Editing Psi Upsilon (section)

==History==
[[File:Secret Society Buildings New Haven.jpg|thumb|"Secret Society Buildings at Yale College", by [[Alice Donlevy]]<ref>Alice Donlevy was the author of a book on illustration called "Practical Hints on the Art of Illumination", published by A. D. F. Randolph, New York, 1867</ref> ca. 1880. Pictured are: Psi Upsilon Left center: Skull & Bones (Russell Trust Association). Right center: [[Delta Kappa Epsilon]]. Bottom: Scroll and Key (Kingsley Trust Association)]]

In 1833, five sophomore and two freshman members of the Delphian Society, a local literary group, had become friends and began to meet regularly to exchange essays and engage in literary debate. The seven men thus founded Psi Upsilon on the evening of November 24, 1833. The first constitution was adopted on January 10, 1834.<ref name="Psi Upsilon Fraternity">[http://www.psiu.org/fr/history.html Psi Upsilon Fraternity<!-- Bot generated title -->] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070414000000/http://www.psiu.org/fr/history.html |date=April 14, 2007 }}</ref>

The first expansion chapter was started in 1837 when a member of Psi Upsilon at Union transferred to [[New York University]]. Ten chapters were founded in the first ten years, and eight more chapters were founded in the twenty years after that. By 1904, when the last founding father, Edward Martindale, died, there were 23 chapters and more than 11,000 members.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

During [[World War II]], a few chapters, such as the Omicron, rented their houses to the Army as barracks and offices.One chapter, the [[Michigan State University|Epsilon Nu]], rented its house to a sorority ([[Gamma Phi Beta]]). The rental income these chapters received allowed them to survive. Other chapters, such as the Lambda and Eta, could not afford the taxes and upkeep on an empty house and had to sell.<ref name="Psi Upsilon Fraternity"/>

After the war, the executive council hired professional staff and established a central office to assist chapters. At first, the office consolidated initiation records and address lists, published a newsletter and secured the fraternity's historical artifacts. Over time, the staff's size and function grew. Young alumni were hired to visit chapters as educational and leadership consultants, reviewing chapter operations and suggesting ways to improve. Leadership training was developed and expanded, and regular conclaves began to be held to train officers and alumni. Handbooks were published for each officer position and general programs. Alumni associations were given professional advice on fundraising and house renovations. Within twelve years of the end of the war, five chapters were reactivated and four new chapters were chartered.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

===Fraternity firsts===
Psi Upsilon was the first fraternity to<ref name="Psi Upsilon Fraternity"/>
* Hold a fraternity convention (1841) 
* Print a membership catalogue (1842)
* Print the fraternity history (1843)
* Print a fraternity songbook (1849)
* Issue a fraternity magazine (1850)