THE HISTORY OF ΣΧ

In the fall of 1854 a disagreement arosewithin the Kappa chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) at Miami University inOxford, Ohio. This chapter consisted of 12 men. Six of them, led by WhitelawReid, supported one of the members for Poet in the Erodelphian Literary Society.Four of the other six members, James Parks Caldwell, Isaac M. Jordan, BenjaminPiatt Runkle and Franklin Howard Scobey, refused to vote for the brotherbecause they knew him to lack poetic abilities. The man they did favor for thatoffice was not a Deke. Thomas Cowan Bell and Daniel William Cooper were notmembers of Erodelphian, but their relation to the disagreement was unqualifiedendorsement of the four. Thus, they became six.

 The chapter of 12was evenlydivided in a difference of opinion that ordinarily would have been decided oneway or the other and immediately forgotten. But both sides considered it amatter of principle, and could not reach a compromise. During the ensuingmonths, the groups disagreed so much that their friendship grew distant.  

“More than 100 years ago, aSigma Chi defined fraternity as “anobligation, a necessity, an introduction, arequirement, a passport, a lesson, aninfluence, an opportunity, an investment, a peacemaker and a pleasure.”

 Chapter meetings, or attempted chapter meetings, occurred formonths with the breach constantly widening. In February 1855, at an Oxford restaurant, a dramatic dinner meeting between the dissenting groups set the stage for Sigma Chi's founding. Bell, Caldwell, Cooper, Jordan, Runkle and Scobey hosted the event, hoping to mend ways with the other six. They were onhand early, awaiting developments with anticipation. Of the meeting, Founder BenjaminPiatt Runkle said, “With the kindest of intentions, we determined to give a dinner in their honor. I remember that the feast was prepared at the village restaurant, the guests invited, and on the appointed night we gathered and waited for the guests. They did not come for a long time, and then only Mr. Reid and with a stranger. He took into his confidence Minor Millikin (an alumnus ofthe fraternity from nearby Hamilton, Ohio) and the two decided on strenuous proceedings.”

Millikin lost no time. “My name is Minor Millikin,”he said. “I live in Hamilton. I am a man of few words.” He thenpassed judgment on all of the matters in dispute. Since he had heard only oneside of the story, his verdict was against Runkle, Scobey and the others whohad originally opposed election of the DKE as the Poet in the literary society. Millikin found them guilty. next, Millikin unfolded a plan he and Reid had concocted by which “justice” could be satisfied with the formal expulsion of theleaders in the rebellion (undoubtedly Runkle and Scobey), after which the others, having been properly chastised, could remain in the chapter. 

At this dramatic moment Runkle stepped forward, pulled off his DKE pin, tossed it uponthe table and said to Millikin,“I didn't join this Fraternity to be anyone's tool. And that, sir, is my answer!” Runkle stalked out of the room, and his five colleagues followed.

The final meeting of the 12 active members of Delta Kappa Epsilon was held in Reid's room in the “Old Southeast” building several days later. After a strenuous effort, led by Reid, for the expulsion of the six, with six against six on all vital issues, the meeting broke up in considerable disorder. 

A rather prolonged correspondence ensued with the Delta Kappa Epsilon parent chapter at Yale, resulting in the April 1855 expulsion of Bell, Caldwell, Cooper, Jordan, Runkle and Scobey. It was at this time they began making plans to found their own fraternity.