Sigma Chi Fraternity. Delta Delta Chapter (Purdue University)

Delta Kappa Epsilon was founded at Yale in 1844. The 13th chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon was established at Miami in 1852. An 1855 schism in the chapter led to the founding of Sigma Chi on June 28 of the same year. In 1875, the Delta Delta chapter of Sigma Chi was established at Purdue, making it the first fraternity on campus. Purdue President Emerson E. White was opposed to Greek societies on the Purdue campus, and in 1877 Purdue established what was known as the matriculation pledge. This pledge stated that students would not be allowed to join any secret or Greek lettered societies. An unsuccessful lawsuit on behalf of Thomas B. Hawley was filed against Purdue in 1882. The ruling was appealed to the Indiana Supreme Court and on June 21, 1882 the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs. The ruling stated that "there was no impropriety in either becoming a member of or being otherwise connected with the Sigma Chi fraternity ... and that the objections seemingly entertained by the faculty against other fraternities of the same class were unfounded." Emerson White retired, and was later succeeded by James Smart in 1883.

From the description of Collection of Sigma Chi Fraternity court case materials, 1879-2000 1881-1883. (Purdue University Library). WorldCat record id: 530177998