biggest fraternities?

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by Firehouse
Tom, as I understand it - and we'd have to get a member of Chi Psi to set us straight - the captain was a paranoid sort who suspected mutiny and went plundering through the personal effects and papers of his officers. He discovered on young Midshipman Spencer a sealed box containing a coded list of names on a slip of paper. Spencer refused to reveal that they were in fact the names of his Chi Psi Fraternity brothers, and he was hanged because the Captain was convinced they were the names of mutineers.

There is actually a book on the subject of the mutiny: A Hanging Offense: The Strange Affair of the Warship Somers. Note that the Chi Psi in question, Phillip Spencer, was indeed the 19-year-old son of the Secretary of War. Here is the review from Publisher's Weekly as shown by Amazon:

This coherent and absorbing study from Melton (The First Impeachment) is the first full-scale study of the "mutiny" aboard the U.S.S. Somers in nearly a generation. The brig Somers was on a training cruise in 1842, with more than 100 apprentice seamen aboard. The son of the secretary of war, 19-year-old Philip Spencer, began talking and writing wildly about leading a mutiny. When the captain, Alexander Slidell Mackenzie, had Spencer and his two confederates, Cromwell and Small, put in irons, several incidents occurred suggesting attempts to rescue the men. After consulting with his officers and petty officers, Mackenzie decided that in view of the "clear and present danger" of a bloody mutiny, he should hang the three suspects, and did. The Navy conducted a formal inquiry into Mackenzie's conduct, then brought him before a court-martial. Melton, professor of law at the University of North Carolina, does his best to render the ensuing legal thickets intelligible to the 21st-century lay reader, without complete success. Better are his accounts of where the Somers affair fits into maritime history and the manner in which the isolation of the sailing ship made the captain's power nearly absolute. His final verdict is similar to that of the 19th-century Navy: Mackenzie exceeded his authority, but not wantonly or frivolously, and Spencer was a clear-cut and dangerous sociopath.

Do note the "Spotlight Review" from "Phillip Spencer" himself:

O here's to Philip Spencer, who when about to die.
When crashing down beneath the waves, loud shouted out Chi Psi!

[Firehouse]

Russ, I think I've read that Phi Psi has the largest scholarship endowment. But I don't think anyone holds a candle to DKE for wealth.

[hoosier]

I think Phi Psi has jumped into the lead.

An alum from USC and an alum from UCLA got into a fight about who could give more, and the whole Phi Psi bunch benefited.

(This is not necessarily historical fact, but makes a good story)

[ZZ-kai-]

ahem.

Beta is not far from the top, if not at it.

Originally posted by Firehouse
Russ, I think I've read that Phi Psi has the largest scholarship endowment. But I don't think anyone holds a candle to DKE for wealth.

[Firehouse]

ZZ-kai-

I'd allow that all of the pre-Civil War nationals prominent today have assembled great wealth. They either have it invested, or, thay have access to it through alumni channels. Those would include SAE and Sigma Chi, Beta and Phi Delt, Phi Psi, DTD, DKE, Chi Phi, Theta Chi.
In the 19th Century there was a handsome bevvy of nationals very well established at the finest schools, but for whatever reason their comparative national standing declined over the next hundred years. They include Zeta Psi, Chi Psi, Alpha Delt, St. Anthony, Psi Upsilon, Sigma Phi and Delta Phi: still elite today but not as well known or widespread.
Those of us in post-Civil War fraternities feel that our organizations have done just fine. What we lack in old money we've made up for in terms of aggression and fraternal spirit.

[ZZ-kai-]

I agree with you, to a certain extent. Orgs like Psi U, Sigma Phi, Delta Phi, Alpha Sig and Chis Psi possibly even DKE are all old prominent orgs, however they faltered as time went on, which is why you hardly see them. It is also another reason why they are engraved in our history, yet are not real prominent anymore. Beta was near that, as you can see our expansion in the late 1800's was pretty slow..., whereas orgs like SX, Phi Delt, SAE all continued to expand, explaining their long existance with 150 or more chapters. We all agree that the old early greeks play a big role in who/why we exist today, however, they are hardly elite IMHO. I do respect them however and am thankful for them.

[LightBulb]

Originally posted by DolphinChicaDDD
and all you Phi Sigs and Alpha Sigma Taus who are posting here are zombies, cause you have no living initiaties.

Hehehe. I'm not a zombie though - our colony is getting initiated this weekend!

[Coramoor]

I do wish that Beta would be more aggressive on the expansion of the fraternity. I know the philosophy they have to making one sure strong step at a time...but if they would allow the well established chapters help out more I think that would be very beneficial.

I mean, I know of two schools within about an hours drive that had a Beta chapter, or could easily support one.

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by Firehouse
Psi Upsilon is unique in that in addition to the national coat-of-arms, each chapter designs their own version of the fraternity crest, changing the colors and adding symbols within an approved heraldric framework.

Beta does this as well, unless they have discontinued this tradition. From their website:

At the urging of the Michigan Chapter, the 1909 Convention authorized each chapter to adopt its own arms. According to the laws of heraldry, the arms of the first nine chapters after Miami are "differenced" by symbols centered in the upper half of the shield. One of these symbols is the cross moline which is used on the arms of DePauw, our ninth chapter. The arms of other chapters have a device, peculiar to that chapter, in the upper left quadrant. Michigan uses the lamp of knowledge on two books from the university arms; Toronto, the maple leaf from the Canadian flag; and Middle Tennessee, the Tennessee walking horse. Each chapter has its own motto, written in Greek on the scroll in words beginning with the same letters as the chapter name.

In Beta, each chapter also has its own chapter seal, in addition to the Fraternity seal. The chapter seal is placed on a member's shingle.

DKE may have individual chapter arms as well -- I know of at least one chapter of DKE (Lambda at Kenyon) that has its own arms, based on the DKE arms. You can see it here.

[aopirose]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
There is actually a book on the subject of the mutiny: A Hanging Offense: The Strange Affair of the Warship Somers.

I don't watch the show often but JAG did a cold case episode on this topic. It was very interesting.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by ZZ-kai-
I agree with you, to a certain extent. Orgs like Psi U, Sigma Phi, Delta Phi, Alpha Sig and Chis Psi possibly even DKE are all old prominent orgs, however they faltered as time went on, which is why you hardly see them. It is also another reason why they are engraved in our history, yet are not real prominent anymore. Beta was near that, as you can see our expansion in the late 1800's was pretty slow..., whereas orgs like SX, Phi Delt, SAE all continued to expand, explaining their long existance with 150 or more chapters. We all agree that the old early greeks play a big role in who/why we exist today, however, they are hardly elite IMHO. I do respect them however and am thankful for them.

What do you mean by faltered? I do think there is a lot to be said for being at only select schools and concentrating on those.

-Rudey

[RACooper]

Originally posted by MysticCat81
Toronto, the maple leaf from the Canadian flag; and Middle Tennessee, the Tennessee walking horse. Each chapter has its own motto, written in Greek on the scroll in words beginning with the same letters as the chapter name.[/color]

I've seen the Toronto one around... specifically plaques with the COA granted as gifts to some other GLOs at UofT that they where close to before the closed down... on another note Psi Upsilon's most prominent (right now) Toronto alum: Paul Martin the Canadian PM is in a weee bit of hot water politically - the government is under attack by conservatives and seperatists... the only other party sorta helping prop his government is headed by a Sigma Chi

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by RACooper
the government is under attack by conservatives and seperatists... the only other party sorta helping prop his government is headed by a Sigma Chi

Interesting...I don't see a Jack or John (or Jonathan) Layton listed anywhere in the Canadian Sig alumni site. Perhaps he's embarassed about his Greek affiliation????????

[TSteven]

Originally posted by Taualumna
Interesting...I don't see a Jack or John (or Jonathan) Layton listed anywhere in the Canadian Sig alumni site.

I'm not familiar with the "Canadian Sig alumni site". Perhaps you mean the "Sigma Chi in Canada" web site? If not, would you please provide a link to the "Canadian Sig alumni site". Thanks.

Originally posted by Taualumna
Perhaps he's embarassed about his Greek affiliation????????

If Brother Layton (Jack) is not listed on this "Canadian Sig alumni site" - or any other site - perhaps it is a reflection on the webmaster or policies of the site. Not necessarily what may or may not be his feelings toward his affiliation.

Edited for grammar.

[Tom Earp]

Originally posted by ZZ-kai-
I agree with you, to a certain extent. Orgs like Psi U, Sigma Phi, Delta Phi, Alpha Sig and Chis Psi possibly even DKE are all old prominent orgs, however they faltered as time went on, which is why you hardly see them. It is also another reason why they are engraved in our history, yet are not real prominent anymore. Beta was near that, as you can see our expansion in the late 1800's was pretty slow..., whereas orgs like SX, Phi Delt, SAE all continued to expand, explaining their long existance with 150 or more chapters. We all agree that the old early greeks play a big role in who/why we exist today, however, they are hardly elite IMHO. I do respect them however and am thankful for them.

True, The Union Triad as it was known had a strong Listing of Old Line Greeks. Granted there were some as SN, TX, TKE, and some others who started outside of the Founding Ground so to speak. The Old Days.

The Next was the Miami Triad who seemed to be the Birth of more progressive Greeks.

While there have been Greeks started at other schools (LXA) at Boston U. for one there are others.

It just seemed that the Union Triad were less expansion minded while the Miami Triad was more so until the 1960s.

But, expansion is life and ergo some are getting a little more expansion minded, but little by little.