|
Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded on March 9, 1856, at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The founders were Noble Leslie DeVotie, Nathan Elams Cockrell, John Barratt Rudulph, John Webb Kerr, Samuel Marion Dennis, Wade Hampton Foster, Abner Edwin Patton, and Thomas Chapel Cook. The leader was DeVotie, who wrote the ritual, created the grip, and chose the name. Rudulph designed the badge. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the antebellum South.
The Founding of Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Over one-hundred fifty years ago, at the University of Alabama, eight men of the graduating class of 1856 were the first brothers in Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Studying in the classics, they formed a fraternity governed by age old Greek principles and the highest standards for entrance.
Ou r brothers fought on both sides of the civil war, and many chapters were lost. In fact, only one chapter stayed active throughout the entire civil war, Washington City Rho at Washington Military Academy. Many other chapters were revived after the war, including the famous Kentucky Chi, where before the war; a woman was entrusted with the sacred documents that govern Sigma Alpha Epsilon. Lucie Pattie was given the handshake by a brother of that chapter (who died in the war) and was not to release the documents to any other person until that sacred greeting was given. When a different brother returned and shook Miss Pattie's hand, the documents were received and the chapter was revived!
Over the summer of 1925, the national convention spawned the idea of the first and only fraternal leadership school. Through the great depression, amazingly, not a single chapter went under. In this century of prosperity for Sigma Alpha Epsilon, we have to grown to over 220 chapters. These chapters have initiated over 255,000 brothers. That's the highest membership total of any fraternity!
Through thick and thin, hardship and good times, the international fraternity of Sigma Alpha Epsilon has stood as a leader in the Greek community as well as many college communities in the United States and Canada. We believe that Sigma Alpha Epsilon has all the qualities that make a great national fraternity, but we know that SAE might not be for everyone. If you do choose to rush and pledge our fraternity, we know that you'll be pleasantly surprised with all the support that can come from the chapter and the national fraternity.
|