Page 1 - History Part 1
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A HISTORY OF THE EPSILON CHAPTER
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
(Compiled from a study of the Chapter Minute books)

On June 23, 1930, Vocational Education and Industrial Arts students met in room 316 of Graves Hall, University of A1abama. Professor V. P. McKinley, Professor of Vocational Trade and Industrial and Industrial Arts Education, acted as advisor. He outlined the work of the c1ub to the students, leading to the founding of a chapter of Iota Lambda Sigma fraternity at the University.

As a result of the discussions, a motion was made and seconded that such a club be organized. With Professor McKinley acting as temporary chairman, the following officers were elected. President, Walker Moore, Vice President, E. E. Todd, Secretary, M. O. Hulsey, and Treasurer, Ben E. Evans. A membership committee was appointed which consisted of Professor V. P. McKinley, M. C. Seales, and J. J. Newman. A program committee was also appointed which consisted of Ben. E. Harris, Assistant Professor of Vocational Trade and Industria1 Education, John Massey, and W. H. Cooke, students.

Professor McKinley was the moving figure in organizing the chapter. He carried on correspondence with Theodore Struck and organized a petitioning group as the Industrial Arts Club of the University of Alabama. Qualifications of the petitioners were submitted to the Alpha Chapter and a charter was granted to the group as Epsilon Chapter on July 10, 1930. The Epsilon Chapter was one of four charters issued directly from the A1pha Chapter.

Plans were made for the insta11ation of officers and the initiation of members. Archie S. Zoerb of Beta Chapter at the University of Tennessee and State Supervisor of Vocational Trade and Industrial Education, agreed to serve as the installing officer. A meeting was agreed upon and he came to the University of Alabama on July 14, 1930 and inducted the Chapter officers and associate members into the epsi1on Chapter in a pre1iminary ceremony. With their assistance, he initiated the remaining men in the charter group. The charter was officially constituted with thirty-one charter members. The list was headed by Dr. J. J. Doster, Dean of the College of Education, who accepted honorary membership. Other faculty members inducted were, V. P. McKinley; Ben E. Harris; R. R. Schmitz, Associate Professor of Industrial Education; and George E. Wallace, Foreman Trainer and Assistant State Supervisor of Vocational Trade and Industrial Education. The other charter members were, J. T. Albritton, B. P. Bass, W. B. Clement, Ernest C. Comstock, W. H. Cooke, W. H. Coppage, Ben E. Evans, C. M. Gilbert, Carl H. Hanna, F. A. Harvey, R. P. Houser, M. O. Hulsey, John F. Ingram, W. T. Jones, J. H. King, J. E. Massey, C. B. Montgomery, H. Walker Moore, J. J. Newman, Cecil Poe Pitts, Theron Poe, M. C. Scales, Asa Self, J. A. Taff, E. E. Todd, T. D. Utley, and John B. Gibson.

After the initiation in Graves Hall, a business meeting was held and the following officers elected: President, H. W. Moore; Vice President, M. C. Scales; Secretary, M. O. Hulsey; and Treasurer, W. H. Cooke. Professor V. P. McKinley was appointed Faculty Advisor.

In 1931 the officers elected were: President, Bryson Byrne; Vice President, R. D. Houser; Secretary-Treasurer, John B. Gibson; and Faculty Advisor, V. P. McKinley.

At an initiation ceremony on April 29, 1932 in room 316 Graves Hall, the following persons were inducted into the Fraternity: William Miller, Roy Patton, Watson Yeager, Wesley Schneider, and J. O. Taylor. At another initiation in Graves Hall on July 14, 1932, new members inducted were: B. F. Hadnot, Cecil G. Medley, Preston Helms and Horace M. Neal. The officers elected were: President, John Gibson; Vice President, Wesley Schneider; and Secretary, J. O. Taylor.

Those initiated on May 5, 1933 were: Lou B. Beres, Harvey Schneider, R. H. Haughey, Chester W. Winn, Howard L. Weatherby, Vinet Smith, N. H. Laurell, C. N. Cobb, and Robert Edwards. The 1932 officers continued to serve.

In 1934 the officers elected were: President, Robert Edwards; Vice President, E. K. Smith; Secretary, H. W. Moore; and Corresponding Secretary, Donald Wolf. Those initiated in 1934 were: Robert Armagast, Edgar R. Smith, Lynn P. Hardin, Edward Petruska, Frank Jannarone, Stanley W. Gorski, Donald S. Wolfe, and Steve Moxley (Honorary).

Those initiated on May 10, 1935 were: A. T. Bauman, Avon Bauman, Edward St. George, Norman Pierson, Ray B. Sawyer, George E. Manley, and Hester N. Shannon (Honorary). Following the initiation at Paul Hayne Vocational School, a supper was prepared and served by the girls enrolled in Tea Room Management at the school. On October 2, 1935, the officers, elected were: President, Robert Armagast; Vice President, Edgar Smith; Secretary-Treasurer, H. W. Moore; and Faculty Advisor, V. P. McKinley.

On October 15, 1936, the new members initiated were: Edward G. Ludtke (Honorary), Justin Stanley Copeland, Fred Clay, Henry E. Higham, Michael R. Wansea, and Harlan D. Clark. Officers for the school year 1936-1937 were: President, Avon Bauman; Vice President, Edward St. George; and Secretary-Treasurer, H. W. Moore.
On April 9, 1937, those initiated were: M. L. Armagast, Charles E. Ebersole, W. M. Stuckey, C. E. Murphy, J. M. Strickland, Robert L. Turner and Dr. Richard C. Foster, Dean of Education (Honorary). Officers elected were: President, Michael Wansea; Vice President, Charles E. Murphy; Secretary-Treasurer, H. W. Moore.

New members inducted into the Fraternity in 1938 were: Karl W. Yeager, Edward M. Claude, Fred C. Williamson, Edward L. Darden and Clifton W. Olds. The officers elected this year were: President, Charles E. Murphy; Vice President, R. L. Turner; Secretary-Treasurer, H. W. Moore; and Faculty Advisor, V. P. McKinley.
On May 6, 1939, the following persons were initiated: Charles P. Hayes, Charles W. Tisch. Leslie L. Gilmore, Arnold LaVerne Shay, Archie Bryant, Stewart Berry, and John C. Smith. Officers for the year were: President, Charles E. Ebersole; First Vice President, Stewart Berry; Second Vice President, Archie Bryant; and Secretary-Treasurer, H. W. Moore.

Those initiated in 1940 were: Charles Fizer, Leland Rhode, Howard Sanders, and H. Gilar Martin (Honorary). Arnold Shay was President; L. F. Rhode, Vice President; and H. W. Moore, Secretary-Treasurer.
New members inducted in May. 1941 were: William Callis, Jose L. Castillo, Archie Jordan, William Rogers, and Joseph Stango. Archie R. Jordan was President; W. W. Rogers, Vice President; and Joseph Stango, Secretary-Treasurer.

Those initiated on April 18, 1942 were: John W. Carleton, Frank Gerlock, Gilbert Moseley, David Graham, Clifford Massey, Isaac Sanford, Donald Jefferies, Rex Sullivan, Thomas Owings, Jr., Alex Dowdy, John B. Knowlton, Marion (Mike) Blake, Silas Garrett, Jack Bonnell and A. H. Wiltshire. On July 24, 1942 the following new members were inducted: Ward L. Rickard, Spencer Johnson, M. M. Green, H. A. Husley, H. I. James, and Louis Meeth. Donald Jefferies was President in 1942 and Rex Sullivan was Secretary.

Officers for 1943 were: President, Frank Gerlock, Vice President, Donald Jefferies; Secretary-Treasurer, Rex Sullivan; Faculty Advisor, M. O. Hulsey.

No records are available from 1943 until July 1952. Through the efforts of Rex Sullivan and Clyde Wilson, a meeting was held on July 10, 1952 in Graves Hall, University of Alabama. At this meeting, Rex Sullivan was elected President; H. I. James, Vice President; George E. Manley, Secretary-Treasurer; and Fred Williamson, Faculty Advisor. Others present at this meeting were: Ben E. Harris, Fred Ingram, Alex Dowdy, and Howard C. Elliott.

An initiation was held at the Alabama Power Company Building on July 24, 1952. The following persons were initiated: S. C. Porch, Otto Smith, John Brimm, Dr. Robert E. Cannack, J. C. Hunnicutt, W. C. Marbut, A. E. Houk, Henry Sikir, Jack McCollough, Emery Nash, J. R. Thomas, Gip Massey, and Marvin Little. Following the initiation, a banquet was held at the Burchfield Hotel.

On July 22, 1953, the following persons were inducted into the Fraternity at an initiation at the Shelton Vocational Trade School: C. E. Hughes, A. R. Sylvester, Carlton Kelley, N. P. Bartlett, J. P. Singleton (Honorary), S. H. Brooks, John H. Baker, Jr., Clay Knight and Aubrey Bardon. Officers elected were: President, H. I. James; Vice President, Al Houk; Secretary-Treasurer, George Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson.

No list of initiates is available for the year 1954.

On July 19, 1955, those initiated at a ceremony at the Shelton Trade School were: E. C. Edwards, Harry E. Davis, B. G. Mantel, Adolphus Jones, George C. Wallace (Honorary), and Louis McGee. Officers elected were: President, Al Houk; Vice President, J. R. Thomas; Secretary-Treasurer, George E. Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson.

Officers elected on July 17, 1956 were: President, J. R. Thomas; Vice President, S. C. Porch; Secretary-Treasurer, George E. Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. New members initiated were: C. C. Kindig, Emory Cunningham, Earl Bowers, M. J. Flynn, J. C. Lindley, C. W. Ross, and George C. Moon.

Officers elected on March 29, 1956 were: President, S. C. Porch; Vice President, C. W. Ross; Secretary-Treasurer, George Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. New members initiated at the Shelton Trade School on August 20, 1956 were: J. L. Madison, H. K. Langford, J. F. Reynolds, J. H. Belcher, Hubert Worthy, W. C. Estes (Honorary) and Wilson Patterson (Honorary).

Officers elected on March 28, 1958 were: President, William Ross; Vice President, B. G. Mantel; Secretary-Treasurer, George Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson.

Initiated on July 25, 1958 at the Shelton Vocational School were: Frank Johnston (Honorary), E. C. Pippen, First Vice President of AFL-CIO-Montgomery (Honorary), Wallace Vernon, H. L. Baynes, Eugene Morgan, Robert G. Brown, Howard Culps, and Jack Wilder.

On March 13, 1959 at a breakfast in Birmingham, the following officers were elected: President, B. G. Mantel; Vice President, Spencer Johnson; Secretary-Treasurer, George Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. On July 21, 1959 the following were initiated at Shelton Trade School: Earl Wright, Earl Badgett, and C. L. Adcox.

New officers elected at a business meeting in Birmingham on March 18, 1960 were: President, Spencer Johnson; Vice President, Gip Massey, Secretary-Treasurer, George Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. On July 19, 1960, at the Shelton Trade School, the following were initiated: Homer Foster, Harry A. Wright (Honorary), William A. Crunk (Honorary), James Van Houten (Honorary), J. W. Baker, Don McElroy, L. P. West, J. I. Yarbrough, A. B. Garmon, Joe Thompson, and Aubrey Tucker.

New officers elected on March 17, 1961 were: President, Gip Massey; Vice President, Clay Knight; Secretary-Treasurer, George Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. On August 15, 1961, those initiated were: C. J. Rehling (Honorary), R. C. Ordway, F. C. Gaddis, J. B. Price, D. M. James, J. E. Taylor, J. E. Baxter, J. B. Haywood, and E. C. Stephens.

On March 16, 1962 at a breakfast in Birmingham, the officers elected were: President, Clay Knight; Vice President, A. R. Sylvester; Secretary-Treasurer, George Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. On July 5, 1962, new members initiated were: J. S. Brindley, E. S. Collier, Murry C. Gregg, Hoyt Holbrook, Myron E. Jones, James W. McCarver, O. C. Roberts, W. W. Russell, and H. L. Johnson.

On March 15, 1963, officers elected were: President, A. R. Sylvester; Vice President, H. K. Langford; Secretary-Treasurer, George E. Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred C. Williamson. On July 23, 1963, the following were initiated: Ernest Stone (Honorary), Homer Harper (Honorary), William A. Walker, Jr., Joseph Songer, and J. E. O'Brien.

On March 20, 1964, the following were elected officers: President, H. K. Langford; Vice President, E. C. Edwards; Secretary-Treasurer, George E. Manley; and Faculty Advisor, Fred C. Williamson. New members initiated on July 1, 1964 were: L. B. Sullivan (Honorary), Don Sanders, Troy C. Tullis, and William Eugene Ellison.

At the March 19, 1965 meeting in Birmingham, the following officers were elected: President, E. C. Edwards; Vice President, C. M. Ward; Secretary, B. G. Mantel; Treasurer, C. L. Adcox; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. On August 17, 1965 the following new members were initiated at the Shelton Technical School: Mark Russell (Honorary), E. L. Mathews (Honorary), C. F. Bilbro, and M. H. Sherer.

At the March 18, 1966 Chapter meeting in Birmingham, the following officers were elected: President, Cecil Ward; Vice President, George E. Manley; Treasurer, B. G. Mantel; Treasurer, C. L. Adcox; and Historian, George E. Manley. New members initiated on July 26, 1966 at Shelton Technical School were: James W. Battles, Horace A. Murphy, Allen McNees, Charles W. Jacobs, and John H. Rumsey, Sr.

The new officers elected at the annual Spring meeting in Birmingham on March 17, 1967 were: President, George E. Manley; Vice President, Ward L. Rickard; Secretary, B. G. Mantel; Treasurer, C. L. Adcox; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. New members initiated on August 22, 1967 were: Hollis C. Smith, J. B. Weston, Leon H. McCurdy, Malcolm A. Jones, Robert A. Conaway, Horace A. Moore, Jr., Fred P. Colburn, Melville Parker, and Emmett T. Cox (Honorary).

On March 15, 1968, at the annual Birmingham Breakfast meeting, the following officers were elected: President, Ward Rickard; Vice President, Ben Garmon; Secretary, B. G. Mantel; Treasurer, C. L. Adcox; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. On July 26, 1968, the following were initiated: Marvin R. Jones, Joe Tommie, Charles E. Newton, Allen R. Hudson, and Peter Nesbit.

At the breakfast in Birmingham on March 14, 1969 the following officers were elected: President, Ben Garmon; Vice President, Otto Smith; Secretary, J. C. Hunnicutt; Treasurer, Jim Battles; Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson; and George Manley remained the Historian. On July 22, 1969, those initiated at the Shelton Technical School were: Randall Peacock, Maehugh Duncan, Edward H. Stewart, E. Donald Todd, James Wyrosdick, Grady Elmore, J. O. Johnston and Olaf A. Syltie (Honorary).

On March 13, 1970, the following were elected as the new officers: President, Otto Smith; Vice President, Murry Gregg; Secretary, J. C. Hunnicutt; Treasurer, Jim Battles; and Faculty Advisor, Fred Williamson. New members initiated on July 28, 1970 at the Shelton Technical School were: Pierce C. Cain, Kendal Clemons, William R. McKinnon, Littleton Sandlin, M. Von Stephens, Erskine Terry, and John K. Weaver.

On March 19, 1971 new officers elected were: President, Murry Gregg; Vice President, Hubert Brooks; Secretary, J. C. Hunnicutt; Treasurer, Fred Colburn; Faculty Advisor, M. O. Hulsey; and Historian, George Manley. On July 13, 1971 at the Shelton Technical School, the following persons were initiated: C. C. Brooks (Honorary), John Drake, Revis Hall (Honorary), Ben L. LeDuke, Noel Ray, and Ralph Wingo.

At the March 17, 1972 annual breakfast in Birmingham, the new officers elected were: President, Hubert Brooks; Vice President, Hubert Worthy; Secretary, J. C. Hunnicutt; Treasurer, Fred Colburn; Faculty Advisor, M. O. Hulsey; and Historian, George Manley. Initiated on August 16, 1972 were: Joseph F. Green, Thomas E. Killian, Jimmy Garrison, and Solon Gregg (Honorary). Dr. Harry Armstrong transferred from Georgia.

The March 15, 1973 meeting was held in Birmingham with the following officers elected: President, Hubert Worthy; Vice President, Malcolm Jones; Secretary, J. C. Hunnicutt; Treasurer, Fred Colburn; Faculty Advisor, M. O. Hulsey; Historian, George Manley. On August 15, 1973 the following were initiated: William McKnight, W. T. Wilson, David Carter, Dalton Tunstill, Alfred Kendrick, Willie Autrey, James Nance, James Carnes, and J. F. Drake.

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