History Project
Thanks to Conor Moran '03 for another huge submission to our History Project!Conor submits CD containing many photos and articles from our proud history at Penn StateSubmitted 9/15/07 We will be posting all of his research and photos shortly. Here is a sample... Colony StatusUpsilon was never originally a colony. Back around the turn of the century, local organizations usually just petitioned a National organization that they found suitable to their needs and vice-versa. This usually involved a group living together under the same roof and they would petition the National organization at their yearly convention, which generally required a majority vote of the chapters/alumni groups present. In Alpha Sigma Phi's case, they started out as the Viking Club, officially recognizing their starting date as November 25, 1912. They rented a house (which still stands...you've walked by it a thousand times if you've walked down Locust Lane. It's right across from Phi Kappa Psi, second house down on Nittany Avenue-it's now the Chinese Friendship House). The year started off well, but with very few members for the Viking Club for the 196-1917 school year. Then, on February 1, 1917, they decided to petition Alpha Sigma Phi for a charter.
This obviously was no small task and they had to wait almost a year for a response. On a "cold, dreary day" in December 1917, while everyone in the Viking Club was at class, the National fraternity called the house and gave them the news that the charter had been granted. It was signed Wayne M. Musgrave, G.J.P. (of Yale re-colonization fame). 10 Vikings traveled to Philadelphia to be initiated by the Omicron Chapter at UPENN (Warren Buffet's chapter-now defunct). They stayed at the Hotel Normandie (which has since been torn down) on Broad Street. They started the initiation on the night of February 8th, 1918 by entering the rear portal of the Omicron house. They came back the next night to complete the initiation on February 9th by entering the front portal of the Omicron house. The following day, February 10th, they had a huge feast courtesy of Omicron and left late in the evening by train to return to State College. When they returned back to the house, they decided that February 28th would be the day to initiate the 21 brothers who didn't travel to Philadelphia. By the morning (6:00AM) of March 1, 1918, they had finished the initiation and later that night they had a 'smoker' with other local and national fraternities. Fairmount House Information
The Alpha Sigma Phi house was constructed beginning in 1927 and officially dedicated in 1929 for the Delta Sigma Chi fraternity. Delta Sigma Chi (which actually lived in the house right next door to Alpha Sigma Phi on Nittany Avenue-which is also still standing) was in the process of petitioning Alpha Kappa Pi national fraternity. They moved in for the 1929-1930 school year and on June 6th and 7th 1930, they were officially chartered by Alpha Kappa Pi. AKPi accepted their petition on April 24th and 25th of that same year at their convention in New York City. I'm not sure who the architect is. I've heard the same architect that designed KDR and Beta designed our house. KDR's architect is Clarence Bauchspies (a Penn State alumnus). You would have to check with the Borough of State College for records and possible original architectural plans on the house. Alpha Sigma Phi acquired Alpha Kappa Pi during the 1947 school year, so for the remainder of the year, there were two sets of Alpha Sigma Phi's at Penn State-two houses, two sets of officers, etc. We more than likely moved in at the beginning of the 1948-1949 school year. It's listed in the 1949 Penn State La Vie as being the 'Upsilon' house. The 1949 La Vie would cover 1948, as well, so it's more than likely that that's when we moved in.
I'll make an offer for you and the alumni... Since we're on the National Register of Historic Places (in fact the entire neighborhood technically is) we're entitled to some sort of plaque with the history of the house on it that goes by the front door. If you guys (or me) can put together that early part of the house history, I'll pay for the bronze plaque.
Thanks to Andy Collins '65 for a major submission to our History Project!Includes 3 new composites and some priceless photos from '62 - '65Submitted 10/3/07 Many thanks to Andy Collins '65 for submitting 3 of our long lost composites, 1962-63, 1963-64, and 1965-66. This now makes a total of 32 composites that we've located and have available online. Our goal is to eventually print and frame copies of all composites and submitted photos and hang in the Old Gal. Click here to view all the composites we've collected so far. Thanks again Andy!
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