Appendix A: Roll of Chapters Significant to Beta-Beta

For a visualization of how ATO spread from V.M.I. to Greensboro, AL, click here.

“1. Virginia Alpha (A), Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia, September II, 1865. Otis A. Glazebrook, Alfred Marshall, and Erskine M. Ross. Until July 5, 1870, it was the executive chapter of the Fraternity and was called ‘The Mother Society.’ Its charter was withdrawn in 1881, because of a threatened antifraternity legislation. Members, 103” (Reno 241).

“2. Virginia Beta (B), Washington College (now Washington and Lee University), Lexington, Virginia, November 18, 1865. Organized by Virginia Alpha. Alfred Marshall, Installing Officer. Its charter was surrendered on October 20, 1899, because of lack of material. The chapter was revived June I, 1906, by the absorption of Chi Rho, a local. Charter surrendered and placed in escrow with High Council, November 30, 1952. Members, 481” (Reno 241).

“10. Virginia Delta (Δ), University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, November 25, 1868. [Organized by] William G. Bennett, VMI., and Frederick A. Berlin, Washington-Lee. It has maintained continuous existence to date. Members, 725” (Reno 242).

“26. Georgia Alpha Beta (AB), University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, December 9, 1878. [Organized by] Peter F. Smith, Virginia. Members 974” (Reno 244).

“28. Alabama Alpha Epsilon (AE), Alabama Polytechnic Institute, Auburn, Alabama (now Auburn University), December 18, 1879. [Organized by] Ignatius L. Candler, Georgia. Members, 1,259” (Reno 244).

“51. Alabama Beta Beta (BB), Southern University, Greensboro, Alabama, March 28, 1885. [Organized by] Thomas R. McCarty, Auburn. This institution is now known as Birmingham-Southern College and is located in Birmingham, Alabama. Members, 725” (Reno 246).

“53. Alabama Beta Delta (BΔ), University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, October 29, 1885. [Organized by] Claude A. Allen, Georgia. Members 928.” (Reno 246).

Appendix B: Timeline

For a visualization of how ATO spread from V.M.I. to Greensboro, AL, click here.

1845:   Founders Otis Allan Glazebrook, Erskine Mayo Ross, and Alfred Marshall are born.

1856:   The Alabama Conference incorporates Southern University.

1859:   The doors to Southern University formally open.

1865:   The first chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity is founded at V.M.I. by Otis Allan Glazebrook, Erskine Mayo Ross, and Alfred Marshall on September 11. Members of the V.M.I. Chapter found the second ATO chapter at Washington College (now Washington and Lee University).

1868:   William G. Bennett, of the V.M.I. Chapter, and Frederick A. Berlin, of the Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) Chapter, found ATO’s tenth chapter at the University of Virginia.

1878:   Peter F. Smith, of the University of Virginia Chapter, founds ATO’s twenty-sixth chapter at the University of Georgia. Sigma Alpha Epsilon comes to Southern University.

1879:   Ignatius L. Candler, of the University of Georgia Chapter, founds ATO’s twenty-eight chapter at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University). Sigma Chi comes to Southern University. Alpha Tau Omega is incorporated on January 10 as “The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity of Baltimore City.”

1882:   Kappa Alpha comes to Southern University. Southern University becomes the joint property of the Alabama Conference and the North Alabama Conference.

1885:   Alpha Tau Omega comes to Southern University when Thomas R. McCarty, of the Auburn University Chapter, founds ATO’s fifty-first chapter at Southern University on March 28.

1897:   The North Alabama Conference relinquishes all rights over Southern University back to the Alabama Conference and begins a college at Owenton, AL, on the outskirts of Birmingham. The college is formally named the North Alabama Conference College but is commonly called “Owenton College.” Miss Margaret Pickett becomes the first female to receive an A.B. degree from Southern University.

1906:   The North Alabama Conference College is re-named Birmingham College. The National ATO Congress is held in Birmingham.

1909:   The National Interfraternity Council is founded.

1915:   The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity celebrates its Golden (50th) Anniversary.

1918:   In order to help with the struggling survival of Southern University and Birmingham College, the two colleges are consolidated. The site of Birmingham College is expanded as the site of the new consolidated institution, which is named Birmingham-Southern College. Among the fraternities that move with Southern University to Birmingham-Southern College are: Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Alpha Tau Omega. Kappa Alpha, having lost its charter at Southern University years earlier, is restored at BSC with the opening of the new institution.

1940:   The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity holds its Diamond Jubilee upon the date of its 75th Anniversary.

1946:   In the March PALM, Beta Beta Chapter reports the end of an absence from the BSC campus that had lasted for at least three years.

1960:   At BSC, construction of what is, in 2007, referred to as “the Old ATO House” on “Old Frat Row” is completed.

1963:   The Beta Beta Chapter of ATO founds the Viking Party (or “Vike”), which is to become ATO’s major annual party across the nation.

1965:   The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity celebrates its 100^th Anniversary. The first African-American students are allowed admission into BSC.

1971:   Birmingham, Alabama celebrates its centennial birthday.

1976:   The United States of America celebrates its Bicentennial Anniversary.

1985:   The Beta Beta Chapter of ATO turns 100.

1989:   Sigma Chi returns to the BSC campus after an extended absence according to Southern Accent, 1990.

2003:   The new Beta Beta Chapter house (as of 2007, the current ATO house) is constructed on New Frat Row.

2006:   The compilation of the history of the Beta Beta Chapter begins in March. Birmingham-Southern College celebrates its Sesquicentennial Anniversary. The Beta Beta Chapter is prohibited from ever again celebrating Vike, resulting in Beta Beta’s 1st Annual Shipwreck Party.

2007:   The Official History of the Beta Beta Chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity is completed in January. In early February, it is presented to and formally approved by the Executive Council, 2006 – 2007 of Beta Beta. It is then presented to the Chapter and is formally approved and adopted by the Chapter as the Chapter’s official history.

Appendix C: Major Sources Cited

Bird, Harry L. The ATΩ Story: From Gold to Diamond. Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, Inc.: Champaign, 1965.  Print.

—–.  The ATΩ Story: On to the Centennial!  Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, Inc.: Champaign, 1968.  Print.

Brown, Donald. Forward Ever. Birmingham-Southern College: Birmingham, 2005. Print.

Johnson, Clyde Sanfred. Fraternities in Our Colleges. National Fraternity Foundation: New York, 1972.  Print.

PALM of Alpha Tau Omega, The. Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, Inc. Quarterly Monthly Magazine. 1943-1969.  Print.

Perry, Wilbur Dow [Class of 1905]. A History of Birmingham-Southern College: 1856-1931. Methodist Publishing House: Nashville, 1931.  Print.

Reno, Claude J. The ATΩ Story: The First Fifty Years. Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, Inc.: Champaign, 1962.  Print.

Revue, La. Birmingham-Southern College. Annual Yearbook. 1919-1941.  Print.

Southern Accent. Birmingham-Southern College. Annual Yearbook. 1942-2006.  Print.