never broken at the University. However, athletics weren't the only medium in which Iota excelled. During this period of five of the ten managers of the Daily Californian, the university newspaper, were Sigma Pi's.
The wide and successful activities of the house members placed Sigma Pi among the best fraternities on campus. In keeping with this high position, a plan was formed and executed. A building corporation was formed; they purchased a lot on the corner of Piedmont and Channing Way in the heart of fraternity row. Plans for the construction of a new house were approved and work began in Spring 1928. It was built in pure Italian style of brick and stone, and contained a most formal and correct chapter room. The new house, which many felt was promoted against better judgment, was the finest on campus and is still one of the finest today. It is currently occupied by the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI).
The chapter, justly proud of its new home, opened it to the public in 1929. With the construction of such a magnificent house it was, of course, necessary to finance a good deal of it through bank loans. Everyone knows what happened in 1929 and this economic condition was to mean the doom of Sigma Pi on the campus. By 1933, Iota was forced to give up this newly-built house and move to a smaller rented one. In 1938, the chapter was unable to continue its operation and became inactive at the close of the school year.
Thus Iota, after a remarkable history of achievement and prominence, went off the Berkeley campus. The direct cause was excessive accounts payable. The underlying reason was that the chapter had failed to distinguish begin the character and effort of the house members and the prestige and reputation of the fraternity. Ten years before the chapter had forgotten what the Iotagraph of May 1919 had recognized: that it was work, pure and simple, that brought about a rapid and substantial recognition of Iota on campus.
On the evening of May 24, 1947, in the St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco, the reactivation of Iota was established in gala style. The formal initiation had been carried out that afternoon by several members of the Upsilon Chapter (UCLA) and was witnessed by several old Pirates and many of Iota's alumni. The major part of the work behind the reactivation was carried out through the untiring efforts of Bert Howard. Continued rushing activities toward the next year rapidly increased the chapter strength to 46, badly overcrowding the house.
However, just as Iota was getting back on its feet, the chapter received a great setback when one of its pledges was killed in an automobile accident during informal initiation. In view of the tremendous local publicity given to the accident, the University was forced to place Iota officially off campus but allowed the group to remain organized as the Pirates Club. So, with no rushing privileges, Iota was again in serious trouble.
Due to the concentrated effort of our Province Archon Jack Murray, Iota was reinstated after one year, which is quite a salute to Jack because we were officially placed off campus for ten years. With NCAA champion tumbler Charlie Thompson as sage, quarters for fraternity were arranged, and for the third time Iota was again established at the University of California.
The house continued to grow until 1954, when the Iota Building Corporation, with the help again of Jack Murray, purchased a chapter house with a most interesting history. It was built at the turn of the century by Phoebe Apperson Hearst, mother of the late newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. It served Mrs. Hearst as a guest house and she did most of her entertaining there. In 1906 the house was purchased by Professor Leuschner, who founded the astronomy department at the University. The house was built in the late Victorian style, and the entire building was constructed of paneled redwood.
After that time much of the history of Iota chapter again becomes fuzzy and unrecorded. In the 60's the house closed down again, only to re-open once again around 1975. The current house that Iota occupies was brought for the young men who restarted the chapter at that time. The house was built around the turn of the century and rumor has it, that it was originally the home of Berkeley's mayor. The chapter continued to exist successfully until 1997, when declining membership once again forced Iota to shut down.
In 1999, a group of young men from Priestly Hall of Unit III came together with their friends to restart the chapter. Iota was re-colonized May of 1999. In the Spring of 2000, Iota's first pledge class entered the house. On May 5th, 2001, 88 years after the chapter was founded, we celebrated the re-chartering of Iota chapter at the Westin St. Francis, the same hotel used to celebrate in 1913. Since then, Iota has continually grown and is currently flourishing. The latest pledge class, the Alpha-Eta (or 30th) pledge class, was one of our larger classes, with 15 pledges successfully initiated, helping to solidify Sigma Pi as a prominent and well-respected entity on the Berkeley campus.
*Much of this history was written and documented by Sheldon Smith, Ross Laverty, Victor Amerio, and Everett Merriman Jr. and our thanks go out to them for preserving and passing on our chapter history.
Not too much is known of the early history except what was written by Frank Merrill in greatly abbreviated form. To quote from Brother Merrill's ancient history: "In the early days of the Pirate Club it was strictly a baching affair. No furniture was allowed in the parlor, No member was to cut a swell figure in society." Later information from Mr. Merrill explains that the reason why no furniture was allowed in the parlor was that the room was used for boxing practice, and they didn't want to damage the furniture. Until 1905 all the club members rotated the cooking responsibilities and paid a house bill of $15 a month.
By 1905 the baching days of the Pirate club were over, for they acquired not only a new clubhouse but also a cook. The club continued to rise in prominence and membership until by the fall of 1912 there were 19 active Pirates. On August 26, 1912, a committee was formed to consider a fraternity chapter. The committee prepared an extensive pamphlet containing Pirates' history, records, and interests. This was to become the petition for membership in Sigma Pi. On May 5, 1913, a special meeting was called by the Chief Pirate, forerunner of today's sage, for initiation of its members and alumni. The founding of the Iota Chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity was celebrated at the Westin St. Frances. In Iota's first years, the successful transformation of the original Pirates club into a chapter of Sigma Pi was accomplished. The only thing that hindered the progress of the chapter was World War I. However, by the spring of 1918, a few of the members were returning from the war and the chapter was back on its feet.
The decade following the war was probably the finest in the chapter's history. By 1920 The University of California, with 8,000 students, may have already been the country's largest; and Iota with 44 actives was rising to unprecedented heights. Anyone familiar with the University will remember the importance of athletics during the Twenties and the fabulous Wonder Team. Iota was exceptionally well represented by its athletes. Three Sigma Pi's won letters in 1923 and returned the next year with more chapter members and took five of the 19 football letters awarded. In 1925-26, with house members participating in every major sport, the combined house total of letters won was 12, a record never broken at the University. However, athletics weren't the only medium in which Iota excelled. During this period of five of the ten managers of the Daily Californian, the university newspaper, were Sigma Pi's.
The wide and successful activities of the house members placed Sigma Pi among the best fraternities on campus. In keeping with this high position, a plan was formed and executed. A building corporation was formed; they purchased a lot on the corner of Piedmont and Channing Way in the heart of fraternity row. Plans for the construction of a new house were approved and work began in Spring 1928. It was built in pure Italian style of brick and stone, and contained a most formal and correct chapter room. The new house, which many felt was promoted against better judgment, was the finest on campus and is still one of the finest today. It is currently occupied by the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI).
The chapter, justly proud of its new home, opened it to the public in 1929. With the construction of such a magnificent house it was, of course, necessary to finance a good deal of it through bank loans. Everyone knows what happened in 1929 and this economic condition was to mean the doom of Sigma Pi on the campus. By 1933, Iota was forced to give up this newly-built house and move to a smaller rented one. In 1938, the chapter was unable to continue its operation and became inactive at the close of the school year.
Thus Iota, after a remarkable history of achievement and prominence, went off the Berkeley campus. The direct cause was excessive accounts payable. The underlying reason was that the chapter had failed to distinguish begin the character and effort of the house members and the prestige and reputation of the fraternity. Ten years before the chapter had forgotten what the Iotagraph of May 1919 had recognized: that it was work, pure and simple, that brought about a rapid and substantial recognition of Iota on campus.
On the evening of May 24, 1947, in the St. Francis Hotel, San Francisco, the reactivation of Iota was established in gala style. The formal initiation had been carried out that afternoon by several members of the Upsilon Chapter (UCLA) and was witnessed by several old Pirates and many of Iota's alumni. The major part of the work behind the reactivation was carried out through the untiring efforts of Bert Howard. Continued rushing activities toward the next year rapidly increased the chapter strength to 46, badly overcrowding the house.
However, just as Iota was getting back on its feet, the chapter received a great setback when one of its pledges was killed in an automobile accident during informal initiation. In view of the tremendous local publicity given to the accident, the University was forced to place Iota officially off campus but allowed the group to remain organized as the Pirates Club. So, with no rushing privileges, Iota was again in serious trouble.
Due to the concentrated effort of our Province Archon Jack Murray, Iota was reinstated after one year, which is quite a salute to Jack because we were officially placed off campus for ten years. With NCAA champion tumbler Charlie Thompson as sage, quarters for fraternity were arranged, and for the third time Iota was again established at the University of California.
The house continued to grow until 1954, when the Iota Building Corporation, with the help again of Jack Murray, purchased a chapter house with a most interesting history. It was built at the turn of the century by Phoebe Apperson Hearst, mother of the late newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. It served Mrs. Hearst as a guest house and she did most of her entertaining there. In 1906 the house was purchased by Professor Leuschner, who founded the astronomy department at the University. The house was built in the late Victorian style, and the entire building was constructed of paneled redwood.
After that time much of the history of Iota chapter again becomes fuzzy and unrecorded. In the 60's the house closed down again, only to re-open once again around 1975. The current house that Iota occupies was brought for the young men who restarted the chapter at that time. The house was built around the turn of the century and rumor has it, that it was originally the home of Berkeley's mayor. The chapter continued to exist successfully until 1997, when declining membership once again forced Iota to shut down.
In 1999, a group of young men from Priestly Hall of Unit III came together with their friends to restart the chapter. Iota was re-colonized May of 1999. In the Spring of 2000, Iota's first pledge class entered the house. On May 5th, 2001, 88 years after the chapter was founded, we celebrated the re-chartering of Iota chapter at the Westin St. Francis, the same hotel used to celebrate in 1913. Since then, Iota has continually grown and is currently flourishing. The latest pledge class, the Alpha-Eta (or 30th) pledge class, was one of our larger classes, with 15 pledges successfully initiated, helping to solidify Sigma Pi as a prominent and well-respected entity on the Berkeley campus.
*Much of this history was written and documented by Sheldon Smith, Ross Laverty, Victor Amerio, and Everett Merriman Jr. and our thanks go out to them for preserving and passing on our chapter history.
History of Sigma Pi Fraternity International
On January 26, 1897, Miss Charlotte N. Malotte, the professor of Latin and French, spoke to a student group at the chapel hour. She spoke on the subject of "College Fraternities" which sparked the interest of several students. Then, on the afternoon of February 26, a new fraternity had its first meeting. When, after a long session, the meeting adjourned, a literary society had been born, though it was yet unnamed.
The founders of the Fraternity, all cadets at Vincennes University, were William Raper Kennedy, James Thompson Kingsbury, George Martin Patterson, and Rolin Rosco James. The first three were seniors; James was a freshman.
Samuel and Maurice Bayard were the first initiates. They were made members of the Fraternity before a name was selected or a constitution adopted. Many of the first meetings of the Fraternity were held at the old Bayard home. At the Bayard house, the constitution was written and the first ritual was developed and used in the loft of the family's carriage house.
According to history, the mother of the first two initiates, Mrs. Bayard, took a deep interest in the organization and used her influence to steer Tau Phi Delta in the right direction. On one occasion she entered the library of her home to find a meeting of the Fraternity in progress. The business of the hour was the adoption of an appropriate motto. No satisfactory agreement on the subject had been reached. Taking a volume of Robert Browning's poems from a shelf, she turned to A Death In The Desert, and read:
PROGRESS, MAN'S DISTINCTIVE MARK ALONE,
NOT GOD'S, AND NOT THE BEASTS';
GOD IS, THEY ARE.
MAN PARTLY IS AND WHOLLY HOPES TO BE.
"That," Mrs. Bayard said, "would make an excellent motto for your organization." With this remark she left the room, and her suggestion had accomplished its purpose. A motto had been found.
It would be appropriate to say Tau Phi Delta was hardly a fraternity chapter, as that term is now understood. Rather, it was a combination of the fraternity idea and the old style literary society, the like of which flourished in almost every college in the United States in the 19th century. However, in all its outward aspects, Tau Phi Delta possessed the characteristics of a fraternity chapter. It was strictly secret and possessed a password and a grip and included an initiation ritual. Its badge was a simple black shield, with a border of gold, upon which the Greek letters "Tau Phi Delta" were displayed. The colors were black and gold, and the red clover was the official flower.
In the winter of 1903-04 the Fraternity ceased to meet in the college building and rented a small cottage at 110 South Third Street in Vincennes. This building was occupied until the end of the college year and is considered the first chapter house occupied by the Fraternity.
Tau Phi Delta first began to show signs of expansion in about 1904-05. The beginning of the college year found three members of the Fraternity attending the University of Illinois and seven at Indiana University. In May, 1905, the members at Indiana effected an organization and petitioned the Vincennes chapter for authority to establish a second chapter there. The petition was denied. The members felt the proposed chapter would be unable to compete with the fraternities on the state university campus. During that year also, the organization first began to officially call itself a fraternity, and steps were taken toward incorporation under the laws of Indiana. A proposal of one of the members to expand the Fraternity into a national organization with chapters in junior colleges was also considered. Suitable material was not found, and the project was abandoned without formal action.
February 11, 1907, is a significant date in the Fraternity's history. It was then the members last assembled as Tau Phi Delta and first assumed the name of Sigma Pi Fraternity of the United States. Tau Phi Delta had had limited ambitions for expansion. Soon after the name change, Sigma Pi embarked on a program of establishing chapters on other campuses.
In 1984, the Fraternity again changed its name. At the 37th Biennial Convocation, Sigma Pi became an international fraternity by accepting its first Canadian chapter. This international status required the Fraternity to become Sigma Pi Fraternity, International. Today, Sigma Pi is comprised of 123 active chapters, 6 colonies, and over 95,000 alumni.
The founders of the Fraternity, all cadets at Vincennes University, were William Raper Kennedy, James Thompson Kingsbury, George Martin Patterson, and Rolin Rosco James. The first three were seniors; James was a freshman.
Samuel and Maurice Bayard were the first initiates. They were made members of the Fraternity before a name was selected or a constitution adopted. Many of the first meetings of the Fraternity were held at the old Bayard home. At the Bayard house, the constitution was written and the first ritual was developed and used in the loft of the family's carriage house.
According to history, the mother of the first two initiates, Mrs. Bayard, took a deep interest in the organization and used her influence to steer Tau Phi Delta in the right direction. On one occasion she entered the library of her home to find a meeting of the Fraternity in progress. The business of the hour was the adoption of an appropriate motto. No satisfactory agreement on the subject had been reached. Taking a volume of Robert Browning's poems from a shelf, she turned to A Death In The Desert, and read:
PROGRESS, MAN'S DISTINCTIVE MARK ALONE,
NOT GOD'S, AND NOT THE BEASTS';
GOD IS, THEY ARE.
MAN PARTLY IS AND WHOLLY HOPES TO BE.
"That," Mrs. Bayard said, "would make an excellent motto for your organization." With this remark she left the room, and her suggestion had accomplished its purpose. A motto had been found.
It would be appropriate to say Tau Phi Delta was hardly a fraternity chapter, as that term is now understood. Rather, it was a combination of the fraternity idea and the old style literary society, the like of which flourished in almost every college in the United States in the 19th century. However, in all its outward aspects, Tau Phi Delta possessed the characteristics of a fraternity chapter. It was strictly secret and possessed a password and a grip and included an initiation ritual. Its badge was a simple black shield, with a border of gold, upon which the Greek letters "Tau Phi Delta" were displayed. The colors were black and gold, and the red clover was the official flower.
In the winter of 1903-04 the Fraternity ceased to meet in the college building and rented a small cottage at 110 South Third Street in Vincennes. This building was occupied until the end of the college year and is considered the first chapter house occupied by the Fraternity.
Tau Phi Delta first began to show signs of expansion in about 1904-05. The beginning of the college year found three members of the Fraternity attending the University of Illinois and seven at Indiana University. In May, 1905, the members at Indiana effected an organization and petitioned the Vincennes chapter for authority to establish a second chapter there. The petition was denied. The members felt the proposed chapter would be unable to compete with the fraternities on the state university campus. During that year also, the organization first began to officially call itself a fraternity, and steps were taken toward incorporation under the laws of Indiana. A proposal of one of the members to expand the Fraternity into a national organization with chapters in junior colleges was also considered. Suitable material was not found, and the project was abandoned without formal action.
February 11, 1907, is a significant date in the Fraternity's history. It was then the members last assembled as Tau Phi Delta and first assumed the name of Sigma Pi Fraternity of the United States. Tau Phi Delta had had limited ambitions for expansion. Soon after the name change, Sigma Pi embarked on a program of establishing chapters on other campuses.
In 1984, the Fraternity again changed its name. At the 37th Biennial Convocation, Sigma Pi became an international fraternity by accepting its first Canadian chapter. This international status required the Fraternity to become Sigma Pi Fraternity, International. Today, Sigma Pi is comprised of 123 active chapters, 6 colonies, and over 95,000 alumni.