Key Figures in Lambda Chi Alpha History

• Warren A. Cole
• Dr. John E. Mason, Jr.
• Ernst J.C. Fischer
• Bruce H. McIntosh
• Linn C. Lightner
• Samuel Dyer
• Rev. J.H. Krenmyre

Unlike most fraternities, Lambda Chi Alpha began as the dream of one man: Warren Albert Cole. He was deliberate, soft-spoken and mild of manner yet gave the impression of one whose mind was constantly at work, appraising and calculating. With undergrads finding his personality attractive, he inspired intense loyalty.

Despite rather limited experience he continued to work on his dream of founding a great international fraternity in the face of numerous crushing disappointments. His technique was the write to a non-fraternity man at a desirable college and inquire if the individual was interested in establishing a chapter of his small but growing fraternity.

After over a hundred rejections (a few in person), Cole finally received a positive reply from Lewis Drury at the University of Massachusetts in early February 1912. Now he had a new problem: to produce a Constitution (largely based on the legal fraternity Gamma Eta Gamma to which he had belonged) and a ritual (with heavy influences from the Patrons of Husbandry [the Grange] and some from Freemasonry).

That same spring another poitive reply, from Albert Cross at the University of Pennsylvania, led to a general fraternity consisting of an international president (Cole), eight theoretical members in the Boston chapter, eight in the Massachusetts chapter, and thirteen members at Pennsylvania.

Cole worked with the Massachusetts chapter to producethe first coat of arms, the Gamma Plate. He accepted, with reasonably good humor, the devastating critique of his work on emblems and ritual from the Pennsylvania chapter despite its often tactless form, and utilized the skills of many of the men brought into the fraternity with its rapid expansion (28 chapters 1912-1916).

With the advent of World War I, Cole was left as the sole worker at the general fraternity level including being editor of the magazine. Through his energetic efforts the Fraternity not only survived the war but voasted 53 chapters at the first post-war General Assembly, Ann Arbor 1919. He was not returned to the office of Grand High Alpha at that General Assembly, however, and soon thereafter ceased involvement with the Fraternity.

Dr. John E. Mason, Jr., Pennsylvania

Jack Mason came into the Fraternity as a charter member of our second functioning chapter. Fluent in French, German, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, he assembled our current initiation ritual from numerous ancient and medieval texts. Although his name is most closely associated with our rituals and emblems-- including the current coat of arms-- it can be argued that his greatest contribution was in the development of the Fraternity's publications. He was the first editor of the open magazine and, as chairman of the Board of Publications, worked closely with Linn Lightner when he assumed the duties of editor. Jack was also involved in the development of the Paedagogus (member education manual) and guided the assembling of the national songbook. Jack served as Grand High Alpha from 1930-1933 and as Historian of the Fraternity until his death in 1946.

Ernst J.C. Fischer, Cornell

Ernst Julius Carl Fischer came into the Fraternity as an alumnus, having been one of the rollicking group known as Mug and Jug (the predecessor of Omicron Zeta). He happened to be in Worcester on business at the time of the 1914 General Assembly; his skills were so obvious that he was immediately placed on the Board.

Fisch was instrumental in the establishment of the endowment fund that was critical to our survival during the Great Depression. He developed the Universal Accounting System, was involved in the development of the Paedagogus (new member manual), and was the only man other than our founder to serve more than a single four-year term as Grand High Alpha (1920-1929). In the mid-1930s he served on the staff as a traveling consultant for special chapter problems. As usual at the 1978 General Assembly, his last, he divided his time between reminiscing with the older alumni and holding small undergraduate groups spellbound with tales of the earliest days . . . a fitting conclusion to sixty-four years of service to his beloved Fraternity.

Bruce H. McIntosh, DePauw

Bruce was Cole's principal contact in the Darsee Club that led to our chapter at DePauw. He began editing our open magazine in 1918, but it was clear by February 1920 that his talents were more needed as chief executive officer. Bruce established the first Office of Administration in Kingston and Wilkes-Barre, Penn. (to be near Fischer, who lived in the area), then made the move to Indianapolis in December 1920. He developed virtually all of our office procedures, designed most the ritual equipment including officer robes and pendants, and generally brought the fraternity to a stage where it was greatly respected for its administrative procedures-- all on a miniscule budget.

Bruce left the employ of the Fraternity after overseeing the integration of the former Theta Kappa Nu and Lambda Chi Alpha chapters into a greater whole. In his later years he presented the Fraternity with beautifully hand-painted renderings of the various coats of arms in addition to providing sage counsel on request.

Linn C. Lightner, Franklin & Marshall

Editor 1920-1970

Linn was chairman of the Harbaugh Club committee seeking affiliation with a national fraternity and thus was instrumental in bringing Lambda Chi Alpha to Franklin & Marshall. He began his serve to the General Fraternity with the November 1918 issue as Associate Editor under Bruce McIntosh. When Bruce became Administrative Secretary, Linn began his 50-year term as editor of our open magazine. Through 1970 the magazine was a "journal of record" that chronicled each and every event.

But Linn was far more than a careful observer. An automatic member of the Board due to being Editor (a practice eliminated in 1954), he was centrally involved in all decisions, particularly the expansion to new schools. Indeed, Linn was known throughout the interfraternal world as the expert on charter grants and withdrawals. After his retirement as Editor, Linn researched the history of our Fraternity and produced an invaluable 500-page manuscript.

Samuel Dyer, Maine

Board Member 1913-1923

Sam was one of the founders of the Psi Alpha Lambda local fraternity at Maine. Hew was instrumental in bringing the successor, Delta Kappa, into our fraternity and was rewarded with a position on the Board a week before his chapter was even installed. He served as business manager of the magazine and developed the first academic standards program. He worked with Jack Mason on the development of the initiation ritual and was the author of the Officer Installation ceremony. Virtually alone he published the 1914 Directory of Members.

During the post-World War I period Sam served as a skilled mediator in the Cole vs. Cross/Mason/Fischer conflicts. Throughout his life he ws an exemplar of the ideals of Lambda Chi Alpha.

Rev. J.H. Krenmyre, QKN, Iowa Wesleyan

"Dad" Krenmyre, a spellbinding orator, was the only man to serve as an active board member for the entire life of TKN. He developed their ritual and edited the Theta News for its first decade. he developed the academic programming of Theta Kappa Nu, including a program of graduate scholarships that are continued today by our Educational Foundation. "Dad" was instrumental in the smooth union of the two fraternities and served the general fraternity as Associate Historian from the merger until his death in 1951.