User:Scumby91/Pi Kappa Phi - Gamma Chapter

The Gamma Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi was founded at the University of California, Berkeley in 1908 and officially chartered on January 11, 1909, making it the third chapter of Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ), the American social fraternity, and the first chapter to be chartered outside of South Carolina.

In 2009, the Gamma Chapter celebrated its 100-year anniversary, and in the time since it was chartered in 1909, over 1300 men have been initiated as members..

History
The Pi Kappa Phi fraternity was founded in 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. In 1907 a charter was extended to Presbyterian College, forming the Beta chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. In 1908, Theodore "Teddy" Barnwell Kelley, one of Alpha Chapter's original seven founding members, moved to the West coast to attend the University of California. While there he cultivated enough interest in the fraternity among his schoolmates to start a new chapter, and in January of 1909 the men of Charleston granted them a long-distance charter. "The Gamma Chapter truly established Pi Kappa Phi as a national fraternity, perhaps making it the most significant charter ever granted." Gamma was also the first chapter to have a chapter house.

2222 Bancroft Way
The first Pi Kappa Phi chapter house at 2222 Bancroft Way is no longer standing but it would have been located across from the south side of campus where the UC Berkeley Tang Medical Center stands today.

2614 Dwight Way
By 1920, the Gamma brothers had moved to a house at the corner of Dwight Way and Benvenue.

2510 Le Conte Ave.
In 1927, Pi Kappa Phi built a new brick chapter house at 2510 Le Conte Ave. at the corner of Euclid, on the north side of campus. Designed by Wesley A. Talley and constructed by architect Walter H. Ratcliff Jr.'s Fidelity Mortgage company, Pi Kapps occupied the house until World War II, and in 1943 the building was converted to apartments for "war housing." Today it's used to house students of the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology, but the oval plaque above the front archway still bears the Greek letters "ΠΚΦ" partly visible despite being covered over with plaster.

Prospect Street (between Hillside and Dwight)
By the Winter of 1958, Pi Kapp had relocated to the south side of campus with nearly all the other fraternities. At this time they occupied a house on the East side of Prospect Street between Hillside and Dwight Way.

2395 Piedmont Avenue
By the Fall of 1972, the chapter had moved into the old brick house on the north-east corner of Channing circle, now the Fiji chapter house.

2908 Channing Way
By the Spring of 1987, the chapter had moved to its current location, the large house at the top of Channing Way at the corner of Prospect, just one block away from Memorial Stadium.

Legends
A legend passed down among Gamma chapter brothers holds that the impetus for Teddy Kelly's sudden withdrawal from the College of Charleston and transfer to what was likely the farthest-away school that he could find within the continental United States, the newly founded University of California, was that Teddy had carried on a secret love affair with the then girlfriend of Alpha chapter founding member Andrew Kroeg, Jr. which had resulted in her becoming pregnant and driving a wedge between the two brothers.

Traditions
As the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity has its roots in the American south, the Gamma chapter at the prestigious and liberal UC Berkeley has grown to occupy a dual position in the consciousness of the National organization. As the first chapter outside South Carolina, Gamma’s charter made Pi Kappa Phi into a national fraternity. This coupled with UC Berkeley’s prestigious name make the Gamma chapter a jewel in the Pi Kappa Phi crown. At the same time, Berkeley’s liberal reputation, illustrated by the University’s role in the Free Speech and Civil Rights movements of the 1960s poses a challenge to the fraternity’s traditionally conservative values.

Given the geographical and political distance between UC Berkeley’s Gamma chapter and the Alpha and Beta chapters in South Carolina, several unique Gamma traditions have arisen. One of these relates to the standard attire at national fraternity conferences. While the dress code at these events is typically semi-formal (suits and ties) Gamma brothers always show up in brightly-colored Hawaiian shirts.

Notable Alumni
Dennis Cakebread, Owner and Director of Sales of | Cakebread Cellars, an award-winning winery in California's Napa Valley.