Phi Sigma Chi
Phi Sigma Chi (ΦΣΧ) was an American secondary social fraternity. It was founded in 1901 in at the Zanesville High School in Zanesville, Ohio. It was a founding member of the Grand Inter-Fraternity Council.
| Phi Sigma Chi | |
|---|---|
| ΦΣΧ | |
 | |
| Founded | November 1901 Zanesville High School |
| Type | Secondary |
| Former affiliation | |
| Status | Defunct |
| Scope | National |
| Motto | Amicitia et Fraternitas "Friendship and Brotherhood" |
| Colors | Black and Gold |
| Symbol | Book and lamp |
| Flower | White carnation |
| Mascot | Owl |
| Publication | The Chapter Hall |
| Former name | Delta Theta Omega |
| Headquarters | United States |
Phi Sigma Chi (ΦΣΧ) was an American secondary social fraternity. It was founded in 1901 in at the Zanesville High School in Zanesville, Ohio.[1] It was a founding member of the Grand Inter-Fraternity Council.
History
[edit]Murrel L. J. Logsdon established the local fraternity, Delta Theta Omega, at the Zanesville High School of Zanesville, Ohio, in November 1900.[1][2] Its charter members were Edgar H. Johnson, Murrel L. J. Logsdon, Edgar R. Moeser, J. Herbert Norris, Harry C. Orr, and Cassell Stewart.[1][2] In addition, Arthur C. Lindsay was associated with the founding and treated as an honorary member.[1][2]
Delta Theta Omega became Phi Sigma Chi on November 1 or 28, 1901.[1][2] The fraternity had a hall in the third floor of the Zanesville Bank Building on 15 North Fourth Street.[2] Its members celebrated the Feast of the White Carnation and the Feast of the Book and Lamp.[2]
Also in November 1901, two additional chapters were chartered at high schools in McConnelsville and Lancaster, Ohio.[1][2] Logsdon was the fraternity's first president.[1] In May 1902, Logsdon helped to reorganize the local fraternity into a national fraternity, overseeing a new charter and updated rituals.[2] The ritual was written by high school teacher C. S. Hoskinson, who was later made a honorary member of the fraternity.[2]
By May 1903, Phi Sigma Chi was organized had eleven chapters that were organized into four provinces.[2] Because the Zanesville School Board has passed an order forbidding fraternities and class organization, Phi Sigma Chi began operating independently of the schoolboard and faculty.[2] The fraternity held its first national convention in Zanesville on August 25 and 26, 1903.[1][2]
Phi Sigma Chi joined the Grand Inter-Fraternity Council in February 1911.[3] At the time, the fraternity had forty chapters were located at high schools and preparatory schools in the United States.[3] The fraternity held its second national convention August 9 through 11, 1911.[1] In 1912, its convention was held in Indianapolis, Indiana, followed by Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1914.[1]
By August 1915, Phi Sigma Chi had 49 chapters and more than 7,000 members.[1] At the 1915 national convention, the Olympian Club of Lincoln, Nebraska and the Delta Delta Delta (local) of Denver, Colorado, were chartered as new chapters of Phi Sigma Chi.[1] However, a few years later, anti-fraternity sentiment had grown across the United States, with most states passing laws to ban high school fraternities.[2] Phi Sigma Chi continued to operated a social fraternity, with many chapters in the Southern United States.[2] Unfortunately, the records and history of this era were lost.[2]
After the dissolution of the Grand Inter-Fraternity Council, Phi Sigma Chi became a member of the High School Panhellenic Council.[4] The fraternity's 35th convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 9 and 10, 1937, was attended by representatives from forty of its 95 chapters.[5] Some of its chapters were affiliated with colleges and universities.[5][6]
In 1951, the fraternity celebrated its 50th anniversary in Zanesville.[2] Its national headquarters was in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1975.[2] The fraternity was adding chapters until at least 1992,[7] but has since gone inactive.
Symbols
[edit]Phi Sigma Chi's motto was Amicitia et Fraternitas or "Friendship and Brotherhood". Its colors were black and gold.[2] The fraternity's mascot was the owl. Its flower was the white carnation.[2] Its symbols were a book and the lamp.[2]
The fraternity's quarterly publication was The Chapter Hall, first published in May 1903.[2][8] In 1939, this had the largest circulation of any fraternity magazine in the United States, with a circulation of nearly 18,000.[8]
Chapters
[edit]In 1915, Phi Sigma Chi had chapters in the following states and cities:[1]
- Alabama: Mobile
- Arizona: Tucson
- California: Berkeley, Los Angeles, Sacramento San Francisco
- Colorado: Denver
- Florida: Wachula
- Kansas: Hutchinson, Kansas City, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Manhattan, Otwawa
- Illinois: Cairo, Chicago, Evanston, Kankakee, Quincy
- Indiana: Indianapolis, Lafayette, Logansport, West Lafayette
- Massachusetts: Brookline
- Michigan: Bay City
- Missouri: Kansas City, Lexington, St. Louis, St. Joseph
- Nebraska: Lincoln
- Ohio: Alliance, Cambridge, Canal Dover, Chillicothe, Columbus, Coshocton, Dennison, Gambier, Granville, Hamilton, Lancaster, McConnelsville, Mt. Vernon, New Philadelphia, Newark, Steubenville, Toledo, Urbana, Zanesville (Alpha)
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, and West Philadelphia
- Virginia: Staunton
Later chapters include East Jefferson High School and Rummel High School in Metairie, Louisiana.[6] Gamma Alpha chapter was established at Warner Robins High School in Warner Robins, Georgia, on September 14, 1992.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Parent Chapter of the Phi Sigma Chi is at Zanesville". The Zanesville Signal. 1915-08-05. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-10-25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Schneider, Norris F. (1975-11-02). "Chapters Spread Across Country. ZHS Fraternity Founded in 1901". The Times Recorder. Zanesville, Ohio. p. 25. Retrieved 2025-10-25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "'Phi Sigs' Lead High School Frats". The Zanesville Signal. 1911-02-14. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-10-25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Pan Hellenic Council Awards Presented". The Mobile Press. 1978-04-08. p. 11. Retrieved 2025-10-25 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "40 Chapters Join in Phi Sigma Chi Convention Here". The Times-Picayune. New Orleans, Louisiana. 1937-08-10. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-10-26 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Phi Sigma Chi Helps Community". Jefferson Parish Times. Metairie, Louisiana. 1969-12-18. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-10-26 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "New Members Sought for Fraternity". The Macon Telegraph. 1993-05-26. p. 29. Retrieved 2025-10-26 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Phi Sigma Chi Officers are Alamedans". Alameda Times Star. 1939-08-22. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-10-26 – via Newspapers.com.