FOUNDING OF ZETA BETA TAU Psi Chapter

Every chapter of Zeta Beta Tau has at one time been known as the "baby chapter" of the Fraternity. Psi's infancy was preceded by a period of eight to ten months during which the idea of procuring a charter from Zeta Beta Tau was developing in the fertile minds of some few students at the University of Alabama. The influences brought to bear upon these men during the developmental stage were like the reeds among which the cattle of Jacob conceived - straight and upright - and the child of their brains has ever since followed in the footsteps of the older men of Zeta Beta Tau in the straight and narrow path that leads to Truth and Justice.

On the evening of March 11, 1916, under the able guidance of Herbert E. Steiner (Theta), the men went through a physical and spiritual training to fit them for the ranks they were entering. The ceremony took place at the Phoenix Club in Birmingham and afterwards the initiates danced across the spacious ball room floor with the charming ladies of the South while a colored band played the "blues" and a full Southern moon shone in all its splendor.

The fortunate men who founded Psi chapter were Arthur Greene, Fred A. Lewis, Charles J. Weil, Lawrence Saks, Solomon Gardon, Lehman H. Mayer, Walter Mitchell, Siegfried L. Stern, Moritz E. Frolich, and Sidney Patterson.

The new chapter was the first Jewish fraternity at the University of Alabama. At that University, prejudice has never acquired the keenness present in the Eastern colleges and the chapter was at once received cordially by the older fraternities at the "Capstone". It was received at once into the Panhellenic Council. Later in the year Dr. Morris Newfield was elected an honorary member.

In the Fall of 1917, the chapter was fortunate in procuring a house on University Avenue. The Freshmen worked hard in leveling off the grounds and growing a lawn and even experimenting in gardening.

The spirit among the men was the ideal fraternal spirit. The interest taken by the men in University activities was most marked. Honors were taken in every field and the chapter won the Interfraternity Scholarship cup.

When college opened the next year, many of the older men had been graduated and many had left to join the army and navy. With a small roll and only young men, the chapter was unable to keep up the house and toward the middle of the year it was given up. It was a gloomy day when the fraternity seal was taken down and hung up in our new rooms in the village.

In the Fall of 1918, the S.A.T.C. was established and fraternity activities were at low ebb. Brothers Weil and Hohenberg - the older men in the chapter - served as cadet majors for a brief period, during which time they led the fraternity and succeeded in initiating five new men. Their stay was brief, and shortly after they had left for camp, fraternity activities were entirely abandoned.

With the beginning of the Spring session of 1919, the old men returned to college and activities were resumed. The new men had to be instructed in the traditions of the fraternity and much energy was expended in building up the chapter morale. Then toward the end of the session came news that we had for the fourth time won the Interfraternity Scholastic cup.

Under the leadership of Brothers Mortimer Cohen and Sidney Mohr, the chapter thrived for the succeeding years and has now obtained a temporary home on Fraternity Row. The Psionian was first published in 1919.

Psi has always stood high on the campus of the University of Alabama. Eighty percent of her graduates have made Phi Beta Kappa and five men have held fellowships in the University faculty. The men have won successes in every field, the chapter has always participated in interfraternity activities, both athletic and social and has won the local Interfraternity Scholastic up five times.

  By Dr. Clarence K. Weil, Psi '20, Supreme Historian
From The First Twenty-Five Years, an early history of ZBT