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A New Constitution

Since Alpha was barely functioning, the convention’s first priority was reorganizing its national governance. Representative delegates from three active chapters, plus a proxy acting on behalf of the fourth, created a committee to draft a new constitution that would vest supreme authority in a national board who were to be elected at the convention. As part of the new constitution, Rice presented a plan for creating a representative government in which each active chapter would elect one alumnus and one active member to create a Grand Council. Then, in turn, the Grand Council would elect two men to serve as the fraternity’s executive officers; the Councilor Priceps and the Grand Secretary and Treasurer. With the committee in agreement, the new constitution was presented to the membership and quickly adopted, clearing the path needed to rebuild the fraternity. 

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Election of National Officers

With the fraternity's new structure set, members elected its first Grand Council and executive officers; Rice as Grand Priceps, and Smythe as Grand Secretary and Treasurer (later divided into separate offices, with Foster taking on the Grand Secretary role.) The Officers and Grand Council assumed responsibility for the organization’s management and oversight. Their guidance and collective wisdom enabled the fraternity to establish long-term plans, rules of order, and take the actions necessary to address specific issues and achieve certain goals.  

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The Hampden-Sydney Convention marked the transition from a fragile organization struggling to survive to a sustainable, well-planned national fraternity with a vision for the future, set up for growth and prosperity. For his leadership in convening the convention that saved Pi Kappa Alpha, Theron Hall Rice is regarded as one of the most consequential figures in fraternity history. ​​

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​The Death of Lambda and the Rise of Robert Adger Smythe 

During the Fall 1889 term, just a few weeks before the convention, Lambda received notice that the Administration at the South Carolina Military Academy (The Citadel) was issuing a ban on all secret fraternities at the University, which would go into effect at the end of the Winter 1890 term. Initiated members of fraternities were honor bound, under oath, to surrender their charters and abstain from operating as a fraternity in the future. As a result, while members of Lambda remained on campus, part of the student population for three more years, they held no chapter meetings and never sought to increase their membership through recruitment. Lambda became a “silent chapter.” Ironically, though it was active for just a single year, Lambda produced one of the greatest assets in Pi Kappa Alpha history: Robert Adger Smythe.  

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No one was more affected by the University’s anti-fraternity regulations than Smythe, a local resident of Charleston who was a member of Lambda’s first class of initiates. So attached was he to the chapter he helped start that he secured permission from his father to set up a room in their family’s home exclusively for chapter use, which it remained for the duration of the chapter’s brief lifespan. 

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Business matters kept him from physically participating in the Hampden-Sydney Convention, but Smythe remained unfettered. He submitted a letter of apology for his absence, described by Foster as “glowing with fervent devotion,” in which he proclaimed his desire to remain active in the fraternity and asking Rice to serve as his proxy for the convention. In the years that followed, Smythe proved his love for the fraternity many times over by devoting himself to the national organization, creating a legacy of unmatched influence and service as a loyal alumnus, National Officer, and esteemed ambassador for Pi Kappa Alpha to those outside the bonds of Pike brotherhood. Today, he is remembered at the fraternity’s annual convention during the presentation of its highest award for chapter excellence, which is named in his honor: The Robert Adger Smythe Award.  ​​

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1891 - Planning for the Future 

With the fraternity stableized, revisions to its governance were proposed at the Danville (Virginia) Convention in 1891, all designed to further strengthen the organization. The entire Grand Council was re-elected by their respective chapters. In turn, the Council elected the next Grand Priceps and Grand Secretary, while retaining Smythe as Grand Treasurer. Some constitutional revisions and a set of By-Laws to govern the Grand Council were proposed and adopted by the Coucil. An audit of the fraternity’s financial books was reviewed and approved. And looking toward symbolic representation for the growing fraternity, the membership adopted an official fraternity yell, flower, and flag. 

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Shield & Diamond 

Probably the most widely recognized of Smythe's many contributions to Pi Kappa Alpha was the creation of the fraternity’s first national publication, which he began publishing in 1890 as "The Pi Kappa Alpha Journal.” It was re-titled later as "Shield & Diamond,” as it is still known today. 

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The Modern Ritual 

Authored by Smythe, the modern initiation ritual of Pi Kappa Alpha was approved for use in all chapters during the 1891 Danville Convention.​​

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1890s – 1910s — Renewed Expansion 

Pi Kappa Alpha opened 25 new chapters over the twenty years following the Hampden-Sydney Convention, during which it held regular conventions designed to educate and inform the membership as much as engender a spirit of camaraderie. Organizational structure and operations were revised as needed to improve effectiveness and promote better communication with the chapters, along with the creation of an alumni chapter network, establishing a national magazine, standardizing the initiation ritual, and adopting an official Coat of Arms. 

 

At the 1893 Richmond Convention, the constitution was further revised and adopted to incorporate the addition of a Grand High Councilor and a Grand Chaplain. Standardized designs for member's badge and pledge “button" were proposed and approved. 

 

The 1894 Nashville Convention brought the decision to revert to the fraternity’s original Coat of Arms used by Alpha during the parent chapter days. Designs for official stationery and regalia, and a resolution of respect for deceased brothers were proposed and approved. It was at this convention that Smythe read to the membership an important report he had compiled on the state of the fraternity. Titled “Our Past, Its Failures; Our Future, What Is Essential to Success,” his report sparked an enthusiastic discussion among the members that led to a number of proposals for improvement of the national fraternity and strengthening of individual chapters on their respective campuses. 

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In the five years since the Hampden-Sydney Convention, Pi Kappa Alpha had completely reorganized the national fraternity structure, revitalizing existing chapters and expanding to include new chapters, all of which were managed by a sustained, stable board of chapter representatives and natonal officers. The practice of holding annual conventions was now established, focused on encouraging the exchange of ideas with the growing network of chapters and inspiring the shared pursuit of mutually beneficial national goals. Pi Kappa Alpha was quickly transforming into a well-run, mature organization that could genuinely benefit its members, not just on their respective campuses, but also long after their college years. Pike brotherhood was becoming A Lifetime Experience. ​

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With the fraternity’s rapid growth, the corresponding increase in the size of the Grand Council was causing management of the national organization to become inefficient. Major changes to the oranizational structure of the fraternity leadership was proposed during the 1897 Nashville Convention. To streamline the legislative process, the Grand Council of delegates was abolished, with its powers transferred to the Grand Officers, who were now to be elected by the membership at the conventions. The title of Grand High Councilor was changed to Supreme Councilor and the executive board of officers was changed to the Supreme Council. In a more mundane order of business, the high cost of fraternity-related jewelry had become an issue. A committee was formed to secure estimates from several jewelers to reduce the prices, making the pieces affordable for all members. 

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In subsequent conventions, motions were adopted to: 

• Change dates for the annual conventions from holiday weeks or summer breaks to dates within the regular school year as a means of increasing member attendance. 

• Require each chapter to elect a historian who would be charged with collecting relevant information and writing about each member, both active and alumnus, and sharing news about the chapter’s members, business activities and achievements via at least two articles per year submitted to the Shield & Diamond magazine.  

• Create the national position of of Grand Histographer to collect and preserve all information of interest concerning the chapters and their alumni, to be made available for publication by the fraternity. 

• Add four editors to assist the Managing Editor with the publication of Shield & Diamond. 

• Require new initiates to be students enrolled at the institution with which the chapter was affiliated. 

• Setting a fixed initiation fee ($5.00)

• Establish a secret sign of recognition and secret grip 

* Expand the fraternity to states in the North, West, and Southwest 

• Reimburse national officers, who attendance was required, for costs related to convention travel. 

• Revise the Coat of Arms

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Attendees at the 1902 Nashville Convention were treated to a special keynote address by Littleton Waller Tazewell (Alpha), who spoke about his experiences as one of the fraternity’s six founding members 34 years before and the pride he felt seeing the fraternity expanding and thriving. 

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World Wars

College enrollment declined during each of the conflicts as young men joined the armed services by the hundreds of thousands, a challenging side effect of the wars that seriously impacted membership of all fraternities. 

     • World War I (1917–1919): One in six Pikes saw military service.

     • World War II (1941–1945): 15,000 of the fraternity’s 33,000 members served.

Strong post-war rebounds followed both conflicts, but wartime losses suffered among the brotherhood made an indelible mark on the fraternity, leading to the decision to permanently honor those members who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation. 

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1948 — PIKE Foundation

The PIKE Memorial Foundation was established, later renamed the PIKE Foundation.

 

1988 — Pi Kappa Alpha Memorial Headquarters 

The National Memorial Headquarters was dedicated in Memphis, Tennessee. 

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