Gentlemen of the Sigma Phi,
Happy Birthday Sigma Phi! Our founders selected March 4th as the day of our creation. Their reasons obscured by time, the fact remains that March Fourth is the only date which is also a command. As our Society marches towards its 200th anniversary in 2027, we are thankful for the many friendships and blessings that Sigma Phi has bestowed upon us.
For last year’s March 4th greeting, I shared a reflection from Brother Patrick Sunbury, I’08, who eloquently wrote of the invaluable support and transformative experience membership in our Society has, and continues, to provide. This year I turn to Brother Elihu Root H’ 1860, to provide words of wisdom (from his March 4, 1935 letter to the Society):
“If a young fellow entering college is to become an effective, valued force in his own community, if he is to gain the durable satisfactions of life, he must develop a side of his nature to which the college curriculum does not and cannot pay very much attention. He must achieve capacity for sympathetic understanding of his fellow men and genuine interest in them. He must acquire a habit of kindly consideration and regard for the rights and feelings of others. He must be exercised in the practice of friendship, in a sense of proportion and of humor, in good fellowship and in feeling for the joys and sorrows of others. These are qualities of character, and upon the development of character along these lines, civilization must depend for international peace and for domestic liberty and order more than it depends on statistics and argument.“
Truer words seldom ever written. May I dare to add especially so today more than ever.
I invite you to take a moment to address paying your Society dues. $75 is asked for those good graduate brothers whose undergraduate years are 10 years or more ago. $50 is requested from our younger graduates. Perhaps you would be willing to “set it and forget it.” How? You set a monthly amount to be auto debited to your credit card. I chose $18.31, the year of my chapter’s founding. Our tech wizards have made it quite simple. Click the donate button below and you are on your way. If you’d rather be ‘one and done’, I thank you for your monetary support of the Thrice Illustrious.
No matter the method you choose, alumni dues are the primary source of funding for the National’s primary purposes - production and mailing of the twice per year Flame, Convention planning, data base management, chapter support and web site maintenance.
May the words of Brother Root continue to guide the Sigma Phi - and inspire your support my Brothers for this annual dues drive. Happy founding day, men. May you and I celebrate and enjoy many more.
Esto Perpetua,
Brendan J. McCurdy, H’80
Chairman, Standing & Advisory Committee