The Crimson White was recently given the opportunity to tour the Sigma Alpha Epsilon house in an effort to understand more about the history of the oldest fraternity on campus and in the South. The delegation of reporters and a photojournalist were given a tour of the 70-year-old house by SAE’s chapter president, Jesse Blount.
“I get calls all the time from people just wanting to tour the house,” Blount said.
The SAE house at UA is hard to miss. Located directly on University Boulevard, next to Gallalee Hall, it hulks over the surrounding landscape. A large front lawn separates it from the major road and frames the stately, ancient-style building. Sculptures of twin lions, lying in a prone position, sit at the foot of the steps that lead the way to an old, ornate front door complete with matching king cat knockers.
The University of Alabama is home to 54 greek organizations, according to the Office of Greek Affairs. Many of the sororities and fraternities have notable historical value, but SAE is especially significant. It was actually founded on the Alabama campus on March 9, 1856, which makes it the first national fraternity founded in the South.
This remarkable history is evident in the house. A wealth of artifacts can be found in nearly every room on the first floor. In the formal room sits a display case in which old photos of past members and other relics, including the cornerstone of the original house, are kept. Paintings of the founding members line the walls, and almost every other object in the room has some connection to the past.
“The original house was actually spared from the Union when they burned down many buildings on campus,” Blount said about Yankee troops that invaded and destroyed much of the campus during the Civil War.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon was founded by Noble Leslie DeVotie and seven of his closest friends, according to the chapter website. DeVotie wanted to create an organization that would spread “the warm friendships he and his friends had already formed on the campus of the University.”
The Alabama SAE website continues to describe the path of the fraternity through the Civil War. The miracle in the history of SAE is that it survived that great sectional conflict. The majority of the fraternity members (less than 400) fought for the Confederacy, but seven of them did fight for the Union. Seventy members became casualties of the war.
“The founder was actually the first casualty of the Civil War,” said Blount, referencing the premature death of DeVotie, who drowned after a freak accident aboard a Confederate steamer en route to pick up war supplies on Feb. 12, 1861.
After the war, the fraternity experienced a period of rapid growth that has led to its major influence nationwide.
However, there is another side to SAE’s story. In its 160-year history, the Alabama Mu chapter has not had one black student join its ranks. However, this is not the case for many other chapters across the country. Ironically, one African-American SAE member at Cornell University died in February after being tied up and forced to consume so much alcohol that he was found with a blood alcohol content of .409, according to an ABC News report. The family is suing the national Sigma Alpha Epsilon branch for $25 million.
SAE responded to this incident by issuing a press release, which reiterated its “zero tolerance policy” on underage drinking. SAE also sponsors a hazing hotline 1-888-NOT-HAZE.
Despite troubles at other SAE chapters, UA’s chapter is well regarded in the greek world. It has made impressive strides in academics as well, now ranked as having the 5th best chapter GPA among the 25 active fraternities, up from 25th in 2000.
Today, the fraternity still strives to honor the original ideals of “friendship, scholarship, and service” and has spread that mission throughout chapters in the United States and Canada.
