”OVER A CENTURY OF BROTHERHOOD”

A Short History of Gamma Sigma Fraternity

By Robert Sturtevant (1963)

Updated by Dean Croshere (2007)

The history of Gamma Sigma can be traced back to its beginnings as a social organization for students. Early in our history, a group of students from Pacific University and the Tualatin Academy decided to form a social group on the campus. Thus the Pacific University Lyceum was established, one of the first social organizations of its kind in the West.

The only member of the original group known to us today is Theodore Pringle, the corresponding secretary. The members of the Lyceum, in order to gain official recognition and help, invited a number of the faculty to become honorary members. These included Sidney Harper Marsh, Horace Lyman, and the Rev. Edward Allen Tanner.

The social functions of this early group were limited to inviting prominent speakers to entertain the Lyceum’s members at their meetings. Thus the tradition of public speaking that is so important to Gamma Sigma had its birth with the early Lyceum. A number of the guest speakers were invited to become honorary members. Among those who joined were Judge E.D. Chattack, the Rev. E.H. Hall, and the Rev. Joseph Elkana Walker, who donated part of the land that is now the University Campus.

In November of 1863, Rev. Edward Allen Tanner, the principle of the Tualatin Academy and an honorary member of the Lyceum, decided to help some of the current students to further organize the group. Rev. Myron Eells, Rev. J.E.Walker, and Judge Raleigh Stott, were among these students. At E. A. Tanner’s suggestion, the group was named the Gamma Sigma Literary Society. The name was chosen because they are the first two letters of the Greek phrase gnothi seauton. The phrase, translated into English, means “Know Thyself.”

Gnothi seauton is printed above the Oracle at Delphi in Greece. The phrase is attributed to have originated from several different Greek philosophers, including Pythagoras and Aristotle.

For the next few decades Gamma Sigma grew into a flourishing debate and speech society. During this period the membership was not limited to University students, but to others as well. It was necessary for any member to suggest the name of a possible new active to the group. After the vote that the person might become a member, he was initiated into Gamma Sigma. The other qualifications for membership included payment of fifty cents and the signing of the Society’s constitution.

The social functions of this period in the history of Gamma Sigma were generally limited to academics. Debates on pre-arranged topics were standard at each meeting. One of these speakers was Major General Oliver Otis Howard who was a corps commander during Sherman’s Civil War March to the Sea.

In 1867, several discontented members of our Fraternity withdrew and founded the Alpha Zeta Alpha Society. The new society was extraordinarily short lived. When it collapsed, the faculty pressed to also have the Gamma Sigma Literary Society disbanded as well. The Fraternity instead began to hold secret meetings in the basement of Judge T.H. Tongue’s bachelor residence. By the end of the year, the faculty was convinced that the Gamma Sigma Society belonged on campus and worked with the group to draft a set of duties and privileges. This draft became the original charter of the Gamma Sigma Society.

The Philomathean Society, founded in 1871 and known today as Phi Lamda Omicron Sorority, was first mentioned in Gamma Sigma’s files in 1872. For many years thereafter the two societies held many functions together, and generally maintained a close relationship. In the fall of 1891 it was even suggested that the two groups merge. With the advent of the first women’s society at Pacific, the functions of Gamma Sigma turned form the academic to that of a more social nature.

1889 is the first year that a complete set of minutes of Gamma Sigma’s meetings are recorded. The meetings usually consisted of the reading of the minutes, the appointment of a judge for the meeting’s debate, and the presentation of the debate. This was followed by the critic’s report and the selection of the next week’s topic. This routine was varied to some extent with the selection of new members and the election of officers.

The officers of the Society included the President, Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Librarian (now defunct). In addition a standing committee on finance and another on (debate) questions were established. Thus one can see the great emphasis that Gamma Sigma placed on debate and forensics, which formed the back bone of the organization’s meetings, which were chaired by the Vice-President.

The first celebration of the founding of Gamma Sigma came on June 6, 1892. The affair was held in a decorated church and can be considered the forerunner of the annual banquet and dinner dance.

The first mention of a Gamma Sigma song or colors is found in 1894, when it was reported that the following yell had been adopted:

“Rim, Ram, Jim, Jam, Sigma Gam;

Hip, Rig, Jag a Jig, Gamma Sig “

The colors of the Society at this time were scarlet and white.

The relations between the members of Gamma Sigma and the Philomathean Society were strained on January 14, 1896, when Gammas, Lynn Lanefield and Willis McEldowney, dressed up as women and proceeded to “crash” the Philo meeting. They were ejected by force and some angered feelings ensued.

The custom of rewarding the officers of the previous semester had its origin in 1896. At a special meeting, the President was placed under the table and kept there for the rest of the meeting. “Then the committee did its work, and right efficient too. Then it was suggested that they operate on the secretary next. However, they had to go nearly off campus to catch him.”

In either 1896 or 1898 (details are sketchy), a founding member of the fraternity, J.E. Walker, returned from his 30 year missionary trip to China to donate a coat-of-arms he had bought from a family of druggists in financial trouble. The coat of arms was small dragon dog incense burner later named Boxer, the current university mascot.

November 23, 1901 is of special interest to Gammas. In the previous few weeks a number of members became dissatisfied with the actions of the majority, and decided to pull out and form their own group. They felt they were about the rough necked tactics of the rest of the group. The following members were dishonorably dismissed: E.C. Dye, T. Dey, Bump, Emmel, Fletcher Hale, Wilcox, Concik, Patton, Markhan, Yoder, and Shively. This group, nicknamed the “Pin Heads”, formed the Alpha Zeta Society. In the ensuing years the rivalry between the two groups has been traditional and exists today.

The first banquet was given by the Society in April, 1903. From this time on it became traditional to end the school year with this event, which is today the Dinner Dance.

Gamma Sigma received the proto-type of its fraternity pin in December, 1908. The original pin, which is different from today’s, was octagonal with the Greek letters Gamma Sigma inside. They were sold for two dollars each. In addition the Society purchased a large banner to hang in the meeting room in Marsh Hall; it also had the Greek letters Gamma Sigma on it. In 1912 the Society’s colors were changed to purple and gold.

The meetings of Gamma Sigma began to change during the turn of the century. In 1906 the business of the Society became so important that it occupied its own place in the meetings. It was the custom to hold the secretary and debate portion of the meeting first, with the business portion following after a short recess. From this time on the organization has placed more and more emphasis on the business portion until today there is little left of the forensics which once dominated the group.

The first Thanksgiving Feed as it was called then, was held in November 1914. It was this function which has become the “Stag Feed.” In the years following 1914, alumni of the Society were invited to have a reunion at the Feed. The pledges of this era were charged with securing the chicken dinner. The Gamma picnic also had its origin in this era, as in 1916 it was proposed that the Society give either a picnic or a hike.

The Gamma Sigma Literary Society changed it name on January 18, 1924. At that time the Society was re-incorporated as Gamma Sigma Fraternity by the state of Oregon.

The pledging program has undergone change throughout the years. In September, 1916 a standing committee was set up to handle the initiation of pledges. This committee proceeded to “put the applicants through various Tortures and amusing stunts.” One early account, dated October 18, 1917, reported that a pledge “was delegated to go on a fishing trip Friday afternoon at 5 o’clock with one of the Philo girls to the horse trough in town as the first step in initiation.” Each of the actives was assigned a prospective member and was responsible for that member.

Gamma Sigma began to have rush dances at which the freshmen could dance with the girls from Pacific. In 1939 the rush party was used by the Fraternity in place of the dance for the first time.

In the late 1930’s the pledging was no longer on an individual basis, but rather the Fraternity pledged a group of prospective members at the same time. To deal with the increased number of pledges, “Hell Week” was also introduced at this time. The much hated Gamma tie was worn by pledges beginning in 1949, giving way to the pledge plaque in 1962.

The requirements for membership became more involved during the 1930’s. Prior to this time, formal initiation consisted of taking the oath and signing the Fraternity’s constitution. The pledge ritual went as follows:

“I solemnly swear to uphold the duties and ideals of the

Fraternity which are devowed upon me as a pledge of

Gamma Sigma Fraternity.”

Requirements for pledging became somewhat standardized among the three fraternities with the establishment of the Intra-Fraternity Council in October, 1939.

Throughout the years various awards have been given to outstanding Gammas. The first annual award established was that of the forensics trophy, first awarded to Ellis Stebbins in 1921. In the spring of 1966 this trophy was re-named the A.C. “Hap” Hingston Trophy in honor of the Fraternity’s longtime friend and advisor. The Scholarship Cup was introduced in 1928 when Frank Jones received it. The prize for best all around graduating Gamma the Danforth Cup, was first given out in 1932 to Frank Shriver; the Danforth Cup is named in honor of Harry T. Danforth who gave the Fraternity much needed financial assistance during the early years of the depression.

The origin of the present Gamma Song is obscure, although a song (other than the afore mentioned yell) was mentioned in December, 1914. The Pinning Song, on the other hand, is somewhat recent, having been written in 1959 by Richard Harris.

The 40’s witnessed a period when the main discipline action was the use of the paddle. Mike Korack had the distinction to be the first Gamma of record to be hacked for the insertion of the unnecessary word in the Fraternity song. The fad of administering hacks was also used for the crime of “pin planting.” These customs have changed over the years, however, with the additions of “tubbings,” “swat lines,” and “Pubings” coming and going.

The doling out of traditional cigars for pinnings and engagements was first begun in 1929. In the years since, the tradition has provided a great deal of fine tobacco for the Fraternity members.

1949 was an extremely memorable year for Gamma Sigma, for it was in November that Arnold Taylor and several other members suggested that the Fraternity rent the “now defunct Forest Grove Hospital as a Fraternity House.” IN the previous years Gamma Sigma did have several houses, but in the majority of its existence the meetings were held on campus, the city hall, and occasionally in private homes in the area. The original Gamma Sigma Hall was located on the southwest corner of the third floor of Marsh Hall. The present house was leased from Mrs. Olive Wilcox and the first meeting was held on February 7, 1950. In 1964 the Fraternity began making purchase payments so that the Fraternity would always have a home and a central, permanent location.

The offices of the Fraternity changed during the yearly 1950’s. The Alumni Secretary was the first office which was added, for the group felt it an important matter to keep track of Gammas after they left Pacific. Alumni represent a source of financial help at times, but more importantly the past members are living examples of men who were influenced by such a group as Gamma Sigma.

The office of Chaplain was added in the spring of 1950. One of the more humorous duties of the first Chaplain was described in April of that year: “…prompted by an unexpected display at the feet of the President, Glen Ison moved that a specific duty be added to the Chaplain’s list: a)house breaking the house mutt, ‘Siggy’.”

The Smorgasbord was first suggested in 1953 as possible means to raise funds. For years it was an annual event which drew people from the entire community.

The death of Dr. Henry Price in January, 1955, a Gamma advisor for many years, prompted the members to award a trophy in his honor to the most outstanding pledge of the year, The Price Memorial trophy. The creation of the Dr. D. Otis Smith award in 1958, is awarded to the outstanding active of the year. And in 1965 the A.C. Gilbert Athletic Trophy was established and is presented to the outstanding Gamma athlete of the year. The namesake of the latter trophy was a Gamma during the early part of this century, who went on after leaving Pacific to win an Olympic gold medal in the pole vault in 1908; he also invented the A.C. Gilbert erector sets and chemistry sets. Dr. D. Otis Smith died in November 7, 1966; the award for the last several years has been presented by his widow, Mrs. Myrtle Smith.

The first semester of 1963 was marked with feverish preparation for the Centennial Celebration of Gamma Sigma. On March 18th a group of 18 Gammas rode to Corvallis and proceeded to begin a walk of “One Hundred Miles for One Hundred Years” of brotherhood. Of the 18 who started the walk, only four finished: Bill Batychy, Bob Phennler, John Romig, and Worrall Wilson. The Centennial Dinner Dance, with over 300 in attendance, was held April 27, 1963 at the Sheraton-Portland Hotel.

At the same time as the Centennial, John Romig, president, spearheaded a drive to found the Building Fund, the purpose of which is to finance the construction of a new fraternity house. Since its founding the Fund has raised over four thousand dollars, through small donations and Fraternity fund raising events. In 1966 a Board of Trustees was set up, made up of a few alums and actives serving in staggered, rotating terms. The Board was responsible for investing the Funds monies.

In February, 1967 Gamma Sigma came into the possession of Boxer, Pacific’s mascot. Jack Inmon, Gary Suchy, and Lance Jennings, on the night before Phi Beta was supposed to throw out Boxer for the first time in four years, captured the Bronze statue from a Phi Beta alum who was single handedly flashing Boxer around Forest Grove. During the next 14 months Boxer made many appearances at Fraternity functions, at Homecoming, other school events, and was finally thrown out April 17, 1968 with a five hour flight ensuing. Prior to this “toss,” Boxer was flashed in the middle of a homecoming game from a helicopter that flew low over the middle of the field at halftime. During Gamma Sigma’s possession of “the dog,” Boxer traveled as far as Hawaii, San Francisco, Seattle, and Eastern Oregon-Washington, as well as Montana.