In the spring of 1890, a movement was first made by a small group of students at the University to obtain a charter for a chapter of the Fraternity. They presented a petition at its next convention, which was referred to the Johns Hopkins Chapter to investigate and report, but little or nothing was done.
As a result, however, the local alumni residing in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, at the request of this group, took the matter up and made a thorough investigation of all the men desired to become charter members and selected from their number five (5), who organized themselves as a local society under the name of Alpha Delta Epsilon for the purpose of holding together until a charter could be obtained. At this time William Watts Folwell, Geneva 1857, and President of the University of Minnesota, became interested and it was largely through his sponsorship that the Minnesota Chapter was later founded.
A petition was formulated and signed by leading alumni in the Northwest and presented for the consideration of the Convention held in Baltimore during May 1891.
On November 24, 1891, the Executive Council ordered the Charter to be issued. Five charter members were initiated at this time under the auspices of the local alumni of the Twin Cities on February 22, 1892. This Chapter had also been endorsed by many of the alumni associations, including those of Omaha, Chicago, Buffalo, and Cleveland. Indeed, at the initiation, there were present forty-three members, representing sixteen different Chapters, whose members resided not only in the Northwest, but also in Omaha, Chicago, and New York.
Owing to the fact that most of the leading fraternities had been represented in the University for several years prior to our Chapter’s installation and had built up a strong local body of young alumni in the Twin Cities, extra effort has been required to maintain the high standing of Alpha Delta Phi. However, by keeping before it as its watchword “quality and not numbers”, the Chapter has been able to maintain its position on the campus.
The Chapter has been fortunate in having its own Chapter House during all but the earlier part of its history. In 1925, the old house was razed and the present fine structure erected on the same ground opposite the campus.
Because of the attrition of active Brothers resulting from our involvement in World War II, the house was leased in 1942 through the University to the Navy. Many fraternities on the campus, finding themselves in similar circumstances, suspended their activities, but not Alpha Delta Phi. In spite of the depleted membership and lack of a meeting space, the Chapter pursued its normal functions during this trying period. Meetings were held in the Union for a time and later a vacated fraternity house was leased.
The post-war reconversion was heralded by the return of the house in 1945 and the gradually growing ranks due to returning veterans. Much credit must be given the men who so well kept alive the spirit, the ideals and activities of Alpha Delta Phi on the Minnesota campus during the war, and those veterans who returned from the war, threw themselves into the job of getting the Fraternity speedily back to normal operations.
The 1950’s continued as another strong period for the Chapter with many Brothers from this era providing alumni leadership for the next two decades. The Chapter continued to prevail as one of the top fraternities on campus in both the early and late ‘60’s.
However, the Viet Nam War started taking its effect on campus groups in the early 1970’s with our Fraternity being no exception. Membership dwindled as students elected to not become involved with organizations with a purpose. By 1974, the Chapter recovered to a point that it hosted the successful 142nd Convention.
Lack of leadership created problems in the 1970’s, and some restructuring was done in an attempt to revitalize the Chapter. The 1980’s brought renewed hopes for the Chapter, but by the early 1990’s the Chapter had once again fallen on hard times, and in 1996 the alumni of the Chapter made the painful decision to temporarily cease operations, and leased the house to another fraternity on campus.
In 1999, largely through the efforts of Brother Brian Bergson, MINN 1989, efforts were taken to recolonize the Minnesota Chapter. The house was reclaimed from its unworthy tenants, and funds were secured to renovate the house. Soon, after many long hours from the many alumni and the unprecedented efforts of Brother Bergson, the Chapter was able to initiate its first class of Brothers. With the new foundation for the Chapter set, the Minnesota Chapter continues to grow and flourish.