The Beginning of Alpha Kappa Psi
The story of Alpha Kappa Psi begins at New York University, Washington Square, New York. After the passage of the Certified Public Accountants Act of 1896 in New York State, an increasingly urgent demand arose for adequate education in all branches of higher accountancy. On July 28. 1900, the chancellor of New York University, Dr. Henry Mitchell MacCracken, authorized the opening of the new evening School of Commerce, Accounts and Finance on the same basis as the seven other traditional schools and colleges of the university.
Fast forwarding to the fall of 1902 after the university had awarded the first of the new degrees in business; a greater need for a stronger foundation for instruction was introduced. The university added more faculty members and improved the curriculum. In 1903 Joseph French Johnson was chosen to be the second dean and professor of political economy and finance.
The members of the class of 1905 came forward to reassure the new dean they would in every way possible, endeavor to promote the success of the school and work to make the degree respected and valued. These same eager, serious mind students later become our founders and first elected members of Alpha Kappa Psi.
The classmates worked during the day, went to school by night and had little time for social activities, but the early members managed to get together on Friday night, the four would walk together home from lower Broadway south for twenty five minutes to City Hall and then across the Brooklyn Bridge to their homes. George L. Bergen, Nathan Lane Jr., Howard M. Jefferson, Fredrick R. Leach talked about mutual problems and soon acquired the name the Brooklyn Four. There is little said about the other two outstanding members Robert Stuart Douglas and Daniel Vincent Duff whom walked in the opposite direction north toward midtown Manhattan.
During the first year, no later than the second, Fredrick R. Leach suggested the organization of a fraternity. Leach and the Brooklyn Four unanimous agreed and mulled over the idea. By late April, plans had assumed definite shape at the close of the academic year and a date was set for a meeting at the Hotel St. Denis.
On June 9, 1904, Douglas , Camp, Duff, Wright, Lane, Rachmil, Leach, Bergen, and Jefferson met at this hotel where the details of forming a fraternity was agreed. Later, members would meet again on July 16, 1904 to discuss the chapter’s constitution. The chapter meet once again on October 5, 1904 in Assembly Room, 32 Waverly Place and decided the set up the professional fraternity at once, appointing officers and a committee to revise and criticize the constitution. October 5, 1904 marked the date of Alpha Kappa Psi.
… and the rest they say is history .