Acacia – A Century of Brotherhood
The year was 1904. Winston Churchill was 30 years old. Anton Chekov passed away. The United States gained control of the Panama Canal Zone for $10 million. George M. Cohan's song, "The Yankee Doodle Boy," was published. The first Olympic Games ever held in America took place in St. Louis. And on May 12, fourteen Master Masons attending the University of Michigan founded Acacia Fraternity.
Acacia's founders established the fraternity on a unique basis. Membership was restricted to those who had already taken the Masonic obligations, and the organization was to be built on the ideals and principles inculcated by the vows taken by Master Masons. Within one year, four other Masonic clubs received Acacia charters, paving the way for rapid expansion in the following years.
Members were to be motivated by a desire for high scholarship and of such character that the fraternity would be free of the social vices and unbecoming activities that for years had been a blot on the fraternity life. Today, members are no longer required to belong to the Masonic Fraternity. However, since Acacia was founded by Master Masons, it still enjoys an informal spiritual tie to Masonry. Some Acacians pursue membership in the Masonic Orders, and Masonic lodges and individual masons have been of invaluable service to Acacia chapters over the years. This relationship, however, is voluntary.
The evolution and development of Acacia over the years has resulted in a fraternity considerably different from what the founders originally envisioned. But, each major change has been an adaptation to the needs of new conditions, and each has permitted the fraternity to grow in reputation, influence, and strength. Our second century will undoubtedly require further change, but so long as Acacia continues to stand for high scholarship, fraternal brotherhood, and human service, the intentions of our founders will be well realized.
The Founding Fathers of Acacia Fraternity
Middle Row: H.J. Howard, H.B. Washburn, W.J. Marshall, H.P. Rowe, W.S. Wheeler, G.A. Malcolm, and J.W. Hawkins
Front Row: C.A. Sink and J.M. Cooper
The Illinois Wesleyan Chapter
The organization known today as the Illinois Wesleyan Chapter of Acacia Fraternity evolved from a small local organization started by John Edwards, Robert Andruczk, and Dennis Stark. The three men had rushed in the fall of 1956, but were disappointed with the current situation of Greek life at Illinois Wesleyan. Thus, they created their own fraternal organization and began to grow in membership and influence on campus. On March 13 of the following year, after receiving bids from five national fraternities, the men voted to become affiliated with the Acacia Fraternity, and the Illinois Wesleyan Chapter was born.
In the following years, the chapter continued to gather respect from the other Greek houses, developing the most reasonable and progressive pledge program of the time, holding numerous campus leadership positions, and at one point having an overall GPA a full two-tenths above the other fraternities. The chapter reached a high of over 50 members during the 1970s, and during this time several brothers served terms as Undergraduate Counselors to the Acacia International Council. This successful growth, however, slowed to a halt in January of 1985 when the university terminated the chapter's charter.
The rebirth of the Illinois Wesleyan chapter began in March of 1988. With the Alumni Association supporting a growing group of interested freshmen, the university cabinet accepted the recolonization of Acacia on April 15, 1988. The "Original Seven" who joined Acacia that spring pledged fourteen more the next fall, and the following year the men received word from the university that they could be housed in Adams Hall. After two more years of hard work, the chapter was finally granted its charter on May 5, 1991.
Since rechartering, the chapter has continued the tradition of excellence that was established when it was originally founded. Keeping up its progressive attitude, the chapter created the positions of Administrative Dean and Risk Manager to assist with chapter operations, with the latter being adopted by the International Fraternity. Several brothers have received the Award of Merit, Acacia's highest honor, for their philanthropic efforts after graduation, and Brother Robert Roberson was recently elected to be Acacia's International President.
The chapter of today continues pushing ever forward, adopting Acacia's recently developed Cornerstones membership development program in hopes of helping its brothers to become more balanced, responsible, and educated men, ready to take on a more active part in the affairs of the communities in which they reside.
