Sigma Phi Delta: Engineers Build a Fraternity, 1928-2002

Jonathan S. Coit Graduate Assistant, Greek Housing History Project June 3, 2002

Information courtesy of University of Illinois Archives and the Society for the Preservation of Greek Housing

This history was produced as part of the Society for the Preservation of Greek Housing’s Greek Housing History Project. The Society was founded in 1988, with the goal of preserving the physical buildings that embody the history of the nation’s largest Greek system, and educating the public about the historical significance of fraternities and sororities on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus. Dues paid by member fraternity and sorority chapters and donations from Chapter Alumni fund the Society’s work. In keeping with their mission, the Society began the Greek Housing History Project in May 2000 in conjunction with the University of Illinois Archives. The GHHP aims for nothing less than producing a complete historical record of fraternities and sororities on the University of Illinois campus, by employing a graduate assistant to research and write histories of campus chapters. Making the work possible are the extensive collections of the University of Illinois Archives, especially its Student Life and Culture Archival Program. Supported by an endowment from the Stewart S. Howe Foundation, the heart of the SLC Archives is the Stewart S. Howe collection, the world’s largest collection of material related to fraternities and sororities.

 2002 The Society for the Preservation of Greek Housing and the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. All rights reserved. Delta in the Fraternity Boom: 1924-1928

Sigma Phi Delta was constituted as a national fraternity near the end of a major fraternity boom. Alpha Chapter was founded at the University of Southern California

April 11, 1924. Fraternities expanded dramatically in the 1920s, as can be seen in the growth of chapters at the University of Illinois. At the conclusion of the 1918-19 school year 41 men’s fraternities paid for pages in the campus yearbook, the Illio . By 1930, the

pre-Depression height of the system, the Illio featured pages from 87 men’s fraternities,

including 39 that dated their chapter from 1920 or later. At this writing no history of the

national was at hand, but one suspects that the boom period is at least partially

responsible for the creation of the group. Sigma Phi Delta merged a traditional honorary

society with a social fraternity, and the tensions created in this union played a key role in

its history. All SPD chapters have had to materially encourage and provide for academic

achievement while keeping up a busy schedule of social activities and interfraternity

events. Most social fraternities have as their foundational basis friendship, rather than

professional development; SPD’s motto is “Pro bono professionis,” or “For the good of

the profession.” These tensions go beyond activities, and into the fraternity’s structure.

A social fraternity finds itself compelled not solely by social factors to induct new

members, but also by financial considerations. Chapter houses, which are a central

manifestation of the tradition fraternities embody, do not pay for themselves. New

members must be recruited in significant numbers to maintain the house. However, a

professional fraternity has few financial obligations and thus fewer material obstacles to

rigorously limited membership. These countervailing tendencies within Sigma Phi Delta

actually made it difficult to form an Alpha chapter. Alpha of Sigma Phi Delta was the

2 third attempt to form a social fraternity for engineers at USC. The previous two groups quickly dropped the engineers-only membership restriction and became standard social fraternities. All this suggests that in the unique context of the 1920s fraternity boom, achieving the tricky marriage of social and professional fraternity seemed possible. 1

Delta Chapter, 1928-1936

Alpha connections were directly responsible for the creation of Sigma Phi Delta’s

chapter at the University of Illinois. Alpha alumus J. K. Milligan, and Albert A. Wells,

brother of Alpha charter member Addison E. Wells, began circulating a petition to form a

chapter in the fall of 1927. Delta Chapter of Sigma Phi Delta was installed at the

University of Illinois January 25, 1928. Fourteen students became charter members of

the chapter: Albert A. Wells, Randall D. Smith, George E. Atkinson, Donald M. Brown,

R. Lindsay Pickett, Charles O. Smith, William C. Cassidy, Richard T. Larsen, Frank

Kockis, Joseph J. Power, Oliver Place, William T. Thornborrow, Donald R. Groff, and

Harry R. Garing. The Inman Hotel hosted the gathering. Field Representative Dunston

conducted the installation and initiation, and he and College of Engineering Dean H. H.

Jordan and Professor Carroll C. Wiley gave speeches welcoming the group to campus.

The ceremony also saw the first of many discussions the chapter’s house situation. Delta

members concluded, rather late, that since only nine of the fourteen charter members

1 Illio 1920; Illio 1930; Anson, Jack, and Robert F. Marchesani, Jr., eds., Baird’s Manual of American College Fraternities , 20 th ed., 1991, p. V 56-57. Andy Hill has notified me that he has a copy of a national history, and I hope to add to this account based on it soon. Obviously this is not to argue that social fraternities are compelled by some external logic to be less selective than professional fraternities in membership, especially when the ability and desire of social fraternities to be selective is so manifest in their history.

3 could move in to a house for Spring semester, they would attempt to find a house for fall semester 1928 instead. 2

The house question dominated the chapter’s first months. Surprisingly, the first option the new chapter considered was purchase. However, after members questioned

“the chapter’s making such a hazardous step without finances on hand,” much less a group of supportive alumni, they opted to look for a rental property. They found their house relatively quickly, but sealing the deal took some time. At their second chapter meeting, February 23, 1928, the chapter approvingly mentioned the house at 407 E.

Daniel, Champaign, then occupied by . However, Delta could not accede to the demands of the owner, a Mrs. Bailey. After the lease was signed, she proposed that the chapter either consent to rent her furniture as well as the house, or agree to have at least 25 men in the house, enabling higher rent. The chapter attempted to find alternatives, and as late as May 3 was still against assuming the AKL house lease.

Members at that meeting voted down a proposal to drop consideration of the house and keep the AKL house lease. However, by May 24 the chapter had decided on the AKL house, and at that evening’s meeting noted the purchase of new beds for the home. The chapter’s last meeting of their first semester illustrated some interesting choices. Although the chapter had not yet moved into its own house and cut their teeth on financial planning, members went debt to purchase furniture. They also relied in part on the financial resources of the founders. The president, Richard T. Larsen ’29, agreed to donate $100 to the furniture purchase, and other members offered $5 apiece. Members carried a motion to pay back these loans “sometime during the next school year as credit

2 “A History of Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity,” typescript in possession of author, n. d., p. 15. Minutes 1/25/28, Minute Book 1928-1931, box 2, Sigma Phi Delta records, Record Series 41/71/76, Student Life

4 on their house-bill.” Given that the entire bill amounted to $750, or nearly an entire year’s rent on their house, this represented a sizeable debt. Perhaps in this also Sigma Phi

Delta mirrored not only the exuberance of the national economic boom but also the huge boom in fraternities. 3

Delta members applied themselves to a variety of activities. Constants in this

early period were typical ones. The chapter held at least one house dance every semester,

including a memorable “Depression Dance” February 1932 featuring a simple setup: the

chapter’s Victrola with a jerry-rigged loudspeaker, and “plain programs.” The chapters’

rush smokers, held every November, were another constant. The members were less

consistent with other established Greek activities. Delta only participated once in the

Interscholastic Stunt Show (in 1929), and the Homecoming stunt show (putting on a

“Hobo Parade” in 1930). They also show only one year in which homecoming

decorations were considered. Delta’s lone event held with another fraternity was an

exchange dinner with in November 1932, in which three visiting

engineers brought three quarts of beer. 4

Most likely this was a result of two factors. The chapter remained small, and as I

discuss below had relatively shaky finances. But also, as a professional society, members

had to provide time and energy for those activities as well. Symposiums on issues of

interest to engineers were also staple features of Delta’s early years, although the

chapter’s minutes did not record their topics. But of more interest were the new events

sponsored by the Engineering Department. Delta participated in the “Engineering Show”

and Culture Archives, University of Illinois. Hereafter referred to as Sigma Phi Delta records. 3 Minutes 2/7/28, 2/23/28, 3/2/28, 5/3/28, 5/24/28, 6/3/28, 1928-31 Minute book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records.

5 scheduled for fall semester 1930, and the “Engineer’s Dance” in the spring of 1931, events which were forerunners of the Engineering Open House that Sigma Phi Delta would play a major role in after World War II. The chapter also helped their national fraternity grow, an unusual task for a new chapter. They formed a “Committee on New

Chapters” in 1930, and after visiting Marquette University in 1931 Eta Chapter of Sigma

Phi Delta was installed. In short, Delta’s first members established a productive house.

Faculty in Engineering no doubt made the task easier. Professor John S. Crandall composed a song for the chapter in 1929. Engineering faculty also regularly attended house functions, such as Delta’s Founder’s Day celebration in 1932. 5

But the success Delta had in establishing itself was ultimately undone by their precarious financial situation. After moving into their first house at 407 E. Daniel,

Champaign, the chapter was already in the red nearly $550. In January 1929, the minutes remarked that “all debts up to $400 have been paid,” but as Delta had received a $400 loan from the parents of Gordon B. Brown ’29, the chapter was still under significant financial pressure. The Depression may have contributed, as by January 1930 the chapter was owed almost $230 from graduated members “and others not in the house.” Five months later members asked “what has been done by officers in regard to collecting money due fraternity,” suggesting that collection had been difficult. Tight money also resulted in some ruffled feathers within the chapter. At the December 16, 1929 chapter meeting, members approved the motion of Jim Wright ’30, to form a committee to

“investigate a radio and purchase one.” Treasurer Marshall A. Wilson ’30 immediately

4 Minutes 2/19/29, 3/20/29, 11/11/29, 1;/13/30, 10/6/30, 3/2/31, 1928-31 Minute book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 2/23/32, 4/11/32, 9/26/32, 11/28/32, 1932-55 Minute book, box 2, Sigma Phi Delta Records.

6 made a pointed motion to raise the house bill $3 per month, and when it was defeated, offered his resignation because he felt “the house cannot carry the cost of a radio.” The chapter then voted to reverse their earlier decision, and Wilson elected to carry out his term. By the fall of 1930 things had gotten much worse. After deciding to do something about lagging scholarship, the chapter voted to investigate purchasing a plaque which would bear the names of the Delta member with the highest grades each semester. The plaque was priced at $17.50, no doubt significantly less than a radio cost. Members decided against purchasing the plaque, however, but noted they would do so “when house is more able financially.” Less than a year later, the chapter had accumulated an $80 debt to the National. National agreed to forgive $35 of the debt, and accept notes for the rest by early 1933. In fall 1933 the chapter minutes reveal Delta had still not repaid the $400 loan Gordon Brown’s parents gave the chapter in 1929. Another possible cause was the chapter’s three moves. Delta stayed at 407 E. Daniel only one school year, moving into a house at 306 E. Green St. Urbanafor the 1929-30 academic year, and moving again to

1009 W. Green St., Urbana in fall 1931. 6

The Depression impacted the chapter in several ways, but the ultimately unsolvable problem it led to was an inability to obtain pledges. In this Sigma Phi Delta was not alone. By 1937 the number of fraternities on campus had declined from the 1930 high of 87 chapters, to 62 chapters. The number continued to decline until after World

War II, with the 1948 Illio recording 55 men’s fraternities on campus, and the chapters that survived generally did so with fewer members. The chapter had eleven actives in the

5 Minutes 2/19/29, 3/20/29, 11/11/29, 1;/13/30, 10/6/30, 3/2/31, 1928-31 Minute book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 2/23/32, 4/11/32, 9/26/32, 11/28/32, 1932-55 Minute book, box 2, Sigma Phi Delta Records.

7 fall of 1932, but only one pledge. By the fall of 1933 Delta did not have enough members to maintain a house or buy a page in the 1933 Illio . The last recorded chapter minutes are from the November 20, 1933 meeting, and it is unclear to what extent the chapter continued functioning after that date. In 1934 Engineering Professor J. H. Tuthill and Delta alumni were reportedly directing a “complete reorganization” of Delta chapter.

Ironically the same issue noted that Delta chapter received an award at Sigma Phi Delta’s second annual Convention for the best chapter newsletter. They had managed to keep the newsletter publishing when times were tight by using money donated to build their book collection. 7

The nation’s economic crisis hit bottom in 1932, and the economy very slowly revived. In the context of this slow recovery, Sigma Phi Delta National Grand President

William A. Rundquist began to reassert national control. Telling chapters in the

December 1935 The Star Bulletin that he had let them slide on their financial obligations because of the Depression, he stated he now intended “to issue such executive orders and cause such suspension of privilege as may be necessary….” Whether or not these measures worked is unclear, but by 1936 only five of ten Sigma Phi Delta chapters were still functioning. And it is likely only two of those, Marquette’s Eta (which Delta helped form), and Chicago Tech’s Iota, current on their fees and national paperwork. The Star

Bulletin editions of 1935 and 1936 indicate that Delta’s reorganization was not proceeding any more smoothly. The May issue does not mention the chapter at all. The

October issue stated that the chapter had been reorganized, the January/February issue

6 Minutes 9/18/28, 10/1/28, 12/16/29, 1/13/30, 5/19/30, 11/3/30, 1928-31 Minute book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 10/24/32, 3/27/33, 9/25/33, 1932-55 Minute book, box 2, Sigma Phi Delta Records. 7 Illio 1937, 1948; The Star Bulletin 7:2 (November 1932), p. 3; 8:1 (October 1933), p. 3; 9:1 (December 1934), p. 3; Minutes 2/13/33, 1932-55 Minute book, box 2, Sigma Phi Delta Records.

8 notes that Delta was given a quota of ten new members. Apparently the chapter failed to meet this goal. In the June 1936 issue, a report states that “Delta, whose Charter was suspended because of general inability of the Chapter to meet its responsibilities, is soundly and systematically being reorganized by Delta alumni. By next fall, Delta should be active again.” Unfortunately no records currently exist which indicate that this plan was a success. 8

Delta 1940-1944: Reactivation to Shut Down for the Duration

By spring semester of 1940, Delta was active again on the University of Illinois campus. The first minutes extant from the reactivated chapter are dated March 11, 1940.

Delta did not have a house, so the chapter met that spring in room 215 of the Electrical

Engineering Laboratory. Most likely recruiting for the chapter was done by Engineering

Professor John K. Tuthill and town alumni. These new members were quite concerned about moving into a house in the fall, despite their being only thirteen of them to fill it.

At their April 1 meeting Delta members divided up Champaign-Urbana into districts, and assigned teams to scour each district for available houses. On May 13 the chapter received word that the Chicago alumni promised “that we could definitely plan on having a house next year.” Although little of the resulting process is recorded in the minutes, by

September of 1940 Delta had moved into its new home at 508 W. Green St., Urbana. As part of the move, the chapter brought its furniture and dishes out of storage. Professor

8 The Star Bulletin ,9:2 (December 1935), p. 2, 9:3 (March 1935), 10:1 (October 1935), p. 3, 10:4 (January- February 1936), p. 2, 10:5 (June 1936), p. 4, 11:2 (November 1936).

9 Tuthill, as well as a “Mrs. Burnham and Mrs. Widger” had kept the items during the chapter’s absence. 9

Delta in short order began fulfilling a modest social schedule, but lack of men living in the house seemed to make even these activities difficult to put on. After agreeing to hold two dances and a smoker fall semester of 1940, the minutes record only one dance being held, a Halloween dance November 1. Delta did not consider holding another social event until April 1941, and then rejected a social event “with dates” in favor of a “stag party with refreshments.” After a May 10 steak fry, Delta’s next event was a pledge dance February 21, 1942. Delta members discussed the dearth of activities at their March 16, 1942 meeting, the consensus being that “Most of the members want more house dances and social activities.” The chapter had two more events before the end of that semester, a “hobo dance” in April and a “beer party” following their informal initiation. Delta retained roughly the same schedule of three dances per year until 1944. 10

Just as the Depression made Delta’s continued operation difficult, World War II seemed to complicate matters as well. While only two Deltas are recorded as having left the chapter for the service, the chapter clearly had problems both finding pledges and keeping men in the house. The 1942 Illio photo shows a seemingly healthy house with

19 members, but twelve of those were seniors that year. The 1943 Illio photo of the group was not surprisingly much smaller, showing only nine members, eight of them sophomores and freshmen. There are some suggestions as to why pledging became difficult. First, clearly the draft impacted both the number of men available but also may have made men less willing to involve themselves in a fraternity, since they might be

9 Minutes 3/11/40, 4/1/40, 4/8/40, 4/29/40, 5/13/40, Minute Book 1940-49, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records.

10 called up to leave school at any time. Delta passed a motion in October 1941 prohibiting prospective pledges from eating more than three meals at the chapter “without definite views toward pledging.” President Freek admonished that chapter later that month to

“take a more serious attitude toward the problems of our chapter,” and Treasurer McNab noted that “more pledges would cut down on the food bill per man a substansial[sic] amount.” However, one cannot wring blood from a stone, as the saying goes. Only the men’s fraternities with the largest prewar membership managed to remain in operation during World War II. In Delta’s case, even after assigning each prospective pledge to an active in spring 1942, the chapter had difficulty securing pledges. Again, Delta’s problems were more general to the Greek system as a whole at the University. The best statistics available are for sororities, and show that it was not until 1946 that the total number of sorority members equaled the 1187 members in 1931. No doubt the drop in members lasted longer for fraternities, who found themselves sending the vast majority of their members and prospective members into the Armed Forces during World War II. 11

The pledging problem was only compounded by the chapters’ difficulty in keeping men in the house. Although skillful Treasurers kept the house running in budget, beginning in May 1942 there are regular references in the minutes to delinquent bills piling up. By early 1943 the delinquent house bills were causing the chapter to delay paying its own bills. Mrs. Reeves, the cook, reported to Delta members January 1943 that “some of our November bills have not been paid.” Members efficiently looked to simplify the houses’ purchasing by buying from one store only. But there were larger

10 Minutes 9/23/40, 10/21/40, 4/21/41, 5/5/41, 1/6/42, 3/16/42, 4/13/42, 5/4/42, Minute Book 1940-49, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records. Underline in original 11 Illio 1942, p. 444; Illio 1943, p. 344; Minutes 10/6/41, 11/3/41, 2/23/42, 3/2/42, Minute Book 1940-49, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records.

11 issues that needed to be addressed. A survey in February 1943 found that there were 25

Sigma Phi Delta men on campus, but only 14 of them lived in the house. As a result

Delta passed a motion that “the pledges and members living outside the house will be asked to present their reasons for not living in the House. Those without sufficient reason will be dropped,” and doubled the out-of-house fee from $4 to $8. The dearth of pledges continued, and by the beginning of fall semester 1943 it was clear that unless the chapter grew, it would shut down. Delta President John W. Henry implored the chapter on several occasions to keep the house open in the fall of 1943, but the chapter was unable to garner the necessary pledges. The last meeting minutes “for the duration” were recorded

March 6, 1944. 12

On Firmer Footing: Sigma Phi Delta after World War II

The duration proved remarkably short. Delta was reactivated in February 1946, and held their first meeting, at 405 E. Green, Champaign, March 10. New members were the prime movers in reactivation. Although the chapter had had significant faculty support before the war, Delta’s first postwar Illio picture features only one Engineering

Professor, Frederick Straub. Only two collegiate members from the 1943 Illio photo

rejoined the chapter after the war, Robert Stephens and Maurice Kimbrough’48, but it

appears they did so after reactivation. The February meeting’s minutes record that only

four members were present, Lloyd Taylor ’47, Hubert Nienman ’46, George Vencolise

’46, and Hugh Connolly ’48, none of whom were Sigma Phi Delta members prior to the

chapter’s second closure in 1944. It appears, though, that the person most responsible for

12 Minutes 5/11/42, 10/19/42, 1/25/43, 2/22/43, 7/12/43, 9/20/43, 10/18/43, 12/27/43, 3/6/44, Minute Book 1940-49, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records.

12 Delta’s revival was ineligible for membership. Delta later credited Mrs. Reeves (the minutes never record her first name) the chapter’s cook in the 1930s, for her help in re- establishing the chapter. At their September 25, 1946 meeting, the minutes record: “Mrs.

Reeve was thanked by the group for the splendid cooperation that she has given us during the months of reconstruction.” 13

The new group of Deltas had three main tasks to accomplish: electing officers, securing pledges, and finding a home to house them. At the March 1946 meeting, the group rather conveniently elected Robert Beals ’49 chapter president, and Taylor treasurer. Only two officers were elected because, the minutes note, “we have no house and very little business….” By the next recorded meeting in May, the chapter had a line on what would become their fifth chapter house, 1103 W. Illinois, Urbana. Given the chapter’s uncertain membership, the building’s owner graciously enough allowed Deltas to pay rent on a per man basis. By August the actives had managed to garner six pledges for the new house, but still not enough to meet the 20 man minimum Mrs. Thompson

(again no first name recorded) set for providing board. The new group of Sigma Phi

Delta members took their obligations to the continually fledgling fraternity seriously.

Although by January 1947 the house still had five vacancies, members emphasized that

“It is not desired to have a pledge class that is too large.” Given Delta chapter’s difficulties, this speaks of an admirable commitment to fraternity brotherhood.

Additionally, in contrast to the war years, in February 1947 new chapter President

Herbert Schultz ’48 “commented on the promptness with which house-bills had been paid and complemented the group on the recent house-cleaning job.” 14

13 Minutes 3/10/46, 9/25/46, Minute Book 1940-49, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Illio 1947, p. 475. 14 Minutes 3/10/46, 5/26/46, 8/26/46, 1/6/47, Minute Book 1940-49, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records.

13 The immediate house question resolved the chapter began to resume a social schedule. In November 1946 the chapter had a hayride, and the following January had a rather euphemistic “pretzel supper” for which the “beer is to come from the social fund.”

But by the end of the decade the chapter had re-established a social calendar similar to that of the late 1920s. During the school year 1949-50 Delta held a formal house dance, a

“hayrack party” followed by a record dance, decorated the house for Homecoming, and have several chapter “coke dates.” They also built a float for the Engineering Open

House, had an exchange dinner with , and met Chicago Tech’s Iota chapter of Sigma Phi Delta for a baseball game in Chicago. In the fall of 1950 they began competing again in intermural sports, beginning with football. Delta recruited pledges, as before the war, with a fall smoker. It took even longer for some chapter traditions to be reinstituted. Delta’s first recorded postwar celebration of Founders’ Day was in 1953, and 1953 marked the first year the chapter resumed having professional symposiums. New traditions were also inaugurated in the postwar period. Sigma Phi

Delta began a heated rivalry with Triangle fraternity over a “Travelling Trophy.” The chapter which emerged victorious in three of five sporting events retained the trophy for a year. Although the contest did not typically go well for Delta chapter, the enterprising engineers remained hopeful. For example, in 1960, some ten years after the chapter had last won the prize, Delta reported that a “victory over Triangle fraternity has heightened hopes of retrieving the traveling trophy.” 15

15 Minutes 10/14/46, 1/6/47, 1940-49 Minute Book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 10/7/49, 11/13/49, 1/9/50, 2/14/50, 3/6/50, 4/3/50, 5/1/50, 9/26/50, 12/4/50,1949-52 Minute book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 4/14/53, 4/28/53, 1932-55 Minute Book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; The Castle 26:1 (December 1956), p. 12-13, 27:3 (August 1959), p. 20, 27:4 (January 1960) p. 9-10.

14 As Delta resumed its prewar activity schedule, a more difficult question loomed.

The only time when the chapter and alumni even considered purchasing a house was in the exciting days right after the chapter’s founding. The entire decade of the 1950s passed with little positive steps toward acquiring a house. Delta attempted to move in the right direction early. In December 1950 members voted to establish “a voluntary house building fund which consisted of a sum of $100.00 per man,” to be paid after graduation.

Most fraternities made such contributions a requirement, and subsequent minutes showed why. As part of a lengthy report on the precarious financial situation of the chapter in

April 1953, it was reported that “there is $4300 pledged to the building fund--$250 of which has been collected.” Later that same year collegiate members expressed frustration with the alumni’s handling of the chapter’s finances, and reached a consensus that “the Alumni are not doing their share in supporting the chapter due to the financial set up as it stands.” At some point the chapter purchased the house, but ultimately this seemed to only cause more difficulty in finding a long-term housing solution. Delta’s

1103 W. Illinois home hampered chapter growth. For example, in the August 1959 issue of The Castle Delta noted that their house was at “full capacity”—23 men. The next mention of the housing situation in Sigma Phi Delta’s records is not until the December

1960 issue of the national magazine, The Castle . At the time the alumni were considering purchasing the house previously owned by a Jewish women’s fraternity, Iota

Alpha Pi, at 1002 S. Lincoln. However, this purchase fell through and the 1961-62 school year found the chapter still at 1103 W. Illinois.

In that year Sigma Phi Delta received a significant external impetus for resolving their house situation. The University of Illinois informed Delta actives and alumni that

15 their property “was to be bought for University expansion,” pruchasing the house July 23,

1962. After Epsilon offered and then withdrew their house from the market, alumni and actives were forced to move to a temporary home, a frame house at

905 S. Fifth St., Champaign, for the 1962-63 school year. Once there, however, they learned of ’s plan to build a new house and sell their existing one, at 302

E. Gregory. In very short order SPD purchased AEPi’s house, rented it back to them for the remainder of the school year, and moved in (after some extensive remodeling) in the fall of 1963. The new house placed the chapter on a much firmer foundation, as the AEPi house was designed for fraternity living, and could hold more men, potentially up to thirty-six. Moreover, the new house would “help the rushing program which had been suffering of late due to recent building programs of other fraternities on the campus.” 16

Records are sparse between the purchase of the new house and the end of the

1960s. However, they do suggest that Sigma Phi Delta was able to weather the decreasing interest in fraternities that marked the decade. In 1967 Delta re-entered formal rush. During the 1950s the chapter had dropped out of the system, mainly because the number of men coming through the house, relative to the number of pledges they typically garnered, did not justify the expense. The chapter expressed what must have been a constant difficulty in rushing, that “[engineering] college rushees shy away because they are afraid of grades falling while high school rushees worry about the lack of social programs.” Other Sigma Phi Delta chapters probably had similar problems, as the main item on the agenda for the 1969 National Convention was allowing non-

16 Minutes 12/11/50, 1949-52 Minute Book, box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 4/27/53, 11/23/53, 1932-55 Minute Book, box 2, Sigma Phi Delta records; The Castle 27:3 (August 1959), p. 20, 27:6 (December 1960), p. 10, 27:9 (May 1963), p. 9-10. According to Andrew Hill ’88 the University purchased Delta’s house for $35,000, and Delta purchased the SAE house for $90,000.

16 engineers to join. Delta, however, reached a high number of members in that same year with 28 men in the house. But they also seemed to in some sense take their own advice.

In subsequent years the chapter engaged in a more active social schedule and appeared to pare down their professional commitments. In the fall of 1968 the chapter fielded a pledge football team, had a hay ride and wiener roast, inaugurated a Little Sisters program, and held a pledge dance with the theme “Hell’s Angels Go Undercover to

Shake the Fuzz.” Members also decorated the house with a typically elaborate display for their large Homecoming celebration. The display depicted “a sheep (ewe) dressed in an Ohio State jersey on a rotissary [sic], orange and blue flames with Chief Illiniwek turning the rotissary [sic].” The chapter also renewed their sports rivalry with Triangle on the gridiron. 17

Delta expanded their activities into other areas as well during the 1970s. There is more evidence of Delta visiting and being visited by other SPD chapters. For example, in

1973 Delta attended a four chapter party at Rho Chapter () with Kappa

(Tri-State College), and Lamdba (Indiana Tech.). They also attended formal initiation at

Iota in 1974, and visited Rho chapter for parties in 1975 and 1976. Delta members also became involved with attempts to expand Sigma Phi Delta, but met with resistance. The chapter had won an award at the 1967 Convention, the Grand President’s Trophy for

Expansion, in previous years. But the 1970s efforts were not as successful, not just for

Delta chapter, but Sigma Phi Delta as a whole. The Interfraternity Councils at both

Cornell University and Ohio State University voted against allowing SPD chapters to form there. Charity work, increasingly an important feature of fraternities’ calendars,

17 Report, 17 th General Convention, 1967, box 2, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 9/15/68, 9/30/68, 10/7/68, 10/14/68, 10/28/68, 11/18/68, folder “Meeting Minutes 1968,” box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records;

17 became a focus for Delta in 1974. The chapter passed a motion to either participate in a charitable event each semester or make a $100 donation to a charity. Women’s fraternities Alpha Zeta Delta, , , and had exchanges with Sigma Phi Delta during the decade. This is remarkable since the chapter rarely had explicitly interfraternity events such as this in the past, preferring house dances. Delta actives also let off steam by having many “stag parties,” sometimes with strippers, leading to a the appearance in the minutes of the question, “What about the stripper? Discussion followed.” Minutes from the 1970s perhaps more faithfully recorded the varying kinds of fun the chapter had than in earlier years. They include references to going drinking with Engineering faculty members, football games with

Triangle followed by parties, and a particularly memorable occasion in which

“PLEDGEFATHER REPORTS WERE GIVEN AT THIS TIME DURING WHICH

BRO. DZIOPEK’S CIGARETTE EXPLODED!!!” Perhaps most memorably, though,

Sigma Phi Delta began an activity tradition which is still maintained today. In the spring of 1976, the chapter held their first “Streetdance,” a big outdoor party with live bands.

Being engineers and in general “early adopters” of technology, it should also come as no surprise that Delta owned one of the earliest home videogame consoles, the Magnavox

Odyssey. The machine caused a bit of a stir, causing the chapter to pass a policy making clear that “TV watchers should have priority over the game players.” 18

Sources are relatively sparse for the 1980s and 1990s. Scrapbooks from those years illustrate one major change since the 1970s. The main social event of the chapter in

Minutes 2/17/69, folder “Meeting Minutes 1969,” box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records. 18 “History,” p. 27; Minutes 2/23/70, folder “Meeting Minutes 1970,” box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records; Minutes 10/7/73, 3/4/74, 3/25/74, 4/15/74, 8/21/74, 10/28/74, 11/18/74, 9/7/75, 8/31/76, 9/7/76, 11/30/76, 4/25/77, folder “Minutes 1973-78,” box 1, Sigma Phi Delta records.

18 recent years has become parties. Andrew Hill ’88 described their function as a stress release from a strenuous course of study:

My active years were spent primarily preparing for tests. We would do homework in groups of 10 sometimes until 2 am. The guys building electrical lab projects looked like they were doing the most interesting thing, until the civil engineers started building balsawood bridges and calculating their strength. The parties were all out releases from the stress of school. People would dance elbow to elbow for the good songs until the floor shook, then run for the keg when the DJ played something lame.

Even so, the chapter continues to arrange themes for its parties, and hold elaborate events like the Streetdance. Hill noted he was proudest of the Chapter’s continuing success in the Homecoming float competitions, noting quite accurately that “The fireplaces are covered with first place trophies as far back as you care to remember.” 19

Conclusion

Sigma Phi Delta is a unique fraternity, combining the social focus of most

residence fraternities with the focus on academics of a professional fraternity. Delta

chapter has managed to straddle this fence despite tensions pulling it either one way, or

another, over its life. It is probably the only fraternity on campus which has no required

study hours (and has never had) because, as Hill puts it, “We did not have enforced study

hours, it was pretty much a given that successful engineering students studied alot.” The

collegiate members and alumni are currently looking to build or move into a larger house,

enough to accommodate up to 44 members, as part of a national push to expand the

fraternity. Delta’s history shows that the fraternity is capable of making its unusual

character work and survive, and has built a solid foundation for its future. 20

19 Andrew Hill to Jon Coit, February 7, 2002, to be added into Sigma Phi Delta records. 20 Jon Coit Interview with Ian Santarinala, January 25, 2002.

19 Note on Sources

This history relies almost exclusively on the Sigma Phi Delta records, RS 41/71/76,

Student Life and Culture Archives, University of Illinois. Interviews were also conducted with alumni Andrew Hill ’93 and current Delta chapter President Ian

Santarinala ’02.

12/7/76 “Williard Broom’s men will be showing up during Carnival week to make sure that we don’t haze anyone” after motion to eliminate hazing was tabled for lack of definition current hell week chair resigned, “Would Pl. Donley be bonged if he were to re-pledge next semester?” “Would like to see the Chief get more respect. We should all back the new Chief.”; 2/7/77 expansion letters; 2/14/77 street dance;; 10/24/77

“Asked if the house would approve pledging Bob Baskerville just for use on the water polo team and not ever intend to initiate him. It was decided that it would be unethical, even if other teams do it.”;

20