National History:
The year was 1904. Winston Churchill was 30 years old. Anton Chekov passed away. The United States gained control of the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million. George M. Cohan's song, "The Yankee Doodle Boy," was published. The first Olympic Games ever held in America took place in St. Louis. And on May 12, fourteen Master Masons attending the University of Michigan founded Acacia Fraternity.
Acacia's founders established the fraternity on a unique basis. Membership was restricted to those who had already taken the Masonic obligations, and the organization was to be built on the ideals and principles inculcated by the vows taken by Master Masons. Within one year, four other Masonic clubs received Acacia charters, paving the way for rapid expansion in the following years.
Members were to be motivated by a desire for high scholarship and of such character that the fraternity would be free of the social vices and unbecoming activities that for years had been a blot on the fraternity life.
Today, members are no longer required to belong to the Masonic Fraternity. However, since Acacia was founded by Master Masons, it still enjoys an informal spiritual tie to Masonry. Some Acacians pursue membership in the Masonic Orders, and Masonic lodges and individual masons have been of invaluable service to Acacia chapters over the years. This relationship, however, is voluntary.
The evolution and development of Acacia over the years has resulted in a fraternity considerably different from what the founders originally envisioned. But, each major change has been an adaptation to the needs of new conditions, and each has permitted the fraternity to grow in reputation, influence, and strength.
Our second century will undoubtedly require further change, but so long as Acacia continues to stand for high scholarship, fraternal brotherhood and human service, the intentions of our founders will be well realized.
Purdue Chapter History:
The Acacia Chapter at Purdue University began as the Purdue Masonic Club, as did most early Acacia Chapters. In1907, on September 9, a charter was granted by the Acacia National Fraternity. A house was rented on September 11, but it was not until October 11, 1907 that the group was officially recognized as a fraternity by the University. This is the date commonly given as the founding of the chapter.
The Purdue Chapter was the fifteenth Acacia chapter to be formed, and became known as the Samekh Chapter (Samekh is the fifteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, representing the letter "s"). On this campus it was the fourteenth national fraternity with its first house located on North Chauncey Street, a rented rooming house. This location was usually called the "Old Red Barn," and its limitations became evident as the chapter began to grow.
As this new style of fraternity based in Masonic principles grew in size and influence, it began to receive help from many sources especially Masons. The most helpful at this early stage was a local Mason, Knight Templar of the York Rite, and a wealthy businessman; Count Rudolph Carl Eisenback. He contributed a great deal of economic and influential support into the task of finding a new house for the chapter. Because of his tremendous assistance, he was made the chapter's first Honorary Member on January 20, 1911.
A new house, built in the form of a helix, was complemented early in 1913 at the cost of $30,000, with room for twenty four men. It was located at 427 West State Street and has since been torn down by the University. This house was adequate until the rulings in 1931 and 1933 at the National Conclave which withdrew the prerequisite of being a Mason for attaining membership in Acacia. At this time, there wer more potential members, and a need for a larger house became clear. An annex was built and a parking lot was bought, but there was still only room for thirty three men.
The need for a larger house was developing. It was decided to take action when the local board and Alumni saw the crowded condition of the house at the fifteenth anniversary celebration in 1957. The reccomendation of remodeling and rebuilding was found to be impractical when the cost was considered and it was found that the University was building on all the available nearby land.
The Theta Chi's originally built the house at 608 Waldron in the mid-twenties. The depression and poor management in the thirties had forced them to auction the house, and Mrs. O.P. Terry became the new owner. She later donated the house to the University in the name of her husband. It was then used as a part of the residence halls system; thirty four men lived in the house as a part of Cary Hall.
Along with the assistance of Willard Knapp, an influential faculty member, the house at 608 Waldron was obtained from the University through a trade. The University offered to trade the 608 Waldron house for the old house and land, the old part of the present house and the old housew and parking lot being valued at $100,000. Acacians told them they were interested in the house, but that it was too small. An arrangement was made with the University whereby they would expand the Terry house to Acacia's specifications before the trade was made. The men moved from State Street to Waldron over Christmas vacation of 1959 and semester break of 1960. The official dedication was made on October 29, 1960 by Reverend Thomas J. Luke of Trinity Methodist Church.
The founding father of the Samekh Chapter of Acacia Fraternity were:
| Thomas G. Alford | Ronold R. McNown |
| Stanley Coulter | James R. Mills |
| Ervin S. Ferry | William Mye |
| Theodore B. Fleming | Edison R. Nigh |
| Orrie E. Gallup | Anayl C Parish |
| Harry O. Garman | Nicolaas Prakken |
| Everett W. Green | Clyde B. Ritter |
| Addison T. Jackson | Daniel Z. Senour |
| Oral D. Johnson | John F. Skinner |
| Donald S. Kane | Dan C. Smith |
| Sylvester B. Kerlin | Harry Stevens |
| James R. Leech | James Troop |
| G. MacWilliams |
Version: 1.0 (May 27, 2008)
