Article on 125th Anniversary for the Phi Gamma Delta Magazine

Brothers, Joe Angle (Sigma '11), Chapter Historian, recently prepared an article on Sigma's 125th anniversary celebration that will be included in the Phi Gamma Delta magazine's next issue, this fall. It will include the group photo of everyone in front of the house (I don't have it to post!). But, since Joe did such a nice job with the article (restricted by the magazine's space limitations), I thought I would include it below. Well done, Joe!

Sigma Chapter was founded on October 25th, 1884. This was a time before the invention of the radio or the airplane and long before the World Wars or the Great Depression ever occurred. It is hard to imagine that the weekend of April 17th-19th Sigma Chapter would celebrate its 125th Anniversary.

Friday the 17th hit the weekend off with an all day open house which concluded with a gathering of roughly 30 graduates at Casey’s restaurant in Springfield that evening. Saturday similarly began with a luncheon and an open house where brothers young and old reminisced about their times in the chapter house. A group photo was taken of the roughly 105 brothers in attendance that afternoon at the front of 20 West Ferncliff Place. In preparation for the picture it was amazing to see how the teasing and badgering continues no matter the age.

Later in the evening after the group photo, it was time for Sigma’s annual Norris Pig Dinner. Wittenberg’s Pam Evans Arena was the location for the dinner. As 170 brothers began gathering in the arena, the majesty of Sigma Chapter became readily apparent with every brother dressed like a true Fiji gentleman. Gil Belles ‘62 was the Symposiarch for the evening and was accompanied by some distinguished guests such as the President of Wittenberg University Dr. Mark Erickson and his wife Lin Erickson, the keynote speaker for the evening Eugene “Buddy” Cote (Maine ‘81), 125th Anniversary chairman Dave “Doc” Prescott ’77 and Don Hauck ’56 who recited “An Exile’s Toast.”

The class of 1974 had the largest turnout with 13 members attending. The oldest brother in attendance was Dick Binnig ’50 and the youngest being the newly initiated class of 2012 which provided for a 62 year span between the oldest and youngest brothers in attendance. Greg Sponseller (Class of 2010) received the Harry G. Gram Award which goes to the chapter’s overall most outstanding undergraduate brother while 27 brothers received recognition for exemplary academic performance for brothers with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Sigma Chapter boasts an amazing involved undergraduate chapter whose campus involvement is superior to most other organizations on Wittenberg’s campus. With brothers taking the lead as Wittenberg’s Student Senate Vice President and IFC President, brothers in every men’s varsity sport except football and golf and a cumulative GPA above the all-men’s average – it is hard to deny the excellence of this chapter. In his speech Purple Legionnaire Marcus Hitt ’05 made the point that the ability of Sigma Chapter – as well as the international fraternity – to evolve and take on new challenges is what has allowed Sigma to bleed excellence on Wittenberg’s campus for 125 years.

On the Sunday after the Pig Dinner, Sigma Chapter hosted its 3rd Annual Golf Outing for a Cure which is the largest Greek fundraiser at Wittenberg. The approximately $1,800 in revenue went directly to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Mitchell A. Callahan Autism Foundation.

In reflection of the weekend, the true secret behind Sigma’s 125 year existence was revealed – its graduates. It is because of the guidance and support of Sigma’s graduates that the chapter is allowed to press on and continue with the tradition of excellence this chapter has enjoyed for 125 glorious years.

Joseph Angle ‘11