XiChapterHistory
Phillip A. Schoettlin
Xi Chapter Historian
February 2023
THEKAPPASIGMAFRATERNITY
May 29, 1890 - in Richmond, Virginia, it was heralded as a truly Southern day, the Fayetteville Daily Democrat stated. Monument Avenue was dedicated as a tribute to the history of that city and was news half way across the country. Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas don't have a Monument Avenue, per se: however, Arkansas Avenue - a street that has remained the same most of past 120 years - serves as the eastern boundary of the U of A campus
In 1990, when driving south on Arkansas Avenue, the University and Old Main were on the right side of the tree-lined street, and the fraternity houses of the Sigma Tau Gamma, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Kappa Tau, Farm House, Sigma Nu, and Pi Kappa Alpha fraternities were on the left. At the end of that street, where it runs into Dickson Street, a red brick castle stands watch over the southeast corner of the University of Arkansas as it has since 1931. The "Red Brick Castle," as it was called in the 1951 Razorback Annual, is the home of the Xi chapter of Kappa Sigma. More than twenty years later, most of the fraternities on Arkansas Avenue have closed, moved, or closed and reopened, with one exception. Xi chapter of Kappa Sigma remains – always constant.
Kappa Sigma is the oldest fraternity on the U of A campus and is its most storied chapter. Xi chapter has been an integral and leading part of college life in Fayetteville since May 29, 1890. From its inception, Xi chapter has produced leaders, scholars, and humanitarians.
The history of Xi Chapter began in Lexington, VA in 1874, when the Virginia Military Institute and Washington & Lee University met jointly to form chapters at both schools. Shortly after that beginning, Xi chapter at VMI closed and Mu chapter and W&L continued on independently of its sister chapter. The Mu chapter has continued and remains as one of Kappa Sigma’s oldest chapters.
At approximately the same time, a young Virginian began his matriculation at Emory & Henry College, where Omicron chapter was located, and he went on to study dentistry at Vanderbilt. Following his studies in Nashville, the young dentist made his way to Greenwood, Arkansas in 1888. In that same year, he moved 40 or so miles north to Fayetteville where he took over the practice of a retiring dentist.
Early fraternity and chapter historians believe that Stephen Alonzo Jackson, WGM, and Richardson had become friends during Richardson’s time in Emory, Virginia. Jackson was fond of the chapter in Emory, so it would make sense that Jackson and Richardson would know one another. While in Nashville, Richardson was active in Kappa chapter at Vanderbilt, which had been started by two Omicron men.
Dr. Charles Richardson was born at Rich Valley, Virginia on January 8, 1864 and was initiated into the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the Omicron Chapter at the Emory and Henry College in Emory, Virginia. He was initiated January 5, 1883. Richardson served the national fraternity as Worthy Grand Procurator from 1898 until 1906. In 1895, he and four students founded the Chi Omega Fraternity which is now the largest women’s sorority in the nation. Dr. Richardson never married; although he did court and propose to a Fayetteville woman, Maime Phillips, but her mother would not allow her to marry Dr. Richardson. She spent most of her life taking care of her mother and died a spinster
Xi chapter was originally founded at the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington, Virginia in January of 1874. One of its early initiates was Jefferson Davis, Jr. He was the son of the former United States Senator and President of the Confederacy. Mu chapter, founded in December of 1873, was and is located at the Washington and Lee University, also located at Lexington, Virginia. During the early days, fraternities had tough existence at some Universities. It is believed by Farr that Xi and Mu chapters worked together and, while having two charters, they worked and met together. At VMI, fraternities were first allowed and then banned. Xi chapter existed sub-rosa during its short time at that institution.
Dr. Charles Richardson, from a 1906 Caduceus
In its ten years at VMI, Xi initiated twenty-five men into the fraternity. Early minutes from old Xi are not extant, but Finis K. Farr, Kappa Sigma’s early Historian, thought Jefferson Davis, Jr. was the first initiate of Xi. Jeff, Jr. left VMI after only one year of school. He spent the end of his short life in Memphis, Tennessee nursing sick brothers who were stricken with yellow fever. Brother Davis ended up catching it himself and died on October 10, 1878. Jefferson Davis, Sr. was crushed over the loss of his only surviving son. In a letter to Stephen Alonzo Jackson, dated January 31, 1881, Jeff, Sr. wrote: “. . . I thank you for the honor you offer me of enrollment as an honorary member in your society. It is doubly dear to me as connecting me with those whom my son so affectionately regarded.”
Although Xi officially closed in 1884, it had been inactive for some time. The chapter roles were reopened to include Jefferson Davis, Sr. on the same chapter role as his son.
While many attempts were made to get Jefferson Davis, Sr. to a chapter meeting, his failing health did not allow him to ever attend one. For this reason, he is known as the only honorary member of the fraternity,
since he was never actually initiated. He died in 1889. One year later, Xi chapter was revived, rechartered, at Arkansas Industrial University.
In that time, over one century ago, five men, Dr. Charles Richardson, John C. Futrall, Carroll F. Armistead, William A. Crawford, and William S. Goodwin, petitioned the Supreme Executive Committee of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity for the purpose of obtaining a charter for a chapter at the Arkansas Industrial University. Founded in 1871, the University had 123 matriculates, 23 of those were women. At the time of petitioning, the fraternity required a College or University enrollment of 125 students before a charter would be granted. Also, there was an AIU policy which did not allow secret societies on the campus. For these reasons, Xi’s beginnings were very unstable and very risky, but Dr. Richardson had friends on the board of trustees who, in the spring of 1890, told him there was a possibility that the ban would be lifted and fraternities would soon be allowed.
Dr. Richardson picked some of the best and brightest of AIU’s students to found the chapter. The five men petitioned the SEC on April 29, 1890 and their charter was granted one month later. On May 29, 1890, Dr. Richardson initiated three of his founding members; and the other two were initiated one week later on June 6, 1890.
John Clinton Futrall, Carl Clinton Miller, and William Alfred Crawford were the first three initiated. William Shields Goodwin and George Bernard Pugh were the last of the Founders.
The chapter closed 1890 with five Founding initiates, Dr. Charles Richardson, and Jacob C. Purdy from Lake Providence, Louisiana. Purdy was initiated November 28, 1890. At that time, AIU met from March until December. The winter break was preferred because the students from the southern regions could have the summer in the mountains of the Ozarks. Also, the southern part of the state was a malaria region and the students were out of danger in Fayetteville.
A century later, it is evident Richardson did not simply choose his early initiates hastily. Of the five founders, John C. Futrall went on to serve as president of the University for over 26 years, William S. Goodwin (pictured here) served ten years in the U. S. House of Representatives, William A. Crawford worked many years in the school system in Little Rock, and George B. Pugh went on to Vanderbilt University to become a respected attorney and President of the Arkansas Bar Association
During the first decade of its existence, the fraternity expanded its membership to include many prominent citizens, among them were: George Vaughan (1891), became a prominent attorney, writer, and U of A professor of law; John E. Martineau (1894), became Governor of Arkansas and a Federal Judge; Xenophan O. Pindall (1896), became State Senator and Governor: Samuel B. Hill (1894) became a Congressman from the state of Washington and later a member of the United States Board of Tax Appeals; and Marcus
Lafayette Bell (1895), became Vice President and General Counsel for the Rock Island Railroad. Bell’s family included Governors of both Arkansas and Tennessee.
Xi also, in 1891, initiated a prominent Fayetteville minister, Rev. James J. Vaulx, to give the chapter some credibility. Vaulx was the Rector at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, located a few blocks east of the campus. Vaulx is a descendant of Edward I of England and is the great grandfather of United States Senator and 2008 Republican Presidential nominee John McCain.
The Kappa Sig’s met in numerous places around Fayetteville during the decade of the 1890’s. They met at Dr. Richardson’s dental office, his home, the Knights of Pitheous hall, and homes of Fayetteville alumni. Xi chapter did not rent their first chapter house until the Spring of 1900. Their first house was owned by Dr. Richardson and was located on West Center Street where the fire station now sits. Over the period of the next twenty years, the chapter resided in houses on Mt. Nord, on College Avenue, on Arkansas Avenue(with the family of Brother W. A. Askew), and various other locations – generally up and down Dickson Street
It was not until July 25, 1921 that the Xi chapter purchased their first house. It was the wood frame house at 711 W. Dickson Street that the Kappa Sigma could finally call their own. They purchased the house from W. A. & Allie Cornwell for the sum of $10,100 and Cornwell held the mortgage while the chapter, through her trustees, repaid that note Charles Richardson and Andrew C. Hamilton, Jr. had served on the search committee on behalf of the chapter. When the property was purchased, these two alumni and George Vaughan, were appointed or elected as trustees of the property on behalf of the chapter.
The chapter paid the note in full on December 10, 1923 and the note was released on December 11th by Cornwell. Eight years later, a larger house was needed and the front portion of the brick house which Xi chapter occupies today was built. The house, which had been held in trust, was deeded over to XiCorporation on September 9, 1931 by the two remaining trustees The first Xi Corporation President was George Vaughan (Xi, 1891). Other members included Andrew C. "Andy" Hamilton
Turn of the Century and the Richardson Club
At the turn of the 20th century, when Xi was renting its first chapter house, the state passed an anti-fraternity law which stated that anyone being a member of a secret organization would be expelled for a period of one year. All students had to sign an oath stating that they were not members of such organizations. The University faculty, although sympathetic with the students, were forced to see that the students complied with this rule.
During this period, the fraternity existed as the Richardson Club. Since they were occupying a house that Dr. Richardson owned, they were reasonably safe. Dr. Richardson, now the WGP, thought it necessary to remove their charter, so he suspended it for a period of six months. During this time, the chapter operated as the Richardson Club and did not initiate any new members. In June of 1902, after a six-month suspension, Dr. Richardson returned the charter to the chapter
and they were allowed to initiate their pledges. The chapter would be known as the Richardson club until 1903. The faculty eased their enforcement of the anti-fraternity law, but the fraternities were not listed in the annual from 1904 until 1909. The anti-fraternity laws were not repealed until 1929.
Though the fraternity had a precarious existence, it was not without its outstanding accomplishments. Rhodes Scholars Neil Carothers (1903) and Grover C. Morris (1905) and businessman Thomas J. Williams (1910) produced excellence similar to earlier Xi initiates. Carothers was the first Rhodes Scholar from the University of Arkansas and the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. Williams was named in 1954 the Kappa Sigma International Man-of-the-Year for his business success and his philanthropic endeavors to establish cultural and scientific exchanges between his adopted country of Argentina and other countries. His love for the fraternity was never in question. After his death in 1966 from a spider bite he suffered traveling to the Grand Conclave the previous year, Williams left a large gift to the national fraternity and in 1969 one of the Scholarship/leadership awards was named in his honor.
In 1914, John C. Futrall was appointed President of the University of Arkansas. During his tenure, the University grew from a small, regional institution to a large, well respected institution. In his history, University of Arkansas 1871-1948, Harrison Hale described Futrall in this way: No other man has done so much over so long a period to make the University the institution it is today. Referring to Thomas Jefferson, someone has said that the University is the lengthened shadow of the man. If a similar remark were made of the University of Arkansas that man would undoubtedly be John C. Futrall.
Under Futrall the institution entered upon a period of broadening viewpoint, using the work of many who had gone before as a sure foundation.
In 1907, shortly after Gov. John Sebastian Little was institutionalized, Xenophan O. Pindall served as acting Governor for most of the rest of Little’s term. During Pindall’s time in the Governor’s office, the Ozark National Forest was created. Shortly after Pindall left office, Xi founder William S. Goodwin was elected to his first of five terms (1911-21) as a United States Congressman from Arkansas. While Founder Goodwin was serving in Congress, his son, Shield’s M. Goodwin attended the University of Virginia where he was Grand Master of Zeta Chapter.
Goodwin’s term as congressman was followed closely by that of Sam B. Hill. Hill served in Congress from September of 1923 until his resignation in 1936 to become a member of the United States Board of Tax Appeals. He served as a judge on the court until his retirement November 30, 1953.
Claris G. “Crip” Hall made a lasting impression on the University of Arkansas. In 1922, Crip, a member of the fraternity who was active in campus activities was responsible for creating the annual event of Homecoming for the University. Today, the outstanding senior performer during g the Homecoming game receives the "Crip Hall" award. He later served as Arkansas' Secretary of State for twenty-five years. Crip is pictured here while serving as Secretary of State.
With the purchase of the chapter house, Xi established itself as a permanent part of the University community. This began a new period of growth for Xi chapter. December 22, 1924 ended an era not only for Xi chapter and Kappa Sigma, but also for the town of Fayetteville. In Fayetteville, Richardson was known as a respected dentist, bank executive, newspaper editor, and the founder of the Chi Omega
Fraternity. To Kappa Sigma, he was a Past Worthy Grand Procurator (1898-1906), an office he held longer than any other Kappa Sigma.
And to Xi chapter, as Past Worthy Grand Master and early fraternity Historian Finis K. Farr wrote in his history of Kappa Sigma:
From the founding of Xi chapter at Arkansas until the day of his death, he was the chapter’s best advisor, whether official or unofficial. It was through his advice and aid that the chapter was able to come unharmed out of a period of eclipse due to anti-fraternity laws. His name has been written on many pages of this history and indelibly on the hearts of many brothers: That of a man who was gentle yet bold, kindly yet firm, never unmindful of the letter and the spirit of his Kappa Sigma obligation.
By 1925, Xi chapter had initiated 350 men. Among them was Joe T. Robinson, Jr., the namesake of the great senator (Majority Leader) and then future vice-presidential candidate. With men like Robinson, Xi chapter members represented many prominent Arkansas families. Some of these prominent families included families of former Governor and U.S. Senator James H. Berry (sons Elliott and Frederick), former Governor Powell Clayton (sons Powell Clayton and John M. Clayton), and Judge Isaac Parker (grandson Isaac Parker).
In January of 1927, nineteen men were initiated at Xi chapter. One of these men was Hal Douglas. Hal was voted most valuable student when he graduated in 1932. Hal, his brothers Dan and Doke Sr., his nephew Doke Jr., and two great nephews Brien and Joe are all Xi initiates.
In an interview over sixty years after his initiation, Douglas described life on campus and at the Kappa Sigma House. The old house had three big rooms and a back porch with bunk beds on it. “You were close, but nobody gave a damn,” Douglas said. “It was true brotherhood.”
For men like Douglas and Razorback football captain, Herman Boozman, and others, brotherhood was never in question. Douglas remembered that after he broke his ankle playing football one Fall afternoon, he was unable to get to class easily. However, brother Boozman proceeded to carry Hal on his back to campus and up and down the three flights of stairs at Old Main every day so Hal would be able to go to class. This piggy-backing lasted for approximately half a school year.
In the summer of 1927, after a year of making great strides with the University and the national fraternity, the chapter, unknowingly, broke a University rule which caused their suspension from the University.
The chapter erected a sign in the front yard naming it Boozman’s Boarding House, a nickname it kept for many years. The chapter appealed their suspension to President Futrall and after it had been decided the rules were not totally clear on the point Kappa Sigma was convicted of, the suspension was lifted after one semester.
With the chapter’s growing size, they quickly outgrew the wooden house they occupied. It was decided a larger, more permanent structure, would be necessary if they were to sustain their recent growth. In the summer of 1931, a brick building, the building which stands there today, was built. The house was dedicated at Homecoming in 1931.
John C. Futrall marked his 25th year as University President in 1939. Working with Futrall on the Board of Trustees were two Xi initiates, Hal Douglas and Jay Dickey. In a school year which was to mark such a major event in the chapter history, its 50th anniversary, tragedy was what the year would be remembered for.
While returning from the University Medical School in Little Rock, September 12, 1939, only days before the school year was to begin, Dr. Futrall was killed in an automobile accident near Winslow. Like that of Dr. Richardson, Futrall’s death sent shock waves across the state. The Governor of Arkansas, Carl Bailey, canceled his schedule and traveled to Fayetteville when he found out about Futrall’s death.
The businesses in Fayetteville were closed during Futrall’s funeral and registration for class at the University was postponed. His successor was J William Fulbright, the brother-in-law of Board of Trustee member and Kappa Sigma member Hal Douglas. Hal was married to Fulbright’s sister and helped run Fulbright Enterprises. Hal had to step down from the Board of Trustees when his Brother-in-law was appointed President.
At the outbreak of World War II, Xi had been at a pinnacle on the University campus. Men like Louis Ramsay, Charles Massey, Bill Enfield, Fay Jones, Conner Limerick, and Cotton Jones helped lead the chapter into the war period with a full head of steam. After the war was over, the chapter moved into its greatest period of growth.
During World War II, initiation dates were skewed from regular years. Men would get their draft cards and promptly pack and leave. Many of the men were never initiated, so to keep this problem at a minimum, the chapter initiated pledges in shorter intervals.
After the war, men returned to the University in great numbers under the G.I. Bill. With this great influx of men, the University could not house all the people. All the fraternities took extra men, but Xi went above and beyond the call by building the annex onto the rear of the house.
Xi Chapter’s Memorial Annex was dedicated in memory of those who died in World War II on January 11, 1948. The December 1948 Caduceus lists thirteen new initiates and thirty-five pledges. By 1950, the chapter roll had swelled to over 225. The large pledge and initiate classes Xi experienced in this period won her nickname “FABULOUS XI”. That name has stuck to the chapter to this very day.
The year 1948 was a memorable year at 711 West Dickson for a different reason: Clyde Scott, the “Smackover Flash”, a two-time world record holder, won a silver medal in the 1948 Olympics. Scott's jersey number 12 was the only number retired by the University of Arkansas' football team until 1999 when the University retired Brandon Burlsworth's number 77. Burlsworth had been tragically killed in an automobile accident.
Thomas J. Williams, a 1910 Xi initiate, became Xi chapter’s first Kappa Sigma International Man-of-the-Year in 1954. Williams was a long time friend and benefactor of Kappa Sigma. He was often seen in the Caduceus pictures from alumni meetings. Fifteen years after he won this award and three years after his death, Williams was honored by having a Kappa Sigma Scholarship-Leadership award named after him.
On the occasion of the centennial of the national fraternity, a Centennial History of Kappa Sigma was published. In that book is the following biography of Williams:
Four years after his 1910 initiation, Brother Williams traveled to Argentina to represent several textile firms. Over the following years he expanded his operation into a 20company conglomerate of textiles, chemicals, metals and automobiles.
Thomas Jefferson Williams and his wife established the Williams Foundation in 1943 to further cultural and scientific exchanges between their adopted country and the other nations. It has also financed scholarships, lectures, research, a school of mining, scientific expeditions, and an exchange program for your Argentine and American farmers.
In addition to scholarships presented by his own foundation, Brother Williams was an ardent supporter of his fraternity’s Scholarship-Leadership award program and made substantial contributions to it.
Recognizing his outstanding accomplishments, Kappa Sigma in 1954 selected Brother Williams Man-of-the-Year. Williams was legendary for his Midas touch. In the early 1950s, Williams was considered the wealthiest American in South America. His death in 1966 resulted from complications following a spider bite he had suffered while on his way to attend the Grand Conclave in Houston the previous year.
The decade of the 1950's was a time of amazing accomplishment for the undergraduates of Xi chapter and growth for the University. Following World War II, the GI's returning greatly expanded the student population at the U of A. Campus life was buzzing with activity and Xi chapter seemed to be at the center of it. Men like Bob Wright, runner-up for Rhodes Scholar and runner up for student body President was President of Xi Chapter.
Jerry Patterson won the Vice Presidency of the student body in that same election. Xi also controlled publication and many of the honor societies on campus. It was a period of great accomplishment Xi was additionally honored as one of its own, Tom Cutting of Fort Smith, was Worthy Grand Master.
Cutting was attended the University of Missouri his freshman year and was initiated at the Beta-Gamma Chapter. He transferred at affiliated with Xi the following year. While at Xi, Cutting served as Grand Scribe.
Towards the end of the 1950’s, the chapter size declined, with the rest of the houses, to around 125 men - coming from over 200 in the early part of the decade. Also, the Interfraternity Council had started putting a limit on the number of pledges the chapter could take in the fall. The chapter had the benefit of a long history and campus leaders filling its rolls.
The 1960’s began with a chapter membership the reflected the prior decades including campus leaders, athletes, and many scholarly honors. Men like Mike Smith, Frank Fletcher, Jim Lindsey, Speer Morgan, John Chambers, Wyck Nisbet, Cole Jeffries, and many others were influential both on campus, within the fraternity system, and later in business.
At the same time when American universities were experiencing an anti-establishment movement, Xi chapter and other fraternities were experiencing a decline in members and interest. Xi chapter’s membership had fallen from over 100 in the middle to late sixties to 51 in 1975-76.
Additionally, after years of wear and the fire of 1964, when the spiral staircase was destroyed, the Xi chapter house was wearing out. The IFC had changed the rush rules, and summer pledging became the standard
practice. The boys would have pledged before they had ever seen the campus. Like other chapters and other fraternities around the country, Xi chapter went through the challenges of the late 1960s. During the early 1970's, the Xi chapter house was in need of repair. Forty years and 1200 residents had taken its toll.
In 1973, the Xi chapter house was condemned by the city of Fayetteville. The chapter had already secured other accommodations, but seeing the picture of the old house in the state newspaper was more than the alumni and undergraduates could bare to see During the 1973-74 school year, the chapter resided at 10 N. Garland in the house which was occupied by the Delta Upsilon fraternity and other fraternities in later years. There were about forty members and twenty pledges in the chapter at the time. That year is when the actives organized their “give a week program.”
About this time, a new man took over Xi Corporation. The old guard had served faithfully diligently for many years, was ready to turn over the reins to the next generation. The new corporation was headed by a man who had been President of his junior and senior classes at the University of Arkansas and Grand Master of Xi chapter. His name is Charles B. Whiteside, III.
By July of 1974, the boys had raised $139,300. In the fall of 1975, the first phase of the building project was finished, and the front part of the chapter was completed. Kappa Sigma was back at 711 W. Dickson. White helped the undergraduates manage what they had accomplished and then took it to the next level.
Throughout the rest of the decade and through the first half of the 1980’s, the chapter worked to reestablish itself both financially and in reputation. In the decade of the 1970’s, Xi initiated 237 men. That fell to 223 in the 1980’s, with nearly half of that coming in the last three years, 1987-89.
At the 1983 Biennial Grand Conclave, C. Cole Jeffries, Jr., a 1967 Xi initiate and former IFC president, was elected to the office of Worthy Grand Treasurer. Cole’s leadership on the S.E.C helped the active chapter regain some respect on the national level. In 1984, Charles Massey, a 1942 Xi initiate, was selected the 1984 Kappa Sigma International Man-of-the-Year. Massey has selected for his leadership as the president of the March of Dimes Foundation.
In the Fall of 1983, the Xi Foundation was founded for the purpose of raising funds for the Xi Chapter Centennial in 1990. In the Fall of 1986, Frank Fletcher, Jr., a 1960 Xi initiate and prominent Little Rock businessman, was selected to be chairman of the Xi Centennial Fund. During the summer of 1986, the undergraduate chapter held a cook out for alumni in Northwest Arkansas where many men from the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's attended the event and shared stories from years gone by. One of those in attendance was a young banker and 1969 initiate of the chapter, Malcolm McNair.
While at Kappa Sigma's Leadership Conference in Fort Worth, the undergraduates asked Cole Jeffries to see if he could get Malcolm to be appointed Alumnus Advisor for Xi chapter. In October of that year, Malcolm was appointed and is serving at the time of this writing more than 25 years later. McNair was himself a second-generation Xi initiate. His father David and uncle Bill were both Xi initiates. Coincidentally, Malcolm’s grandfather W. P. McNair was a friend of Charles Richardson’s and sang in a quartet at Richardson’s 1924 funeral.
The U of A Interfraternity Council again began holding rush before school started in the fall of 1987. While this year also included a summer bid day, the rush period before school started was Xi’s tune-up for the years to come. The summer pledge class of 1987 was the largest ever "summer" pledge class at Xi. On bid day, June 27, thirty-five men were pledged by Rush Chairman Jay Lange. Three days later Jay was tragically killed in an automobile accident at Fayetteville. Of the pledges from that fall, two were selected to Mortar Board, the top senior honor society at the University; one served as President of the Interfraternity Council; and many others served to re-ignite the Fabulous Xi spirit.
From the fall of 1988 through the fall of 1990, Xi chapter initiated more men than any other fraternity on the Arkansas campus. For that reason, Xi chapter reestablished itself as the largest fraternity at the University of Arkansas with over 160 members and pledges.
The weekend of April 7-9, 1990 marked the centennial celebration of Xi chapter, over 500 alumni, friends, actives, and pledges celebrated Xi chapter’s centennial at the University of Arkansas. At this celebration, it was announced that a scholarship was to be established in the name of Charles B. Whiteside, III. The scholarship was funded largely by Charlie’s friends and is given each semester to a deserving Xi
undergraduate.
Many flagship institutions across the country attract their state's best and brightest students. The U of A is no stranger to this activity. In September of 1990, one of Arkansas' favorite son's, E. Fay Jones, the 1990 American Institute of Architects Gold Medal winner for lifetime achievement, was named Kappa Sigma’s International Man-of-the-Year for 1990.
While Fay has earned his just reward from the AIA and from the Kappa Sigma fraternity, other Xi initiates have also made significant names for themselves in recent years. William V. Alexander, initiated at Xi in 1952, served in the United States Congress from 1969 - 1993. Ed Bethune, initiated in 1958, served in Congress in the early 1980’s. And, most recently, Jerral Wayne Jones, initiated at Xi in 1963, has purchased the Dallas Cowboys football team of the National Football League.
At Homecoming of 1990, it was announced by fund chairman Frank Fletcher that the total raised by the committee was in excess of $170,000. The funds were used to renovate part of the house and to pay-off Xi Corporation’s bank debt. At a time when every other major fraternity at the University of Arkansas was about to take on major debt to renovate or rebuild their chapter houses, Xi chapter was paying their debt off and establishing a firm financial base for the future - a bright future.
1990 and Beyond
Following the Centennial Celebration in April of 1990, Xi chapter entered its greatest period of growth and accomplishment. Fueled by great pride in the past and bolstered by an energized group of alumni at the promise of a more Fabulous future. Much of the success of the early 1990's began in the Fall of 1987 with a pledge class that exceeded any in the prior 20 plus years at Xi. The chapter had approximately 75 men,
including 42 pledges in the Fall of 1987 Just prior to the start of school, a meeting was held to develop and set some goals for the centennial year. Among those goals was a chapter census of 100 men, which was easily attained. The foundation was laid to propelled Xi chapter's growth and success well into the 21st century.
Fay Jones was honored as the 1990 Kappa Sigma International Man-of-the-Year at a banquet in early 1991. Over 200 alumni, undergraduates, and guests gathered to celebrate this disciple of Frank Lloyd Wright at the Excelsior Hotel in Little Rock. Jones, who was one of the world's most accomplished architects, was a humble man. Brother Jones' Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs was chosen as the 4th best design of the 20th century by the American Institute of Architects. In that decade, Jones would be followed by Jerry Jones in 1993 and Philip Anderson in 1999 as the International-Man-Year recipient. Jerry Jones, a 1963 initiate, purchased the Dallas Cowboys, the worst football team in the NFL in 1989, and turned them into Super bowl Champions in four short years. Anderson, a 1954 initiate, was honored in 1999 for being elected President of the American Bar Association. Anderson became the fifth Xi initiate to receive the Man-of-the-Year honor, which is still the most of any chapter of the fraternity.
At Philip Anderson's Man-of-the-Year banquet, held at the Little Rock Country Club in 1999, Xi Corporation President Whiteside remarked that Anderson, Jones, and Jones would soon be joined by some of Xi's recent initiates in the ranks of the Men-of-the-Year, a testament to the caliber of the men Xi had initiated and graduated during the period.
The success of the chapter, from work of both old and new initiates, became evident when Alumnus Advisor Malcolm McNair and a group of 10 or so undergraduates attended the 1992 Kappa Sigma Leadership Conference in Baton Rouge, LA. Xi chapter won every honor imaginable and began a 12 year run winning the Founder's Award of Chapter Excellence. At many of the announcements, the award presenter announced "Fabulous Xi" as the winner. Through the decade of the 1990s, Xi chapter continually won IFC Award of Excellence, the University's award for the most outstanding chapter on campus. Xi won this award for more than 20 years in a row.
Xi Chapter was also very active and accomplished on campus. Re-establishing itself as the pre-eminent group on campus, Xi was led by men like Corby Stokenberry, Derek Jones, Dustin Brighton, Todd Bruck,
Brian Cahalan, Rod Lochola, Martin Swope, Dustin McDaniel and many others during the early to mid 1990's. Jones, Bruck, and Swope, along with Ron McCall, Chris Turner, and almost every other Grand Master in the 1990's and through the first decade of the 21st century were honored as Outstanding Grand Master by the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. McDaniel, President of IFC while an undergraduate, was elected Attorney General for the State of Arkansas in 2006.
Between 1999 and 2009, Xi had three men elected Student Body President - Charles Davis, Phil Brick, and Quinton Whiteside.
The accomplishments of the Chapter, led by many undergraduates with steady advice from Charlie Whiteside and Malcolm McNair made it possible for the alumni to set the bar one step further with “Xi Project 2000” – a capital campaign establish to renovate and restore the Xi chapter house. This was not a small undertaking. The complete renovation and restoration project began with a successful capital campaign where over $2.25 million was raised from alumni, friends, and undergraduates. The construction, overseen by Ron Tabor of Little Rock and Jack Tucker of Memphis, took over one year to complete and made it necessary for the chapter to live in the vacant fraternity house across the street. Jordan Johnson, GM during the renovation, led the chapter through an unfamiliar time. For only the second time since 1921, Xi chapter lived away from 711 W. Dickson Street.
The Memorial Annex, the rear portion of the house that was built following World War II by the returning veterans, had been home to more than 3000 men during its more than fifty year history and was in disrepair. As part of the project, the old annex was torn down and a new, three story structure was built to replace it. The historic front portion of the house was remodeled, but the integrity of the structure and character of the building were not altered. The newly remodeled and restored house has all the modern conveniences college students expect, including suites, Internet connectivity, and a better dining facility.
Today, Xi chapter is still the largest chapter in Kappa Sigma and the largest on the University of Arkansas campus. Xi is still producing leaders as it has throughout the storied history of the chapter. Graduates from Xi are accomplished in a vast array of fields across the country and in many foreign countries – with several attending the leading graduate programs in the United States. Xi has had two Governors, five members of Congress, two U.S. Senators, and other statewide elected officials. Within Kappa Sigma, five initiates have been named Kappa Sigma Man-of-the-Year
Conclusion: One central idea or thought that transcended through the first 100 year history, and remains after 126 years, was the idea that Xi succeeded, not by the actions of a few, but by the collective actions of all. While Xi is beholden to the founders for our beginning and other men for their long-term commitment, Xi chapter exist today because of over 3500 men have given what they could to help Xi chapter.
In the minutes of our first chapter meeting, Carl Clinton Miller, the chapter’s first grand scribe, closed with the following charge: “. . . and if Xi chapter is not a success, it will not be the fault of its founders.” After over 130 years and 4000 initiates, Dr. Richardson and founders Futrall, Miller, Crawford, Goodwin, and Pugh would be proud of what they started.
