| THE THETA DELTA CHI FRATERNITY AND THE KAPPA CHARGE.
IN 1846 six students of Union College, Schenectady, New
York, decided to band themselves together and form a
fraternity. These six men were William G. Akin, Abel
Beach, Theodore B. Brown, Andrew H. Green, William
Hyslop, and Samuel F. Wile. They associated with themselves Robert L. Dodge, Theodore J. Fonda, Jesse D. Fonda,
Francis E. Martindale, Newton B. Sherman, and Abram
Walrath; and on June 5, 1847 the Alpha Charge of the Theta
Delta Chi Fraternity was established. Of the twelve men
whose names are recorded above only four are now living,-
Messrs. Beach, Dodge, Green, and Martindale.
While the policy of the fraternity was, from the first, one of
judicious extension, the Alpha Charge, retaining the government in its own hands, exercised a close restrictive supervision over every charge which it chartered. At first this
oligarchical government worked well; but as the organization grew in size a democratic tendency began to show itself;
and while no friction took place, the feeling that the fraternity should be governed by some sort of general representation rapidly gained ground. At length, in 1867, the Alpha
Charge, owing to the decayed condition of Union College, was
dissolved; and in 1868 the annual convention vested the
government in a Grand Lodge, consisting of one graduate and
two undergraduate members, the same to be elected annually
by delegates from the charges assembled in convention.
Up to the present writing the existence of Theta Delta Chi
has been, on the whole, calm and prosperous. The Civil War
dealt the only serious blow which it has received; but this
was serious indeed, as the fraternity was especially strong in
its southern charges. The names of many of the noblest of
southern gentlemen are to be found upon the rolls of the
extinct charges of William and Mary College and the various
southern universities, which flourished before the war as
never since. Many gallant officers and soldiers of both North
and South were Theta Delts, the honor roll of the fraternity
being very large. A great number of important civil posts
were also held by members of the brotherhood during those
stirring times.
Within the last few years the fraternity, hitherto strictly
conservative (that is to say, confining itself to the eastern
colleges), has been carefully feeling its way westward, and
has instituted charges at the Universities of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Theta Delta Chi publishes a quarterly magazine, the
"Shield," which is at present edited by Clay W. Holmes, of
Elmira, New York. The present officers of the Grand Lodge,
elected at the convention of November, 1895, are Carl A. Harstrom, President; B. F. Mansfield, Secretary; and J. H.
Morse, Treasurer.
The Kappa Charge of Theta Delta Chi was established at
Tufts College in the year 1856 by Augustus E. Scott, who
was a member of the Zeta Charge at Brown, and entered the
class of '58 at Tufts in its Sophomore year. He associated
with himself Winsor B. French, Obed C. Turner, and William
E. Gibbs, of the class of '59, and Elmer H. Capen, Horatio
McIntire, Elam Porter, Benjamin K. Russ, and Oscar G. Sawyer, of the class of '60. Of these all but Messrs. Turner,
Porter, and Sawyer, are now living.
Kappa enjoys the distinction of being the oldest charge of
the fraternity which has had a continuous existence; and
there has never been a year since its establishment when at
least one of its members has not been honorably graduated.
To this charge was due the revival of the "Shield" in 1883.
The magazine had been dead for some years, but under the
editorship of Edwin A. Start, '84, and the business management of E. W. Powers, '81, it sprang into new life, and has
since held a place in the front rank of fraternity journalism.
At the outbreak of the war Kappa contributed liberally to
the Union forces, and among the names upon the roll of
honor are those of General W. B. French, '59, who with his
regiment was the first to gain the heights of Fredericksburg;
Judge J. W. Hammond, '61; General J. C. Graves, Chaplain
W. A. Start, and E. H. Richards, '62; Captain L. E. Monroe,
who was killed while leading a desperate charge before
Petersburg on July 30,1864, and J. B. Brewster, '63; Captain
A. C. Fish, S. J. Hill, and E. Fitzgerald, '64; J. M. Baker,
W. C. Ireland, and W. E. Savery, '65; E. D. Howe and E.
A. Perry, '67; and Roland Hammond, '68. O. G. Sawyer, '60,
served as war correspondent for the New York " Herald."
Kappa has always held a place of honor in the fraternity,
and has been represented upon the Grand Lodge by H. H.
Eddy, '76, as Secretary in 1875, and as President in 1877 and
1878; by R. H. Eddy, '80, as Treasurer in 1879, and Secretary
in 1880; and by F. E. Kimball, as Treasurer in 1891.
In 1893 a commodious house was erected for the charge
at No. 123 Packard Avenue, from designs by the Boston
architect, J. P. Rinn, and now forms one of the centres of
social life on the Hill.
| KAPPA CHARGE OF THETA DELTA CHI:ESTABLISHED IN 1856.
Resident Graduates.
President ELMER H. CAPEN, D. D., '60,
Rev. W. A. START, A. M., BURSAR, '62,
Professor CHARLES E. FAY, A. M., '68,
Professor WILLIAM L. HOOPER, A. M., '77,
Instructor EDWIN A. START, A. M., '84,
Instructor FRANK E. SANBORN, S. B.,
Instructor THOMAS WHITTEMORE, A. B., '94,
SAMUEL W. MENDUM, A. B., '85,
FRED A. TAYLOR, A. B., '86 (D. S.),
FRED S. WALKER, A. B., '94 (D. S.),
CLARENCE L. EATON, A. B., '95 (D. S.).
| Undergraduates.
CLASS OF 1896.
DANIEL BAXTER HAYWARD,
CHARLES GILBERT JORDAN,
REGINALD KENT MARVIN,
GUY CLIFFORD PIERCE.
CLASS OF 1897.
HORACE AMOS DAVIS,
JOHN WELLINGTON KNOWLTON,
CARLETON ALBERT PERRY,
ROLLIN BREWSTER SANFORD,
ALARIC BERTRAND START,
WALTER GEORGE ROWBOTHAM,
FRANKLIN BATES WILLIAMS.
CLASS OF 1898.
IRVING REED BANCROFT,
RALPH LYMAN BURBANK,
JAMES FRANK DONALDSON,
SAMUEL PAUL CAPEN,
WARREN STEWART CLARK,
ROLAND HAMMOND, JR.,
EDWARD DUNBAR JOHNSON,
FREDERICK EDWARD TOWN.
CLASS OF 1899.
IRA RICH KENT,
FRANK WARREN KNOWLTON,
ERNEST GILMAN MARBLE,
CHARLES REMINGTON MARVIN,
WILLIAM MADISON MASON,
EDWARD WELLINGTON RICH.
