Chi Phi

Chi Phi is considered by some as the oldest American men's college social fraternity that was established as the result of the merger of three separate organizations that were each known as Chi Phi. The earliest of these organizations was formed at Princeton University in 1824. Today, Chi Phi has over 47,000 living alumni members from over 100 active and inactive chapters and un-chartered associate chapters. Currently Chi Phi has about 48 active chapters. Early history Chi Phi Society On Christmas Eve in 1824, an association was formed to promote the circulation of correct opinions upon Religion, Morals, Education & excluding Sectarian Theology and party Politics. It was the duty of each member to publish at least once a month in any convenient way some article designed to answer the above object. When at length it disbanded, its religious feature was absorbed and perpetuated by what is known now as the 'Philadelphian Society' organized in February, 1825, and said to be an offspring of the Nassau Hall Tract Society. The old Chi Phi constitution was discovered in 1854 by some undergraduates who emphasizing the social and disregarding the religious purpose reorganized the society into the modern Greek letter fraternity of the same initials. The majority of the religious societies founded in Princeton were less general in their scope but more efficient in their work than the old Chi Phi. —from Princeton by Varnum Lansing Collins 1914The founders of the Chi Phi Society were: Archibald Alexander – principal and professor of Princeton Theological Seminary 1812 to 1840 James Waddel Alexander – appointed tutor, Princeton Theological Seminary in 1824 Robert Baird – tutor, College of New Jersey (Princeton University) 1822 to 1827 James Carnahan – president, College of New Jersey (Princeton University) 1823 to 1854 Luther Halsey – professor 1824 to 1829 Charles Hodge – professor 1823 to 1826 John Maclean Jr. – professor, College of New Jersey (Princeton University) 1823 to 1829, later vice president and president Charles Hall – student 1824 to 1827 Edward Norris Kirk – student 1824 to 1827 William Swan Plumer – seminarian 1824 to 1826 The Princeton Order Records of the original Chi Phi Society were discovered in 1854 by John Maclean, Jr. of the class of 1858. Maclean found the records in his uncle's (also named John Maclean, Jr.) paperwork, who happened to be president of the college at that time.