Editing Lambda Chi Alpha (section)

== History ==
=== Founding ===
Lambda Chi Alpha was founded by [[Warren A. Cole]], a law student at [[Boston University School of Law]] in [[Boston]]. There are two different accounts of the fraternity's founding.<ref name="lcafounding">{{citation|url=https://www.lambdachi.org/aboutlca-2/history-2/|title=Our Founding|publisher=Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity}}</ref>

The official story told by Cole and Albert Cross is that on {{dts|1909|11|02}}, Cole, Percival C. Morse, and Clyde K. Nichols reorganized the Cosmopolitan Law Club, a society of Boston University law students into the Loyal Collegiate Associates, which was renamed Lambda Chi Alpha in 1912.<ref name="founders">{{citation|url=https://www.lambdachi.cc/lambda-chi-alpha-history-in-the-making-founding-the-fraternity/|title=Our Story: A History of the Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity|first=Michael J|last=Raymond|year=2017 }}</ref> All were close friends and had been members of Alpha Mu Chi, a [[College-preparatory school|prep school]] fraternity. The Greek letter name is thought to have been used from the beginning but is not recorded in the ''Alpha Zeta'' minutes until April 27, 1910.<ref name="lcafounding" />

A second account of the founding, based on interviews with contemporaries, is that Cole and others did belong to a loose group known as the Tombs or Cosmopolitan Club but this was not related to Lambda Chi Alpha's founding. Instead, according to the alternative account, Cole shared an apartment with James C. McDonald and Charles W. Proctor, who later joined [[Sigma Alpha Epsilon]]. Cole then established his own fraternity with Ralph S. Miles, Harold W. Bridge, and Percival C. Morse on {{dts|1911|11|23}}. The group issued a charter for itself that was backdated to November 15.<ref name="lcafounding" />

Cole approached many local groups at colleges and universities throughout the [[Northeastern United States|Northeast]] seeking others willing to join his new fraternity. He corresponded with or visited 117 institutions by 1912, when a group at [[University of Massachusetts Amherst|Massachusetts Agricultural College]] accepted a charter to become ''Gamma Zeta''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/tfolca.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928134454/http://lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/tfolca.asp|url-status=dead|title=Lambda Chi Alpha History Timeline: The Founding of Lambda Chi Alpha|archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> The first General Assembly, establishing a structure for the national fraternity, was held in Boston on April 13, 1912.

The fraternity held its second general assembly in Boston on {{dts|1913|03|22}} in which the fraternity adopted its secret motto, ritual insignia including its badge and coat of arms, and the basic organizational structure. Lambda Chi Alpha virtually replaced the fraternity Cole had established outside of its name.<ref name="foundersday">{{citation|url=https://www.lambdachi.cc/happy-founders-day/|title=Happy Founders Day|first=Kyle|last=Jones|work=Cross & Crescent|date=March 2007}}</ref> The 14th General Assembly, in 1931, recognized March 22 as Lambda Chi Alpha Day in recognition of these achievements. In 1942, the board of directors renamed it Founder's Day. {{dts|1909|11|02}} is also still recognized, so Lambda Chi Alpha celebrates two Founders Days annually.<ref name="foundersday" />

In the years that followed, a divide opened between Cole and a group of young alumni led by Mason, Ernst J.C. Fischer of Lambda Chi's [[Cornell University]] chapter in [[Ithaca, New York]], and Samuel Dyer of the [[University of Maine]] chapter in [[Orono, Maine]]. Dyer was supported by Albert Cross at the [[University of Pennsylvania]] chapter in [[Philadelphia]] and Louis Robbins of the [[Brown University]] chapter in [[Providence, Rhode Island]].<ref name="foundersday" /> In 1920, Cole was ousted and Fischer was elected national president. In 1927, Fischer became international president when ''Epsilon-Epsilon Zeta'' at the [[University of Toronto]] in [[Toronto]] was chartered.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/milestones.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080101131037/http://www.lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/milestones.asp|url-status=dead|title=Lambda Chi Alpha History Timeline|archive-date=January 1, 2008}}</ref>

===Theta Kappa Nu merger===
{{Further|Theta Kappa Nu}}
The [[Theta Kappa Nu]] fraternity was formed by eleven local fraternities on June 9, 1924, in [[Springfield, Missouri]]. With the help of the [[North American Interfraternity Conference]] in identifying local groups, and Theta Kappa Nu's policy of granting charters quickly to organizations with good academic standards, the fraternity grew quickly and had approximately 2,500 initiates in 40 chapters by the end of 1926.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/tkn.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928134430/http://www.lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/tkn.asp|url-status=dead|title=Lambda Chi Alpha History Timeline: Theta Kappa Nu|archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref>

During the [[Great Depression]], both [[Theta Kappa Nu]] and Lambda Chi Alpha saw membership decrease and chapters shut down. In 1939, the two fraternities agreed to merge.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/tu.asp|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060215141627/http://lambdachi.org/fraternity/history/tu.asp|url-status=dead|title=Lambda Chi Alpha History Timeline: The Union|archive-date=February 15, 2006}}</ref> The merger ceremony was held at Howard College (now [[Samford University]]) chapter of Theta Kappa Nu in [[Birmingham, Alabama]]. The merger immediately increased the number of chapters from 77 to 105<ref name=autogenerated3>[http://www.fraternitymanuals.com/images/3/31/Paedagogus50th.pdf Bly, Betsy K. (Ed.) (2005). ''The Paedagogus'' (50th ed.), p. 146. Indianapolis, Lambda Chi Alpha.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928105733/http://www.fraternitymanuals.com/images/3/31/Paedagogus50th.pdf |date=2007-09-28 }}</ref> (or 78 to 106)<ref>[http://www.fraternitymanuals.com/images/3/31/Paedagogus50th.pdf Bly, Betsy K. (Ed.) (2005). ''The Paedagogus'' (50th ed.), p. 11. Indianapolis, Lambda Chi Alpha.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928105733/http://www.fraternitymanuals.com/images/3/31/Paedagogus50th.pdf |date=2007-09-28 }}</ref> and the number of members from 20,000 to 27,000. At the time, this was the largest merger in fraternity history.<ref name=autogenerated3 /> All Theta Kappa Nu chapters became Lambda Chi Alpha chapters and were given chapter designations that began with either [[Theta]], [[Kappa]], or [[Nu (letter)|Nu]].<ref>[http://www.fraternitymanuals.com/images/3/31/Paedagogus50th.pdf Bly, Betsy K. (Ed.) (2005). ''The Paedagogus'' (50th ed.), p. 102. Indianapolis, Lambda Chi Alpha.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928105733/http://www.fraternitymanuals.com/images/3/31/Paedagogus50th.pdf |date=2007-09-28 }}</ref>  At schools where chapters of both fraternities previously existed, the two merged and retained Lambda Chi's Zeta recognition.

=== Headquarters locations ===
Lambda Chi Alpha was founded in [[Boston]], Massachusetts, in 1909. For the first decade of its existence, the fraternity lacked a central office and records were divided between the homes of Grand High Alpha [[Warren A. Cole]] in [[Swansea, Massachusetts]] and Registrar Samuel Dyer in [[Attleboro, Massachusetts]].<ref name="peyser">{{Cite book |last=Peyser |first=Charles |title=The History of The Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity |publisher=The Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. |year=1992 |edition=1st |location=Indianapolis, IN |pages=60–61 |language=English}}</ref> In 1920, the fraternity moved its headquarters to [[Northeastern Pennsylvania]], where it was located in [[Kingston, Pennsylvania|Kingston]] and [[Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania|Wilkes Barre]]. Later that year, it relocated to [[Indianapolis]], where many other [[Fraternities and Sororities|fraternity and sorority]] national headquarters are located. Since 2021, its headquarters has been based in [[Carmel, Indiana]], outside Indianapolis.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Raymond |first=Mike |date=December 2005 |title=Eighth Headquarters |url=http://www.crossandcrescent.com/2005/12/eighth-headquarters/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060305130002/http://www.crossandcrescent.com/2005/12/eighth-headquarters/ |archive-date=2006-03-05 |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Cross & Crescent |via=web.archive.org}}</ref> Its former headquarters include:<ref name=":0" />

* '''1909:''' [[Swansea, Massachusetts]]<ref>{{Citation |last=WESTON (ROY F) INC WEST CHESTER PA |date=1990-08-01 |title=Report of Sampling and Analysis Results: Swansea Army Housing Units, Swansea, Massachusetts |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.21236/ada226530 |location=Fort Belvoir, VA |doi=10.21236/ada226530|url-access=subscription }}</ref> and [[Attleboro, Massachusetts]]
* '''1920:''' 261 Pierce Street, [[Kingston, Pennsylvania]], 18704
* '''1920:''' 160 South Main Street, [[Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania]] 18701
* '''1920:''' 30-40 North Pennsylvania Street, [[Indianapolis]], [[Indiana]] 46205
* '''1923:''' 136 East Market Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
* '''1930:''' 55 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
* '''1940:''' Rhodes, Mansion, 2029 North Meridian Street, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
* '''1955:''' 3434 North Washington Boulevard, Indianapolis, Indiana 46205
* '''1974:''' 8741 Founders Road, Indianapolis, Indiana 46268
* '''2014:''' 11711 North Pennsylvania Street, Suite 250, [[Carmel, Indiana]] 46032<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lambda Chi Timeline |url=https://www.lambdachi.org/about-lambda-chi-alpha/history/timeline/ |access-date=2025-01-24 |website=Lambda Chi Alpha |language=en-US}}</ref>
* '''2021:''' 10 W Carmel Drive, Suite 220, Carmel, Indiana 46032<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weitzer |first=Taylor |date=2021-06-02 |title=Lambda Chi Alpha is Moving the Office of Administration |url=https://www.lambdachi.org/lambda-chi-alpha-is-moving-the-office-of-administration/ |access-date=2023-06-26 |website=Lambda Chi Alpha |language=en-US}}</ref>

===North American Interfraternity Conference===
{{Further|North American Interfraternity Conference}}
The fraternity first joined the [[North American Interfraternity Conference]] (NIC) in 1913.<ref name="nicrejoin" /> In October 2015, it resigned from the association, citing in-fighting and dysfunctional governance. The fraternity's exit coincided with NIC lobbying for the [[Safe Campus Act]], which was opposed by both the fraternity and sexual assault advocacy groups.<ref name="NIC-exit">{{cite news|last1=Kingkade|first1=Tyler|title=Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity Leaves National Umbrella Group Amid Controversial Lobbying|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/lambda-chi-alpha-nic_562f8bc7e4b00aa54a4b26dd|access-date=November 4, 2015|work=Huffington Post|date=October 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Lambda Chi Alpha Resigns Its Membership in the North American Interfraternity Conference (press release)|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lambda-chi-alpha-resigns-its-membership-in-the-north-american-interfraternity-conference-300166219.html|access-date=November 4, 2015|work=PR Newswire|date=October 27, 2015}}</ref> Lambda Chi Alpha re-joined the NIC in November 2023.<ref name="nicrejoin" />