 |
 |
The crystallization
of a dream ... |
Kappa Alpha
Psi , a college Fraternity,
now comprised of functioning Undergraduate and Alumni Chapters
on major campuses and in cities throughout the country, is
the crystallization of a dream. It is the beautiful realization
of a vision shared commonly by the late Revered Founders Elder
Watson Diggs; John
Milton Lee; Byron K.
Armstrong; Guy Levis Grant; Ezra
D. Alexander; Henry T. Asher; Marcus
P. Blakemore; Paul W. Caine; Edward
G. Irvin and George W.
Edmonds.
It was the vision
of these astute men that enabled them in the school year
1910 - 11, more specifically the night of January 5, 1911,
on the campus of Indiana University at Bloomington, Indiana,
to sow the seed of a fraternal tree whose fruit is available
to, and now enjoyed by, college men everywhere, regardless
of their color, religion or national origin. It is a fact
of which KAPPA ALPHA PSI is justly proud that the Constitution
has never contained any clause which either excluded or suggested
the exclusion of a man from membership merely because of
his color, creed, or national origin. The Constitution of
KAPPA ALPHA PSI is predicated upon, and dedicated to, the
principles of achievement through a truly democratic Fraternity.
Chartered and
incorporated originally under the laws of the State
of Indiana as Kappa Alpha Nu on May 15, 1911, the name
was changed to KAPPA ALPHA PSI on a resolution offered
and adopted at the Grand Chapter in December 1914.
This change became effective April 15, 1915, on a proclamation
by the then Grand Polemarch, Elder Watson Diggs. Thus,
the name acquired a distinctive Greek letter symbol
and KAPPA ALPHA PSI thereby became a Greek letter Fraternity
in every sense of the designation.
From its inception,
and for the next six years, Brother Diggs served as
the Grand Polemarch of KAPPA ALPHA PSI Fraternity.
Through his leadership and indefatigable application,
augmented by the efforts of B.K. Armstrong, and John
M. Lee, who comprised the remainder of the original
Grand Board of Directors, the infant Fraternity was
guided through the most perilous years of its life.
Accordingly, much of the credit for the organization's
survival through this period is shared by these three
men.
From its inception,
every endeavor was directed toward establishing the
Fraternity upon a strong foundation before embarking
on plans of expansion. By the end of the first year,
working together, Diggs and Armstrong had completed
the ritual and had commenced work on the coat of arms.
Work on the latter was completed during the following
summer by Diggs, Armstrong and Lee while they were
pursuing employment at a hotel in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
In selecting
a suitable motto, Diggs, Armstrong and Lee solicited
the aid of a Professor of Greek Art at Indiana Technical
College at Fort Wayne, Indiana. Having adopted a motto
which mutually suited them, they carried a sketch of
the coat of arms to a commercial engraver in Fort Wayne,
from which he made the first metal plate.
More... 
|
