Alpha Phi Omega. Know It's History.
History of Alpha Phi Omega Philippines
It all started with a service project.
World War II had recently ended, but it had left its devastation around the world. The major cities of Europe had been heavily damaged, and many of the cities of Asia and the Pacific had been destroyed. Manila, the capital of the former US colony Philippines had been occupied and was now in ruins; its universities, rubble. What, if anything, could college students across the Pacific in the United States do that would have any real effect? It turns out, quite a lot! Some of the Alpha Phi Omega-USA Brothers in Texas and the Pacific Northwest had fought in these islands. They knew, firsthand, of the friendliness of the people and of their need. They knew that education of the young people was a vital necessity if the country was to get back to its feet. They could do something, and they did. Book drives were started on their campuses and hundreds of textbooks, used but useable, were gathered from their libraries and fellow students to be sent to the Philippines to help re-stock the many burnt-out college libraries in Manila. It was a successful service project, but like many one-time projects, it was soon forgotten, remembered only in the scrapbooks of the chapters involved and in the mind of the then APO-USA National President (1931-1946) H. Roe Bartle “The Chief”. It was a good example of a service project; it had all of the elements of a good story; and the Chief never forgot a good story. Time passed. It was January 1950, and Sol George Levy (Gamma Alpha 1947), a professional scout, an APhiO member at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington and a friend of Dr. Bartle, was going to the Philippines to help generate more interest among the Scouts here. The Chief told him what APO had done a few years earlier to help re-establish Filipino university libraries. One January evening that year, scouts in Manila were invited to a conference by Mr. Levy. He passed on the story to them, mentioning how nice it would be if a Scouting-based fraternity similar to Alpha Phi Omega could be established in the country. He expessed his desire to organize Alpha Phi Omega, and distributed some copies of three APO publications: Questions and Answers, National Constitution and By-laws, and Ritual Rites and Ceremonies.
The story was of particular interest to a group of Scouts at Far Eastern University in Manila. It may be that their library was one of those which had been helped, or it may be that the idea of a Scouting-based fraternity just struck fertile ground. Librado I. Ureta, an Eagle Scout, a graduate student, and was among the audience; together with a group of over twenty Scouts and advisors began organizing work.
On March 2, 1950, at the Nicanor Reyes Hall, Room 214, Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines; the first organization of Alpha Phi Omega outside of the United States of America was established. It is now known as the Alpha Chapter.
The Charter Members during one of the organizational meeting of APO Philippines. Clockwise: Sitting – Hawkins, Sevilla, Atienza, Ureta, Neric and Velasco. Standing – Dominguez, and De los Reyes. Scan courtesy of old T&T newsletter from Bro. Edmar Par (Sigma 1975)
Alpha Phi Omega rapidly and healthily grew in the Philippines. In its third year, it became a national organization with seven chapters chartered in Manila and Visayan campuses. It was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on October 21, 1953 as a non-stock, non-profit and non-dividend corporation with a registered name of Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Incorporated. It renewed its registration on June 8, 1981 with the SEC Registration No. 0099381 under the name of Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines Incorporated. The Charter members who served as the first National Officers were:
Dr. Librado I. Ureta – National President
Col. Ignacio J. Sevilla, Sr. – National First Vice President
Dr. Romeo Y. Atienza – National Second Vice President
Dr. Guillermo R. Padolina – National Third Vice President
Godofredo P. Neric – National Secretary
Leonardo R. Osorio of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) – National Treasurer
Ralph G. Hawkins – National Editor and Historian
Alfredo de los Reyes – National Director of Relationship
Lamberto T. Dominguez (BSP) – National Executive Board Member
Dr. Bonifacio V. Lazcano (BSP) – National Executive Board Member
Max M. Velasco – National Executive Board Member
The first seven chapters that incorporated APO Philippines were: Ordered by Greek Alphabet Alpha – Mar 2, 1950 Beta – Mar 24, 1951 Gamma – Oct 5, 1953 Delta – Mar 9, 1952 Epsilon – Mar 2, 1952 Zeta – Mar 28, 1952 Eta – Feb 10, 1953
Gamma – Oct 5, 1953 Alpha Phi Omega International (Philippines), Inc. was the first country to be chartered outside the USA. Although it is separate and independent from its mother country, it adheres to the cardinal principles designed by Brother Frank Reed Horton. The badge and revised coat-of-arms created by EVERETT W. PROBST, one of the original members, were adopted. However, the handclasp was patterned from the Boy Scouts’ and not from that of THANE S. COOLEY. In “The Story Behind Founding”, Dr. Frank Reed Horton, wrote: “As Scouting is world-wide, so should Alpha Phi Omega be world-wide, gradually in the colleges and the universities of all nations,” And so it did.
History of APO Philippines Sorority
The commitment of women in Alpha Phi Omega have been started and involved within the activities of the fraternity since the first decade of existence in the Philippines. In the past, APO sisters belonged to sororities of different names. Initially, in social functions, brothers would pick fraternity sweethearts among their dates. Later on fraternity chapters and the most prestigious sorority on its campus would hold a soiree and then a joint service project; when a brotherly relationship have been established, the sorority would then affiliate to the fraternity chapter. Still, most chapters started sister sororities composed of their friends. Therefore it was not uncommon that the early fraternity chapters of Alpha Phi Omega associated their group with sororities bearing different names.
During the 50’s and 60’s, like every other campus with APO chapters, it was Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity and Kappa Phi Omega Sorority that ruled University of the Philippines in Diliman. They were partners…brods and sis. Scan courtesy of Eta Chapter
The Alpha Phi Omega Philippines National Board of Sorority was first adopted in the 6th National Biennial Convention held at Mapua Institute of Technology, Manila on March 6-7, 1965, under the national name of “Alpha Phi Sigma Sorority”, in which it served as the umbrella organization of all sister sororities of the different fraternity chapters of Alpha Phi Omega. Alpha Phi Sigma further united, formed and organized among the groups in order to integrate all the existing sister sororities into one national sorority under the jurisdiction of the Alpha Phi Omega Philippines National Executive Board. The national officers who were elected by the sorority delegates to serve as the first National Board of Sorority in 1965 were as follows:
President : Hope Tinga (Kappa Phi Omega of Eta chapter)
First Vice President : Sally Ravara-Magcanan (Sigma Lambda Phi of Sigma chapter)
Second Vice President: Rosita De Leon (Delta Sigma Sigma of Delta chapter)
Auditor : Pat Macanay-Chua (Alpha Lambda Sigma of Lambda chapter)
In 1968, the APO National Executive Board passed a resolution changing the APO National Sister Sorority name from “Alpha Phi Sigma Sorority” to “APO Auxiliary Sorority (APOAS)” to have a uniformity name from its nomenclature. Consequently, this paved the way for the integration of all sister sororities under one national name, in which it resulted to the recognition and granting of charter as Alpha Eta Auxiliary Sorority Chapter of Philippine School of Business and Administration, Manila, on September 17, 1968, with Sister Amelia P. Acuzar as the holder of National Sorority ID No. 001. Subsequently, the 7th National Biennial Convention held at Far Eastern University, Manila on December 15-16, 1968, adopted the said existing NEB resolution and officially allowed its collegiate fraternity chapters to admit women as affiliate members. It was in the 8th National Biennial Convention held at the University of the Philippines, Los Banos, Laguna on December 17-19, 1971, that the Sorority was formally recognized and accepted as Alpha Phi Omega Auxiliary Sorority (APOAS), the sister association of Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity. But the name suggested a dependence on the brotherhood, and so it strived for the recognition of its own identity. Finally, during the 10th National Biennial Convention held on March 30 to April 1. 1979, at Camp 7, Minglanilla, Cebu, the realization of the dream of the sorority came. The National Code of By-laws was amended and the Alpha Phi Omega Service Sorority (APOSS) came into being. The Office of the Vice President for Sorority Affairs was created, thereby giving its total recognition and equal footing with the Fraternity. Thus the Organization became Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines Incorporated Service Fraternity and Sorority. Similarly, Alpha Phi Omega (USA), during its 23rd National Biennial Convention in St. Missouri, on December 27-29, 1974, officially allowed its collegiate chapters to admit women as affiliate members. Finally, APhiO-USA, during its 24th National Biennial Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 27, 1976, formally accepted as full-fledged “brothers” of the Fraternity. The National Office The National Office for Alpha Phi Omega of the Philippines is at 301-A Two Seventy Midtower Condominium 270 Ermin Garcia, Brgy Silangan, Cubao, Quezon City.
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Founding of Alpha Phi Omega (USA)
Alpha Phi Omega (ΑΦΩ) (commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q) is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of approximately 17,000 students, and over 350,000 alumni members. There are also 250 chapters in the Philippines and one in Australia. Alpha Phi Omega is a co-ed service fraternity organized to provide community service, leadership development, and social opportunities for college students. Chapters range in size from a handful of active members to over 200 active members, independent of each college's size. The purpose of the fraternity is "to assemble college students in a National Service Fraternity in the fellowship of principles derived from the Scout Oath and Scout Law of the Boy Scouts of America; to develop Leadership, to promote Friendship, and to provide Service to humanity; and to further the freedom that is our national, educational, and intellectual heritage." Unlike many other fraternities, APO's primary focus is to provide volunteer service within four areas: service to the community, service to the campus, service to the fraternity, and service to the nation as participating citizens. Being primarily a service organization, the fraternity restricts its chapters from maintaining fraternity houses to serve as residences for their members. This also encourages members of social fraternities and sororities that have houses to join APO as well. History: Alpha Phi Omega was founded on December 16, 1925 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania,[1] by Frank Reed Horton and 13 other students who were former Boy Scouts and scouters, as a way to continue participating in the ideals of Scouting at the college level. Six advisors were also inducted: President John H. MacCracken, Dean Donald B. Prentice, Professors D. Arthur Hatch and Harry T. Spengler; one local Scouting official, Herbert G. Horton, and one national Scouting official, the national director of relationships for the Boy Scouts of America, Ray O. Wyland. The founders insisted that all those gaining membership must pledge to uphold the fraternity's three cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship, and Service.
Alpha Phi Omega became a national fraternity on January 11, 1927 with the founding of Beta chapter at University of Pittsburgh. Horton served as Supreme Grand Master from the founding of the fraternity until the 1931 convention. A total of 18 chapters were founded during this period. At the 1931 convention, H. Roe Bartle was elected as Supreme Grand Master (title changed to National President in 1934) and served through World War II, stepping down at the 1946 convention. During his time as president, the number of chapters grew to 109. Early in his term (October 1931), Alpha Phi Omega was formally recognized by the Boy Scouts of America. Beginnings of an international fraternity: History of Alpha Phi Omega in the Philippines The most rapid growth of the fraternity was in the post-war years. By 1950, Alpha Phi Omega had 227 chapters in the United States. The first chapter outside the US was organized in the Philippines that year. Many Filipinos were active in the Boy Scouts. Sol Levy, an APO member from University of Washington introduced the organization to Filipino Scouts. Librado I. Ureta, a graduate student at Far Eastern University in Manila, was among the audience. Inspired by Levy's words, he read the publications and shared them with fellow Eagle Scouts and students on the FEU campus. He asked their opinion about Levy's desire and the response was good. On March 2, 1950, the Alpha Phi Omega International Service Fraternity was chartered on campus. Alpha Phi Omega grew rapidly in the Philippines. By its third year, seven chapters had been chartered at Manila and Visayan schools and it was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as a nonstock, nonprofit, and nondividend corporation. Alpha Phi Omega (Phil.) Inc. was the first branch of the fraternity to be chartered outside the USA. Membership in Alpha Phi Omega-U.S.A. opened to women The fraternity was opened fully to women in 1976.[14] All members are called "Brothers," regardless of gender. The Fraternity views "Brothers" as a gender-neutral term. Before women were allowed to join, several smaller sororities, parallel in ideals but independent in structure, were formed for women who had been Camp Fire Girls or Girl Scouts, including Gamma Sigma Sigma and Omega Phi Alpha. Several Alpha Phi Omega chapters also had started "little sister" groups; some of which formed separate organizations (e.g. Jewels of Tau, Phyettes etc.). The first step in paving the way for women to join Alpha Phi Omega was the Constitutional Convention in 1967, which removed the requirement that members have affiliation with the Boy Scouts of America. In the early 1970's, co-ed membership was proposed by several chapters but failed to reach the two-thirds majority support at the National Conventions which was required to alter the organization's bylaws. Some chapters went co-ed prior to 1976, despite the fact that the national by-laws did not allow it. They did so by registering women by using only the first letter of their first name. Many chapters that attempted to register women with the national office would receive the paperwork and fees back for women initiates. The Alpha Chi chapter at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ran their own printing press, and thus was able to generate certificates and membership cards for their own female initiates.
At the 1974 National Convention, the Fraternity allowed chapters to have women as affiliate members of the fraternity, and during the 1976 National Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, the decision was made to formally welcome females as full members of the fraternity. As with many major changes, this one caused a great deal of consternation, especially among several long-established chapters. Many of these chapters threatened to disassociate with the national fraternity if they were forced to become co-ed. In order to preserve the unity of the fraternity as a whole, the amendment was crafted such that it did not require existing chapters to admit women as members albeit all new chapters had to. It was felt that with the course of time, all would go coed. This "gentleman's agreement" was formalized in a resolution at the 1998 Convention and includes the following points: "The fraternity continues to encourage all Chapters and petitioning groups to open their membership to all students. All Chapters and petitioning groups have the right to choose their own members using objective and open policies that are consistent with the Fraternity’s governing documents, the rules of the host institutions that they serve and the traditions of that Chapter, if any. Single-gender Chapters chartered before the 1976 National Convention may remain single-gender unless they become inactive or coeducational. All Petitioning Groups seeking to charter or re-charter will be and remain co-educational. Allowing women members in 1976 reversed the continuing steep decline in membership of the Fraternity and started a growth cycle in the Fraternity.
Source: http://www.apo.org http://www.apo.org.ph
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_Phi_Omega
