Phi Kappa Psi California Beta

by Enrico Hernandez, '78

Chapter Founding: California Beta's establishment at Stanford University is unique, for it happened without any kind of ceremony. There was no initiation of charter members, no banquet as was the custom and no great knowledge of the event until early 1892. Our founding date, December 18, 1891, was quite arbitrary. The chapter was alive and initiating members under dispensation from the Executive Council.

California Beta's existence began when Stanford University opened its doors in 1891. Thirteen members of California Alpha at the University of the Pacific (UOP) in San Jose transferred to Stanford. By the end of 1891, membership in the "chapter" at Stanford numbered twenty men. The charter members were: Fred G. Burrows, Stewart D. Briggs, Virgil C. Richards, Olin W. Marsh, Raymond C. Morgan, Pember S. Castleman, Clarke B. Whittier, Robert L. Gruwell, Leslie M. Burwell, Richard T. Buchanan, Henry R. Timm, Arthur H. Barnhisel, James B. Newell, William F. Blake, Ernest R. Hill, Aylett R. Colton, Howard T. Trumbo, John M. Lewis, Walter C. Hazzard and Walter H. Kirkbride.

In the first letter to The Shield, the correspondent for the new chapter wrote:

One evening during the holidays Brother Whittier came and told me that he had received a Christmas present that he wished me to share. He kept me in suspense while we climbed two flights of stairs to his room, and then read me a letter from Brother Smart, stating that a charter had been granted for California Beta. He sent the news as a Christmas gift, and gladly was it received.

In closing Brother Burrows wrote:

Housing: Plans for California Beta's chapter house have been submitted to the architect for estimates and details. We expect to occupy a house built according to our own plans and expressly for us, to cost something like $7,000 or $8,000. The house will be built by Senator Stanford, and we will take a perpetual lease. Rent at about 10 per cent.

The price for California Beta was California Alpha. When the great exodus from UOP ended, three brothers were left at California Alpha. The chapter ceased to exist in June of 1892.

The chapter continued to grow and occupied its house at 550 San Juan Street. In the early seventies, the general declining interest in fraternities hit California Beta. At the end of the 1975-1976 school year California Beta became inactive.

The causes were long, sad and involved. In 1973, because of deterioration of the house, the University told the chapter to renovate the house or move out. The cost of renovation was estimated to be $250,000 to $300,000. The House Corporation's assets were $100,000. Jerry Wood '32, John Cahill '36 and Bill Kelley '47 met to arrange to improve the house as much as possible. Then, in 1975, the house was deeded to the University to make further improvements. The chapter house was then leased back to the chapter.

In 1975, with the implementation of the Guaranteed Housing Plan, the chapter was unwilling to revert to an all-male status after having allowed woman boarders. Interest in Phi Psi declined and the chapter became inactive in 1976. The charter however was not suspended in the hopes that the chapter would soon return.

Revival of the Chapter: The chapter did return during the 1976-1977 academic school year. A group of men, Allen Amen '78, Carlos Hernandez, '78 and Mark Reinecke '78 pledged the chapter in 1977 and were initiated the following year. The reactivated chapter was the first of the unhoused fraternities at Stanford and continues to prosper, now twenty-five years after the chapter's re-establishment. The oldest fraternity on campus, the chapter boasts over 1420 initiates since the founding. As in the past 111 years, California Beta continues to offer Stanford men one of the best fraternity experiences. High! High! High!