The First 100 Years of Pennsylvania Theta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity Chartered April 23, 1904 Installed May 10, 1904 4th Edition, March 2014 Original research and material by: Richard S. Pirrotta ’87 (Bond #1140) and Ronald L. Forrest ’88 (Bond #1125) Editing and additional research and material by: Thomas L. Smith ’54 (Bond #564) 1904 Charter of Pennsylvania Theta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity 1921 Campus Fraternities Clockwise from bottom-right: Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, Alpha Zeta, Sigma Chi Center: Phi Gamma Delta Note: The text below was originally printed in the dinner program for Pennsylvania Theta's Golden Anniversary celebration October 16-17, 1954. THE FOUNDER Irving Lysander Foster July 4, 1870 – June 1, 1929 Born in Washington, D.C. on the 4th of July, Those whose great privilege it was to come 1870, Irving Lysander Foster was initiated into under his kindly supervision during the first Phi Delta Theta by the chapter at Brown twenty-five years of the Pennsylvania Theta University (RI Alpha). He graduated from chapter of Phi Delta Theta, when he served so Brown with the degree of Bachelor of Science, faithfully as Chapter Advisor, would never class of 1893, and obtained his Master's degree forget him. They would never forget his ready from Brown in 1894. Following a year devoted smile, the handgrip that was quick as a flash, or to advanced studies in Germany, he came to The his concern for their welfare and that of the Pennsylvania State College in 1895 as an Chapter. instructor in Romance Languages. In time, he became Professor of Romance Languages and On May 10, 1929, on the Silver Anniversary was awarded the degree of Doctor of Literature of the granting of Pennsylvania Theta's charter by Susquehanna University. He was also a and its first chapter initiations, a testimonial member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and dinner was planned in his honor at the chapter Sigma Iota. house. A silver trophy was made ready and the His name was Irving L. Foster, but to all of dinner was held, but "Frenchy" was unable to "his boys," he was "Frenchy," a name bestowed attend because of illness. Three weeks later, he without any hint of disrespect. Rather, it was a was gone, but never to be forgotten as the man term of endearment, of love and friendliness for whose memory is deeply cherished as – a noble and sincere man, a man who loved God THE FATHER OF and his fellow men. PENNSYLVANIA THETA Irving Lysander "Frenchy" Foster Born: July 4, 1870, Washington D.C. Died: June 1, 1929, State College PA Father: Publius Darwin Foster Mother: Amanda Elizabeth Warren Professional Credits — Education and Academic Positions — Charter Member: • The Literary Club (The Pennsylvania State Brown University: College) • Bachelor's Degree – 1893 • The University Club (The Pennsylvania State • Graduate studies and French instructor – College) 1893-94 • Master's Degree – 1894 Member: • Phi Delta Theta (RI Alpha Chapter, Brown The Pennsylvania State College University) • Instructor Romance Languages, 1895 • Phi Beta Kappa • Assistant Professor • Phi Kappa Phi • Professor • Phi Sigma Iota • Department Head, Romance Languages • American Association of University Professors • American Association of Teachers of Spanish Susquehanna University • American Association for the Advancement of • Doctoral Degree, Literature – 1915 Science • National Education Association State and National Modern Languages Association Community Service — Published Texts: • Foundations of French: Arranged for Beginners in Preparatory Schools and Colleges (1901) • Worked extensively on behalf of his church and • A French Reader: Arranged for Beginners in the YMCA Preparatory Schools and Colleges (1903) • Contributed 8.1 acres of land, along with • Elementary French (1907 community leader John Laird Holmes, for use as • Elementary French: The Essentials of French State College's first public park Grammar with Exercises (1922) World War I Military Service: • Served as Educational Director and French Instructor, Camp Hancock, GA • Authored Practical French Conversation booklet used extensively by American soldiers in World War I Sponsored Organizations: • Pennsylvania Theta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta, The Pennsylvania State College • Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) • The Cosmopolitan Club The First 100 Years At one time, freshman students were required to promise not to join any secret fraternity, but Greek of life came to Penn State in 1872 when Delta Tau Pennsylvania Theta Chapter Delta was formed. However, that chapter ran into much faculty opposition, including Penn State of President Calder's opinion that fraternities were Phi Delta Theta Fraternity "corrupting and mischievous," and it was forced to disband after a short time. PROLOGUE: 1855 – 1900 In 1855, Penn State was founded as The Farmers' Fraternities eventually came to stay, when High School of Pennsylvania in what would later, President George Washington Atherton, after in 1896, become the Borough of State College. taking office in 1882, finally changed his mind about fraternities, believing they had matured. In 1874, the institution was renamed The Urged by students to convince the trustees to Pennsylvania State College, when the state lift their ban, he replied, "Young men, I have appropriated to it the income from the proceeds found that the best time to set a hen is when the of the Morrell Act's national land grants. Thus, hen wants to be set." PSC became, along with Michigan State College, one of the first two Land Grant institutions in the United States. 1882 State College from “Main Building” Tower This photo is from the collection of 1889 Dr. E. H. Coleman, Sr., father of Brother Phi Gamma Delta Ernest H. Coleman, Jr. ’53 (Bond #559) In 1888, Phi Gamma Delta members resided in a College buildings on campus prior to 1900 were large, frame house facing Beaver Avenue at the Main Building [razed in 1929 and replaced by corner of Allen Street, with a tennis court in the st the 1 “Old Main”], Mechanical Arts [later the rear. The wrap-around porch afforded a magnificent initial Main Engineering Building], Botanical view of the very small Penn State campus. Laboratory [later, Old Botany and presently [Note: In the 1930s, the Phi Gamma Delta structure (2004) the oldest campus building], Chemistry was moved to the rear of the property nearest to and Physics Building [later Walker Laboratory Highland Avenue (now Alley) and rotated 90 to across Pollock Road from McAllister Hall], face Allen Street instead of Beaver Avenue. It was Armory, Ladies Cottage, Schwab Auditorium, faced with stone and continues to be occupied Agricultural Experiment Station [next to present- today (2004). The relocation was done to permit day (2004) Armsby Building], and Track House construction of a new commercial building by [adjacent to original Beaver Field, which was Harold Griffith, Sr., whose sons Harold "Sonny" behind present-day Davey and Osmond Griffith, Jr. '45 (Bond #421) and John Griffith '50 Laboratories (site of the earlier red-brick Walker (Bond #501) would later become Phis at PA Theta. Laboratory) and across Pollock Road from the From the late 1940s to the 1990S, the Griffith present-day McAllister Building.] Building was home to "Kaye's Korner," State College's first convenience store.] At the same time, the trustees also recognized a State College Post Office and an even later site of pragmatic solution to Penn State's need for both Schlow Memorial Library]. From the combination additional housing and additional social facilities, of the fraternity's initials, its downtown location, and approved Atherton's January1888 and its members' reputations, brothers of "DTD" recommendation that Phi Gamma Delta be acquired the nickname "Downtown Drunks." permitted to charter a fifteen-member chapter. This was then followed by Beta Theta Pi in the 1901 – 1910 same year, QTV [a secret Latin-letter society, Several attempts prior to 1900 had been made to which later became Phi Kappa Sigma] in 1890, establish a chapter of Phi Delta Theta, but all of Sigma Chi, Kappa Sigma, and Sigma Alpha them failed. However, in September of 1902, Epsilon in 1892, and Phi Sigma Kappa in 1899. Brother Carl S. Forkum (PA Gamma, Washington & Jefferson) transferred into the sophomore class and the matter was again addressed. Brother Phis on the Penn State faculty at that time included Assistant Professor of Romance Languages Irving L. "Frenchy" Foster (RI Alpha, Brown '93), The Reverend C. T. Aikens (PA Beta, Gettysburg '86), and Levi P. Wyman (ME Alpha, Colby '86). They met with Brother Forkum, and after much deliberation it was decided that Forkum should begin recruiting young men suitable for eventual membership in a new chapter of Phi Delta Theta. 1896 State College – Allen St. (center) and Pugh St. Many meetings were held in Frenchy Foster's (left), with “Frenchy” Foster’s home facing relatively modest home, built around 1890. Beaver Ave. at corner with Pugh St. Referred to as “one of the residential boasts of the town,” it was only slightly less magnificent Beta Theta Pi had built its first chapter house in than either the 1877 home of Professor William 1888 "almost out of town" in the 300 block of Buckhout, directly across Beaver Avenue, or East College Avenue. In 1895, they constructed the 1880 home of Penn State physicist I. T. their second home – a stately, elegant, Victorian "Thorny" Osmond, diagonally across the structure – on campus [between the south end of intersection on the present-day (2004) site of present-day (2004) Deike Building and just north Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. of Reber (Mechanical Engineering) Building]. 1895 – Beta Theta Pi 1959 A reestablished Delta Tau Delta chapter occupied Residence of Irving L. “Frenchy” Foster a house directly across Allen Street from Phi Gamma Delta [later, the second location for the [Note: In the late 1940s, the street-level floor all seven Pennsylvania chapters of Phi Delta Theta, of Frenchy's home housed Harry "Peanuts" requesting approval of Delta Chi as a new chapter Morrell's candy, peanuts, and popcorn of Phi Delta Theta.