In the July 1982 issue of the Blue Hen Messenger, C. A. Tilghman Sr. ‘25 wrote to the Editor refuting the statement made by Barbara Rowland in the article about “The First Hundred Years of the Review.”  She stated that during the 1920s, “It was traditional for the Review editor to be a member of the Theta Chi Fraternity.”

 When I entered Delaware College in 1919, there were 4 fraternities on campus.  Kappa Alpha (Southern), Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Nu, and Omega Alpha (a local fraternity).  Omega Alpha was organized in the fall of 1911. Three men active on the campus, both in class affairs and college athletics, formed the original nucleus of the organization.  These men, choosing nine others of outstanding ability, organized the fraternity and named it Omega Alpha. The late James C. Lewis was one of these men.  He later went on to become a member of the Grand Chapter of Theta Chi.  Alpha Xi Chapter at Delaware was installed on June 5, 1923.  Norman Wade and I, along with the other undergraduates of Omega Alpha, were initiated at this time.  Alumni were later initiated at a special ceremony.

Now to Tillie’s (a good friend of mine) letter.  During 1919-20, Charlesworth Carswell ‘20 was OA-OX (installed later).  In 1920-21, T. Wilmer Holland ‘21 was OA-OX (installed later). (Not a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon as stated in Tillie’s letter.)  In 1922-23, C. Norman Wade ‘23 was OA-OX.  Adding these figures makes four affiliated with Theta Chi, three with Sigma Phi Epsilon and one with Sigma Nu.  I do not know about the others mentioned in this decade.

 It seems to me that Barbara did a pretty good job in her research when she stated that it was traditional for Editors of the Review in the 1920s to be Theta Chi’s.

Herbert (Nick) Carter  ‘23
Springfield, PA
September 10, 1982

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