Sigma Nu was founded in opposition to what our founders perceived as abusive treatment of others by either Alpha Tau Omega or its precursor (I'm not sure they were using a greek letter name at the time) at VMI. Kappa Alpha Order sort of sprang up at Washington & Lee (right down the street) around the same time.
Here's an excerpt from The Story of Sigma Nu, originally published in 1936, but reprinted and sold at a very handsome price in 2010 about one of our founder's run in with ATO:
Quote:
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A dramatic incident in connection with official order marked the beginning of [James Frank Hopkins'] duties the next fall. A disturbance in one of the rooms was reported one night, and the Corporal of the Guard was ordered to investigate. Fate decreed that Hopkins was on duty that night. Gaining access to the room, he found himself in a meeting of masked men, hooded and robed in white, their booted feet protruding in such contrast that at a glance the effect was startling. Only a glance was permitted, for with more abruptness than he entered, the Corporal of the Guard was thrown bodily out the door. Breathless with excitement and fury, Hopkins rushed to the guard room, his incoherent report so emphasizing that apparition of "black feet" that the name attached itself for years to the members of the fraternity whose secret meeting had been officially interrupted.
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Sigma Nu somehow became known as the "white feet" and to this day, some ATO/Sigma Nu chapters hold "blackfoot/whitefoot" events.