LXA History
The Founding of Lambda Chi Alpha
Unlike most fraternities, Lambda Chi Alpha began as the dream of one man, Warren Albert Cole. He was born in Swansea, Massachusetts, and attended high school at Taunton and Fall River. While in high school, he was involved with a preparatory fraternity. He entered Brown University for a few weeks, but eventually transferred to Boston University's Law School in the fall of 1909.
One of his earliest ventures of starting a fraternity took place at a meeting with his first cousin and a more distant relative on November 2, 1909. The date was later selected as the first formal step in Lambda Chi Alpha, but in later years, Cole said that the date had little significance.
He was a young man of pleasing personality, ordinary means, limited experience, and no unusual talents except a dogged determination to found an international college fraternity. It is hard to believe that all alone he deliberately set out to challenge the prestigious fraternity world which already boasted 46 strong, well-established organizations. His unquestioning faith in himself and unwavering belief in his mission are the only explanations for his remarkable achievement.
Cole first made some unsuccessful attempts at starting a fraternity, about which we know little more than names: "The Lodge," "Tombs," "Lambda Pi," then it was Lambda Chi Alpha-"Loyal Collegiate Associates," until a new meaning was adopted in 1913.
Cole boldly approached many local groups at colleges and universities throughout the Northeast in hopes of finding others willing to join his new fraternity. Before the acquisition of Lambda Chi Alpha's first functioning chapter, Cole had corresponded with or visited 117 institutions.
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