About ACACIA | |
International HistoryThe 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 12th, 1904, fourteen Master Masons attending the University of Michigan founded Acacia Fraternity at Ann Arbor. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Local HistoryThe founding of the Carleton Chapter of Acacia Fraternity took place during the summer of 1987 when Doug Wotherspoon, a founding father of the ACACIA Chapter at the University of Western Ontario, approached friends about the idea of starting a fraternity at Carleton University. The idea was well received by National Headquarters and enabled Doug Wotherspoon and Perry Delleice, to join together to help educate twenty eight young men. Once colony status was obtained from National Headquarters, Doug Perry and Executive Director Darold Larson, pledged twenty-eight young Acacians on November 17, 1987 and the first Executive council of the colony was appointed. Cameron Herold; Venerable Dean When the pledging was over, Brother Perry Delleice took over the responsibility of educating the pledges about fraternal life and Acacia. In keeping with the Acacia spirit, the Carleton Chapter began its human service. The Carleton Chapter raised funds from various different endeavors and choose the Children’s Wish Foundation as their main local charity. On January 30th, 1989, with the help of Brother Wotherspoon and Brother Delleice, the first pledge class of the Carleton Chapter was initiated into brotherhood. Since then, the Carleton Chapter of ACACIA Fraternity has been involved in the community with such events as:
Many Acacians are also involved in many national and international organizations such as:
As a chapter of an International Fraternity, ACACIA Carleton has been very active with all of its endeavors. Three Alumni Brothers of our chapter have served as leadership Consultants for the International Fraternity. At the 47th Biennial Conclave in 1992, the Carleton Chapter received the award for the best Pledge Education of the biennium. Also, five of our Alumni were awarded the Order of Pythagoras (OP) for their outstanding work to the Carleton Chapter and the International Fraternity. Carleton Chapter has been recognized as being the one chapter to have received the most OP’s ever awarded to a single chapter at a conclave. This recognition puts Acacia Carleton as the one chapter who holds the most per capita OP’s in the International Fraternity. |
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