Founders Werner, Levy and Fisher felt a need for Pi Lambda Phi. Why is best explained by the following letter presumably written and circulated during the school year of 1895 at Yale:
Dear Sir:
In the early part of this year, a number of students at Yale met to consider a college fraternity on lines broader and more liberal than those employed at the present time.
It appeared feasible to found such a fraternity, having for its cardinal principles non-sectarianism and the recognition of men on the basis of ability above all consideration.
Appreciating the obstacles that present themselves to the success of such an unprecedented undertaking, they proceeded with the utmost caution.
Yet their purpose was such as to elicit the enthusiastic interest and co-operation of many liberal men.
The following article, which appeared in the C.C.N.Y. Mercury, briefly explains our position:
'The long felt want in college life has at last been filled. The influence and workings of college fraternities, admirable as they are, have up to now been limited in their scope. And this, not because of the ineligibility, or non-qualification of those not reached, but rather by some narrow and illiberal clause utterly at variance with the original fraternal idea, has defeated the true purpose and aim of fraternity. To counteract this, there have been at times, other fraternities founded by sects not included in the existing fraternities. These naturally have served as counter-irritants, rather than as remedies. Now, however, there has been founded the fraternity which seeks only the most broad-minded, liberal, and progressive men. As will be seen in the account of this fraternity in another part of this issue, the organization does not present itself as an experiment, but as an established fact. The fraternity seeks no members, save those seeking it. And only the best of those who are progressive, industrious, and non-prejudiced, can seek it successfully.'
Considerations of this character led to the establishment of a chapter at Yale, which was followed by the formation of chapters at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, College of the City of New York and New York University. Others are being established at the University of Chicago, Union and Harvard. The undergraduates constituting these chapters are young men who have gained distinction during their college career.
They have been prominent in classical, scientific and literary studies. Moreover many of them are athletic and social leaders in their respective institutions.
Now the fraternity is striving to extend its influences that it may ultimately be represented at all the larger universities and colleges. In the undergraduate world, the success and acceptability of the organization is assured.
However, we are especially desirous of securing the support of college graduates who have gained distinction in their particular departments.
Your name has been suggested and it is in accordance with this purpose that you are heartily invited to extend us your cooperation by becoming a graduate member. It is expected that graduate members will be in accord with principles which occasioned the establishing of the fraternity and they shall be allowed every privilege usually enjoyed by fraternity members no longer in undergraduate life.
The committee trusts that you will approve of their efforts and will honor them by submitting your name for membership in the near future.
Respectfully,
Frederick Manfred Werner
Louis Samter Levy
Henry Mark Fisher
Several noteworthy inferences may be drawn from the content and tone of this letter. The Founders recognized, from the birth of Pi Lambda Phi, the necessity of having mature alumni guiding an undergraduate chapter and providing the continuity needed to keep a chapter alive as its leaders graduated year after year. They were without alumni members and therefore found it wise to rush and initiate older men into their brotherhood to fill this void.
It is also apparent that Pi Lambda Phi was established as a protest and living example against the tendency of fraternities to discriminate against students for religious and racial reasons. Discrimination had been growing in colleges and the result was the formation of sectarian fraternities by members of the minority groups who were being discriminated against. This action was frowned upon by many who saw in it the widening of the social breach between students.