History
- National Lambda Chi Alpha: Established November 15, 1911
- Local Iowa City Chapter: Colonized Fall of 1958, Chartered March 1962
- Iota Chi Alumni Association, Inc: Incorporated August 10, 2017
Our Founding
There are two versions of the story about the founding of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, but both involve one man who wanted to create a lifetime of true brotherhood– Warren Albert Cole.
Version One
The first, resulting from an agreement in late 1912 between Warren Cole in Boston and Albert Cross in Philadelphia, holds that on November 2, 1909, Warren A. Cole, Percival C. Morse, and Clyde K. Nichols met at 22 Joy St., Boston, and swore allegiance to the new fraternity. The meeting had been called, by whom it is not recorded, for the purpose of considering the reorganization of the Cosmopolitan Law Club, a society of law students of Boston University, of which Cole was a member, into the Greek letter society.
Cole, Morse, and Nichols were all close friends, for all had been members of Alpha Mu Chi, a preparatory school fraternity. Cole was also a member of the legal fraternity, Gamma Eta Gamma, and the Grange or Patrons of Husbandry, a society of agriculturalists. The laws and rites of these societies are thought to have had a strong influence on Cole as he formulated the first regulations and Initiation Ritual of Lambda Chi Alpha.
The name Lambda Chi Alpha is thought to have been used from the beginning. The Greek letter name was not used in the Alpha Zeta minutes until April 27, 1910, however, and, as far as is known, this was the first time it was recorded.
Version Two
The second version of our founding results from interviews with Cole and other early members in later years, and further investigation. When Cole entered Boston University in the fall of 1909, his first residence lay too far from the law school on Beacon Hill, so he and a varied group of youngsters rented a room at Pemberton Square, which they used for study between classes or work. This loosely-held group became known as the Tombs or Cosmopolitan Club, but did not lead directly to the formation of Lambda Chi Alpha.
Before the end of 1909, Cole moved to 22 Joy St., where he shared an apartment with James C. McDonald and Charles W. Proctor, both of whom later joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Cole, however, was determined to start his own fraternity. In the fall of 1911, he moved to 35 Hancock St., rooming with Ralph S. Miles and Harold W. Bridge. On November 15, 1911, the constitution of the new fraternity, largely derived from Gamma Eta Gamma’s, was signed by Cole, Miles, Bridge, and Percival C. Morse – the four founders.
Over the next month, wonderful, yet mysterious, events of great significance occurred and a new fraternity was born with the appearance of our first badge and our first coat of arms, known as the Gamma Plate. Each of the four founders bought a badge.
They issued themselves a charter for Alpha Zeta, back-dating it to November 15, 1911.
From this point on, Lambda Chi Alpha progressed at an incredibly rapid rate. Cole soon wrote the original Initiation Ritual, and within one year chapters at the Massachusetts Agricultural College (University of Massachusetts-Amherst), the University of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania State University were installed. Titles of national officers, such as Supreme Eminent Archon, were most likely borrowed from Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and the overall design of our first coat of arms may have been inspired by the seal of McDonald’s prep school, the Worcester Academy.
Source: Lambda Chi Alpha General Fraternity
HISTORY OF THE FORMATION OF IOTA CHI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC.
The idea of a separate alumni association for Iota Chi alumni arose out of the need to separate ownership of the Chapter house (Iowa Colony Housing Corporation of Lambda Chi Alpha) from alumni events promoting fellowship and fraternal bonds between alumni members of the Chapter. The general fraternity of Lambda Chi Alpha long promoted separating the housing corporation from the alumni organization for liability purposes. From the founding of the Chapter (1957) and its housing corporation (1961), ownership of the chapter house and alumni events sometimes were coordinated conducted by the housing corporation, particularly at homecoming.
In the spring of 2017, the notion of forming a separate alumni association took hold among a small group of alumni. Their involvement with the Chapter began from the formation of the undergraduate Chapter, membership as undergraduates and then as members of the housing corporation. Many of these alumni were active in the combined annual Homecoming alumni events and housing corporation meeting through the early 1990’s. However, the revocation of the Chapter’s charter in 1995 ended a long tradition of alumni formally attending a Homecoming event with the Chapter. Without a fraternity house to return to, it was easy for this longstanding tradition to fade away.
In the spring of 2017, brother Jeff McDaniel (IX507) contacted brothers Jim Hampton (IX174), Lane Buck (IX240), and George McDaniel (IX44) to determine their interest in forming a separate alumni association for the purpose of promoting relationships and brotherhood among the alumni. The response was immediate and enthusiastic. This alumni association was something that needed to be done; the tradition of the Chapter having active alumni relations and promoting brotherhood needed to be renewed and revived for past alumni and established for new alumni.
The Iowa Chi Alumni Association, Inc. was formed as a not-for-profit corporation with the State of Iowa on August 10, 2017. With a perpetual life, the alumni association was and is intended to have an unlimited life and perpetuate the old and established traditions between alumni as well as promote relations with the undergraduate Chapter. The initial officers were Jeff McDaniel (President), Jim Hampton (Vice President), Lane Buck (Treasurer) and Mike Ingleby (Secretary). Knowing four people alone could not jump start this new venture, additional alumni accepted the challenge and joined as part of an alumni advisory board including George McDaniel (IX44), Tim Beck (IX 173), David Millage (IX221), Tom May (IX275), John Pedersen (IX294), and Brian Schmidt (IX302). All of these individuals resided in the Iowa/Illinois Quad Cities. The presence of so many interested alumni within 1 hour of the University made for easy planning for the formation and execution of the alumni association in an age where electronic means of communication were not yet an everyday occurrence.
This group decided homecoming 2017 would be the debut of the alumni association as a formal legal entity and as an active organization to promote brotherhood among alumni as well as teach the undergraduates the nearly forgotten traditions of the Chapter.
It was decided the alumni association would host a homecoming event at Old Brick. This former Presbyterian Church was located nearly across the street from the Chapter house on the corner of Market and Clinton Streets. Old Brick was an ideal location due to its proximity to the Chapter house as well as affording plenty of space for the event. The question was, however, who would show up? Who remained interested? Would the efforts of the alumni association be met with a yawn or with an enthusiastic response? The answer soon became clear.
On October 7, 2017, 50 years after the colonization of Iota Chi Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha at the University of Iowa, the Iota Chi Alumni Association, Inc. hosted its first alumni event. More than fifty alumni arrived for this event. These alumni traveled from the four corners of the United States to return to Iowa City to root for the Hawks and to renew bonds of brotherhood with their alumni brothers. There was a particular emphasis in the attendance by the “Iowa colony” members of the Chapter. These were the individuals who joined the Chapter when it was but a colony and were instrumental in the granting of a charter to the Iowa Colony Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha on March 22, 1962. The “Iowa colony” members in attendance included Larry Robinson (IX19-California), George McDaniel (IX44-Davenport), Lee Theisen (IX45-California), Marv Wellick (IX47-Arizona), Byron Bork (IX52-Iowa City). Also in attendance that first alumni event was Bob Benson (IX60-Bettendorf).
Old Brick was filled with alumni, their spouses, and undergraduate members. The undergraduate members saw for the first time the strength and passion of the alumni in attendance. It firmly planted the seed that this Chapter and its alumni were something bigger than simply a house occupied by members for four years; something that made a lasting impression, memories, and relationships for life.
For the 2017 homecoming event, the association recognized some of its distinguished alumni. This included George McDaniel (IX44) and Lee Theisen (IX45) for distinguished service to the general fraternity and alumni association. Both brothers McDaniel and Theisen served on the Grand High Zeta, the governing board for the general fraternity. Also receiving awards were brothers Jeff Emrich (IX326), Mike Andreski (IX337), and John Benson (IX309). All three were longstanding and active members of the housing corporation during the 1980s. Brother Emrich served for more than 20 years as Chapter Advisor to the undergraduate fraternity members. It was Brother Emrich who was instrumental in the recolonization of the Chapter in 2000 and in providing guidance to over 300 undergraduate members.
2018 brought the Second Annual Iota Chi Alumni Association Homecoming event. Old Brick was not available in 2018; therefore, the venue moved to the Kirkwood Room, an event center on Kirkwood Avenue in Iowa City. Iota Chi alumni showed their strength by proving the first alumni association event was not a fluke and had staying power. Many alumni were in attendance for the first time, including Dale Baker (IX95-Colorado). Brother Baker was recognized with an alumni award for distinguished service to the undergraduate Chapter as its Treasurer as well as for outstanding alumni service to the University as its President of the University Alumni Association.
2019 brought the Third Annual Iota Chi Alumni Association Homecoming event back to Old Brick. Over 35 alumni attended that event as well as approximately the same number of undergraduate members. The ease of access to Old Brick as well as a free meal seemed to encourage the undergraduate members to attend!
2020 was to be a return to Old Brick for the Fourth Annual Alumni Association Homecoming event. Unfortunately, COVID-19 intervened and changed everyone’s lives. The University cancelled all formal Homecoming events and neither alumni nor undergraduate members were allowed to attend football games in 2020. Therefore, there was no alumni event that year.