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Alpha Mu Sigma

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Alpha Mu Sigma
ΑΜΣ
FoundedMarch 21, 1914; 110 years ago (1914-03-21)
Cooper Union
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusDefunct
Defunct date1963
EmphasisJewish
ScopeNational
Colors  Black and   Gold
FlowerYellow chrysanthemum
PublicationThe Shield
Chapters23
Headquarters
United States

Alpha Mu Sigma (ΑΜΣ) was an historically Jewish fraternity founded in March 1914 at Cooper Union. It disbanded in 1963.

History

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Alpha Mu Sigma was founded at Cooper Union on March 21, 1914.[1][2][3] According to Baird's Manual, "The original plan was to limit membership to men of the Jewish faith and the first expansion was limited to similar engineering institutions."[4] Its founders were:

  • Irwin S. Chanin
  • Henry Charles Dinney
  • Irving H. Fisher
  • Edward D. Fox
  • Henry I. Gilbert
  • Theodore F. Haynes
  • Julius Liebing
  • Benjamin Rothstein
  • Saul Shaw
  • Samuel H. Solodar
  • Jonas I. Speciner
  • Joseph Spies

The fraternity expanded many chapters in the 1920s.[4] However, only a few survived the Great Depression.[4] Its total membership in 1945 was 1,500.[4]

The national fraternity disbanded in 1963, with the remaining four chapters becoming inactive or being absorbed by other, larger Jewish fraternities.[4] Alpha chapter at Cooper Union functioned until 1971.[5]

Symbols

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Alpha Mu Sigma's badge is a black concave shield with the Greek letters ΑΜΣ vertically in gold with a border of sixteen pearls and sapphires in the corners.[6] Its pledge ben is a black enamel shield, with a jagged white streak through it.[6]

The fraternity's colors are black and gold.[6] Its flower is the yellow chrysanthemum.[6] Its magazine is The Shield.[6]

Chapters

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Following is a list of the chapters of Alpha Mu Sigma, with inactive chapters and institutions in italics.[5][6][4]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha March 21, 1914 – 1971 Cooper Union Institute of Technology New York City, New York Inactive
Beta 1917–1930, 1948–1963 City College of New York New York City, New York Inactive
Gamma 1917–1925, 1935–1938 Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute Brooklyn, New York City, New York Inactive
Delta 1919–1926 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts Inactive
Epsilon 1920–1921 Columbia University New York City, New York Inactive
Zeta 1921–1940 New York University New York City, New York Inactive
Eta 1922–1923 Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts Inactive
Theta 1922–1923 Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York University New York City, New York Inactive
Iota 1922–1923 Yale University New Haven, Connecticut Inactive
Lambda 1923–1925 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Inactive
Mu 1925–1926 University of Maryland College Park, Maryland Inactive
Nu 1925–1926 University of Virginia Charlottesville, Virginia Withdrew (ΤΕΦ) [a]
Omicron 1926–1927 University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Inactive
Xi 1927–193x ? Union College Schenectady, New York Inactive [b]
Rho 1927–1928 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Inactive
Pi 1928–1956 Long Island University Brooklyn, New York City, New York Withdrew (ΤΔΦ) [c][d]
Tau (1) 1928–1930 Roanoke College Salem, Virginia Inactive
Kappa 1929–1930 Boston University Boston, Massachusetts Inactive
Sigma 1930–1931 Lewis Institute Chicago, Illinois Inactive
Tau (2) 1937–1938 George Washington University Washington, D.C. Inactive
Upsilon 1937–1960 Brooklyn College Brooklyn, New York City, New York Inactive
Phi (1) 1939–1963 St. John's University Queens, New York Inactive
Phi (2) 1958–1962 Pratt Institute Brooklyn, New York City, New York Withdrew (ΤΕΦ) [e]
  1. ^ Became the Tau Nu chapter" of Tau Epsilon Phi in 1936.
  2. ^ Chapter formed from Sigma Lambda Chi (local), established in 1925.
  3. ^ Chapter formed from Lambda Iota Upsilon (local), established in 1927.
  4. ^ Became the Tau Xi chapter of Tau Delta Phi in 1956. Some of ΤΔΦ's records were lost; While the Almanac notes in the listing for ΤΔΦ that the Alpha Mu Sigma chapter from which it evolved dates to 1920, this appears to be an error. A 1928 start date for Pi chapter of ΑΜΣ is more likely, confirmed by the Baird's Manual chapter list for ΑΜΣ and the date of the originating local.
  5. ^ Became the Tau Omicron chapter" of Tau Epsilon Phi in 1963.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895–1945
  2. ^ Jewish National Organizations in the United States 1937–1938 The American Jewish Year Book 39 (1937): 611–94. JSTOR 23601962.
  3. ^ "Interfraternity Notes and Statistics". The Palm of Alpha Tau Omega: 179. April 1930.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Anson, Jack L. and Marchesani Jr. Robert F., eds. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 20th edition. Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, 1991. ISBN 0-9637159-0-9
  5. ^ a b William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive)". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 361–362.
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