From collection Phi Gamma Delta Documents Collection
1910 Letter Discussing Expansion to Canada
Two page letter dated May 23, 1910.
The letter is from Alex Bayard Clark (Cornell 1904) to Thomas L. Pogue (Washington & Jefferson College 1891, University of Virginia 1892).
At the time, Clark was serving as the Section Chief for Section III. Pogue was serving as the third Archon Secretary of Phi Gamma Delta, a position he held from 1905 through 1913. Previously he served as an Archon Counsilor from 1901 through 1905.
The letter is an important document in relation to Phi Gamma Delta's eventual expansion into Canada.
The idea of expanding to Canada appears to have originated (at least officially) with T. Alfred Vernon (Yale University 1875) during the 1898 Convention where he served as chairman of the Expansion Committee. He proposed expansion to McGill University and the University of Toronto. This idea of Canadian expansion was pushed for the next nearly 15 years, but those supporting the expansion could not receive the required approval from enough nearby chapters. The issue was not pursued again until after WWI concluded. Around 1920 official inquiries for the University of Toronto resumed and this time the expansion was successful with the Tau Kappa chapter's chartering in 1923, thereby making Phi Gamma Delta an International Fraternity. McGill's chartering took place after WWII in 1948.
This letter also discusses the chapters at Syracuse and Cornell.
Details
The letter is from Alex Bayard Clark (Cornell 1904) to Thomas L. Pogue (Washington & Jefferson College 1891, University of Virginia 1892).
At the time, Clark was serving as the Section Chief for Section III. Pogue was serving as the third Archon Secretary of Phi Gamma Delta, a position he held from 1905 through 1913. Previously he served as an Archon Counsilor from 1901 through 1905.
The letter is an important document in relation to Phi Gamma Delta's eventual expansion into Canada.
The idea of expanding to Canada appears to have originated (at least officially) with T. Alfred Vernon (Yale University 1875) during the 1898 Convention where he served as chairman of the Expansion Committee. He proposed expansion to McGill University and the University of Toronto. This idea of Canadian expansion was pushed for the next nearly 15 years, but those supporting the expansion could not receive the required approval from enough nearby chapters. The issue was not pursued again until after WWI concluded. Around 1920 official inquiries for the University of Toronto resumed and this time the expansion was successful with the Tau Kappa chapter's chartering in 1923, thereby making Phi Gamma Delta an International Fraternity. McGill's chartering took place after WWII in 1948.
This letter also discusses the chapters at Syracuse and Cornell.
