The post previous to this one is about the Fraternity Congress at the Columbian Exposition (aka Chicago’s World’s Fair) in 1893. After it was posted, I came across the program of events. I was elated to find out that one of my idols, William Raimond Baird (his middle name was misspelled in this program), a member of Beta Theta Phi, opened the festivities.*
This first hand account titled “The Fraternity Meetings at Chicago” from the October 1893 Beta Theta Pi magazine shows that all did not go according to the planned agenda and I enjoyed the subtle commentary written in 1890s style.
“The Art Institution in the Lake Front Park at Chicago on Wednesday morning, July 19, 1893, contained in its corridors and halls the largest assembly of fraternity people, both men and women, that had ever gathered together where the assembly consisted of members of more than one organization. The College Fraternity Congress was about to open. There were present probably 350 to 400 persons and they by no means filled the hall. Though a discussion of the topics presented in the papers read was invited, no one seemed to have the temerity to initiate any.
“The meeting was called to order by President Charles C. Bonny, who had general charge of the congresses which have been such a prominent feature of the Fair. He made a few appropriate remarks of welcome and then introduced Rev. Arthur Edwards, BΘΠ, who led in a short prayer. After this he again arose, and introduced Richard Lee Fearn, BΘΠ, as the presiding officer of the meeting. When the secretary, George A. Katzenberger, ΦΔΦ, had taken his seat, and the reporters had sharpened their pencils, the meeting was ready for business. Mr Fearn announced that, as doubtless all present understood the object of the meeting, he would not encroach upon its time by any extended resume of the subject but would introduce William Raimond Baird, who would read the first paper on ‘The Legal Status of the Fraternities.’ A storm of applause greeted the author of American College Fraternities as he bowed to the audience, and prefaced his reading by alluding to the great advance in the cordiality of inter-fraternity relations which had made such a meeting possible. The paper itself has already appeared in this journal. It was listened to with the closest attention It was followed by a paper on ‘The Histories of Fraternities,’ by Walter B. Palmer, the historian of ΦΔΘ, whose slight southern accent helped the reading wonderfully. Mr. Palmer’s views, the result of ripe experience, met the hearty approval of those present, and were frequently applauded. A paper on ‘Fraternity Finances,’ by Isaac Hitt, Jr., also of ΦΔΦ, whose Beta father sat in the audience was of much value and contained the results of Mr. Hitt’s own long training as treasurer of a wide-spread organization. A paper was then read by Mrs. Gertrude Blackwelder of ΠBΦ on ‘The Ethical Influence of Fraternities.’ and was followed by one on ‘Catalogue Making,’ by Frank D. Swope, the editor of the Phi Delta Theta Catalogue. This contained many valuable and practical hints, though there were doubtless few in the audience to whom its conclusions appealed with much force. A paper on ‘The Advantages of Non-Secrecy,’ by E.J., Thomas of Delta Upsilon, was read by E.M. Winston, a member of his fraternity, and the session was concluded by a second paper by Mr. Baird on the ‘Secrecy of the Fraternities,’ in which he advocated the reduction of secret features to a minimum, and the removal of all elements which would lead to the classification of the college fraternities with the larger secret and ritualistic orders, such as the Free Masons and Odd Fellows.
“The Betas in attendance gathered together at the close of the meeting, and then a dozen of them including, Baird and Fearn of Stevens, Ames of California, and Montague of Harvard, went off and took lunch together.
“It should not be forgotten that the visitors at the congress could purchase badges of white ribbon inscribed with the legend, ‘The College Fraternities,’ which were useful for identification. One of the most pleasant features of the meeting was the announcement that on Thursday, called College Fraternity day, each wearer of this badge would be given a roller chair at the Fair grounds free of charge by the company which owned the concession and which was managed by Betas.
“In the afternoon there was held a meeting of the fraternity editors, in one of the upper rooms of the Institute rendered gloomy by a score of pictures by Rembrant, Van Ostade, and other artists of the Netherlands school. Of the seven papers proposed, four only were read, and one was read which was not on the programme. As in the morning, Mr. Fearn, BΘΠ, was chairman, and George A, Katzenberger, ΦΔΦ, was secretary. The first paper was by C.L. VanCleve of the Phi Kappi Psi Shield, on ‘Fraternity Journalism; Its Scope.’ and in it he defined in an exhaustive manner the limitations of a fraternity editor’s field of work. This was followed by a witty paper not on the programme, ‘The Woman’s Journal,’ by Miss Ina Firkins of the ΔΓ Anchora. Next came an article on ‘Fraternity Journalism; Its Relations to Fraternity Loyalty,’ by Dr. J.E. Brown, of the Phi Delta Theta Scroll**, and a paper on ‘Fraternity Journalism; Its Financial Aspects.’ by Clay W. Holmes of the Theta Delta Chi Shield, which was read in his absence by Mr. Van Cleve. Mr. Holmes clearly showed in his article that his knowledge of the membership of the fraternities, and of several other matters upon which his conclusions were based, was ‘painfully hampered by limits,’ as Horace Greeley used to say, and Mr. Van Cleve voiced the general sentiment when he said he would have had to defend his position had he been present. Mr. Baird then read for Charles M. Hepburn, editor of the Beta Theta Pi, who was also absent, his paper on ‘Fraternity Journalism as an Aid in Fraternity Government,’ a short and timely paper and which evoked much merriment by its sarcastic allusions to the many-worded titles adopted by some fraternities for their general offices. As the other writers who had promised papers were not represented, either in person or by proxy, the formal part of the session here ended, though Mr Baird made a few impromptu remarks, and related to the meeting some of the incidents connected with the meeting of fraternity editors at Philadelphia ten years ago.
“The next morning the ladies had their innings. Mrs. Charles Hensotin, the vice president of the Woman’s Branch of the Congress Auxiliary, made a brief address of welcome and the delegates proceeded to business. The papers read or addresses made were as follows: ‘The Origin and Development of the Fraternity System,’ by Margaret E. Smith, KAΘ; ‘Fraternity Journalism,’ by May Henry, AΦ; ‘Chapter Houses,’ by Alberta Oakley KKΓ, ‘Limitations on Fraternity Membership,’ by Mrs. Rho Fisk Zeublin, ΔΓ; ‘Fraternity Extension’ by Bessie Leach, ΔΔΔ, and ‘Fraternity Women in the World,’ by Isabella M. Andrews of ΓΦΒ. The papers were of a high order, and deserved a larger audience.
“Thursday was known as College Fraternity day at the Fair and was noticed by the bands playing college airs at the concerts throughout the grounds. In the evening the young ladies of fraternity membership gave a reception at the New York building, which was well attended and was very enjoyable, though without special incident. There were between sixty and seventy Betas present on the occasion, and they were particularly noticeable by reason of the fact that they did not make themselves conspicuous by sudden outbursts of yelling and shouting, as the representatives of some of the fraternities seemed to take pleasure in doing.
“The eastern fraternities were not represented on the programmes of the meetings and few of their members were present. Those who were seemed to regret the puerile and provincial spirit which denied to their organizations the privilege of meeting their kindred societies and showed a preference for nursing their precious and fragile dignity at home. The western fraternities once more demonstrated their broadened sense of what ‘fraternity’ means, and stood in sharp and pleasing contrast to the would-be exclusive attitude of the eastern societies and their servile imitators. We were proud that at such a time and on such an occasion the name and badge of Beta Theta Pi was once more conspicuously at the front.”
New York State Building, 1893 Columbian Exposition
* For more on William Raimond Baird see http://wp.me/p20I1i-dN
**John E. Brown was editor of The Scroll of Phi Delta Theta. In researching him, I found out that he once lived at 235 East Town Street in Columbus, Ohio. Kappa Kappa Gamma’s current headquarters is just down the street from that address at 530 East Town.
(c) Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2013. All rights reserved.
