Recollections from the 25th Grand Chapter Conclave By CRAIG TILLINGHAST, Vermont ’59, and J. DONALD CAPRA, Vermont ’59
Capra
Tillinghast
We recently learned that the 52nd Grand Chapter Conclave will be held in Phoenix in August at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort. It brought back memories of attending the 25th Conclave, in 1957, some 53 years ago, at the Chase Hotel in St. Louis, where we, along with the late Jim Kadrey, ’58, represented the Vermont Chapter. And we were not alone. We joined 600 other SigEps to deal with some serious business and good fun with newly found Fraternity brothers. Our first impression was how well organized everything was under the direction of Grand President Paul B. Slater, Southern California ’30, and the highly capable staff. Also, we were told it was the first national Conclave where undergraduate leaders did so much to run the program. They even included a “date bureau”
for out-of-town brothers so they could have dates for the Grand Ball. Obviously, they had left nothing to chance. We were greeted by the mayor of St. Louis, who hoped we would have time to visit and explore his great city and mentioned numerous points of interest to see. I don’t recall if he included the public tours given by the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Company, but we are certain more than a few intrepid SigEps discovered it. On the serious side, laws were passed and recommendations approved, many committee meetings were held, awards and scholarships given. There was an installation of officers that included our District 1 Governor, Trueman “Sandy” Sanderson, WPI ’31, as Grand Senior Marshall. Sandy devoted much of his life to Sigma Phi Epsilon,
exemplified by his seven-hour drives to the outer limits of his district to visit Vermont Gamma. From the opening prayer by Grand Chaplain and Founder Thomas McCaul, Richmond 1903, to the gavel coming down three days later, the most divisive issue at the 1957 St. Louis Conclave was the hot topic of inclusiveness. Coming from New England, most of our region’s brothers were barely aware of the upheaval in much of the country concerning civil rights. Fifty years ago, the population of Northern New England (as it largely is today) was over 98 percent white. Thus while the SigEps in our region knew SigEp was not inclusive, it was not an issue that was foremost in most of our minds. Yet, at the 1957 Conclave, it was a major topic
of discussion, lobbying, spontaneous speeches from the floor, and numerous breakout sessions. By the end of that historic Conclave, SigEp took an initial vote to study the issue of member restrictions. That would lead to the complete removal of member restrictions based on race or religion in 1959. Today the Fraternity is thriving. Some 52nd Conclave delegates may not know of the historic decisions
taken in the late ’50s as the world was changing. We (personally) and we (as a Fraternity) had to change with it. Over 50 years later, confronting that reality in the spirit of brotherhood remains one of our most cherished memories of the Conclave. So to those coming to Phoenix this August, we hope your experience is equally rewarding. Specifics may fade, but the overall experience will be lasting.
Register at www.sigepconclave.com FRATERNIT Y REPORT
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