May, 1947
THE
GAMMA IOTA CHAPTER—Charter m e m b e r s of G a m m a Iota Chapter, Hampton Institute, Va. Left to right, (semicircle):—William B. Proctor, Silas J. Jackson, Calvin L. Cooke, Ray L. Richardson, W. Carl Gordon, F r e d R. West, make up Gamma Iota chapter at Hampton Institute. Though one of the youngest chapters in Alpha Phi Alpha, having received its charter on February 9, 1947, Gamma Iota is even now ready to assert itself in setting a progressive pace for its respectable and somewhat older brother chapters. In less than fifteen minutes after being officially established by Brother L. H. Schuster. Gamma Iota's roster of officers was complete: William Proctor, president; Lloyd Starks, vice president; Emanuel Bertrand. corresponding secretary; Jacob Stewart, recording secretary; Calvin Cooke, treasurer; W. Carl Gordon, dean of pledgees; Midgett Parker, parliamentarian; Fred West, Jr., chaplain; Elmer McDowell, sergeant-at-arms. Rounding out the chapter roll are Brothers Silas Jackson, Ray Richardson, Calvin Sampson, Edgar Smith, Will Smith, Jr., and Calvin Wanser. With particular acknowledgement to Brother Doctor George W. Hunt, our advisor, for his untiring interest and timely insight into fraternity affairs, we can say that this period of first beginnings has not been too difficult for Gamma. Iota. Our present executive officers, Brothers Proctor and Stark, aside from being alert and capable leaders in their own right, were Alpha men of experience even before the time of Gamma Iota's inception. Also, a better-than-fair number
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Jr., Calvin Wanser, Calvin Sampson, Will Smith, Jr., Midgett S. P a r k e r , E m a n u e l A. B e r t r a n d , and Jacob T. Steward. Center, from left:—Lloyd J. Stark, Elmer McDowell, and Edgar L. Smith, J r .
of our "GI" brothers are themselves active and prominent in campus affairs—Brother Gordon, president of the local NAACP Chapter; Brother Stewart president of the Negro History Society; Brother Bertrand, president of Kappa Delta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Mu Honorary Society; Brother Wanser, co-chairman of 1he Student Christian Association; Brother Cooke, president of the Senior Class. Four of our brothers are members of the Alpha Kappa Mu Society, On the first semester Honor Roll. Gamma Iota placed eleven out of its fifteen members. Thus, it occurs that, in spite of it being less than three months old, Gamma Iota can build up no defense for not taking a ranking position in fraternal life throughout this vicinity. We intend to advance, achieve, and contribute, fraternally, academically, and socially in the truest tradition of Alpha. In this light, we have outlined below for your consideration of our first program, including chapter activities engaged in to date and other events that have been pre-arranged for the immediate future. On last March 18, twenty-six pledgees were received into the Sphinx Club, which, according to the Hampton Script, was the first Greek-letter pledge club established at Hampton. Gamma Iota expects to conduct its first ritual on April 19lh.
On March 23 Gamma Iota entertained its sister sorors of Gamma Zeta Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, at breakfast at the home of Brother Walter R. Brown. Sr., secretary of Hampton Institute. Following breakfast the two chapters worshipped together in the Church of Christ on the campus. We quote an article clipped from the March 29th issue of the Hampton Script: "In keeping with the Annual Scholarship Night observance, the Script has been asked to announce that beginning with the Fall Convocation in September of 1947 an annual R. O'Hara Lanier Scholarship Award will be presented by the Gamma Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity to the sophomore male student who has maintained the highest scholastic average during his first two semesters at Hampton Institute." At the annual Hampton Varsity Club banquet Gamma Iota will present the first set of its annual Alpha Phi Alpha Basketball Awards. The award is to be presented to the most valuable player on the varsity basketball team (selected by a local nonpartisan committee) and consists of a display trophy, on which the name of the annual winner shall be engraved, and a smaller trophy to be retained by the winner. For this year's Education and Citizenship Week observance Gamma Iota has arranged