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The History Of Axp

History can be presented in many forms. It can be written or oral; or it can also be the truth, which is usually biased by human nature. This historical outlook on the trials and triumphs of our brotherhood was taken from history articles which have appeared in the Garnet & White, from personal letters in the Fraternity's archives, and from personal discussions with Brothers who shared their stories with us.

The year was 1894. Grover Cleveland was the President of the United States. The country was starting to recover from the Panic of '1893, which seriously jeopardized the monetary and fiscal policies of both the country and its individuals.

There were approximately 117 students attending Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Most of the students attending Trinity College were from preparatory schools located in New England. The college system of that day was much different than today's system of higher education. Not every man went to college and those who did were expected to help shape the future of our country.

The Reverend Paul Ziegler had attended Trinity College and received his degree in 1872. While a student at Trinity, Rev. Ziegler was a member of the local Beta Beta Society. In today's terms, Beta Beta is a fraternity, but in that era, it was a literary society. In the 1890s, Reverend Ziegler and his family lived in Detroit, Michigan, and he wanted to send his oldest son, Carl, to his alma mater. This made Carl a unique student at Trinity. Instead of an easterner who had attended a prep school in New England, he was a Midwesterner. He was attending an eastern school that associated itself with schools such as Yale and Brown in the state.

Upon entering Trinity, he became friends with William Rouse and former pupil Herbert Sherriff. Both Carl and Herbert were not invited to join Reverend Ziegler's fraternity, Beta Beta, which had now become the Beta Beta chapter of Psi Upsilon Fraternity. As a result, Reverend Ziegler wanted to found a...