Sigma Chi Final Study Guide

1. “honest and trustworthy through life”
2. business man, supplied chapter with element of cultural refinement, 1st of the founders to die due to bad health caused by civil war

1. “energetic and faithful to every task”
2. strong will and determined pose, created Jordan Standard, elected into US Congress, fell into elevator shaft

"Courageous in spirit and idealism"fearless and idealist, created white cross, major in in civil war

"the qualities of learning"lived in the first chapter house at oxford, leader, teacher, great pride in learning, Union Army, principle and president of many collegiate institutions

"ruler of the spirit"First Consul, "balance wheel" of the seven, credited to bringing the moral and spiritual foundation, became minister, buried in the chapter eternal, wore sigma phi badge whole life, created cooper badge for newly elected grand consul

"true to principle"(March 27, 1841 - April 5, 1912) was born in Monroe, Ohio. By the age of thirteen Caldwell had completed all academics which could be offered at his local academy. He was then sent to Miami University with advanced credits. Caldwell was just fourteen at the time of the founding making him the youngest of the founders. After Caldwell graduated from Miami University in 1857 he practiced some law in Ohio but moved to Mississippi to begin a career as an educator. When the Civil War broke out he joined the Confederate Army. During the war he was taken prisoner but later, due to the influence of General Benjamin Piatt Runkle, was offered freedom on the condition that he renounce his allegiance to the Confederacy. He rejected this offer and remained loyal to the south. He was later released, again due to the influence of General Runkle. After the war he moved back to Mississippi and was admitted to the bar. He moved toCalifornia in 1867 and practiced law. In 1875 he began to travel frequently practicing law and editing newspapers. He died in Biloxi, Mississippi where the latest issues of The Sigma Chi Quarterly were found in his room

"courteous & loyal in his friendship"Leader of the rebellion in DKE, spirit of sigma chi based off of him, known for: unending enthusiasm and encouragement, optimistic, stood high with professors and lead role in the success of sigma chi

The confidence of the Founders of Sigma Chi was based upon
a belief that the principles which they professed and the ideal
of the Fraternity which they sought were but imperfectly
realized in the organizations by which they were surrounded.The standard with which the fraternity started was declared
by Isaac M. Jordan to be that of admitting no man to
membership in Sigma Chi who is not believed to be:A Man of Good Character…A Student of Fair Ability…With Ambitious Purposes…A Congenial Disposition…Possessed of Good Morals…Having a High Sense of Honor andA Deep Sense of Personal Responsibility.

James Parks Caldwell,Isaac M. Jordan, Franklin Howard Scobey, Benjamin Piatt Runkle, Daniel William Cooper, Thomas Cowan Bell,William Lewis Lockwood

1. The Spirit of Sigma Chi, as conceived by the Founders more than 150 years ago yet visible and alive today is based on the theory that…

…friendship among members, sharing a common belief in an ideal,……and possessing different temperaments, talents, and convictions,……is superior to friendship among members having the same temperaments, talents, and convictions, and that……Genuine friendship can be maintained without surrendering the principle of individuality or sacrificing one’s personal judgement.

"In hoc signo vinces" in this sign you will conquer

I believe in fairness, decency and good manners. I will endeavor to retain the spirit of youth. I will try to make my college, the Sigma Chi Fraternity, and my own chapter more honored by all men and women and more beloved and honestly respected by our own brothers. I say these words in all sincerity; That Sigma Chi has given me favor and distinction; that the bond of our fellowship is reciprocal, that I will endeavor to so build myself and so conduct myself that I will ever be a credit to our Fraternity.

In the fall of 1854 a disagreement arose in Kappa chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. This chapter consisted of twelve men. Six of them, led by Whitelaw Reid, supported one of the members for Poet in the Erodelphian Literary Society. Four of the other six members, James Parks Caldwell, Isaac M. Jordan, Benjamin Piatt Runkle and Franklin Howard Scobey, all members of the Erodelphian Society, refused to vote for the brother and instead believed that the distinction belonged to another Miami students who was not a Delta Kappa Epsilon. Thomas Cowan Bell and Daniela William Cooper were not members of Erodelphian, yet they admired there brothers for there conviction and stood up for them. Thus, the four became six.
The chapter of twelve was evenly divided in a difference of opinion that ordinarily would have been decided one way or the other and immediately forgotten. But both sides considered it a matter of principle. The two sides disagreed about whether the man should be chosen on merit, as the founders believed, or as a matter of brotherhood, the belief of there other six brothers. Either way they simply could not reach a compromise, and during the ensuing months the groups disagreed so much that their friendships grew distant and strained.

At a restaurant in Oxford in February 1855, set the stage for Sigma Chi’s founding. Bell, Caldwell, Cooper, Jordan, Runkle and Scobey hosted the event, hoping that the evening would help mend the bonds of there now strained chapter. They were on hand early, awaiting there brothers with anticipation. Of the meeting Runkle recalled: “With the kindest of intentions, we determined to give a dinner in their honor. I remember that the feast was prepared at the village restaurant, the guests invited, and on the appointed night we gathered and waited for the guests. They did not come for a long time, and then only Mr. Reid and with a stranger. This stranger was Minor Millikin an alumnus whom Whitelaw had decided would help him reprimand the disagreeing members.
The Alumnus told them: “My name is Minor Millikin; I live in Hamilton. I am a man of few words.” He then passed his own judgment on all of the matters of the dispute. To be expected, since he had heard only one side of the story, his verdict was against Runkle, Scobey, and the others who had originally opposed election of the Deke as the Poet in the literary society.
Next, Millikin unfolded a plan he and Reid had concocted by which “justice” could be satisfied with the formal expulsion of the leaders in the rebellion, after which the other two, having been properly chastised, could remain in the chapter.
At this dramatic moment, Runkle stepped forward, pulled off his Deke pin, tossed it upon the table and said, “I didn’t join this fraternity to be anyone’s tool. And that, sir,” addressing Millikin, “is my answer!”Runkle stalked out of the room, and his five colleagues followed.
The final meeting of the twelve active members of Delta Kappa Epsilon was held several days later in Reid’s room in the “Old Southeast” building of the six, with six against six on all vital issues, the meeting broke up in considerable disorder. After this a rather prolonged correspondence ensued with the parent chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon at Yale, resulting in “The Bull of Excommuniaction” in April 1855, expelling our fraternities founders. It was at this time they began to formulate their own plans.

1. 1990