The Sigma Chi Creed
I believe in fairness, decency and good manners. I will endeavor to retain the spirit of youth. I will try to make my college, the Sigma Chi Fraternity, and my own chapter more honored by all men and women and more beloved and honestly respected by my own brothers. I say these words in all sincerity; That Sigma Chi has given me favor and distinction; that the bond of our fellowship is reciprocal, that I will endeavor to so build myself and so conduct myself that I will ever be a credit to our Fraternity.
To
Herbert Clarke Arms
This volume is dedicated to Sigma Chi's great leader
and present Grand Consul in the sincere hope
that he will consider it one of the out-
standing accomplishments of his
notable administration now
drawing to a close
Preface
THIS volume is the tenth membership catalouge to be published by the Fraternity.
The Constitution of the Sigma Chi Fraternity states that a new edition of the Sigma Chi Directory shall appear at least once in every four years. It further states that the Grand Historian shall be the editor of the book.
The Committee on Publications on June 29, 1927 called the attention of the Thirty-eighth Grand Chapter to the fact that the Constitution had not been complied with in this respect, no edition of the Directory having appeared since 1922.
Herbert C. Arms, the incoming Grand Consul, listed the publication of a new edition of the Directory as one of the major projects of his administration. He presented the plan to the Executive Committee, which, without delay, authorized the work started at once.
The selection of an editor presented a perplexing problem. Despite the constitutional provision, it was utterly impractical for the Grand Historian to attempt the gigantic task. Dr. Nate, in addition to his work as author of the History of Sigma Chi, has just been prevailed upon to accept the newly-created Grand Tribuneship, a post which required full-time service as our college and university visitation officer. Under ordinary circumstances, the Executive Secretary, who is in charge of the General Headquarters Office, would have been drafted for the work but, a vacancy appeared in that office for the period November 15, 1927 to February 15, 1928, just as the project was launched.
In an unguarded moment the Grand Editor consented to undertake the work, in addition to his already heavy duties as editor and business manager of The Magazine of Sigma Chi and the Sigma Chi Bulletin.
Perhaps as a reward the Executive Committee continued its carte blanche policy in its relation with the grand editor, which is responsible for the editorial development and financial success of the regular publications of the Fraternity, and which explains numerous innovations in this issue of the Directory.
The format of the book is unlike any of its nine predecessors. It was adopted after considerable comparison and investigation, our ever-increasing membership and the quality of readability being the deciding factors.
The five preceding editions have been designated as the Sigma Chi Manual and Directory. The manual section contained among other departments, the Constitution and Statutes and a historical sketch of the Fraternity.
Since the last edition two of the seven volumes of the History of Sigma Chi have appeared and the remainder of the series is scheduled to follow shortly. The History of Sigma Chi, the most outstanding of all Greek letter literary accomplishments, precludes the necessity for the retention of the historical sketch.
The Constitution and Statutes are now available in separate binding, which is more satisfactory in view of frequent changes. The actual or contemplated publication of a Grand Praetor's Manual, an Active Chapter Officer's Manual, an Alumni Chapter Officer's Manual, and a Pledge Manual by the Grand Fraternity, further justify the divorcement of similar features.
This edition is, therefore, essentially a membership directory, although allied lists, tables and statistics designed to show in brief compass the present status of the Fraternity are retained.
The Directory shows the total membership, living and dead, arranged by chapter and class. The chapters are arranged in their Greek alphabetical order, experience having shown that this is the most convenient method of arrangement. Within the chapters the names of members are arranged alphabetically in the classes in which they were graduated, or wold have been graduated.
Attention is called the fact that not all affiliations of recent years are included. This is because many chapters have neglected to file certificates of affiliation with the General Headquarters Office. The fact that many directory data cards sent in by alumni claimed affiliations, which investigation proved never existed, caused the adoption of a policy to ignore all such types of membership unless officially reported. Alumni, affected by such ruling, should request their chapters of affiliationto certify such enrollment to the General Headquarters Office.
The work of preparing this Directory has been much increased, and complicated, by the lapse of seven years since the last edition and by wholly inadequate records.
Despite the age of the Fraternity, much pioneering has had to be done in connection with the membership records. A three-way card index has resulted from the publication of this edition, which should greatly simplify the preparation of future volumes.
Every Sigma Chi listed in this edition received one, two or three urgent requests to file personal data. Nearly 81 percent of all living alumni responded, which undoubtedly is a record. A special issue of the Sigma Chi Bulletin in June, 1928, listed more than 4,000 lost alumni. More than 1,000 replies were received in connection with this appeal, with the net result that all but about 280 of these strayed brothers were located and again placed in contact with their Fraternity.
A feature of the preparation of this edition was the checking of all names with those contained in the nine previous editions. Names that have been garbled for decades and omissions of similar periods have again assumed their correct listing. The Catalouge of 1890 proved invaluable in this connection.
The lists of all chapters established previous to the Civil War have been checked with Dr. Nate's History Of Sigma Chi, and made to comply with his more extensive data.
The space saved through the elimination of the old Manual features enabled us to present more extensive personal data. The Directory of 1922 sought to confine each individual listing to one line of type, with the result that degrees, business connections and such were dropped, and abbreviations carried to excess. This edition has been generous in this respect, believing that additional information will be appreciated.
Entirely new features of this edition are:
1. The listing of the members of Alpha Beta Original Chapter at Richmond College.
2. Reference to Psi Psi Original Chapter, progenitor of Theta Theta Chapter at the University of Michigan.
3. The listing of the famous Constantine Chapter, its members and initiates.
4. The consolidation of Chi Psi and Alpha Omicron Chapters.
5. The listing of all expelled members, for the first time since the edition of 1876.
6. Statistics showing total of living, deceased and affiliated members.
The book is complete to approximately January 1929.
As with all former editions, invaluable help has been given by many present and former Grand Officers, interested alumni, and active chapter workers. I wish that space would permit the names of scores of these loyal helpers who are always waiting for an opportunity to serve our great Fraternity.
I have personally checked every name that appears in this Directory. As far as humanly possible I have supervised every change of address. I have tried to put something of the personality of The Magazine of Sigma Chi and the Sigma Chi Bulletin into this book of names and addresses.
I shall feel amply rewarded for the many long days and evenings of seemingly endless detail in connection with the preparation of this volume, if the brothers, who come in possession of it, find it of value and a credit to Sigma Chi literature.
Chester W. Cleveland,
Grand Editor.
Chicago, Illinois, May 24, 1929.
~ The Sigma Chi Directory, 1929, Pages IV - VII
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