Sigma Triton
From PhiSigWiki
| |
| Status | Active |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 1, 1949 |
| School | Indiana University |
| Members | 600+ |
| Residence | House |
| Address | 1215 N. Jordan Ave. Bloomington, Indiana, USA |
| Homepage | iuphisigs.com |
Located at Indiana University in beatiful Bloomington Indiana the Sigma Triton chapter is currently one of the largest chapters in the nation.
Contents |
Chapter History
Founding
An encouraging discussion with Herbert L. Brown, then Grand President of Phi Sigma Kappa, by Brother Robert B. Nemeschy; Rho Deuteron of Gettysburg College, gave seed to the possibility of forming a chapter on the Bloomington campus. With the beginning of the fall semester of 1948 at Indiana University, the Phi Sigma Kappa colony secured its roots. It was only through the untiring efforts of Brother Nemeschy that the assemblage soon became a flowering plant. The aggresiveness and initiative of this small group so impressed the Indiana Interfraternity Council that it readily gave assistance and unanimous permission to assume colony status and the Phi Sigma Kappa colony became the twenty-eighth social fraternity on campus.
Ceremonies in connection with the initiation and induction, conducted by a team from Delta Triton (Purdue University), started on the evening of Friday, April 29, in the Student Union and reached the apex on Sunday evening, May 1, with a banquet at the Graham Hotel. Following formal initiation rites, which proceeded well into Saturday evening, April 30, an informal "acquaintance" party was held.
Eight stories above the campus in the beautiful Bryan Room of the Indiana University Memorial Union Building, the formal installation of chapter officers was performed by representatives of the Grand Council. Officials of the new chapter were: President, Richard G. Elliott; Vice-President, Frederick B. Petrie; Secretary, George O. Todd, Jr.; Treasurer, Roger J. Newcomb; Sentinel, Wallace G. Ewer; Inductor, Jerry D. Hopkins.
Shortly after six o'clock on May 1, members of the fraternity, their guests, and presidents of the twenty-seven other fraternities and twenty-one sororities on campus (nearly 200 in all), assembled in the placid University Room of the Graham Hotel for the formal induction dinner. Guests at the banquet included Col. Fenwick T. Reed, representative of the president of Indiana University; Dr. Robert Shaffer, assistant dean of students; Mr. Gerhart Schwartz, activities counselor of Indiana University; Herbert L. Brown, Grand President of Phi Sigma Kappa; D.R. (Spec) Collins, Director of Region Four; Earl F. Schoening, Secretary-Treasurer of the Grand Chapter and Editor of The Signet of Phi Sigma Kappa; William N. Zimmerman, Field Secretary of the Grand Chapter; and Robert B. Nemeschy, Sigma Triton founder and Chapter Advisor.
The toastmaster for the occasion was Brother Nemeschy. A campus welcome was extended by Fenwick T. Reed of the University Administration, who asked to be of assistance in helping the chapter in the formulation of new policies and plans. Dean Shaffer then spoke highly of the men comprising the new chapter. He predicted a great future for the fraternity as an integral part of the social and scholastic life at Indiana University. Brother Nemeschy was also in reciept of letters of congratulations from President Herman B. Wells of the University and Colonel R. Shoemaker, dean of students, expressing their best wishes and their desire to cooperate in the future success of the chapter.
A musical interlude was provided by the newly elected president of Sigma Triton, Richard G. Elliot. Following the short passage of music, the toastmaster introduced the last and principal speaker of the evening, Grand President Herbert L. Brown. President Brown highly praised Brother Nemeschy for his outstanding abilities. "If a gentleman is known by the people who respect him, Brother Nemeschy is undeniably one of Phi Sigma Kappa's best loved members." President Brown then presented Brother Nemeschy with a handsome brown leather weekend bag on behalf of the Grand Chapter.
The toastmaster also recognized a loyal and honorable brother, George W. Stark, Alpha Deuteron (Illinois) '31. Brother Stark, a successful Indianapolis meat packer, with his unselfish assistance and enthusiasm, did much to introduce the fraternity on the campus and make possible the purchase of a home for the chapter.
Also acknowledged was Richard Spielman, Phi Kappa Taum, interfraternity council chairman of colonization, who blithely commented on the rapidity with which the new organization gained on the Bloomington campus. The banquet closed with the singing of the Indiana Alma Mater.
The First House
The basement was really the "show-off spot" of the house. The green tited knotty pine walls, the gray ceiling of sound-proof fiber, the asphalt tile floor of brown and green squares, and the matching blong oak table and chairs made the dining room on of magnificence and true beauty. A fireplace and large picture window at one end add to the rustic atmosphere.
A novel feature is a speaker above the fireplace connected to the console model radio-phonograph in the living room. It is not hard to understand why the dining room was the talk of the campus and is viewed with envy by the other fraternities.
The first chapter house would have been impossible to come by with out the efforts of George Stark and his efforts to organize a chapter at Indiana University and his organizing of the Sigma Triton Corporation among Indianapolis alumni.
Closing
Between 1971 and 1973, 15 chapters closed their doors. These chapters ranged from old ones, such as Zeta (City College of New York), founded in 1896, to new ones such as Upsilon Pentaton (Hartford), chartered in 1969. Omega Pentaton lasted only three years at Bethel College before reverting to local status, and in 1973 Nu Deuteron at Stanford, once a strong chapter, ended a period of vaccilation and became a coed local. Some of the loses were at large prestigious state universities such as Wisconsin (Zeta Deuteron), Michigan State (Xi Tetarton), and Sigma Triton at Indiana.
The prevailing themes running through the losses were lack of manpower, financial problems and local conditions. All of these were true for Sigma Triton. A severe lack of new members led to a decline in the chapter's finances and Sigma Triton's inability to pay the last few mortgage payments on its two large lots on fraternity row. So, only a few payments away from ownership, Sigma Triton lost its house and its charter.
For the next twenty years the chapter remained dormant. A few groups of Sigma Triton alumni tried to create interest in re-chartering, but nothing came of any of the "feelers" until the 1990s.
1992 Re-Chartering
In 1992 the chapter re-chartered, but closed doors again in 1998.
2001 Re-Chartering
In 2001 the chapter re-chartered for the second time.
Present Day
Currently the chapter has over 100 active members and the alumni base has grown to over 500 members. Sigma Triton has moved from a small startup fraternity with little public recognition in 2001 to a power player on the IU campus in 2006. Members of Sigma Triton now serve in all aspects of Indiana University's IFC.
Housing Uncertainty
For a list of Sigma Triton houses see List of Sigma Triton Houses.
Despite recent success in improving Sigma Triton's base on the IU campus, the chapter still does not have a permenant housing situation. Sigma Triton occupied the small fraternity house at 1500 N. Jordan Ave. from 2002-2004, sharing it for a year with the local skulls chapter.
In 2004 the chapter moved back into the house it built in the 50's, and lost at the 1972 chapter closing, with one year lease from IU Real Estate. Ultimately the chapter's goal was to continue leasing the house and possible re-claim the property from Indiana University. However, IU used the property to leverage the dormant Beta Theta Pi IU chapter into giving up their prime on-campus real-esate in exchange for the Phi Sig property. Thus, the chapter was forced to leave the house they built once more, most likely for the last time since the house will most likely be demolished for new development.
In the fall of 2004 the local Phi Delta Theta chapter was removed from campus from its national organization for alcohol related hazing. Sigma Triton subsequently secured a lease with the local PDT housing corporation and currently resides in the former PDT house at 1215 N. Jordan Ave.
Officers
See list of Sigma Triton Officers.
Awards
See list of Sigma Triton Awards.
In 2005 the chapter won the prestigous Herbet L. Brown Outstanding Chapter Award along with the President's Special Achievement Awards for Community Service, Scholarship, Philanthropy, and Website Development at the 2005 General Convention in Las Vegas.
