Why is phi kappa sigma called skulls

The seven men formally founded the fraternity on October 19, becoming the founding fathers of Phi Kappa Sigma [1] Phi Kappa Sigma was a charter member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference , and is headquartered in Chester Springs, Pennsylvania. The fraternity's badge was designed by its founder, Dr. Samuel Brown Wylie Mitchell. Outside of changes in size, its official design has remained the same. In the shape of a Maltese cross , the badge is old gold with black decoration.

The center of the cross is anchored by a skull and crossbones. The four leaves of the cross display, individually, the Greek letters Phi , Kappa , and Sigma , starting at the left leaf and rotating counter-clockwise. The fourth and top leaf display a six-pointed star.

The back of the badge has an engraved serpent echoing the serpent from the fraternity's coat of arms. It was edited by Pechin and featured chapter reports, news of general fraternity interest, and special features for alumni.

In , the General Register, a general listing of Fraternity members by chapter, was published. It was printed every ten years until , presumably when cutbacks due to world War II caused the cessation of the Register. It served as a predecessor to the present Alumni Directory which is now printed approximately every five years.

The fraternity-wide publication was the first regularly published composition of the Fraternity, and was later succeeded by the semi-annual Phi Kappa Sigma Newsletter in The Maltese Cross is also a semi-annual publication.

In addition to this general magazine, most chapters issue publications for their alumni. Turn of the Century The turn of the century was a period of growth and reorganization for the Fraternity. Also during this time, the Fraternity experienced the greatest growth in its history, with the chapter roll totaling 30 in Merrick's determination and leadership had strengthened the Fraternity and placed it in a position of prominence in the interfraternity world.

In order to support the financial burden of the Fraternity, the Phi Kappa Sigma Endowment Fund was established in To improve organizational operations, the convention of voted to establish a General Headquarters in Philadelphia, where the daily business of the Fraternity could be conducted under the supervision of a professional staff. Remarkably, the Fraternity continued to operate during this period.

Chapters were allowed to initiate men, but social functions were severely curbed. In , the first complete year of American involvement in the War, the Fraternity set two records: initiates, and an undergraduate population which exceeded 1, men. These mileposts were short-lived however, for in the first six months of , these numbers were drastically reduced. Over Phi Kaps entered military service, and nearly half of Phi Kappa Sigma's forty chapters closed.

Grand Alpha Murray H. Spahr instituted a Maintenance and Rehabilitation Fund to compensate for the decrease in the number of men who returned to the active chapters after the war. As the war ended and the number of Phi Kaps returning to their chapters was significantly fewer, the Fund helped to ease the financial burden until chapters got back on their feet.

However, the war did not pass without leaving its scars on our Fraternity. Over Phi Kaps gave their lives in service to their country. The first half of the twentieth century, although twice interrupted, witnessed several major administrative changes in Phi Kappa Sigma. The Convention of provided that an Executive Secretary be appointed as a representative of the Executive Board to administer the General Headquarters of the Fraternity and to promote and develop close relationships between the chapters and Headquarters.

However, it was not until that the first full-time Executive Secretary, later designated Executive Director, was appointed. His major responsibilities were the supervision of all fraternity affairs, chapter visitation, alumni affairs, and fund-raising. The Field Secretary position, which later became t he Assistant Director position, was established in in order to provide a closer tie to the undergraduate chapter and conduct chapter visits.

In order to bolster the scholastic endeavors of the Fraternity, the Phi Kappa Sigma Educational Fund was created in Its income, which is generated through alumni donations and appreciation, supports numerous scholarships for undergraduate members.

In , the Beta designations for new chapters started with the installation of the Beta Alpha chapter at the University of Oregon. In , the fraternity held its Centennial Convention in Philadelphia. More than brothers attended, revising the Constitution, visiting the International Headquarters Building and Memorial library, and celebrating the th anniversary of the founding of the Fraternity. The 's were banner years for Phi Kappa Sigma as well as many other fraternities.

Fraternity membership in North America reached an all-time high and this positive growth continued into the early 's. The middle and late 's however, brought student opposition to the Vietnam War and the "anti-establishment" movement. Fraternities were seen as part of the "establishment" and thus came under fire from students. These student attitudes continued into the early 's and caused a marked decrease in fraternity enrollments and initiations.

After the end of the Vietnam War and the quieting of student unrest, Phi Kappa Sigma and other fraternities ran into many member and chapter issues such as alcohol and behavioral problems which translated into today's risk management issues and the need for liability insurance. A study of fraternities began in the early 's which helped to bring into focus certain common and detrimental practices. Students responded to the new decade by modifying their behavior and resolving to strengthen their fraternities.

At the 81st Grand Chapter, the Fraternity's organizational structure was extensively modified to accommodate current demands and services.

The Executive Board, while retaining authority for the operation of the Fraternity, was restructured. The Grand Delta position was created to improve communication between the Fraternity and undergraduate chapters.

In , the Phi Kappa Sigma Foundation was created to promote scholarship and leadership programming for the undergraduate members of the Fraternity. Funds donated to the Annual Giving Program are used for numerous programs including the Regional Leadership Conferences, educational programs and videotapes. The Baltzer Graduate Scholarship Program, which was made possible through a generous bequest, provides grants to graduate students who give advisory assistance to undergraduate Phi Kap chapters Note: The Baltzer Program is currently discontinued but is under review for possible renewal.

The Toast 34th Street Magazine's "Toast" to dear old Penn is a Sunday morning newsletter with the latest on Penn's campus culture and arts scene.

Penn, Unbuttoned "Penn, Unbuttoned" is Penn's only intentionally satirical newsletter, giving you your weekly dose of comedy from Under the Button. The Weekly Roundup The week's top stories from the DP and beyond, meticulously curated for parents and alumni, and delivered into your inbox every Sunday morning. The Weekly Roundup Subscribe to get the week's top stories from The DP and beyond, meticulously curated for parents and alumni, delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign Up » I've already signed up. The Daily Pennsylvanian is a student-run nonprofit. Please support us by disabling your ad blocker on our site. Off-campus organization Skulls is in negotiations to move back to campus.