The Founding of Alpha Delta Phi

In 1830 the literary societies of Hamilton College, called the Phoenix and the Philopeuthian, were engaged in a bitter fight for supremacy. Methods were employed to obtain adherents, and practices sanctioned to gain the ends of the organizations until the better portion of the students looked on in disgust at the conflict. Samuel Eells, then a student at Hamilton, was one of those who were disgusted with the partisan practices of the literary societies. He nearly determined to join neither, but such was the pressure brought to bear by these groups that he finally gave his name to the Philopeuthian, in order to escape "importunity and persecution." In his words:

"Scarcely a student of any pretensions to scholarship presented himself for admission to college who had not been solicited by both societies. The means of persuasion were often of the most unscrupulous kind. Neither side hesitated to make use of dissimulation and deceit, and degrading compliances, until college life exhibited a scene of jealousy and strife. Besides drawing off attention from study, [the conflict] alienated bosom friends, divided classes, and embittered ... all associations for mutual improvement ... it seemed to chill all the noble and generous affections of the youthful spirit and destroyed or corrupted the very elements of honorable and manly character.

"It was a contemplation of these and similar evils, that first suggested to me the idea of establishing a society of a higher nature, and more comprehensive and better principles; one that should combine all the advantages of a union for intellectual and literary purposes, and at the same time maintain the integrity of youthful character.."

From the beginning, Samuel had the Four Aims of the society clearly in mind:

"In the first place, the new association must differ from others, in all points necessary to the exclusion of that jealousy and angry competition which I had always felt to be the bane of college life. In the second place, it must be built on a more comprehensive scale than other societies, in regard to its intellectual proportions; providing for every variety of taste and talent, and embracing every department of literature and science. In the third place, it must be national and universal in its adaptations, so as not merely to cultivate a taste for literature or furnish the mind with knowledge; but, with a true philosophical spirit, looking to the entire man, so as to develop his whole being - moral, social, and intellectual. In the fourth place, it must be made a living, growing, self-perpetuating institution, which can be done only by stamping its whole character and arrangements with a great and manifest superiority to other societies, and by attaching its members to it by an indissoluble bond of union and binding them to real and personal interest in its welfare."

Such was the outline of the organization as conceived in the year 1830. It existed only as an idea in Samuel's mind until the fall of 1831, when an event moved him to hasten his plan.

A deputation from Kappa Alpha at Union College endeavored to organize an associated branch at Hamilton, hoping to draw members from the leaders of the two literary societies. This would interfere with Samuel's scheme, as he had intended that these same leaders would make up the founding members of his society. Samuel himself was secretly invited to join Kappa Alpha, but was unswayed by the badly concealed, selfish intentions of the Kappa Alpha agents.

"I found it necessary, therefore, to make a show of hesitation, with regard to the proposition, that I might, if possible, devise some way of defeating it in a small private meeting, held for deliberation, means were found of dividing our counsels. The whole project was abandoned, and the delegates withdrew, disappointed and chagrined.

"Immediately after this, I resolved to commence the trial of the new society. The first step was to select a very few of the most influential members of each literary society, to open them cautiously to the outlines of my plan, and enlist their co-operation. To my surprise, all approved it, and engaged in the undertaking with the utmost ardor."

In the winter of 1831-1832 five students of Hamilton College came together in an upper chamber after the evening lamps were lighted, to associate themselves together in a purposeful bond of brotherhood. The names of the five students were: Samuel Eells, who died in Cincinnati in 1842; Lorenzo Latham, who died in New Orleans in 1860; Henry Lemuel Storrs, whose death in 1852 closed the early career of an eloquent and devoted minister; Oliver Andrew Morse, who died in 1870; and John S. Underwood, whose death occurred in 1873.

"Secretly, and without a formal meeting, we pledged ourselves to the work. The first meeting was held at my room, No. 15, Back Middle, Kirkland Hall. All the persons selected were present; but as it was only a meeting for consultation no presiding officer was appointed and no minutes were taken"

Nonetheless, even in these humble beginnings Samuel Eells exercised a controlling influence. A Constitution and a Golden Badge in the shape of a Star and Crescent were drawn up by Eells. Upon their acceptance was born the foundation of the modern Alpha Delta Phi - "a society of a higher nature and more comprehensive and higher principle."

The Impact of Alpha Delta Phi

The importance of Samuel Eells' achievement at Hamilton College reaches far beyond the generations of Alpha Delts who followed him. Alpha Delta Phi was from the beginning a pioneering force in the growth of the fraternity system.

In the autumn of 1825 at Union College in Schenectady, John Hunter and other members of the Class of '26 founded Kappa Alpha, patterned after Phi Beta Kappa, which had been established at Union in 1817. Although according to Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities there was considerable opposition to Kappa Alpha, it was paid the "compliment of imitation" by the foundation in the same college of Sigma Phi, March 4, 1827 and Delta Phi on November 18, 1827. It was the founding of the three fraternities at Union - Kappa Alpha, Sigma Phi, and Delta Phi - that gave the historic Union Triad its birth. Of this, Mr. Baird says, "Imitation of them or opposition to them will account for the establishment of nearly all general fraternities."

Sigma Phi placed a chapter at Hamilton in 1831 and this probably suggested to Samuel Eells some of the details in the development of his plan. Alpha Delta Phi was established at Hamilton the following year, the fourth fraternity to be founded.

It is interesting to note the extent of the fraternity system in 1833. Kappa Alpha, the pioneer of the system, had two chapters - Union and Williams. Delta Phi and Psi Upsilon (founded 1833) were still local societies at Union, while Sigma Phi had two chapters (Union and Hamilton.) In other words, the fraternity system in 1833 was confined to two states, New York and Massachusetts, and to three colleges, Union, Hamilton, and Williams, when Eells boldly planted Alpha Delta Phi's second chapter at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

The Miami Chapter of Alpha Delta Phi was the first fraternity west of the Allegheny Mountains, as well as the first at Miami. This westward expansion is significant in that it assured that fraternities would be national in character and not merely a New England phenomenon. Furthermore, the Chapter provided the inspiration for the founding of the famous Miami Triad - Beta Theta Pi in 1839, Phi Delta Theta in 1848, and Sigma Chi in 1855.

Alfred H. Upham, president of Miami during the period, in his history of Old Miami speaks with tongue-in-cheek of the events surrounding the founding of Beta Theta Pi by John Knox:

"To the unprejudiced observer there is one feature about Knox's plan, novel enough in his day, that gets to be painfully familiar as time goes on. The new brotherhood (Beta Theta Pi) was to have all the good qualities of Alpha Delta Phi and none of its bad ones. In the same way, nine years after, Phi Delta Theta was to have all the virtues of the Alphas and the Betas together, and of course none of their obvious defects. Likewise, D.K.E., breaking away from the Phi Delts, was to have all the excellence of the parent chapter, etc., etc. Four years later, Sigma Chi, sprung from the Dekes, was again to partake only of the good and leave the bad to soothe the bereaved survivors. The logic of this process seems complimentary enough to Sigma Chi, but appears to put the Alphas in a rather unpleasant light. Then too, one wonders where that constant reminder of bad keeps coming from."

Despite this "unpleasant light," Alpha Delta Phi expanded rapidly, the first chapters being established either by the founders of the parent chapter or by those closely associated with them. Evidence of the success of their work can be found in the following facts:

Alpha Delta Phi was the first Greek letter fraternity on the following campuses:

• Miami University

• New York University

• Columbia University

• Yale University

• Amherst College

• Brown University

• Harvard University

• Hobart College

• Western Reserve U.

• Bowdoin College

• Univ. of Rochester

• College of City of NY

Alpha Delta Phi was the second Greek fraternity on these campuses: 

• Hamilton College

• Univ. of Alabama

• McGill University

Alpha Delta Phi was the third Greek letter fraternity on these campuses: 

• Dartmouth College

• Univ. of Michigan

• Cumberland Univ.

• Kenyon College

• Trinity College

• Univ. of Toronto

• U. of Br. Columbia