Story of the Northeast Club
By Ellwood B. Cassel '19
As written for the January 1933 The Rattle - Vol. XXI, No. 4
Until April 6, 1918 the organization, which, within a year, was to be installed as Omega Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity, was known as the Northeast Club of the Pennsylvania State College. Membership in this club was restricted to those students enrolled at Penn State who had attended the Northeast High School in Philadelphia.
The birth of Omega Chapter and of its parent, Phi Tau Alpha, was each attended by appropriate ceremonies and formal announcement. The Northeast Club had more modest beginnings. Although the first minutes are dated May 31, 1915, its origin predates any organized meeting (founded March 9, 1915). It was born of an intangible something called “Northern Spirit” – a loyalty to one’s school and a natural brotherhood of an alien group with common home interests. Without doubt, this school spirit was merely the outward manifestation of love and respect for the man how typified the school: Doctor Andrew J. Morrison, principal for many years whose “boys” always sensed his warm personal interest in their welfare. He was one of the old type educators who exerted a powerful influence for good on those who came in contact with him.
It had become a custom for a number of years for graduates of Northeast High School attending Penn State to return during Christmas and Easter holidays for the purpose of visiting Doctor Harrison and others on the faculty and also to interest seniors in the Center County Institution. These pilgrimages, together with occasional informal gatherings on and near campus, such as smokers, cider feeds and annual football contests against a similar group from West Philadelphia High School, resulted in a desire to form a closer tie of fellowship.
It is not possible to give any one-person credit for being the founder of the Northeast Club, for the club was the idea of a group rather than an individual. However, all credit is due these men who composed this group and who included Emil R. Olbrich '15, Carl A. Bartle '16, Norman C. Horner '16, John A. Irwin '16, Albert H. Mainwaring '16, Alfred R. Bechtel '16 and others, for their solid method of organization and their high ideals which made the future secure.
In the spring of 1915 steps were taken to form a coherent organization and to rent a clubhouse. Signatures were obtained in May from thirteen men pledging support for the year 1915-1916. Of this number only five signified intention for taking room and meals at the clubhouse. One pledged to take a room only, two to take meals only and others, merely non-resident membership. In spite of this apparent uncertainty, a three-year’s lease was signed with Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson on May 31, 1915 for a house which would be erected at the northeast corner of Allen Street and Foster Avenue. This building was to be three stories in height with eight bedrooms of variable sizes in the two upper floors. This house remained the home of the Northeast Club, of Phi Tau Alpha and of Omega Chapter of Theta Chi until the close of College in June 1929.
251 South Allen Street
The coat of arms, badge and pledge pin of the Northeast Club are shown below.
The badge was of distinctive design and very attractive. The N.E. was in red on a black background, the club colors, and the pin was set with twelve half pearls. John A. Irwin '16 and Francis J. Doan '19 designed it.
The coat of arms of the Northeast Club was an adoption of the seal of the Northeast High School. The keystone was black and the N.E. in red. The date, 1914 was used because first step towards organization of the club began in that year.
The pledge pin was red and black.
In the minutes of October 22, 1917 mention was made of a probable desirability of changing the Northeast Club to an unrestricted Greek letter fraternity. A week later a committee consisting of George W. Chapman '20, Francis J. Doan '19 and Roberts P. Stevens '18 was appointed to investigate and report on reasons for changing the Northeast Club to an unrestricted local fraternity. This report, presented to the club at the meeting held on November 5, 1917 was as follows:
This committee finds that it is altogether feasible, and at this time extremely desirable to convert the Northeast Club, from a limited and discriminating preparatory school fraternity, into either a Greek letter non restrictive local or a similar local with a non Greek title.
The facts from which this conclusion is drawn can be stated as follows:
Because of the location of the Northeast High School there must come a time when the number and quality of the graduates of said school who make Penn State their Alma Mater will become such that the club can not exist as a fraternity with a clubhouse.
Because of the limited number of Northeast men coming to Penn State practically all must be admitted into the brotherhood regardless of their ability to be congenial, morally, mentally or socially with other members.
Rather than wait until necessity compels us to make this change, perhaps under adverse conditions, it seems more logical is every way to accomplish it now, when haste and confusion may be avoided and the changes stand some chance of becoming permanent.
Besides these considerations there might be mentioned the broader aspect of a fraternity containing men from more than one restricted district, the fact that if we expect to grow and ever get into larger and more satisfactory clubhouse we must take this step and that present war conditions threaten to lower our membership to a great degree.
To take the step suggested the following things must be considered and changed or regulated.
Name of fraternity
Constitution and By Laws
Ritual
Insignia
Charter
The report was accepted as read and a motion made and passed to make preparations for changing the Northeast Club to an unrestricted local Greek letter fraternity.
The actual vote on changing the Northeast Club was taken at the meeting held on March 19, 1917 and showed eighteen members in favor of the change, two opposed and two declining to vote. The motion was passed.
Succeeding meetings were devoted largely to business pertaining to preparation for the installation of Phi Tau Alpha Fraternity, the name chosen from four submitted by the Investigation Committee. A Constitutional Committee consisting of George W. Chapman '20, Raymond B. Poeppel '20, Milton J. Gemberling and Clifford E. Beaven '21 wrote the new Constitution and By-Laws and a Ritual Committee consisting of Poeppel, Cassel and Segl wrote and prepared the Ritual. The so-called Investigation Committee of George W. Chapman '20, Francis J. Doan '19 and Robert P. Stevens '18 assisted these two committees. The Design for the Phi Tau Alpha pin was chosen, as was the design for the Coat of Arms.
Early in the spring of 1918 the Northeast Club submitted the following petition to the College Authorities.
We, the members of the Northeast Club, do herby petition the college authorities for recognition as the Phi Tau Alpha fraternity in the form of a charter, believing that in this manner the most amicable and beneficial relations can be sustained between the college and ourselves.
In support of our plea, we might mention that the organization was established as the Northeast Club fraternity in 1914 by Emil R. J. Olbrich '15, Carl A, Bartle '16, Alfred R. Bechtel '16, Norman C. Horner '16 and John A. Irwin '16, and has existed to date as mentioned. No charter has been applied for previously, as the members had in view the change that now desire to make. Thus we are not forming an altogether new organization, but simply petition for a charter for a non-restrictive Greek letter fraternity whose prospective members are the members of the present Northeast Club.
By the President,
Winfield F. Smith '20
The College Authorities favorably acted upon this petition, and while there is no record of a charter ever having been issued, the Northeast Club was given official permission to change to the Phi Tau Alpha Fraternity.
The last official meeting of the Northeast Club was held on March 18, 1915 and on March 22, 1918 with formal initiation of the chapter members of Phi Tau Alpha Fraternity the Northeast Club ceased to exist, except in the memory of those to whom it had meant so much.