1909-2009 Decade by Decade
Author’s Note: This article attempts to give an overview of the development of Sigma
Alpha Mu Fraternity and the impact of historical events on the Fraternity over its first
ten decades. This is not intended to be an all–encompassing history, that task I leave to
others. Sources for this work include The Octagonian of Sigma Alpha Mu, ΣΑΜ
archives, historical interviews and “Going Greek: A Social History of Jewish College
Fraternities in the United States”, by Marianne Sanua, Ph.D.
1909-1919
“Foundation for Success”
Sigma Alpha Mu was born in the twilight of the first decade of the twentieth century. A
time before World Wars, global warming and computers. There were just nine provinces
in Canada and 46 United States. The modern state of Israel would not be born for 39
years. Two other fraternal organizations share November 1909 birthdays. Lambda Chi
Alpha came into existence at Boston College November 2 and on the 27th, the North
American Interfraternity Conference was formed at the University Club in New York
City.
November 26, 1909 was a Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. Reports indicate the city
was covered with snow as eight City College sophomores made their way to the home of
Hyman Jacobson. The eight students were: Ira N. Lind, Jacob Kaplan, Lester Cohen,
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Samuel Ginsburg, Hyman I. Jacobson, David D. Levinson, Abram N. Kerner and Adolph
I. Fabis; no one knew all of the others. The idea of a fraternity was put forth by Jack
Kaplan. After briefly considering calling the new fraternity “Cosmic Fraternal Order”
and using Hindu letters instead of Greek, the “stalwart eight”, as the Founders were later
called, soon decided to follow the practice of using Greek letters and a secret motto. In
their early days at CCNY, the “Sammies", as we later became known, had a freewheeling spirit.
Sigma Alpha Mu was not the first Jewish fraternity; Zeta Beta Tau (1898), Pi Lambda
Phi (1895), Phi Epsilon Pi (1904), and Phi Sigma Delta (1909), were already on the
college campus. ΣΑΜ was the first Jewish fraternity to draw largely from Russian
Jewish immigrants or their children. The first new candidate, Meyer Grollman, was
initiated at David Levinson’s 12th Street apartment February 21, 1910; he was followed
by Samuel Miller on May 7, 1910. The first badges issued to Alpha members were larger
than the current badge, with either one pearl or ruby on each octagon facet. The current
design was adopted in 1911, with the installation of Beta.
Once deciding on a fraternity, the founders never intended to be a local. Operations of
Alpha chapter were rapidly consolidated, and on September 2, 1911, just 22 months after
ΣΑΜ’s founding, Beta chapter at Cornell was chartered. With Beta’s chartering, a
Constitution was adopted and the first Octagon elected at a joint Alpha and Beta meeting
September 16, 1911. The first official meeting of the Octagon took place October 8,
1911 at the home of Lester Cohen. The founders planned well with the first Convention
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being held December 22, 1912 in New York. Before the founders graduated in 1912,
there were six chapters. With the graduation of the founders, the leadership of ΣΑΜ
moved forward with development of the infrastructure of a true fraternity. A quarterly
publication, first called “The Fra” was first published in 1912, quickly developed into the
Octagonian, and standardized membership materials were developed. In 1913, the
Founders established the Founders Cup for best overall chapter (awarded first to Eta at
Syracuse). Between December 1912 and the United States entry into the Great War in
February 1917, seven new chapters were established, bringing the chapter roll to 12.
ΣΑΜ was also recognized as a fraternity with the North American Interfraternity
Conference (NIC). Not only were chapters started outside New York, but the 1914 and
1915 conventions took place in Philadelphia. While WWI led to the drafting of over four
million able-bodied men, the United States’ involvement lasted about 22 months and did
not totally disrupt life on U.S. campuses. During the War, the Convention met and four
chapters were installed.
While a young fraternity, ΣΑΜ sent numbers of its sons to the armed forces, including
Founders David Levinson and Ira Fabis. Among ΣΑΜs recognized for their service were
Louis Edelman, Harvard ’19, awarded the Navy Cross for gallantry in the North Sea, and
Founder Levinson who earned a battlefield commission in action in France. No official
Fraternity records of fraters lost were maintained.
Sigma Alpha Mu ended its first decade with five charterings in 1919, bringing the ΣΑΜ
roll to 20 chapters, including ΣΑΜ’s first Canadian chapter chartered at McGill in
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November 1919. The 10th Anniversary Convention was celebrated in Boston. Sigma
Alpha Mu’s first decade was one of great growth and success and took place in an era of
great change in the world. As reported in the 75th Anniversary Octagonian,
“Those…..fortunate to (be) in Sigma Alpha Mu in the first years of its existence enjoyed
an experience in fraternity which is difficult to describe. It was a period when fraters
gave of themselves, without thought of recognition or recompense, all for the sake of a
cherished ideal, to build and develop a fraternity that would be an inspiration to its
members and a mark of respect and distinction to the world.” Founder Jacobson put it
more humbly: “We only had a determination to succeed.” So they did!
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1920-29
“Age of Progress”
The 1920s have been called the Golden Age of the American College fraternity. The
1920s saw the number of fraternity chapters increase dramatically, saw the campus
Greeks become trendsetters and saw the emergence of fraternities as a major supplier of
student housing. The Jewish Greeks became the preeminent Jewish student groups; a
1927 survey found nearly 25,000 students belonged to Jewish Greek chapters. The 1920s
saw over 20 “national” Jewish Greek organizations and dozens of locals.
While there was much positive going on in the 1920s, the decade also saw a marked
increase in anti-Semitism, limits on Jewish immigration to the U.S., and the imposition of
quotas limiting the number of Jewish students on campus. Sigma Alpha Mu would face
and work to address these inequities. Finally the imposition of prohibition had an impact
on society, campus life and the college fraternity system.
Sigma Alpha Mu started the 1920s having installed 19 chapters; the 1920s were to see the
chapter roll nearly double with 18 new groups installed including ΣΑΜ powerhouses
such as Ohio State (ΣΒ), Indiana (ΣΖ), Texas (ΣΘ) and Michigan (ΣΙ).
With the installation of the last “single letter” chapter at Toronto (Omega) on February
20, 1920, the Octagon, at its May 9, 1920 meeting, determined that the designation of the
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next series of chapters begin with “Sigma”, hence Sigma Alpha chapter was installed at
the University of Oklahoma on May 22, 1920.
In 1926 with the installation at UCLA (ΣΠ), ΣΑΜ had its first chapter in California and
truly became a fraternity that spanned the North American continent. In addition, the
Fraternity hosted annual conventions away from the east coast with conventions in
Chicago, IL, St. Louis, MO., Columbus, OH; Toronto, ON; Pittsburgh, PA; and Detroit,
MI. Conventions were also held in Philadelphia PA and New York City.
In 1920 the Regional Advisory System was created, a system that despite many criticisms
and failures over the past 77 years remains with us today. The system has provided many
an alumnus an opportunity to get engaged as a volunteer, and in the early days of ΣΑΜ
before the advent of professional staff, Regional Advisors were primary visitation
officers of the Fraternity.
A permanent Fraternity office was established and for much of the 1920s, ΣΑΜ operated
out of 15 Park Row, New York, NY. A permanent office also ushered in the beginning
of the Sigma Alpha Mu professional staff with the hiring of clerical support. The first
was a Miss Fitzpatrick. Working with her was the dedicated Grace Bender, hired in
1924, who would remain with ΣΑΜ until her retirement in 1968, at which time she was
said to be the longest-serving employee in the fraternity movement.
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In 1925, the Convention created the Sigma Alpha Mu Endowment Fund for the purposes
of financial stability of ΣΑΜ and support for chapter housing, purposes the ΣΑΜ
Endowment Fund continues to live up to today. Samuel Miller, Alpha ’12, was chosen as
the first Endowment Fund Chairman, a post he held until 1973. Through its history, the
ΣΑΜ Endowment Fund has assisted dozens of chapters in securing/improving permanent
housing. Chapters assisted include Cornell, Columbia, Cincinnati, Illinois, Oklahoma,
Ohio State, Tulane, Rutgers, Indiana, Purdue, Texas, Michigan, Nebraska, Miami
University and many more.
The 1920s Conventions also addressed ceremonial matters. My Girl of Sigma Alpha Mu,
written by Fras M.A. Blumenthal and L.S. Biespiel of Illinois (Rho), was adopted by the
1922 Convention as the Fraternity’s official “sweetheart song”. Fast and Firm was
adopted as the official Fraternity song by the 1924 Convention, sung to the tune of Amici,
as are songs of Cornell and other schools. The current official Fraternity Flag was also
approved by delegates in 1924; 1920s convention agendas also addressed the grip, officer
regalia and ritual issues. The office of Vice Supreme Prior came into being in 1922 and
Consul James C. Hammerstein was elected by the Octagon as the first.
Growth of the chapter roll to major public institutions in the Midwest and West led to
considerable membership growth. By 1919 ΣΑΜ had 465 total initiates; by 1929 there
were 2,636 initiates, an increase of 2,171 during the 1920s. In the 1920s fraternity
housing boom, Eta was the first ΣΑΜ chapter to buy a house (in 1920) and facilities were
built or acquired at locations including the octagonal Rho house at Illinois. Unfortunately
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the 1920s saw the loss of several chapters including Delta at Long Island Medical and
Sigma at Dickinson which was short-lived.
Octagon meeting minutes and Convention minutes record many discussions of expansion
(then called extension), chapter health, alumni involvement, and limited financial
resources; interestingly enough a review of Octagon minutes in the past ten years reveals
many discussions of expansion, chapter health, alumni involvement and limited financial
resources. As much as the Fraternity has changed, the issues facing ΣΑΜ are consistent
and while the pendulum has swung on how Octagons and Conventions have addressed
these issues, they will probably remain concerns in ΣΑΜ’s second century.
Much of Sigma Alpha Mu’s second decade was one of great progress, growth and
vitality. Most of the Founders were still engaged in the operation of the Fraternity and a
generation of men was recruited, initiated, and engaged, men would lead and support
ΣΑΜ for many years. On October 29, 1929 the stock market crash that triggered the
Great Depression had an impact that would be dramatic on ΣΑΜ and the college
fraternity world through the 1930s and beyond.
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Put in box:
ΣΑΜ In 1920
Undergraduate Dues
$2
Alumni Dues
$5
Number of Chapters Installed 19
Initiated Members
Cash on Hand
465
$825
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1930-1939
The decade of the 1930s was a time of turmoil, economic depression and war for much of
the world, and Sigma Alpha Mu would feel the impact of these troubled times. It
required the deep commitment of many fraters to preserve ΣAM and its ideals. Fraters
would also work to address some of the challenges that darkened the world.
The world economic situation was one of high inflation, and terrible unemployment;
ΣAM saw many chapters and members struggle to meet financial obligations to the
Fraternity. Only careful financial stewardship by successive Octagons and the
Endowment Fund helped preserve ΣAM. The 1932-33 Fraternity budget called for
income of $8740 and expenses of $11,990, a loss of $3250!
While the Fraternity faced challenges, it continued to look to the future and address
organizational needs. The 1930 Convention authorized a Song Book, a Pledge Manual,
voted to create a scholarship at Hebrew University in Palestine and created the Chapter
Improvement Cup (now called the Supreme Prior’s Award). Other 1930s Conventions
would take up important topics such as honorary membership (defeated), biennial
conventions (defeated), a prohibition of Fraternity business being conducted on the
Sabbath, and the adoption of a Jewish endeavor program. In the first half of the 1930s,
there was much talk of the need for “professional management” of the Fraternity, and
successive Octagons noted that the Fraternity could not thrive without a professional
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executive. These discussions culminated at the 1934 Convention where delegates
unanimously approved creation of the position of Executive Secretary and the Octagon
hired James Hammerstein, Alpha ’19, as the Fraternity’s first full-time executive. Jimmy
would serve ΣAM as Executive Secretary for 28 years until his retirement in 1962. Upon
appointment, Fra Hammerstein immediately began an aggressive program of travel to
chapters and alumni groups and his extensive reports to Octagons gave great insight into
the activities of alumni and chapters.
Growing anti-Semitism and the deterioration of the situation for Jews in Germany was of
growing concern. A Gallup poll showed 50% of Americans had a negative view of Jews.
Prominent Americans such as Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh were openly antiSemitic and a “rogue” Catholic priest by the name of Father Coughlin had a regular radio
program where he denounced Jews. In the May 1932 issue of the Octagonian, an article
titled “Hitler Against the Jews!” by Bertram J. Friedman, Lehigh ’30, was published. The
Jewish Interfraternity Conference met and the ten Jewish groups agreed to work together
to combat anti-Semitism in the U.S. At the 1935 Convention, Sigma Alpha Mu adopted a
Refugee Program to assist Jews in Germany seeking to attend U.S. universities. During
the 1930s, ΣAM chapters would sponsor and host dozens of refugees, likely saving them
from the horrors of the Holocaust.
On July 31, 1931, ΣAM lost its first Founder with the passing of Hyman I. Jacobson. Fra
Jacobson was the founding editor of the Octagonian, compiled the Blue Book, organized
directories and served as supreme recorder and supreme prior. In 1931, the Hyman I.
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Jacobson Award was created to recognize the senior frater of highest academic
accomplishment. This award continues to this day. Rabbi Victor Reichert said of
Jacobson, “To know Jacobson was to know that Sigma Alpha Mu was founded on men,
not mottoes; on character, not clothes. It was to know that our Founders had not
capitulated to the tinsel enticement of showy pins and the clap-trap of mystic monkeybusiness.” This award continues to this day. Throughout the 1930s chapters were
smaller than they would be in the post-depression/war era. Quotas limiting the number of
Jewish students on campus played a major role in this. In 1933, Theta chapter at the
University of Pennsylvania, was the largest ΣAM chapter with 49 members.
In 1936, Sigma Delta chapter at Rutgers would win its second consecutive Founders Cup
and would retire Cup #2. In 1937, Eta at Syracuse would win the first “leg” on Cup #3,
Eta would go on to celebrate its 25th anniversary and its alumni made a significant
donation to Syracuse University, starting a long-standing tradition of generosity to alma
mater that Eta’s Foundation and many Eta fraters continue to this day.
Beta chapter at Cornell turned 25 in 1936 and soon after the chapter’s alumni
would purchase a house for the chapter. On May 7, 1938, Theta Phi Fraternity at North
Carolina State would be installed as Sigma Omega chapter, closing out the "Sigma”
series of chapters. The Octagon would designate the next series of chapters the “Mu”
series and Mu Alpha at Southern Methodist University was installed on April 16, 1939.
The 1930s also saw the recognition of Sigma Alpha Mu’s “Campus Stars”. Octagonians
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would feature undergraduate fraters who were top leaders on their campus; these
awards were first sponsored by the Phillip Morris company, which made cash awards to
those recognized. In 1934, the Convention created the Sigma Alpha Mu Achievement
Award, (“Man of the Year”); the medallion goes to an alumnus for his outstanding
professional accomplishments. The first recipient was Maurice Brodie, Chi, ’28. Fra
Brodie was presented the award at the 1935 St. Louis Convention. Fra Brodie was a
leading researcher in the field of infantile paralysis immunization.
Sam Balter, UCLA ‘29, was part of the USA basketball team that brought home gold.
ΣAM also had many other athletes of note including All-American QB Benny Friedman,
Michigan ‘28. Fra Friedman would go on to become the head football coach at CCNY
and at Brandeis.
War touched the world in the 1930s with the Japanese invasion of China and Germany’s
invasion of Poland in 1939. While the U.S. would stay out of the hostilities until the
1940s, Canada entered the hostilities in 1939, and what would become World War II
began having a significant impact on American Society and college campuses.
Sigma Alpha Mu would end the 1930s with thirty-eight chapters spanning the NorthAmerican continent. The Fraternity had faced troubled times and survived, and now
would see the storm of world war forever change the world and the college fraternity
movement.
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Eventful Decade
1940-49
On the occasion of the Fraternity’s 60th Anniversary in 1969 Executive Secretary
Emeritus Jimmy Hammerstein penned “A Summary of Six Decades”; this is what he said
about the 1940s:
“December 7, 1941. Pearl Harbor! America followed Canada into war. Many
deeds of bravery reported; countless purple hearts; 86 stars of gold (war dead). “Sammy
will be here when you return.” Return they did, older, wiser, more discerning. Never
before, nor ever since, were Chapter homes so crowded, vibrant and exciting.”
Sigma Alpha Mu and the world entered the 1940s under the cloud of war. While the
United States would not enter World War II until December of 1941, Europe and Asia
were already two years into armed conflict and Canada was in it too, bringing many
Canadian fraters into the battle. The first half of the 1940s would be defined by war and
the second half defined by the men who returned from it.
Sigma Alpha Mu entered the 1940s with thirty-five chapters. Mu Beta at Alberta was the
last chapter installed before the USA’s entry in the war. The Fraternity was a maturing
organization with members reaching the age where they were becoming prominent.
Samuel A. Weiss, Pitt ’21, was the first ΣAM elected to congress, Judge Louis Levinthal,
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Penn ’14, was President of the Zionist Organization of America, and in 1945 Lawrence
Spivak, Harvard ‘21, founded Meet the Press.
The 1940 Convention in Washington DC passed a resolution in support of fraters serving
in the Canadian armed forces. The Octagonian would begin tracking fraters in the armed
services with the April 1941 issue reporting 52, this number would peak with over 1700
fraters known to be in the armed forces of the USA and Canada in 1943.
Japan’s December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor launched the USA into World War II.
Fra Ira Weil Jeffery, Minnesota ’39, who died at Pearl Harbor, was the first frater killed
in the war. Ensign Jeffery, a ΣAM Campus Star, was honored with a posthumous
Citation for Valor for “distinguished devotion to duty and extraordinary courage.” The
USS Jeffery was the first US warship named for a Jew.
Sigma Alpha Mu, like all men’s collegiate fraternities, would mobilize itself to support
the war effort and many fraters joined the armed services. With the mobilization for the
war effort, college Greek Life largely ceased with men going into the service or other war
effort and chapter houses taken over by the armed services. Yet the fraternal bonds of
friendship remained and may have been at their strongest as fraters found themselves
fighting side by side. The Fraternity would make every effort to keep track of men in the
service, serve as a communication link for soldiers to their homes and loved ones, and
connect fraters serving near each other. Meeting in the chaotic weeks following Pearl
Harbor, the 1941 St. Louis Convention voted to give the Octagon special emergency
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powers for the duration of the national emergency, and the Octagon would make the
support of winning the war the focus of Fraternity operations. The Octagon moved
quickly to mobilize the Fraternity’s support of the war effort and Conventions were
suspended until 1946.
The Octagon, with the support of the Endowment Fund, chapters and many fraters,
launched a series of War Bond drives to raise needed funds for the war effort. At least
five bond drives were spearheaded by the Fraternity in a four-year span. These drives
funded production of a B-17 bomber, the “Spirit of Sigma Alpha Mu”, an EVAC
Hospital and there were other efforts important to the war effort. Sigma Zeta (Indiana)
alone would raise $47,178. 50 in one bond drive.
According to Reuters news, Captain Henry G. Plitt, Syracuse ’38, was the first American
to set foot on French soil on D-Day. Fra Plitt was a member of an airborne group and
was wounded in action. Reading the “Chapter Eternal” published during the war is a
sobering experience that brings great sadness for what was lost and great pride in what
these and other fraters gave to the cause of freedom. The service rendered by fraternity
men in World War Two deserves its own story.
Our research indicates that at least 86
members of Sigma Alpha Mu gave their lives during the war; countless stories of heroism
and fraternalism can be found.
During the war Sigma Alpha Mu continued its efforts to help Jewish students escape
from Europe, though the full extent of the horrors of the Nazi efforts to exterminate Jews
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would not be known for several years. Sigma Alpha Mu and the other Jewish groups
would sponsor and house dozens of Jewish students on campuses in the US and Canada.
While the Fraternity’s focus was on the war effort and keeping fraters connected, the
Octagon would also look to the post-war era. It incorporated the Sigma Alpha Mu
Foundation in 1944; the Foundation’s early efforts would be to assist Fraternity veterans
returning from war to go back to school. The Octagon monitored the impact of men
returning from the service and how the make-up of chapters was influenced thereby.
The Allied victories over Germany and Japan in 1945 would lead to rapid demobilization
of the armed forces and a huge influx of men to college campuses. In December 1946
Fort Worth, TX hosted the first post-war Sigma Alpha Mu Convention and the 250
delegates would learn that all chapter’s operating pre-Pearl Harbor had resumed
operation, that after a ten-year dormant period Sigma Sigma chapter at Cal – Berkeley
had reactivated and new chapters established at Case School of Technology (Mu
Gamma), Louisville (Mu Delta), and Miami, FL (Mu Epsilon). Fraters would also be
informed that under the stewardship of the Octagon, Endowment Fund, and newly
created Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation, the financial resources of ΣAM had greatly
expanded, with the Endowment Fund passing $100,000 in assets and the ΣAM
Foundation boasting $17,443 in donations from fraters. At the recommendation of the
Octagon, its emergency powers were terminated and the traditional memorial service
recognized fraters lost in the war.
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The influx of men to campuses and chapters led to a boom in chapter size with chapters
at Cincinnati, Illinois, Berkeley and Ohio State passing 100 members. The increase in
chapter size would also lead to a boom in chapter housing projects with the 1945 – 1949
period seeing projects at campuses including Nebraska, SMU, Rutgers, Pitt, NC State,
Oregon, Butler, Berkeley, Purdue and Lehigh.
In 1948 the Fraternity celebrated the establishment of the modern State of Israel and the
Convention passed a resolution in commemoration of the historic event. Conventions in
1948 and 1949 expanded the Octagon to 12 members, created the nominating committee,
approved moving the Convention to summertime, defeated proposals to create honorary
membership, removed the restrictive clause and elected Jack Freeman, U. of Washington
‘ 30 , as the first Supreme Prior from the west coast.
In November 1949 long-time employee Grace Bender celebrated her 25th anniversary on
staff (she would not retire until 1969), Eta chapter at Syracuse won the 1949 Founders
Cup, and the Fraternity ended the 1940s in strength, with a chapter roll of forty-eight and
a high level of alumni and undergraduate activity.
BOX:
Interfraternity Stats 1941:
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College Fraternities
-- 62
Undergraduate Chapters
-- 2,389
Undergraduate Members
-- 263,310
Total Membership
-- 2,213,786
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1950-59
The 1950s saw the post-war boom in college enrollment continue and this lead to the
continued growth of ΣΑΜ. In 1950 Sigma Alpha Mu had forty-eight active chapters, of
which 33 owned chapter houses; the Fraternity also boasted 40 active alumni clubs.
One major change occurred in 1950 with the move to “warm weather” conventions.
Since the Fraternity’s early days, the annual Convention met over winter break; the 1950
Convention in Winnipeg would test a summertime event from August 30-September 2.
The “summertime” convention concept was well received and since that time, ΣΑΜ has
held summer conventions. Also in Winnipeg the Blue Book was amended to establish
the Certificate of Merit, an award to alumni outstanding in communal service. The 1952
Convention in Omaha created the Sigma Alpha Mu Distinguished Service Award to
recognize outstanding service by a frater to ΣΑM. Benjamin P. Goldman, Cornell ’14,
was the first frater to receive the Distinguished Service Award; it has only been awarded
to 14 fraters in the past fifty-six years.
The 1952 convention also created the Sigma Alpha Mu Achievement Award to recognize
members of ΣΑΜ whose achievements in any sphere of life, except Fraternity, are
deemed to merit recognition by the Octagon. The first Achievement Award was
presented to Dr. Maurice Brodie, McGill‘29, who was a pioneer in polio research.
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ΣΑΜ Convention Business Sessions in the early 50s were dominated by discussions of
the “restrictive clause” that limited membership in ΣΑΜ to Jewish men. Efforts to
remove the restriction were driven by pressure from university administrations that
threatened to remove recognition of student organizations that had such provisions.
Efforts to simply remove the restrictive clause without consideration of preservation of
ΣΑΜ’s Jewish heritage failed resoundingly in 1950 (30 in favor, 74 against removal),
1951 (47 in favor,105 against removal), and 1952 (voice vote).
At the 1953 Convention, the Octagon sought to find a compromise on the restrictive
clause that would open membership to any student of good character while stressing
ΣΑΜ’s Jewish background, ideals and traditions, and providing that members, regardless
of their faith, would be expected to respect those ideals and traditions. That compromise
was proposed by the Octagon and was adopted by the 1953 Miami Convention where it
passed by a vote of 128 in favor, 20 against. The removal of the restrictive clause lead to
minor adjustments in the Fraternity’s Ritual to make it consistent with the revised
membership clause.
As ΣΑΜ approached its 50th, the maturing of its alumni base saw fraters rising to high
levels. Maxwell Rabb, Harvard ’36, was appointed by President Eisenhower to the
position of Secretary of the Cabinet; Sam Rabin, Cornell ’26, was appointed to the
highest court in New York; Lawrence Wien, Columbia ’25, gave $7,500,000 to Brandeis
University where he served as board chairman. Past Consul Joe Diamant, Cornell, ‘20,
was elected president of the Cornell IFC Alumni Association.
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Undergraduates became campus leaders, including Howard B. Miller, Maryland ’58,
student body president in 1957 who would go on to become Supreme Prior and later cochairman of the ΣΑΜ 100th.
The 1951 Convention approved a pilot “Leadership School” to be tested in 1952; this was
the precursor of today’s ΣΑΜ Leadership Conference and indeed the Foundation
leadership education structure now in place. The 1950s saw the growth of the Fraternity's
professional staff with the creation of the Field Secretary position, which enhanced the
chapter visitation program. The first Field Secretaries were Maury Schankerman, Butler
‘51, followed by Stan Heller, Penn State ‘51, and Bill Schwartz, Oklahoma ’52. While
the position title has changed (first to Field Representative and now to Educational
leadership Consultant), the program is the primary component of the chapter visitation
program to this day.
Some other developments in the 1950s were these: Sam Weiss of Pitt became the first
Sammy elected to Congress…Past Supreme Prior Victor Blanc, Penn, ‘19 , became an
original recipient of the Certificate of Merit, later was District Attorney of
Philadelphia…Col. Howard Levie, Cornell, was the deputy chief negotiator at the Pan
Mun Jum peace talks that finally ended the Korean War…Benny Friedman, ’33, the great
Michigan All American quarterback, became an original pick for the Football Hall of
Fame…Rabbi Philip Bernstein, Syracuse, who wrote What the Jews Believe, saw his
work become an international best seller and helped to introduce a new era of inter-
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religious understanding….The Octagonian began to expand its Have You Heard?
feature…In 1953, Colorado’s Mu Pi chapter—recently revived—was installed.
Chapter activities saw several highlights. Sigma Beta at Ohio State celebrated its 35th
anniversary with a gathering of 600 fraters and guests. On May 3, 1958, Sigma Alpha
Mu installed its 50th chapter with the birth of Mu Phi at Long Island University. Sigma
Eta at Purdue lost its chapter house in a fire on March 27, 1955; while all escaped the
blaze, the house was a total loss, the only item saved being the Founders Cup the chapter
had just won. The 1954 Convention would vote permanent possession of Cup #4 to
Sigma Eta.
The topic of hazing and “Hell Week” came up again and again in the Greek-letter
community. While hazing in ΣΑΜ had been prohibited since the 1928 Convention, the
Octagon gave increased attention to ensuring that pre-initiation activities were consistent
with the values of ΣΑΜ. The whole interfraternity movement worked to convert “Hell
Week” into “Help Week.”
The 1954 Convention in Detroit created the Golden Anniversary Committee to begin
work on planning ΣΑΜ’s 50th in 1959. Over the next five years, fraters would work
toward a commemoration of 50 years of ΣΑΜ that included a gala celebration at New
York’s Waldorf Astoria that was attended by 750 fraters and guests of ΣΑΜ. The 50th
Celebrations also marked the first modest effort by the ΣΑΜ Foundation to raise funds to
support scholarships.
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As the 1950s came to a close, ΣΑΜ had installed 52 chapters, initiated 14,768 members
and its activity had reached heights that early fraters had only dreamed of. The 1950s
would also see the emergence of volunteer leaders who would have a major impact on the
progress of Sigma Alpha Mu for its next 50 years.
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“Prosperity and Growth”
1960-69
Sigma Alpha Mu opened the 1960s with 51 chapters and 45 alumni clubs. The
Fraternity’s sixth decade was one of impressive growth with 28 new chapters installed,
the most in any decade. The 1960s saw expansion of the Fraternity’s operations into new
areas and significant transitions in volunteer and professional leadership.
In April 1961, Mu Omega chapter at the University of Toledo was installed, closing out
the “Mu” series and the Octagon designated the next chapter series as “Beta”; Beta Alpha
at Texas Western was installed in 1962. In February, 1969, Beta Omega at Kentucky
Wesleyan College was installed as the final “Beta” series chapter and the “Gamma”
series was launched with the April 13, 1969 installation of Gamma Alpha at Oglethorpe.
The focus on external expansion in the 1960s brought ΣΑΜ to its highest active chapter
roll count and the most initiations in any decade.
Chapter housing continued to see major activity in the 1960s, with numerous chapter
housing projects, including: Syracuse, Ohio State, MIT, Michigan State, Texas, North
Carolina State, Cal Berkeley, Lehigh, Oklahoma, Rochester, Washington U., Case
Western and Cornell. Housing efforts would be supported by local/chapter alumni and
the Convention, which in 1961 created a “Housing Fund” supported by a $5 per
undergraduate fee and the creation of the short-lived Sigma Alpha Mu Development
Corporation.
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The “leadership school” concept first piloted in the 1950s became a permanent fixture.
Under the leadership of Alvin Cohn, Omicron ‘56, the Sigma Alpha Mu Leadership
Conference became part of the Fraternity’s educational and leadership initiatives. Early
Leadership Conferences took up issues such as chapter management, rush and
scholarship. The Leadership Conference is the longest-running educational and
leadership program in the Fraternity.
In 1960 Jimmy Hammerstein, Alpha ‘19, celebrated his 25th anniversary as Executive
Secretary; Jimmy retired in 1962, and was designated Executive Secretary Emeritus.
Jimmy would remain active through the 1960s, serving as Editor of the Octagonian.
On August 19, 1962, the Octagon named Bill Schwartz, Oklahoma ‘52, as the new
Executive Secretary. Bill had served on the ΣΑΜ staff since 1955 as a Field Secretary
and Associate Executive Director.
Grace Bender celebrated her 40th anniversary on the ΣΑΜ staff in 1964; at the time of the
anniversary, Ms. Bender had processed 96% of the initiations that had occurred in Sigma
Alpha Mu. Grace would go on to serve another four years, retiring in December of 1968,
by which time she had become the senior college fraternity headquarters employee.
The Fraternity’s professional staff grew in the 1960s with the addition of a second Field
Secretary position and the creation of the Alumni Secretary position.
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In 1966, Fra Sam Miller, CCNY‘12 stepped down as Chairman of the ΣΑΜ Endowment
Fund and the Foundation. He was recognized with the title of “Chairman Emeritus” and
continued to serve as a trustee through the 1960s. The 1960s also saw the passing of
three Founders to Chapter Eternal: Samuel Gaines (1960), Ira Lind (1967) and Abram
Kerner (1968).
Many fraters were recognized with significant honors during the 1960s. The 1960 Nobel
Prize for Physics went to Fra Donald Glaser, Case Western ’45. B’nai Brith’s
“President’s Award” was presented to ABC Chairman Leonard Goldenson, Harvard ’29.
In 1961, Ernie Davis, Syracuse ’62 was awarded the Heisman Trophy as the top college
football player in the nation. Fra Davis was the first African-American to win the
Heisman. In an interview with the Washington Daily News, Fra Davis said, “I am a
Baptist and attend church regularly, but belong to a predominately Jewish Fraternity.
The men of ΣΑΜ accepted me. They made me feel at home.” Abraham Lieff, Toronto
’26, was appointed to the Ontario Supreme Court. Dave Bing, Syracuse ’66, was named
the NBA Rookie of the Year in 1967.
ΣΑΜ Conventions took up several important governance issues during the 1960s,
including bringing the membership of the Octagon back down to eight alumni consuls.
The Octagon had grown to as large as 13 members in the early 1960s. The proposal to
move to biennial conventions was rejected and the Convention created a “National
Alumni Council” to study alumni involvement. The Convention also created the
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Outstanding Chapter Advisor Award, first presented to Ben Savage, Syracuse ’20, who
was the longtime advisor of Mu Rho chapter at Rochester, which named its chapter house
in his honor.
Sigma Alpha Mu adopted the American Heart Association as the Fraternity’s service
project and in 1966, Mu Gamma chapter developed the “Bounce for Beats” program to
raise money for the AHA;—Nu had a similar idea—over the years many chapters held a
Bounce for Beats, which was patented and registered November 25, 1969.
Sigma Alpha Mu closed the 1960s with a major move; the Executive Offices of the
Fraternity were relocated from New York City to Indianapolis on November 26, 1969,
which was the 60th anniversary of the Fraternity. At the close of the 1960s, Sigma Alpha
Mu had reached a high in undergraduate groups with seventy-two active chapters and
nine colonies; however, campus conditions were changing and the unparalleled 1960s
growth of college fraternities slowed as the decade ended.
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BOX FOR HISTORY PAGE
Chapter Installations By Decade
1909-19 - 21
1920-29 -18
1930-39 - 7
1940-49 -12
1950-59 -7
1960-69 -28
1970-79 -4
1980-89 -19
1990-99 -22
2000-Present – 7
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Overcoming Trying Times
1970-79
As the early 1970’s progressed, there were those who felt it might be the beginning of the
end of Sigma Alpha Mu and the entire college fraternity system. Chapter closings
mounted, chapter houses were lost, alumni involvement weakened and expansion came to
a standstill. Our Fraternity lost half its chapter roll between 1970-1975 and saw
initiations shrink from 1264 in 1969 to 263 in 1974. External campus and societal issues
played the primary role in the decline of Sigma Alpha Mu and the entire fraternity
system; campus unrest, upheaval from the Vietnam War, economic conditions and the
growing issue of drugs on campus created a perfect storm that ravaged the chapter roll of
all fraternities, especially the historically Jewish groups. Indeed, campus conditions in
the late 1960s and early 1970s caused four historically Jewish groups (Phi Sigma Delta,
Kappa Nu, Phi Epsilon Pi, and Phi Alpha) to be absorbed into Zeta Beta Tau. ZBT itself
saw a significant loss of chapters and assets and Alpha Epsilon Pi reported a loss of half
its chapter roll.
Only the careful stewardship by the Octagon and Executive Secretary Schwartz kept the
light of ΣΑΜ alive. Every expenditure that could be cut was. Issues of the Octagonian
were cut to eight pages, Fraternity staff was reduced and corners were cut at every level.
The Sigma Alpha Mu Endowment Fund made monies available to support operations and
alumni support was solicited. Through the diligent efforts of hard working Supreme
Exchequers and other consuls, Sigma Alpha Mu weathered the storm of the early 1970s.
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Credit also goes to the indomitable spirit of fraters who refused to give up, small groups
of undergraduates kept chapters alive and where this was not possible, loyal alumni
preserved opportunities on campuses so ΣΑΜ could return when conditions improved.
In the second half of the 1970s, campus conditions started to stabilize, chapter rush
results improved, and efforts to reactivate dormant chapters began to bear fruit.
Initiations grew steadily from 1975-1979 and the chapter roll rebounded to 37 chapters
and 14 colonies by 1979. While dealing with the survival of ΣΑΜ, undergraduate and
alumni leaders still took the time to address important issues and looked to the future.
In 1970, the Toronto Convention took up the issue of single-sex membership and
considered possibility of female membership. The Octagon and Convention allowed the
“Co-Ed Experiment” at Case Western, Rochester, UMASS, Rutgers, Washington U. and
Northeastern. This experiment permitted the affiliation of women as “social members”
but did not allow initiation of women. Conventions between 1971 and 1976 held debates
on female membership, but no amendment to allow the initiation of women was ever
approved and the Co-Ed Experiment was phased out in 1977. Subsequent legislation in
Congress reaffirmed the single-sex status of collegiate fraternities. Conventions also
tinkered with the governance structure of the Fraternity allocating one of the eight consul
positions to an undergraduate. Franklin M. Samson, Michigan State ’75, was elected the
first undergraduate consul in 1974 in New York. The “undergraduate consul” is a full
consul with all of the same rights, privileges and obligations of an alumnus consul; the
sole difference is that the “undergraduate consul” has a one-year term instead of the two-
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year term for an alumnus consul. In 1976 the Convention returned to holding a model
ritual, a practice that had been abandoned in 1956.
Sigma Alpha Mu’s alumni continued to reach the highest levels in society. In 1970,
Robert Strauss, Texas ’42, was named treasurer of the Democratic Party and went on to
the chairmanship of the DNC in 1972. Bora Laskin, Toronto ’34, was appointed to
Canada’s Supreme Court in 1970; he later became chief justice. Milton Shapp, Case
Western ’33, was elected the first Jewish governor of Pennsylvania and the first ΣΑΜ
Governor. Samuel Freedman, Manitoba ’31, was the only person of the Jewish faith to
be appointed Chief Justice of a Canadian Province (Manitoba).
In 1974, Tom Downey, Cornell ’70, was elected the youngest congressman in the history
of the United States; he was 25. On December 20, 1978, Norman M. Krivosha, Nebraska
’56, was sworn in as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nebraska; he was Vice
Supreme Prior at the time and went on to become Supreme Prior. Moise Steeg, Tulane
’37, was named president of the Loyola University Board of Trustees in 1979. Former
Oregon Governor Neil Goldschmidt, Oregon ’63, was named Secretary of Transportation
by President Carter in 1979. In 1975, Sidney H. Guller, Washington U, ‘47, was elected
to the board of the North-American Interfraternity Conference; Sidney would later be
elected president of the Conference.
On January 27, Sam Miller, CCNY ’12, passed away. Fra Miller was the tenth man to join
ΣΑΜ, was the first chairman of the Endowment Fund, serving 37 years as chairman and a
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total of 45 years as a trustee. Founder David D. Levinson passed into Chapter Eternal on
July 3, 1979. Founder Levinson was a regular attendee at Founders Day celebrations
until his death. In 1972, David Berger, Tulane ’66, was one of eleven Israeli Olympians
killed by Arab terrorists in Munich.
In 1976, the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation decided to conduct a major fundraising
campaign for the 75th Anniversary of ΣΑΜ in 1984, the goal was to establish at least 100
named scholarship endowments, Past Supreme Prior Lawrence D. Schaffer, Ohio State
‘53, was appointed to lead the campaign which would remake the ΣΑΜ Foundation and
have an impact on thousands of fraters. The year 1976 was also the bi-centennial of both
the United States and the college fraternity system. The historic events brought a new
respect for tradition and a new awareness of the historic place of the college fraternity
system.
Sigma Alpha Mu closed the 1970s with fifty-one active chapters and colonies and poised
for a decade of celebration and growth.
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1980-1989
“New Challenges”
The improving campus conditions and growth of the late 1970s continued into the 1980s.
In ΣΑΜ’s eighth decade the Fraternity grew from 39 chapters and 14 colonies in the
spring of 1980 to 64 chapters and 17 colonies in December of 1989. While the growth of
the chapter roll and increasing initiations was a great boon, the issues of alcohol, liability
and hazing posed serious challenges. Sigma Alpha Mu, along with other fraternities,
took a number of major steps in the 1980s to address these issues, including: 1) Dry
Rush; alcohol was banned from chapter recruitment events, 2) A comprehensive Risk
Management Policy was adopted that, among other things, prohibited the purchase of
alcohol with chapter funds, 3) In 1985, the Convention required liability insurance be
secured for chapters and, in the late 1980s, the Octagon established a centralized
program, 4) Education, the topics of alcohol, hazing, and other safety issues were
addressed regularly at Leadership Conferences, Regional Conclaves and during
volunteer/staff visits to chapters, 5) Increased programming and education on positive
new-member (pledge) education and anti-hazing education. During the 1980s great
progress was made on establishing the Fraternity’s risk management and liability
programs. However, these initiatives came at a cost: relationship of the Octagon with
chapters shifted to that of enforcement and policing of chapter operations as new policies
were implemented.
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In the winter of 1981, Alpha chapter at CCNY dropped off the active chapter roll for the
first time; campus conditions and the economics of chapter size claimed the founding
chapter of ΣΑΜ. On February 17, 1982, Adolph I. Fabis, CCNY ’12, the last of the eight
Founders, passed away. Sigma Alpha Mu’s first Executive Secretary, James C.
Hammerstein, CCNY ’19, entered Chapter Eternal on April 8, 1982. Benjamin P.
Goldman, Cornell ‘14, passed away in 1982. “Bip” served five separate stints on the
Octagon, three as Supreme Prior. Alumni gatherings occurred at many locations in
conjunction with the 75th Anniversary celebrations. In February 1981, 360 fraters and
friends of ΣΑΜ were on hand at the Friars Club in Beverly Hills for the Western
Conclave. On November 12, 1983, 650 alumni and friends would gather at the Ohio
State chapter house for the 90th birthday of house mother Anna Gans; the event was
covered by the CBS Sunday night news. Anna served Sigma Beta as house mother for
fifty-six years until her death in 1986. Fraters continued to show their community and
civic leadership. Murray H. Goodman, Lehigh ’48, was appointed to the Lehigh Board of
Trustees; Samuel Posner, Bucknell ’56, was elected to the Bucknell Board of Trustees;
and Marshall M. Gelfand, Syracuse ’50, was elected to the Syracuse Board of Trustees.
Maxwell Rabb, Harvard ’32, was appointed by President Reagan as Ambassador to Italy.
In 1982, Jacob “Chic” Hecht, Missouri ’49, was elected to the U.S. Senate from Nevada
and Thomas P. Lantos, Washington ’50, was elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives. Fra Lantos served in Congress until his passing in 2008 and was the
only Holocaust survivor ever to serve in Congress. In 1983, Sidney H. Guller,
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Washington U. ‘47, was elected President of the National Interfraternity Conference, the
first ΣΑΜ to be elected as leader of the men’s fraternity movement. The Fraternity’s 75th
Anniversary was celebrated in 14 cities across North America with 2000 fraters plus their
guests participating; the 75th also generated the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation’s “21st
Century” Scholarship campaign. Under the leadership of Lawrence D. Schaffer, Ohio
State ‘53, the campaign eventually generated over 200 endowed scholarships and forever
changed the role of the ΣΑΜ Foundation. By the end of the 1980s Foundation
scholarship awards were up to $25,000 per year and the number and amounts awarded
would continue to grow. At the 1984 Leadership Conference and Convention, Alvin
Cohn, Cincinnati ‘56, retired after twenty-five years of service as Conference chairman.
Alvin was largely responsible for the establishment of the ΣΑΜ Leadership Conference
in the 1960s and its development as a fixture of ΣΑΜ educational programming.
On November 26, 1984, ΣΑΜ turned 75 and a birthday celebration was held at the
Roosevelt Hotel in New York. In 1982, Sigma Alpha Mu acquired its first owned
headquarters; 651 N. Range Line Road would serve as the Fraternity’s Executive offices
until 1999. In 1984, a new house was built for Sigma Zeta at Indiana University; the 66man house was the first new chapter house construction in ΣΑΜ since the late 1960s.
The 1980s closed out with the adoption of a Long-Range Plan addressing key aspects of
Fraternity operations, growth of the Fraternity’s professional staff, the acquisition of the
first office computer used for the undergraduate database. The Octagon also initiated
discussions on the topics of Minimum Chapter Standards, the relationship between the
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Fraternity, Sigma Alpha Mu Endowment Fund and ΣΑΜ Foundation, and the focus and
identity of the Fraternity.
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1990’s
The issues of risk management, chapter standards, increased activity of the Sigma Alpha
Mu Foundation, and leadership transitions, dominated Sigma Alpha Mu’s ninth decade.
The expansion of the 1980s continued into the early 1990s; the roll reached more than
seventy chapters in mid-decade before falling back to sixty-three at the decade’s close.
The chapter roll was significantly impacted by chapter disciplinary issues; historic and
large chapters at Illinois, Lehigh, Indiana, UPENN, Drexel and other locations were
suspended by the Octagon due to chapter violations of Fraternity and University
standards. The Octagon worked vigorously to educate chapter leaders on the issues of
alcohol, hazing and general risk management issues. In situations where chapters closed,
reactivation timelines were established. Along with education on chapter management
issues, the Fraternity developed expectations for chapters; adopted in 1997, these Chapter
Performance Standards provided operational benchmarks for chapters in twelve key
areas. Chapters were evaluated annually using the Chapter Performance Standards, and
awards and recognition used these standards as their basis. In 1996 Sigma Alpha Mu
initiated its 50,000th member.
In 1994, after 28 years of service as Chairman of the Sigma Alpha Mu Endowment Fund
and President of the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation, Theodore Ignall, Rutgers ’30, retired.
Past Supreme Prior Sidney Guller, Washington U.’45, became Chairman of the
Endowment Fund and Past Supreme Prior Lawrence D. Schaffer, Ohio State’53, became
President of the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation. The professional staff also experienced
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major transitions in the 1990s: In 1994, Bill Schwartz retired as Executive Director, a
post he held for 32 years. Bill’s service to Sigma Alpha Mu was celebrated at the 1994
Washington Convention and Bill remains on the Sigma Alpha Mu staff as editor of The
Octagonian. James R. Gordon, Syracuse’70, succeeded Bill as Executive Director.
During his brief tenure as Executive Director, Jim oversaw improvements to the
Fraternity’s business operation, development of Chapter Performance Standards, and
creation of a new Strategic Plan. In 1997, Aaron M. Girson, Western Michigan ’93,
became Sigma Alpha Mu’s fourth chief executive. Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation’s role in
supporting educational initiatives expanded greatly during the 1990s. In the early 1990s,
the Foundation assumed responsibility for the Voluntary Alumni Dues program, and it
was renamed the Annual Appeal. Alumni donations to the Annual Appeal are used to
support educational components of Fraternity leadership and initiatives like the
Leadership Conference. The Foundation also worked to grow its student aid programs,
increasing the number of pledged scholarship endowments to more than 200, and
awarding $90,000 (nearly 3 times the grants awarded in 1990) in 1999. Alumni activity
and accomplishment remained a highlight for Sigma Alpha Mu throughout the 1990s.
Two hundred alumni gathered in Toronto for Omega chapter’s 70th and four hundred met
in Los Angeles for Sigma Pi’s 65th. In 1991, Robert Strauss, Texas ’40, was appointed
Ambassador to the U.S.S.R.; Bill Schwartz, Oklahoma ‘52, was awarded the Gold Medal
of the North American Interfraternity Conference for his “distinguished service to youth
throughout the North American college fraternity." Past Supreme Prior Michael A.
Posnick was awarded the Silver Medal of the North American Interfraternity Conference
for his efforts to train volunteer alumni housing corporations, for 2000 fraternity alumni
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leaders. Dan Glickman, Michigan ’66, was appointed Secretary of Agriculture by
President Clinton; Past Supreme Prior Sid Guller was recognized with the Fraternity
Executives Association’s Distinguished Service Award for service to the fraternity
movement, at the time only the sixth non-professional to receive the award; Sigma Zeta’s
Irving and Jay Glazer (father and son) gave $2,500,000 to Indiana University to create its
Jewish Studies Program. To cover all of this alumni activity and accomplishment, the
1998 Octagonian expanded to sixteen pages.
Major fraternities’ changes in the 1990s included Zeta Beta Tau’s decision to eliminate
pledging and Phi Delta Theta’s to ban alcohol from all chapter houses.
As the 1990s concluded, the Fraternity’s leadership began to look at updating educational
programs, improving use of technology, the organization’s staffing model, and office
space needs.
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2000-2009
External challenges marked Sigma Alpha Mu’s tenth decade; wars, the economic slowdown and the shifting attitudes of students and their parents, all impacted operations.
ΣΑΜ responded to these challenges by expanding activity at the undergraduate level and
in efforts to engage alumni.
The 2000s saw a number of significant milestones in Sigma Alpha Mu. Historic chapters
at UPenn, Drexel, and Southern Cal were reactivated; this was balanced by the loss of
chapters at Miami (Ohio), Cincinnati and other locations. Chapters at Cornell, Michigan
and Rutgers secured new chapter houses. Two Founders Cups were retired during the
2000s, both by Beta at Cornell. In 2007 the Fraternity initiated its 60,000th member.
The economic slow down and recession impacted the finances of members/potential
members, the ability of alumni to donate and the investment returns of ΣΑΜ. Fortunately
these challenges were balanced by prudent financial management and record levels of
giving by alumni to the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation. Alumni support of Sigma Alpha
Mu allowed the Foundation to expand its scholarship and leadership programming to new
heights. By 2002 the scholarship program was awarding more than $100,000 in need and
merit-based grants to students and educational grants to the Fraternity surpassed
$200,000 annually. The education grants were used by the Fraternity to expand
programming to reach record numbers of student fraters. By the decade’s end, the
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Fraternity’s educational programs would reach nearly two-thirds of the undergraduate
membership through the following initiatives.

Chapter Leaders Days: Regional training for chapter officers

Leadership Conference

GreekLife EDU-On-Line; education for all new members

Student Health 101 e-magazine

Volunteer and staff visits to chapters/colonies
This record level of programming was much needed as a new kind of student and parents
entered the scene. The students of the 2000’s brought new attitudes to campus and their
“helicopter” parents hovered over all aspects of their lives. The students were an
interesting mix of experience and immaturity. Students brought a higher level of
leadership and social involvement to campus, but did not view themselves as adults or
ready for adult responsibilities. The Fraternity's core reliance on responsibility and
accountability of undergraduate leaders/members was strained by students unwilling to
take individual responsibility or hold their peers to basic standards. While the Fraternity
worked to find a balance in the leadership role of its undergraduate members, chapters
would reach heights in the areas of community service, philanthropy and scholarship.
The sons of ΣΑΜ continue to achieve in all areas of society. Alan Heeger, Nebraska ’57,
won the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Harvey S. Perlman, Nebraska ’63, became
Chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Robert B. Fagenson, Syracuse ’70
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was awarded the Pioneer Medal from his alma mater for excellence in his field of
endeavor. Irwin Jacobs, Cornell ’54 donated $100,000,000 to the San Diego
Symphony—the largest-ever gift to a symphony orchestra. In 2001 another Cornellian,
Harold Tanner ’52 was elected the twenty-fifth President of the American Jewish
Committee. In 2002, Neil M. Moss, Case ’66 was elected chairman of the international
board of Hillel. Murray Galinson, Minnesota ’59 was appointed chairman of the board of
trustees of the California State University system. In 2006 Marshall Rothstein, Manitoba
’63, was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. In the political arena Thomas P.
Lantos, Washington ’50, assumed the chairmanship of the House Committee on Foreign
Affairs and Sam Fox, Washington U. ‘51 was appointed ambassador to Belgium in 2007
by President Bush.
In 2006, Sidney H. Guller, Washington U. ’47, set the ΣΑΜ record for Convention
attendance at the Tampa Convention, his 56th. Sidney increased his record to 59
conventions by decade’s end. In 2005 and 2006 the Fraternity conducted alumni
missions to assist the Jewish communities in Cuba and Argentina. Under the leadership
of Lawrence J. Leib, Michigan State ‘90 , the Fraternity made an annual service project a
component of conventions; projects included a cemetery clean-up, work at food banks,
and letters to soldiers serving in combat zones. By mid-decade, plans for Sigma Alpha
Mu’s 100th were well underway; the goal for commemorating and celebrating the first
100 years while assuring the second century were established and Howard B. Miller,
Maryland ‘58 and David H. Phillips, Ohio State‘83 were appointed Co-chairmen of the
Sigma Alpha Mu Centennial. A Centennial Committee of fraters assisted Howard and
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Dave. The Centennial included new alumni communications via email, an enhanced
Octagonian, celebratory events at sixteen locations, recognition of outstanding alumni
and a $5,000,000 capital campaign by the ΣΑΜ Foundation. By the conclusion of the
celebrations at a November 14, 2009 gala in New York, more than 3000 attended events
and countless others participated in other meaningful ways. Donations to the Sigma
Alpha Mu Foundation reached new heights with more than a dozen $100,000 and larger
gifts to the 100th Campaign. Sigma Alpha Mu’s 10th decade concluded with changes to
leadership and organizational structure. In August, 2009 Lawrence D. Schaffer, Ohio
State ‘53, retired after 15 years of service as President of the Sigma Alpha Mu
Foundation; he was succeeded by Hanno D. Mott, Cincinnati ‘55. After 15 years on the
ΣΑΜ staff and twelve as Executive Director, Aaron M. Girson, Western Michigan ’93,
left the Fraternity’s employ to become the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation’s first full-time
chief executive. In August 2009, Leland D. Manders, Miami-Ohio ‘75 was appointed the
Fraternity’s fifth chief executive. This bifurcation of the Fraternity and Foundation staffs
followed interfraternal trends and responded to a need for more attention to the
operations and growth of the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation.
At its 100th birthday, Sigma Alpha Mu had installed a total of 146 chapters across North
America and initiated 61,861 men. With the arrival of November 26, 2009, Sigma Alpha
Mu joined the ranks of organizations passing the century mark, an accomplishment that
many fraternal organizations never reach. We can be proud of the accomplishments of
our organization and its members and hopeful for the opportunities that the future will
bring.
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Long live Sigma Alpha Mu!
Aaron M. Girson
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