IN THIS ISSUE
3 | PRESIDENTIAL UPDATE Timothy Zepp
Chi Delta ‘08 (Duke) Update from our new Executive Council President
4 | ABOUT OUR FOUNDERS: Dr. Charles Washington Harvey Theta 1837 (Union College)
Harvey was a pillar of the Buffalo NY medical community, and dedicated organizer of Psi Upsilon.
6 | CONVENTION & THE PI –Tradition Spanning Centuries
The Pi Chapter at Syracuse University has hosted the Psi Upsilon Convention every quarter century since 1900.
8 | WILLIAM GREENE BINNEY Alpha 1854 (Harvard)
With over 60 species named after the family, Binney is a crucial figure in early naturalism, and a good man with bi-valves.
10 | SHOWCASING THE WORLD: THE FIRST EDITOR OF NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE –
Dr. Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, Gamma 1897 (Amherst)
A dedicated conservationist of his day, and an excellent early American explorer, scientist, sailor, and magazine maker.
12 | GRIDIRON TO CLASS & COURTROOM
Fredrick G Folsom Zeta 1895 (University of Dartmouth) Brother Folsom had a distinguished career as a coach and legal mind.
15 | CONVENTION SONGS About Our Traditions
A brief history of the popular Psi U song “Brothers All”
A JOURNAL OF PSI UPSILON HISTORY
Reflections: A Journal of Psi Upsilon History is a publication of the Psi Upsilon Foundation focused on researching and highlighting the stories behind the members, buildings, artifacts, and traditions of our order as we approach two centuries of brotherhood.
HISTORY & ARCHIVES COMMITTEE
CHAIR
Evan W. Terry, Epsilon Phi ‘93 (McGill University)
Jonathan M. Chaffin, Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Gary W. Curzi, Epsilon Iota ‘89 (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
Heather A. Burns-Edmisten, Gamma Tau ‘02 (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Clifford J. Edmisten, Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Joseph McCaskill, Chi Delta ‘00 (Duke University)
Joshua Rogers, Phi Beta ‘23 (College of William and Mary)
Alex Senchak, Eta ‘06 (Lehigh)
Paul H. Travis, Gamma Tau ‘01 (Georgia Institute of Technology)
CONTRIBUTORS
Jonathan M. Chaffin, Gamma Tau 00 (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Heather A. Burns-Edmisten, Gamma Tau ‘02 (Georgia Institue of Technology)
Bob Dorigo Jones, Epsion Nu ‘85 (Michigan State University)
Misi Coliadis, Theta Pi‘13 (Georgia State University)
L awrence Tang, ESQ, Gamma Tau ‘01 (Georgia Institue of Technology)
UPDATE FROM EXECUTIVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT TIM ZEPP, XD’08
By Tim Zepp, Chi Delta ‘08 (DukeUniversity) President of the Psi Upsilon Executive Council
ABOUT OUR COVER:
The cover is from an engraving reproduced in a Diamond issued for Convention. The symbols represent the chapters extant at the time with elements from their respective coats of arms.
Have feedback? Want to write for Reflections? Email jonathan@psiu.org
PsiU.org/Archives @PsiUpsilon @PsiUpsilon1833/ @Psi_Upsilon
Over the last two decades, I have been incredibly fortunate to have met a number of Psi U brothers but for those I have not had the pleasure of meeting, my name is Tim Zepp, Chi Delta ’08 (Duke University). I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and provide an update on the work of the Executive Council including a number of our strategic goals and priorities. By way of background, my undergraduate fraternity experience helped to shape me in countless ways and develop the soft skills that guided my career path from engineering to consulting to investment banking. In Psi U, I learned how to build consensus around common goals, navigate interpersonal challenges and was encouraged by my fellow brothers to step up in leadership roles. After graduating I wanted to continue giving back to this organization that had given me so much, which eventually led me to serve as a Director of the Psi Upsilon Foundation
prior to serving on the Executive Council Board for several years and elected President this past July. The Executive Council helps to conduct the business of the fraternity, including developing the strategic vision and priorities guiding the future of the organization. In my time serving on both of our boards, I have been incredibly impressed by the level of thoughtfulness and dedication of our many volunteer leaders which has inspired me to be a better leader.
As President of the Executive Council, I am incredibly excited by the work we are doing to try to bring greater connectivity across our global network. We are thinking creatively to support our chapter and alumni group leaders so they may run their organizations more effectively and efficiently. One example is our work to rollout career-mentorship offerings across our chapters by codifying and leveraging ideas and best practices from successful programs like the one run by the Psi chapter at Hamilton College. We are also in the process of building the framework for geography-based Psi U Alumni Clubs to provide new opportunities to build cross-generational and cross-chapter connections across our network.
As we continue to enhance the programs we provide to our membership, we are also focused on investing in our long-term success and growth. Psi Upsilon’s March Challenge is an opportunity to invest in the future of our brotherhood through the donation of money (or new for this year, pledging your time) to support the
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Miniature hand-tied programs such as the one shown would have been set plate-side at each table setting to provide a guide to the evening’s events and aid any participation. They were also a nice souvenir. The Psi Upsilon archives have many such programs, frequently elaborately embossed, or die cut into a diamond, chapter letters, or other distinctive shape.
growth of our organization, including our plans to hire a new junior staff member to work closely with undergraduates on current and prospective Psi U campuses. Amplifying the impact of the amazing work that our brotherhood is already doing each and every day is a top priority and I believe the biggest opportunity we have to demonstrate the value of lifelong fraternal membership.
As we all know from our lived experiences and supported by research from the North American Interfraternity Conference, brotherhood in Psi Upsilon provides numerous lifelong benefits including friendships, a sense of belonging and skills that serve as an accelerator for success in college and beyond. None of this is possible without the many volunteer leaders and professional staff of our Fraternity and Foundation working hard each and every day to execute on the vision and many initiatives described above. The long-term success of our organization relies on the engagement of each of you reading this and the brothers in your individual networks. No matter your age, background, or past involvement with Psi Upsilon, we would appreciate your involvement, and I would enjoy hearing your ideas, feedback, and have you join an upcoming Psi U event! Thank you for reading and I look forward to connecting with many of you in the future.
Yours in the Bonds, Tim Zepp, Chi Delta ‘08 President of the Psi Upsilon Executive Council
Toasts:
Come, All, to Psi Upsilon, honored for aye, / May her glory still spread like the dawning of day.
Welcome Brothers, old and young, Welcome every loyal son.
There’s one spot above all others, Unto hallowed memories dear.
Bond fraternal, bond eternal, Linking in one; Holier union than chilvalric circle, All thy sons, Psi Upsilon.
Come all ye jolly sons of earth, Who have your laurels won, Come cast your trophies at the feet, Of our loved Psi Upsilon.
ABOUT OUR FOUNDERS: Dr. Charles Washington Harvey Theta 1837
(Union
College)
By Christopher Lawrence Tang ESQ, Gamma Tau ‘01 (GeorgiaTech)
In 1958 the greater Niagara alumni association of Psi Upsilon alumni formed a task force to investigate a matter of debate among the membership. Some members had located the grave of one “Charles Washington Harvey” in the Forest Lake Cemetery in Albany New York. The birth date in 1910 corresponded to their records but his epitaph gave no indication that this was one of the seven founders.
Charles Washington Harvey arrived on this Earth and spent his early years in Albany, New York, alongside many of his kin. His secondary education commenced at the Albany Academy and subsequently he enrolled in Lafayette college. At the time, Lafayette’s structure modelled a “Manual School” where students paid tuition via farm work and other labor. While at this institution, Harvey founded the Franklin Literary Society. This association would persist more than a century at the college showing his penchant for leadership and enduring associations.
company and bonds out of “self-defense.” Soon Harvey made acquaintance with fellows later known as our own founders forming fast friendships with all of them. The first meeting in which the formation of a new society occurred in Harvey’s own rooms and years later fellow founders such as Rev. Goodale and Edward Martindale credited him as one of the tireless organizers among them, excepting that the others carried their own weight. Harvey’s specifically known contributions include the design of our brother’s badge still worn and unchanged to this day. While academically successful, the Psi Upsilon brothers received resistance from the Phi Beta Kappa society on whether to accept their membership to their rank but thanks to the Dean Phi Beta Kappa elected Harvey to their number.
“Though absent in body, yet present in spirit, allow two survivors of the banquet of ‘34 to look in and congratulate all members of the banquet of 1884. Be happy”.
-Telegram to the 50th Psi Upsilon Convention, co-signed with George Washington Tuttle, Theta ‘36
Harvey transferred to Union college in 1832 and bore the label of freshman at the age of 22 alongside his future brother George Washington Tuttle, Theta 1837, aged 17 years. Like his fellow founders, Harvey joined the Delphian society, a prominent organization on campus, but soon found the Delphians wanting. He recalled attending a “political” speech by one of the Delphians whom he later described as exemplifying the Delphian tendency of the “Southern aristocrat” and credits that moment with inspiration to seek out new
Dr. C. W. HARVEY, of this city, says:
“While there I saw at least apparent cures of very severe cases of scrofula, skin disease, small cancers, and tumors of the face and skin, cataracts, and general debility.” Ad from the Buffalo Express, July 23 1869
Despite his academic success, Harvey bears the legacy of the only founder lacking a degree from Union college. After two years at Union college, Harvey returned to Albany in 1835, where he studied medicine with Dr. Jonathan Eights in a tutorship similar to modern medical residency. In 1836, Harvey moved to Buffalo, New York and shortly before graduating from Buffalo Medical college in 1837 and subsequently becoming Dr. Charles Washington Harvey. Dr. Harvey married, raised two children, and called Buffalo his home for the rest of his days.
During the next 40 years, Dr. Harvey practiced medicine and dentistry in the city of Buffalo. In 1847 the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery granted him an honorary doctorate in Dental Surgery. Harvey led within his professional community as an active member of the Erie County Medical Association, New York State Dental Society, the American Medical Association, and the Buffalo New York President of Buffalo Medical Association of which he served as president during 1852. Harvey’s collegiate association with the arts continued through life with recognition in 1866 when he received an honorary Masters of the Arts from his brief alma mater Lafayette college. After a long career as a leading light of the Buffalo medical community, Dr. Harvey retired from public life in 1872. His
reputation endured such that an account of him in 1877 described him as, “a man of firmness of character, enjoying the confidence and respect of all who know him. He is both confiding and generous. One of the effective attributes of his popularity is the purity of his character. It is this which has given him the esteem of all men and the unbounded confidence of his patients.”
Throughout his life, Brother Harvey’s commitment to Psi Upsilon held firm. Following the death of fellow founder Robert Barnard, a push was made to document our founders and Harvey provided the portrait that still graces our college tablet. In 1878 Harvey transmitted his account of the founding of our Society to The Diamond. At the Convention of 1883 celebrating our semi-centennial he attended alongside several other founders and his son Leon Ferdinand Harvey.
Brother Charles Washington Harvey departed this world on October 15, 1886 at his home in Buffalo, New York. His family interred his remains alongside other members of the Harvey family at Forest Hills Cemetery in Albany New York with final rites performed in the Presbyterian tradition.
On a cold October 25, 1964, a handful of brothers gathered in Forest Hills Cemetery to dedicate a new memorial to this founder of our fraternity.
Attendance included John F. Bush, Jr., Upsilon 1922 (Rochester) of the Executive Council who spoke afterwards to the assembly on strengthening our ties to past and in our alumni association strengthened the fraternity as a whole.
Footnotes and References:
1. The Diamond, Winter 1964, https://psiu.org/wp-content/ uploads/2023/06/Diamond-of-Psi-Upsilon-1964-3.-Vol050-Num4-Sum.pdf
2. Comley’s History of New York (1877) by W.J. Comley https://lccn.loc.gov/0301179`
3. Union College Alumni Archive https://arches.union.edu/do/8587/iiif/b89de86a-04d1-40ef-99b1-f741b6246d4a/ full/full/0/UCSLaf1837harvey_c_.pdf
4. Annals of Psi Upsilon https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Annals-of-Psi-Upsilon-Pt-11-The-Reprints. pdf
5. Annals of Psi Upsilon Past and Present https://psiu.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Annals-of-Psi-UpsilonPt-10-Past-Present-and-Future.pdf
Charles Washington Harvey CHRONOLOGY
Born: March 17, 1810 - born in Albany, NY
Died: October 15, 1886 (Aged 76) dies at home in Buffalo, NY
1812 | March 17, 1810 - born in Albany, NY
Early Education at Albany Academy
1832 | Lafayette College; organized Franklin Literary Society
1833 | Enrolled at Union College; Co-founds Psi Upsilon
1835 | Studies medicine under Dr. Jonathan Eights in Albany, NY
1836 | Moves to Buffalo, NY; Graduates from Buffalo Medical College; Opens medical practice
1847 | Baltimore College of Dental surgery grants honorary degree 1852 | Serves one year as president of Buffalo Medical and Surgical Association
1855 | Provides photo to Psi Upsilon still used in college tablet 1866 | Lafayette grants honorary Master of Arts 1872 | Retires from public life
1878 | Contributes personal recollection on the history of fraternity founding to the Diamond
1883 | Attends Psi U Convention and Semi-Centennial 1884 | Cosigned a telegram with Hadley “Though absent in body, yet present in spirit, allow two survivors of the banquet of ‘34 to look in and congratulate all members of the banquet of ‘84. Be happy”
October 15, 1886 | Dies at home in Buffalo, NY; Buried at family plot in Forest Lawn Cemetery at Buffalo, NY
1887 | Psi U Convention publishes memorial October 25, 1963 | Niagara plaque and dedication ceremony
SCAN TO READ DR. HARVEY’S 1878
Contribution to the Diamond (pg3)
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CONVENTION & THE PI
Tradition Spanning Centuries
By Jonathan M. Chaffin, Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia Tech)
Since the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the Pi Chapter at Syracuse University in 1875, the chapter has hosted the Psi Upsilon Convention every quarter century, and we will be returning this summer from July 25th to 28th. With no concise way to sun up the joy of conventions spanning a century, here are a few treasures from the archives and snapshots of the business conducted. You can learn more about this year’s Convention at: Psiu.org/181st-convention/ • Full Convention records available at Psiu.org/Archives
Pi Chapter Founded 1875
49th Convention
Wednesday & Thursday
May 10, 11, 1882
The Grand Opera House
67th Convention
Thursday & Friday May 10, 11, 1900
• 25th Anniversary of the Pi
The Sixty-seventh Annual Convention of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity thanked Chancellor James R. Day, D. D., LL.D., of Syracuse University, for placing Crouse Memorial Hall at the disposal of the Convention for its public literary exercises and thanked Bros. Timothy L. Woodruff, Beta 1879 (Yale), and Arthur Copeland, Theta Theta 1884 (U. of Washington) for their instructive and entertaining literary exercises. The total active membership of the Fraternity on February 1, 1900, was 511. A resolution to adopt funds for a quarterly newsletter failed, and the 11th general catalogue of members went to press. All dies for badges, emblems, and insignia must be approved by the EC and only purchased from an approved jeweler.
82nd Convention
May 7, 8, & 9, 1925, The Hotel Syracuse • 50th Anniversary
• In 1926 the chapter had 22 actives and 22 pledges
• Thursday, May 7, 1925 The Convention was called to order at 2:00 P. M. in the Chapter House by Brother Earl D. Babst, as delegate from the Executive Council.
• The Convention respectfully submitted to the Convention the fifth petition of the Wranglers of Northwestern University, and also submitted, for the first time, a petition from the Epsilon Phi fraternity of McGill University.
107th Convention June 22-24, 1950, The Hotel Syracuse
• 75th Anniversary
• Not less than 300 members of the Fraternity were present at one time or another, making this the largest Convention since the Centennial in 1933.
• The first night of convention the one hundred and fifty who were present consumed the following: 100 pounds of roast beef, 80 pounds of turkey, 50 pounds of ham, 20 pounds of tongue and 20 pounds of cheese, with voluminous trimmings.
• Albert C. Jacobs, Phi ‘21, Chancellor of the University of Denver, presided as Toastmaster over the Convention Banquet, held at the Hotel Syracuse on Friday night. The Invocation, given by the Rt. Reverend William P. Remington, Tau ‘00, Suffragan Bishop of Pennsylvania, was followed by the singing of the National Anthem and God Save the King. The Honorable Clifford H. Searl, Pi ‘05, Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, who acted as Toastmaster at the 1925 Convention, delivered an address commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Pi Chapter.
132nd Convention
Aug 1975, The Hotel Syracuse
• 100th Anniversary
Below: Photographed at the 132nd Convention Banquet: (foreground) George W. Fowler, Pi ‘04, the oldest living alumnus of the host chapter, greeting the Honorable John T. Calkins, Pi ‘49, Deputy to the Counsellor to the President of the United States, who was the Banquet Speaker; (background) David B. Salmon, Pi ‘37, President of the Pi alumni organization, and Thomas H. Dyer, Pi ‘34, Toastmaster for the occasion.
(Photo by Donald G. Piper, Pi ‘57)
157th Convention June 23-26, 2000, The Hotel Syracuse
• 125th Anniversary
Above: 29 Actives. The 1951 “Onondagan” yearbook (not shown) mentions that the year finds all the brothers in constant touch with their local draft boards Right: The 1950 “Onondagan” yearbook gives a glimpse into the chapter life of the day and alludes to “The annual 7-Power Conference of New York State Chapters of Psi Upsilon” a tradition that needs further research.
Diamond of Psi Upsilon, 1975 1. Vol061 Num2 Win The Syracuse University Record - August 7, 1975
From The 1975 Diamond Chapter report: The Pi began its second hundred years of existence in August, when we hosted the 132nd Convention. Extensive repairs to the House during the summer months added to the excitement that increased among the Pi brothers as the Convention date approached. Approximately two hundred and fifty brothers, from as far away as British Columbia, attended the festivities, which included singing on the porch led by Brothers Robert W. Morey, Pi 1920 and John K. Menzies, Pi 1941, the wit of Brother Richard A. Horstmann, Pi 1957, the banquet at the Hotel Syracuse, the warmth and hospitality of Brother Edward C. Hughes, Pi 1922 and his family, and countless committee meetings. Special thanks go to William G. Kennedy, Pi 1930, the General Chairman, who coordinated the entire program; Gary P. Brown, Pi 1967, who contributed time and his treasurer know-how to making the Convention a financial success; Walter J. Cestoni, Pi 1975, the undergraduate chairman; Henry B. Poor, Gamma 1939 (Amherst); and the Pi undergraduate brothers who came back to school early to prepare for the memorable event.
• 25 brothers received scholarship grants
• 1833 Club established
• The 2000 Leadership Institute began on Friday
• During new business President Richard A. Rasmussen, Upsilon 1972 (Rochester) presented Psi U’s newest chapter, the Alpha Omicron Chapter at New Jersey Institute of Technology, with their own gavel.
The “Hotel Syracuse” refers to the historic Marriott Syracuse Downtown, a fully restored hotel which opened in 1924 and is located at 100 E. Onondaga St., Syracuse, New York.
Left: Crouse Memorial College and historically as John Crouse Memorial College
Women, is a building on the Syracuse University campus. It was funded by John R. Crouse, a
Much of the work of William Binney was in support of other naturalists and the study as a whole.
a database preserving taxonomy in much the same way Brother Binney did, shows more than 60 species named after the Binney family.
References
• Wikipedia contributors, “William G. Binney,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia. org/w/index.php?title=William_G._Binney&oldid=1250277819 (accessed February 28, 2025).
• Binney, William G. 1859. The Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States. Vol. 4. Boston MA: The Boston Journal of Natural History.
WILLIAM GREENE BINNEY
Alpha 1854 (Harvard)
By
Heather
A. Burns Edmisten, Gamma Tau ‘02 (Georgia Tech)
William Greene Binney, Alpha 1854 (Harvard), was a naturalist, scientific illustrator, author and malacologist (a studier of mollusks). Brother Binney was a stalwart link in the chain of early scientific progress in North American Natural History. He collected, described and taxonomically classified novel land and freshwater snails. Additionally, he assembled the works of other naturalists, building upon the scientific record and making it accessible to others.
William G. Binney was born in 1833, the third son of Dr. Amos Binney, a founder of the Boston Society of Natural History. William began his studies at Harvard in 1851, where he joined the Alpha chapter of Psi Upsilon. Ill health delayed the completion of his Bachelor of the Arts until 1857. Harvard awarded him an honorary Master of the Arts in 1884.
Malacology was an interest passed down from father to son. Dr. Amos Binney also suffered ill health in his youth and spent his time studying fossils, minerals and shells. Amos’ passion for science continued as an adult, helping to found the Boston Society of Natural History. He spent a dozen years working on “The Terrestrial Air-breathing Mollusks of the United States” attempting to make a treatise on the whole of the subject.
After Amos died in 1847, three volumes were published posthumously, edited by Augustus A. Gould, himself an eminent conchologist. Beginning in 1859, William G. Binney updated his father’s work with Volumes 4 & 5, including newly described species, new engraved plates and his own scientific illustrations of lingual dentitions. These examinations of lingual dentitions, or a snail’s internal teeth, required techniques such as dissolving the flesh and placing the minute teeth under a microscope. Over his lifetime William Binney published more than 90 works, with the Smithsonian Institute, the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, the State of Massachusetts and Harvard’s Museum of Comparative Zoology.
Much of the work of William Binney was in support of other naturalists and the study as a whole. He compiled the conchology works of Thomas Say, a prominent Philadelphia natural history professor. He collaborated on many of his works with Thomas Bland, a British naturalist with a focus on Caribbean mollusks. In a paper to the Journal of the Portland Society of Natural History, Zoologist Edward S. Morse thanked Binney for his “great assistance” in providing references for his work. Morse named one of the newly described species, Hyalina binneyana, after Binney - it is now known as Perpolita binneyana. A search of MolluscaBase.org,
In addition to his many writings, modern science has been able to observe the impact of William Binney via a species of British snail he introduced to his home garden in Burlington, New Jersey. Binney and later naturalists describe the expansion of the snail colony from one garden to the entire town, but no farther. Writing for the Journal of Conchology in 2015, authors Aydin Örstan and Robert A. D. Cameron searched for Cepaea nemoralis in Burlington based on historic maps. They were able to find a small number of live snails and shells 157 years after Binney brought them into the area.
William Greene Binney passed away in 1909 and is interred in his family lot at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Boston.
Brother Binney’s legacy is one of dedication to the advancement of science through collaboration and fellowship. Psi Upsilon can be proud to count him among our distinguished brotherhood.
• Binney, William G. 1878. The Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States. Vol. 5. Cambridge MA: Harvard College Museum of Comparative Zoology.
• Binney, Amos. 1851. The Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States. Vol. 1. Boston MA: C. C. Little and J. Brown.
• “W. G. Binney obituary” (PDF). The New York Times. 4 August 1909. p. 7.
• Ronald Scott Vasile. 2018. William Stimpson and the Golden Age of American Natural History. DeKalb, IL: Northern Illinois University Press. https://research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=189fa623-1b853473-8c76-eef48d051c68.
• “Thomas Bland.” Science 6, no. 145 (1885): 440–440. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1760951. Portland Society of Natural History (Me.). 1864. Journal of the Portland Society of Natural History. Vol. 1. Portland: The Society. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16070838.
• Örstan, Aydin & Cameron, Robert. (2015). Cepaea nemoralis in Burlington, New Jersey, USA: Its possible origin and state 157 years after its introduction. Journal of Conchology. 42. MolluscaBase eds. (2025). MolluscaBase. Accessed at https://www.molluscabase.org on 2025-02-28. doi:10.14284/448
• Gray, Arthur F., “William Greene Binney,” The Nautilus, Vol XLV No. 2 (1931) 37-41, https://archive.org/ details/biostor-131133/mode/2up
• Gray, Arthur F., “Bibliography of William Greene Binney,” The Nautilus, Vol 50 No. 3 (1937) 98-101 135140, • https://archive.org/details/biostor-131319/mode/2up •
• https://archive.org/details/biostor-131308/ mode/2up
• Johnson, Henry C., ed. 1888. The Tenth General Catalogue of the Psi Upsilon Fraternity. Bethlehem PA: The Comenius Press.
Opposite Illustration: Engraved plate LXXV from Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States by W. G. Binney Vol 4 p 225. Depicts shells, animals and operculum of mollusk from the genera of Truncatella, Auricula, Helicina, Melampus, Chrondropoma, Carychium, Alexia and Leuconia.
Illustrations below: Left- Engraved plate VIII from Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States by W. G. Binney Vol 5, p 215. Depicts lingual dentition (teeth) found inside various species of snails. Illustrated and engraved by W. G. Binney; Middle- Engraved plate III from Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States by W. G. Binney Vol 5 p 29. Depicts animal and shells of Helix multilineata whose description is attributed to Thomas Say; Right- Engraved plate LVI from Terrestrial Air-Breathing Mollusks of the United States Vol 5 by W. G. Binney p 153. Four shells showing variations in Bulimus fasciatus.
A search of MolluscaBase.org, a database preserving taxonomy in much the same way Brother Binney did, shows more than 60 species named after the Binney family.
SHOWCASING THE WORLD
The First Editor of National Geographic Magazine
DR. GILBERT HOVEY GROSVENOR, Gamma 1897 (Amherst)
By Misi Coliadis, Theta Pi‘13 (Georgia State University)
Dr. Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor (Gamma 1897) lived from October 28, 1875 to February 4, 1966. He was born in Istanbul, Turkey to Lilian Waters and Professor Edwin Augustus Grosvenor. His father was a professor of French, European History, Modern governments and International Law. Gilbert became an honor student, attending Worcester Academy in his early years and the highly selective Robert College for high school. The Grosvenor family immigrated to the United States when he was 15. He attended Amherst College and graduated magna cum laude in 1897.
While at Amherst, Grosvenor and his twin brother Edwin (Gamma ‘97) excelled as a tennis doubles team. The Grosvenor brothers were second cousins to U.S. President and U.S. Supreme Court Justice William Howard Taft, who was also a Psi Upsilon (Beta 1878). Brother Gilbert married Elsie May Bell, daughter of Alexander Graham, and went on to have seven children with her. He received his A.M. in 1901 and Litt.D. in 1926 from Amherst, and was bestowed LL.D.’s from both Georgetown University in 1921, and William and Mary in 1930. In 1935, the South Dakota State School of Mines made him a
of Science. He was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Xi.
Brother Grosvenor was hired as the first full-time editor of the National Geographic magazine by his not yet father-inlaw, Alexander Graham Bell, who was the president of the National Geographic Society at the time. Grosvenor held this role between 1899 and 1954, and was President of the National Geographic Society himself from 1920 to 1954. During his tenure, he assisted in the Society’s rise to one of the world’s most renowned science and geography learning organizations.
The magazine chronicled ambitious natural and cultural explorations around the world during a time when international travel was not yet widespread. As editor, Grosvenor advocated policies of neutrality and positive, upbeat journalism through two world wars, the Great Depression, and the beginning of the Cold War. This style was seen as groundbreaking in the early 1900s.
Brother Grosvenor was an expert photographer who pioneered the use of natural color photographs as magazine illustrations, and personally directed the production of the famously legible and accurate maps that can be found in National Geographic magazines. His favorite hobby was ornithology, which was an unknown subject to the general public until Grosvenor gave the topic so much coverage in National Geographic. It has been said that this launched millions of people into appreciating birds.
“Through words and pictures and through his own unswerving dedication, Gilbert Grosvenor opened the wonders of the world we live in to three generations of Americans. No mountain was too high, no sea too deep, no climate too forbidding for the teams of the National Geographic Society. If a great national power has an obligation to know and to understand the nature of the world around them, it can truly be said that Gilbert Grosvenor played a vital role in America’s coming of age.” -President Lyndon B. Johnson
While he was editor, the society membership grew from 900 to over
two million. Even in the time since his retirement, his articles have continued to educate readers on the value found in national parks and the need to protect additional land for future generations. Grosvenor was a man of deep kindness and consideration who was loved by members of his staff and family.
Grosvenor was an avid traveler. He was so affected by the majesty of the High Sierras and his experience on a hiking trip in 1915 that he provided funding to buy Giant Forest and add it to Sequoia National Park. Later that year, Grosvenor assembled a committee of several others to draft the Organic Act, which would create a National Park Service. He then produced a special issue of National Geographic entitled “The Land of the Best” to promote the importance of parks and encourage readers to support the idea of a national system. The committee ensured that every member of Congress had a copy. Their efforts were successful, and in 1916, legislation was finally passed that established the National Park Service.
“this kindly, mild-mannered but purposeful man, of frail but sprightly frame, who combined business acumen, intellectual curiosity, and a regard for tradition into a warm personality that radiated charm.”
and participated in expeditions sponsored by The Society to all parts of the world during his career. In recognition of this service, many natural features discovered or surveyed by these expeditions have been named after him. These include a mountain range, an island, a fish, a shell, a glacier, a natural bridge, a street, a lake, and a Chinese plant. The Grosvenor name can be found in Antarctica, Peru, China, Alaska, and Utah.
A dedicated conservationist of his day, Grosvenor was later involved in protecting the Katmai volcanic crater and Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes from mining exploitation and helped to establish Katmai National Monument in 1918. He was also a founder of the Cruising Club of America in 1922 to promote and stimulate interest in seamanship, navigation and handling small vessels, and to share information among members about safely navigating obscure waters.
Grosvenor actively planned, prepared,
In 1945, Grosvenor retired from editing the magazine and his role as president of the National Geographic Society to become chairman of the Society’s board of trustees. In May of 1949, a dinner in Brother Grosvenor’s honor was given by the Trustees of The National Geographic Society. It was attended by members of the National Geographic staff and by a few personal friends. There, five beautifully bound portfolios were presented, each filled with letters of esteem from President Truman, Governors of the 48 States, geographic societies the world over, explorers, scientists, educators, personal friends, and members of the Society. He was also presented with the Grosvenor Medal which bore the inscription: “First awarded to Gilbert Grosvenor for outstanding service to geography as Editor of the National Geographic Magazine. 1899-1949.” He also received the national level Pugsley Medal in 1956, “in recognition of his matchless contributions to the nation’s knowledge and appreciation of its natural legacy, and his tireless lifetime endeavor that enriched beyond measure the nation’s scenic heritage.” Numerous other institutions honored him with advanced degrees and many countries with medals and awards.
Doctor
Hovey at work at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. (1914), Photograph by Leet Brothers, National Geographic Creative
- New York Herald Tribune
Elsie and Gilbert holding their son, Melville, Library of Congress
Grosvenor traveled in California with Stephen Mather and helped write the act that created the National Parks.
FRED G. FOLSOM,
Zeta 1895 (Dartmouth)
GRIDIRON TO COURT & CLASSROOM
By
Fred Gorham Folsom, Zeta 1895 (Dartmouth), stands as a singular figure in early twentieth century American history—a man whose career spanned the rigorous fields of collegiate athletics and legal education. His life, marked by a blend of competitive spirit, scholarly dedication, and public service, reflects a transformative era in which American higher education and sports were undergoing significant evolution. Folsom’s journey took him from humble beginnings in Maine to Dartmouth, and then to a lasting imprint on both the University of Colorado’s athletic legacy and its academic stature, illuminating the multifaceted contributions of a man who bridged the worlds of physical competition and legal scholarship.
Born in Old Town, Maine, on November 9, 1873, Fred Folsom was raised in an environment that prized education and civic duty. his father, Franklin W. Folsom was a pharmaceutical wholesaler and part-time state legislator. His mother, Lillian A. Folsom nee’ Hopkins was a teacher at the Indian School on Indian Island in the Penobscot River. They imbued in him the values of hard work and intellectual commitment.
Folsom worked his way through Dartmouth College by playing summer baseball on resort hotel teams in the Adirondacks and the White
(1993). Folsom also coached CU’s baseball team over the 1898-99 seasons, his squads going 6-6.
To fully appreciate Folsom’s contributions, it is essential to situate his work within the broader historical context of early twentieth-century America. This was a period of rapid transformation in both higher education and American sports. The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries witnessed a surge in the popularity of college football, a sport that quickly evolved from a loosely organized pastime into a structured, strategic competition. In this milieu, Folsom’s coaching innovations and his ability to leverage sports as a vehicle for institutional pride and unity were particularly significant.
FUN FACT:
tenure was distinguished by his role in founding the Moot Court program—a pioneering initiative that provided students with a simulated courtroom experience, thereby bridging theoretical legal studies with practical, experiential learning
Folsom was accepted to the University of Michigan (Home of the Phi Chapter!), where he planned on enrolling in law school: University of Colorado offered him the ability to coach their football team, and Fred headed west!
The outbreak of World War I introduced another chapter in Folsom’s multifaceted career. He registered for military service in 1919, serving as a Major and Judge Advocate for the 40th Division of the American Expeditionary Forces in France. Following the war, Folsom resumed his academic responsibilities with renewed vigor, seamlessly integrating his military-honed skills into his role as an educator and administrator. Folsom was Acting Dean for a year after Dean Fleming’s death and held the Charles Inglis Thomson Professorship until his retirement in 1942.
Mountains. Folsom acted as both player and coach; considered the finest end to play at Dartmouth to that point, he led the Big Green to two straight league championships. In many photos, Folsom wore a signature “D” lapel pin, honoring his alma mater from which he graduated in 1895.
In 1895, at the age of 21, Folsom accepted the head coaching position at the University of Colorado—a turning point that not only launched a storied coaching career but also set the stage for the emergence of Colorado as a regional football power. Over three separate coaching tenures, his teams amassed an impressive record, winning numerous championships and outscoring opponents by wide margins. His innovative approach to the game—marked by a constant refinement of strategies and a disciplined, yet humor-tinged coaching style—earned him a reputation as both a stern disciplinarian and a creative tactician.
Folsom coached CU for 15 seasons (still a school record), compiling a 77-23-2 record in three different stints as head coach (1895-99, 1901-02, 1908-15), winning nine conference championships in outscoring opponents by 1,813 - 555 … his 77 wins stood as the most in school history for 78 years, until Bill McCartney surpassed the total in his next to last season
As a player, and early in his coaching career, football was characterized by “mass play”. Those were the days of the “flying wedge,” and a general style of play that depended upon rugged weight, strength and “sheer grit.” During his years as a coach at Dartmouth football became more “open”, a game of speed, skill and technique, and it was between the 1905 and 1906 seasons that the forward pass became a prominent feature of offensive play. After an illustrious period in athletics, he turned his focus to the study and practice of law. Enrolling in the University of Colorado Law School, he earned his degree in 1905—a milestone that underscored his commitment to academic excellence. The decision to pursue law was not merely an academic diversion; it was a strategic pivot that allowed him to integrate his passion for mentorship and leadership into the legal realm.
In addition to his accomplishments as head football coach, Folsom taught at the law school from 1906 - 1942. He gave up coaching to teach full time after the 1915 season. As a law professor he not only imparted legal knowledge but also instilled the values of critical thinking and discipline in his students. His
SPORTS CAREER TIMELINE
•Folsom played football at Dartmouth from 1892 to 1894.
For a time, he even served as Acting Dean of the University’s law school—a position that underscored the respect he commanded among his peers and the broader academic community.
Folsom’s influence on the University of Colorado extended far beyond the classroom and the football field.
As the university’s legal counsel, he was instrumental in orchestrating major
(Cont. on pg. 14)
•Folsom became Colorado’s head coach before the second game of the 1895 season. The team had no head coach in the season opener, a 42–0 victory over Denver Manual High School. 404 447 9801
•Served as the head football coach at the University of Colorado Boulder (1895–1899 & 1901–1902)
• Head baseball coach at Colorado in 1898 and 1899, tallying a mark of 6–6.
•Returned to Dartmouth as a coach (1903–1906)
•Retuned to U of C Boulder from 1908–1915), compiling a career college football record of 106–28–6.
Fred Folsom, 1908 Dartmouth “Aegis”
Jonathan Chaffin, Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia Tech)
Photos courtesy Bob Dorigo Jones, Epsilon Nu ‘85 (Michigan State University)
The bust of Folsom outside of the Folsom Field stadium was commissioned by his son, Fred Folsom Jr., and created by Folsom’s grandson, Fred Folsom III. Folsom was inducted into the CU athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.
Pictures of the statue & field courtesy of Bob Dorigo Jones, Epsilon Nu ’85, whose son’s astrophysics office is located right inside Folsom Field.
pursuits and extracurricular activities were mutually reinforcing.
capital projects during challenging economic times. His efforts in establishing the financing for the original Memorial Building and the Colorado Stadium — which would later be renamed Folsom Field in his honor—are emblematic of his broader commitment to the institutional development of the university. These projects, executed even during the Great Depression, underscored his ability to mobilize resources and maintain fiscal stability in the face of adversity. Moreover, his role in the creation of the current dormitory system further cemented his legacy as an architect of the modern university campus, where academic
In an era when college sports were often viewed as ancillary to higher education, Folsom demonstrated that the principles of discipline, strategy, and innovation are as applicable to the classroom as they are to the football field. He insisted, for example, on making students stand for long periods to recite, as they would stand in court. Students will recounted stories of the times they stood holding notebooks so long they trembled with fatigue badly enough to make reading difficult. Practical training for time in court, but also a subtle nod to the rigor and discipline
FOLSOM & THE BUCKING STRAP
In addition to many other tactical refinements on the field, Fred Folsom invented the “bucking strap” for use in football training.
Throughout Folsom’s playing and coaching career, ball carriers running between the tackles were said to “buck” the line, and a misdirection play faking the buck and giving the ball to a back heading to the other side of the center was a crossbuck.1
In football, a bucking strap is an extra-long upper body strap that’s used for sled work and training. It’s also known as “the reins”. The harness area is padded. It helps train the muscles used to charge up and through the opposing line.
1. https://www.footballarchaeology.com/by Tim Brown
inherent in athletic training.
In October of 1941 Professor Folsom was awarded the gold Alumni Medal for “continued service and loyalty to the university.” He held the Charles Inglis Thomson Professorship until his retirement in 1942, and passed away on November 11, 1944 at the age of 71 in Proviso Township, Cook, Illinois, United States, at the age of 71, and was buried in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States. He had 2 daughters and 2 sons; his son, Fred G. Folsom Jr., also graduated from Colorado Law (’38) and had a distinguished career as an attorney for the Department of Justice. Fred G Folsom senior’s papers are on file at the University of Colorado.
ABOUT OUR TRADITIONS: Convention Songs
ALBERT G. HARTIGAN, PI 1947 (SYRACUSE)
By Jonathan M. Chaffin,
Tech)
For many years in the early days of our Fraternity, it was traditional for new Psi U songs to be debuted at Convention, frequently created and performed by brothers associated with, or in honor of, the host chapter. Since not everyone can compose a new song, frequently the melodies (or “airs”) of other, popular or traditional songs were used with newly created, Psi U-centering lyrics. One such song, still sung today, is “Brothers All”, lyrics created by Albert Hartigan, Pi ‘47, for the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Pi chapter and the 107th Convention.
The 1947 Syracuse yearbook, The Onagonian, says brother Hartigan was from Norwich* and active in radio, Psi Upsilon, Alpha Epsilon Rho, T&B, and intramurals.
The original music is a Welsh Folk lullaby, “Ar Hyd y nos”. Commonly also heard as “All Through The Night”, with Christmas themed lyrics.
SCAN TO LISTEN
Photos courtesy of Bob Dorigo Jones, Epsilon Nu ’85 (Michigan State University), pictured here with sons Bobby (middle) and Johnny (right). The mountains shown behind the stadium are the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, and what you can see in these pictures is known specifically as the Flatirons.
Gamma Tau ‘00 (Georgia
First Last Name
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
From
the Archivist...
Brothers.
Welcome to our fifth annual publication of Reflections — a milestone in Psi Upsilon’s ongoing effort to preserve and celebrate our rich history. Since our first edition of Reflections, the History and Archives Committee has cataloged our archives, moved our materials to appropriate storage and research space, and continued our important work in documenting and sharing notable moments from our 192year history. This annual publication allows us to highlight and share some of the stories that shape our collective history.
Each year, the committee dedicates at least one weekend to carefully classifying our archival materials and exploring themes relevant to Psi U today. In recent years, the archives have served us well in researching notable alumni and chapter histories, uncovering fascinating new details about the building and financing of chapter houses, and examining how past generations navigated the pressing issues of their day, as reflected in meeting minutes and convention records.
New online resources allow brothers writing for the archives to learn new details about their chapters. In the last few years the history committee has added dozens of composites to our digital archives...do you have one you can scan and submit? It may be missing!
The oral history project generated 100s of hours of stories from our brothers; we need help editing and presenting them!
Contact Jonathan@PsiU.org to join the work of the history and archives committee or join us in Indiana in June!
As always, I hope this edition of Reflections engages you and offers new insights into Psi U and our Fraternity’s impact. It is also my hope that it inspires you to preserve any Psi U-related artifacts you may have and to reach out to the International Office if you wish to contribute to our collection.
Yours in the Bonds,
Evan Terry Epsilon Phi ‘93
Email Jonathan@PsiU.org with questions about the archives
| NYC
Pint East, 6 p.m. 4.30 | The University Club of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA FishFund: Annual Venture Summit
5.30 | TBA (Tent. Littleton) Denver, CO Area Psi U Event
JUNE
Nomination period begins for 2024-25 Social Impact Fellowship cohort 6.5 | TBA (Tent. North Perimeter) Atlanta, GA Area Psi U Event
| Hotel Skyler, Syracuse, NY
Psi Upsilon Convention & Leadership Institute
