Petition of Phi Tau Alpha to Join Theta Chi
Petition for the establishment of a chapter at the Pennsylvania State College - December 2 , 1918
BELIEVING that affiliation with a well established and well reputed National Fraternity would be most desirous, and believing The Theta Chi Fraternity to possess these qualities, we, the members of The Phi Tau Alpha Fraternity of the Pennsylvania State College, do hereby respectfully petition for consideration as a Chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity.
For the Fraternity.
George Chapman
President
Anthony V. Pickard
Secretary
Phi Tau Alpha House
HISTORY OF PHI TAU ALPAH
In the spring of 1925,a group of young men who were members of the Philadelphia Northeast High School Club of the Pennsylvania State College met with serious purpose of forming an organization which would perpetuate certain ideals and high standards of manhood which these students possessed. Arrangements were made to secure a new house which was then in the course of construction at the corner of Foster Avenue and Allen Street.
At the opening of the college year in 1915, the Northeast Club was established on a local fraternity basis. New members were selected with the greatest care and they were of the highest type. By the fall of 1917 the Club was well established and strong bonds of friendship existed among its members. Fully realizing that greater advantages could be gained by closer association with fraternities of State College, action was taken to change the character of the organization to that of a Local Fraternity.
On February 23, 1918, permission was granted by the Fraternity Committee of the General Faculty, and the Northeast Club became The Phi Tau Alpha Fraternity. On April 6, 1918, the change was formally announced to the other Fraternities by a smoker and reception at the Chapter House. Shortly after this function, Phi Tau Alpha was admitted to the Intramural Council; this making the final step in the official recognition by the Fraternities of The Pennsylvania State College.
The Chapter House is well located for fraternity purposes, being especially constructed for the same. There are fourteen rooms affording accommodations for eighteen men. Although the house is ample for the present, a fund has already been instituted to build a new house for Phi Tau Alpha.
High scholastic standards have always been maintained and many of the Phi Tau Alpha graduate members have been elected to Tau Beta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, and similar honorary societies. It has been well represented on the college publications, in the musical organizations, and on the athletic field. Like other Fraternities, the membership of Phi Tau Alpha has been decreased by the call to the colors and many of its men are now wearing the bars of commissioned officers.
The men are selected from all the departments of the College and Phi Tau Alpha has maintained a careful and consistent policy in the selection of its members, desiring only those men who will conform to, and further the ideals of the Fraternity and the Alma Mater.
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE
State College, PA.
Office of the President
November 18, 1918
The organization of students of The Pennsylvania State College known as the Phi Tau Alpha Fraternity is worthy of recognition. Their members have furnished a considerable portion of officers in the United States Army. Their academic standing I believe to be above the average of the college. Their house so far as I can learn has been conducted in an orderly manner. I recommend them for membership in the Theta Chi National Fraternity.
Edwin E. Sparks
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE
State College, PA.
School of Engineering
Dean’s Office - November 22, 1918
Secretary, Theta Chi Fraternity,
Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Mr. E. B. Cassel advises me that a Club, formerly known as the Northeast Club and later as the Phi Tau Alpha, is applying for a charter as a chapter of the Theta Chi Fraternity.
I know Mr. Cassel personally and can assure you of his high character and exceptional standing as a student.
Two of the juniors, named Chapman and Frederickson, are in the Department of Civil Engineering and have made satisfactory records. So far as these students are concerned, I can vouch for their quality.
I believe that in general the fraternity has a good reputation for scholarship and character
Yours Truly,
R. L. Sackett
Dean
School of Engineering
THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE
School of Agriculture and Experiment Station
State College, PA.
Office of Dean and Director
November 15, 1918
Mr. Frederick Ladue,
Secretary, Theta Chi Fraternity,
Washington, D.C.
My Dear Sir:
I have been advised that the Phi Tau Alpha Fraternity of the Pennsylvania State College, which is a local Chapter, has applied for admission to the Theta Chi Fraternity, of which I understand you are Secretary.
I have known several members of this Fraternity since its organization at State College and it is a pleasure to say that we hold the members, as well as the organization, which they represent, in high esteem and recommend the Chapter for admission to your National Fraternity. The men have high standing in the institution and we believe they will be a credit to your fraternity.
Yours Very Truly,
H. L. Watts
Dean and Director
Ockford, Rossiter, Pickard, Zetterlof, Segl, Beavan
Cassel, McKinstry, Frederickson, Magill, Shaw, Bastian
Stauffer, Skeen, Chapman, Poeppel, Sowden, Fuchs
ACTIVE MEMBERS
Note: All of the Members are enlisted wither in the Students’ Army Training Corps or in the Naval Unit, except three who are ineligible because of age or course of study.
Ellwood B. Cassel '19 - Philadelphia, PA
Architectural Engineering
Tau Beta Pi Fraternity, Architectural Engineering Society, Student Member Beaux Arts Society of New York
George W, F, Chapman '20 - Philadelphia, PA
Civil Engineering
Class Soccer Team (1, 2), Civil Engineering Society
Charles A. Frederickson, Jr. '20 - Philadelphia, P A
Civil Engineering
Civil Engineering Society
Murrell D. McKinstry '20 - Ivyland Buck County, PA
Electrical Engineering
Bucks County Club, Deutscher Verein
Raymond B. Poeppel '20 - Philadelphia, PA
Landscape Architecture
Freshman Boxing Squad
Clifford E. Beavan '20 - Philadelphia, PA
Mechanical Engineering
Freshman Basketball Squad
Frederick J. Fuchs '21 - Philadelphia, PA
Civil Engineering
Freshman Soccer Squad
A. Viehmann Pickard '21 - Philadelphia, PA
Industrial Chemistry
Walter E. Segl '21 - Philadelphia, PA
Civil Engineering
Penn State Collegian (1)
Walter B. Shaw '21 - Philadelphia, PA
Electro-Chemical Engineering
Cercle Franais
John R. Skeen '21 - Philadelphia, PA
Agricultural Engineering
Varsity Soccer (2) , Freshman Soccer, Freshman Track
Donald E. Magill '22 - New Hope, PA
Mechanical Engineering
Robert E. Ockford '22 - Philadelphia, PA
Forestry
William A. Rossiter '19 - Langhorne, PA
Animal Husbandry
Agricultural Society , Penn State Grange
Hugo E. Zetterlof '21 - Philadelphia, PA
Combustion Engineering
PLEDGE MEMBERS
George C. Duncan '22 (Victory Class) - Philadelphia, PA
Liberal Arts
Thomas H. Richards '22 (Victory Class) - Wilkes-Barre, PA
Civil Engineering
Ralph D. Stauffer '21 - Reading, PA
Civil Engineering
Vice President, Berks County Club
Frederick F. Bastian '22 - Charleroi, PA
Animal Husbandry
S.A.T.C. Band, College Orchestra
UNDERGRADUATE MEMBERS IN THE SERVICE
I. Griffith Brown - Philadelphia, PA
Metallurgical Engineering (Sophomore)
College Chorus (1), Freshman Choir, Glee Club (1), Captain, Class Lacrosse (1), Freshman Track
Second Lieutenant, Aviation A.E.F.
Francis J. Doan - Philadelphia, PA
Agricultural Chemistry (Senior)
Liebig Chemical Society, Centro Cervantes
Sergeant, Chemical Division
A. Steele Guthrie - Indiana, PA
Animal Husbandry (Sophomore)
Cadet Private, C.O.T.C.
William Y. Loux - Philadelphia, PA
Civil Engineering (Junior)
Assistant Manager, Varsity Soccer, Civil Engineering Society
Corporal, Engineers, A.E.F.
Sidney Morgan - Philadelphia, PA
Civil Engineering (Junior)
Civil Engineering Society
Private, Infantry, A.E.F.
Emil A. Petzold - Philadelphia, PA
Animal Husbandry (Sophomore)
Freshman Baseball
Private, Infantry
Walter B. Petzold - Philadelphia, PA
Mining Engineering (Senior)
Mining Society, Centro Cervantes
Second Lieutenant, Pioneer Infantry, A.E.F.
Ellwood J. Rittenhouse - Philadelphia, PA
Animal Husbandry (Senior)
Agricultural Society , Penn State Grange, Sirloin Club, Y.M.C.A. Cabinet
Cadet Private, M.G.C.O.T.C.
Arthur S. Rosenberger - Quakertown, PA
Animal Husbandry (Junior)
Agricultural Society , Penn State Grange, Sirloin Club
Vocational Section
Albert F. Schoeppe - Philadelphia, PA
Civil Engineering (Senior)
Civil Engineering Society, Deutscher Verein
First Lieutenant, Infantry
W. Wayne Seltzer - Coatesville, PA
Civil Engineering (Sophomore)
Freshman Track Team
Cadet Private, C.O.T.C.
William J. Shaw Jr. - Chester Heights, PA
Horticulture (Sophomore)
Freshman Track Team
Cadet Private, C.O.T.C.
Theodore G. Smith - Philadelphia, PA
Agricultural Chemistry (Junior)
Penn State Grange
Vocational Section
Winfield F. Smith - Philadelphia, PA
Industrial Chemistry (Senior)
Class Financial Committee (3), Chemical Society
Second Lieutenant, Field Artillery
William C. Thompson - Melrose, PA
Horticulture (Senior)
College Orchestra (1) (2) (3), Penn State Grange, Crab Apple Club
Second Lieutenant, Infantry
Frederick T. Vansant - Philadelphia, PA
Civil Engineering (Junior)
Civil Engineering Society
Second Lieutenant, Infantry
Edwin S. Ziegler - Philadelphia, PA
Electrical Engineering (Senior)
College Orchestra (1) (2) (3)
Private, Infantry, A.E.F.
GRADUATE MEMBERS
Carl A. Bartle '16 - Niagara Fall, N.Y.
Research Engineer
Alfred R. Bechtel '16 - Massillon, Ohio
Electro Chemical Engineer
Norman C. Horner '16 - France
First Lieutenant, Engineers, A.E.F.
John A. Irwin '16 - Yorkship, N.J.
Civil Engineer
Albert A. Mainwaring '16 - Hog Island, PA
Civil Engineer
Charles P. Mills '16 - Philadelphia, PA
Structural Draughtsman
Roy B. Nichols '15 - Bustleton, PA
Farmer
Emil R.J. Olbrich '15 - Great Lakes Naval Training Station
Officers' School
Florian J. Olbrich '18 - Iowa State College
Teaching Fellow
Henry A. Schell, Jr. '16 - Sellersville, PA
Farmer
William O. Schell '18 - Sellersville, PA
Farmer
John D. Schofield '16 - France
Second Lieutenant, Infantry, A.E.F.
Charles P. Mills '16 - Philadelphia, PA
Structural Draughtsman
Wilbur E. West '16 - Fruitland Park, FL
Fruit Grower
Main Engineering Building (Recently Damaged by Fire)
A SHORT HISTORY OF PENN PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE
The Pennsylvania State College was formally established under an act of Congress passed July 2, 1862, and a corresponding act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania passed April 1, 1863. However, action looking to such an institution has been taken as early as 1855 when several public spirited citizens of the Commonwealth encouraged by the State Board of Agriculture secured a Charter from the Legislature of Pennsylvania for a :Farmers High School."
After a number of sited were considered, the Irwin farm in Centre County was selected; one wing of a building (now Old Main) was begun; and the school was opened in February of 1859, offering a course of study leading only to the occupation of farming. A class of eleven was graduated in December, 1861, being probably the first class graduated from a purely agricultural institution in the United States.
In May following, upon application to the trustees, the Court of Centre County changed the name of the institution to "The Agricultural College of Pennsylvania."
Meanwhile petitions to Congress for National aid to higher education through gifts of public land led Congress in 1862 to pass the so called "Land Grant" Act, offering to each State and Territory under certain condition, a gift of public land, varying in amount according to the population. From the proceeds of the sale of these lands one State College or University has been established in each State of the Union. This offer of land was accepted by the Legislature of the State of Pennsylvania in 1863 and there Agricultural College of Pennsylvania was made the recipient of the gift. In 1874 the name of the institution was changed to The Pennsylvania State College."
Upon this broad foundation, and aided by later Federal gifts and State Appropriations, The Pennsylvania State College has been developed and now maintains five individual schools of liberal and technical education. The oldest of these is the School of Agriculture, which includes departments of agricultural chemistry, agricultural education, agronomy, animal husbandry, bacteriology, botany, dairy husbandry, experimental pomology, forestry, horticulture, landscape architecture, and meteorology. There is also the Institute of Animal Nutrition, Influenced by the present industrial era, which was unforeseen when Congress took action, the "mechanic arts" gradually grew into the science of Engineering. Under requirement, the College provides a School of Engineering, with departments of architecture, civil, sanitary, highway, electrical, mechanical, electro-chemical, and industrial engineering. A School of Mines and Metallurgy is also established. The School of Natural Science has departments of physics, zoology, industrial chemistry, and chemistry. Classical studies are provided by the School of Liberal Arts, including departments of English, Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, German, history, mathematics, and education. A Department of Home Economics is provided for women. The Federal requirement of "Military Tactics" is fulfilled by providing a Department of Physical and Military Education. Thus the purposes of the founders, the terms of the original charter, and the requirements of the act of Congress are fulfilled by providing a "liberal and practical education" to prepare young men and young women of the State for the several pursuits and professions of life.
LOCATION - In order to render the College accessible to residents of all parts of the Commonwealth, the founders chose a commanding site in Centre County almost in the exact geographical center of the State. About the College, the borough of "State College" grew gradually and its population now numbers about three thousand people. Situated on a plateau, nearly twelve hundred feet above sea level in a board rolling valley, the College offers a beautiful and inspiring environment, an attractive climate, and healthful surroundings.
CAMPUS, FARMS, AND BUILDINGS - The College owns sixteen hundred acres of land and controls about two hundred acres additional. The larger portion is used for farming and experimental purposes; but about eighty acres are set aside as a campus, upon which are located the buildings used for instruction, administration, and residential purposes. There are also the various athletic fields, the parade grounds, and the forestry woodlots of the College. The College buildings used for instructional, experimental, and dormitory purposes are thirty-four in number, are are heated from a central heating plant. They are lighted by electricity furnished by the College power plant. The water supply is piped from a pure mountain stream several miles distant. The buildings are grouped according to the several schools into which the College is divided.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT - The College is supported by the income from certain grants made by the National Government and by public taxation through appropriations of the State Legislature. The original Land Grant Act of 1862 brings the College an income of $30,000.00 annually, to which is added under Acts of Congress the permanent sum of $50,000.00.
"Old Main"
These monies are available only for very limited purposes of instruction. The further sum of $30,000.00 is received from the Federal Government fro the maintenance of the Experiment Station devoted to the investigation of practical agricultural problems and the publication of results, but not to instruction. A new act passed in 1914 provides an increasing amount annually for Agricultural and Home Economics Extension Work.
Since 1887 no session of the State Legislature has failed to redeem the pledge made to the Federal Government in 1863, although no arrangement for permanent appropriations has been made. By means go private gifts, two buildings have been erected and a number of scholarships have been established, but as yet no endowment funds for general maintenance or expense have been donated.
Main Agricultural Building
FRATERNITIES AT THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE
National Fraternities
Name
Acacia (Inactive for duration of War)
Alpha Chi Rho
Alpha Sigma Phi
Alpha Tau Omega
Beta Samach
Beta Theta Pi
Delta Tau Delta
Delta Upsilon
Kappa Sigma
Lambda Chi Alpha
Phi Chi Delta (Latin American)
Phil Delta Theta
Phi Epsilon Pi
Phi Gamma Delta
Phi Kappa
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Sigma
Phi Sigma Kappa
Pi Kappa Alpha
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Chi
Sigma Nu
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Pi
Theta Xi
Date of Establishment
June 4, 1909
June 2, 1917
Feb. 10, 1918
Feb. 6, 1914
Feb. 10, 1914
Oct. 4, 1888
1872 - Reestablished Nov. 22, 1912
Dec. 8, 1911
Jan. 8, 1892
Nov. 2, 1912
Dec. 18, 1912
May 10, 1904
Feb. 10, 1914
Apr. 4, 1888
Nov. 9, 1913
Oct. 11, 1912
Apr. 5, 1890
June 7, 1899
Oct. 11, 1913
May 18, 1892
Apr. 22, 1891
Dec. 27, 1907
May 28, 1915
Oct. 26, 1912
Mar. 27, 1917
PROFESSIONAL FRATERNITIES
Name
Alpha Chi Sigma (Chemical)
Alpha Gamma Rho (Agricultural)
Alpha Zeta (Agricultural)
Date of Establishment
Apr. 3, 1911
Feb. 4, 1911
Jan. 21, 1898
LOCAL FRATERNITIES
Alpha Delta Sigma
Chi Alpha Pi
Cuheco Club
Iota Chi Delta
Omega Epsilon
Phi Tau Alpha
Zeta Theta
Feb. 1911
Dec. 1917
Feb. 14, 1915
Apr. 1913
May 1914
Feb. 23, 1918
June 4, 1914
HONORARY FRATERNITIES
Delta Sigma Rho (Debating)
Eta Kappa Nu (Electrical)
Phi Kappa Phi (Scholarship)
Phi Lambda Upsilon (Chemical)
Seabbard and Blade (Military)
Sigma Tau (Engineering)
Tau Beta Pi (Engineering)
Alpha Xi Sigma (Forestry)
U. L. A. S. (Landscape Architecture)
June 9, 1917
Dec. 4, 1910
Mar. 23, 1900
May 30, 1914
Apr. 30, 1912
May 1, 1915
May 4, 1912
Apr. 30, 1916
May 4, 1916