History
National History Timeline
-1909 Warren A. Cole and two other law students founded Alpha Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.
-1910 First ritualistic initiation.
-1912 Lambda Chi Alpha becomes a national fraternity with the installation of the second, third, fourth, and fifth chapters.
-1913 The Second General Assembly proclaimed the ideals of Lambda Chi Alpha by adopting the Fraternity's secret mottoes and approving revisions to the I nitiation Ritual, coat of arms, and badge. The date of the General Assembly, March 22, 1913, and its achievements are celebrated annually as Founders Day.
-1914 Lambda Chi Alpha's first magazine, the Purple, Green, and Gold, published. The present Initiation Ritual adopted by the Third General Assembly. Lambda Chi Alpha joins the National Interfraternity Conference.
-1915 Zeta Zephyr, the first chapter publication, published by Zeta at Penn State.
-1916 First inter-chapter meeting (now Leadership Conclave) held in Indianapolis.
-1917 Twenty-five hundred Lambda Chis (90 percent of the membership) in military service during World War I.
-1920 Central office opened at Kingston, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Indianapolis, Indiana. First full-time salaried Administrative Secretary hired.
-1924 Delegates from 11 local societies convened at Springfield, Missouri, and formed Theta Kappa Nu. First full-time salaried Traveling Secretary employed to devote full time to chapter visitation. Charter granted to the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, In c.
-1926 The first edition of The Paedagogus published. Theta Kappa Nu awarded its first graduate scholarship.
-1927 Lambda Chi Alpha becomes an international fraternity with the installation of Epsilon-Epsilon at the University of Toronto.
-1928 The practice of hazing is roundly condemned by Lambda Chi Alpha.
-1935 First members inducted into the Order of Merit.
-1939 The union of Theta Kappa Nu and Lambda Chi Alpha increases the chapter roll from 78 to 106 and the membership from 20,000 to 27,000.
-1940 Lambda Chi Alpha purchases first headquarters building.
-1944 An estimated 12,000 members serve in the armed forces during World War II. Many chapters are inactive due to military service.
-1946 John E. Mason Memorial Foundation (now Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation,Inc.) created.
-1949 First Management Training Seminar (now Leadership Seminar) held at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio.
-1952 The position of Chapter Services Secretary (now Director of Chapter Services) created.
-1952 The Annual Loyalty Fund campaign is established as a means for alumni to support the Fraternity beyond their college days.
-1959 Fiftieth anniversary rededication ceremonies held.
-1960 First members inducted into the Order of Achievement and Order of Interfraternity Service.
-1961 Upsilon at Louisiana State University becomes the first chapter to initiate 1,000 members.
-1967 Lambda Chi Alpha initiates its 100,000th member, the fifth fraternity to do so.
-1969 The concept of fraternity education replaces pledge education. First Regional High Pi Conference (now Alumni Leadership Conference) held.
-1970 First meeting of the Student Advisory Committee held, and the first undergraduate member elected to the Grand High Zeta. Linn C. Lightner retires after 50 years of service as Editor of the Cross & Crescent, the longest editorship in the frater nity world.
-1972 The term "associate member" replaces the term "pledge" in Lambda Chi Alpha.
-1973 The first Grand High Alpha Awards and Phoenix Awards presented.
-1974 The new International Headquarters Building opens in northwest Indianapolis.
-1983 The Standards for Chapter Excellence introduced at the Leadership Seminar at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana.
-1984 Numerous Founders Day and other commemorative events conducted in celebration of Lambda Chi Alpha's seventy-fifth anniversary.
-1988 A Resolution on Alcoholic Beverages adopted by the 42nd General Assembly that prohibits chapters from purchasing or providing alcohol.
-1990 George W. Spasyk retires as Executive Vice President following 40 years of service on the Administrative Staff. The position of High Iota (risk manager) adopted by the 43rd General Assembly, the first fraternity to create a risk management officer in every chapter.
-The 2.25 minimum grade point standard adopted by the 43rd General Assembly. 1991 Lambda Chi Alpha initiates its 200,000th member, the third fraternity to do so.
-1993 Omega at Auburn University becomes the first chapter to initiate 2,000 members. Lambda Chi Alpha sponsors the inaugural North American Food Drive, the largest single-day fraternity philanthropic project, and raises more than 256,000 pounds of food for the hungry. The Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation of Canada created.
-1995 Lambda Chi Alpha collects a record 551,570 pounds of food during its North American Food Drive.
-The regional leadership director position is created, adding five new staff members dedicated to chapter and alumni services.
-In July, the General Fraternity is presented with the Summit Award from the American Society of Association Executives for its Brothers Feeding Others North American Food Drive efforts; becoming the first fraternity to ever receive this honor.
-The totals from the third annual North American Food Drive exceed 550,000 pounds of food, making it the largest single-day community event of any student organization.
-1996 The 46th General Assembly in Dallas, Texas adds two new positions to the Grand High Zeta. The ruling allows the 10 elected Board members to recruit two additional men for the newly created two-year terms, holding the director positions of Grand High Epsilon and Rho.
-The University of Southern Illinois in Carbondale becomes the first chapter to win the Bruce H. McIntosh award the same year it was chartered.
-1997 The LEAP program is introduced at regional leadership conclaves and Leadership Seminar. It introduces, develops and recognizes a commitment among our members to Lead by Example and Precept by attending one of four levels designed to enhance a member's leadership skills.
-Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity reaches its goal and raises over 1,000,000 pounds for the food drive this year!
This timeline is taken from The Paedagogus.
|