Alpha Psi Omega History
| In the early
twentieth century, interest in the dramatic arts grew tremendously on
college and university campuses. By 1920, most colleges had a dramatic
organization staging plays annually for the campus and the community at
large. Also around this time, little theatre productions and dramatic
workshops began taking place. This furthered the interest in theatre on
campuses everywhere, especially in the western part of the country. At
this time, several honorary groups were formed to recognize and reward
exemplary student participation in those productions.
In 1921, at Fairmont State College in Fairmont, West Virginia, college theater took root. A faculty director was hired in 1923, and the "Masquers" were formed. The "Masquers" were charged with presenting a season of 4 to 5 major productions per year for students and the general public. In 1924, the "Masquers" began searching for a national honorary organization to join. As there was no truly national organization, Elinor B. Watson, Robert Sloan, and Fairmont faculty director Paul F. Opp researched forming such a national organization. As a result of their research and work, a proposed national constitution was drawn up, and, on August 12, 1925, the first cast of Alpha Psi Omega members, drawn from the "Masquers", was initiated. It was then decided that each chapter was to be called a, "cast," and Fairmont College became the Alpha Cast. Soon after, Marshall College in Huntington, West Virginia, expressed interest in chartering a cast of Alpha Psi Omega; they founded the Beta Cast. A member from Huntington suggested the name "Playbill" for the national magazine, which was thereafter adopted. Over the course of the following year, eighteen more casts were founded. When the first national convention was held on December 27-28, 1926, at the Palmer House in Chicago, twenty casts had been chartered. These national conventions, also known as Grand Rehearsals, are now held once every 5 years. Throughout the country, Alpha Psi Omega has sponsored the formation of theatre honor societies in high schools and junior colleges, with the aim of encouraging dramatic production at every step in a person's academic career. In 1929, after significant interest on the junior college level, Delta Psi Omega was formed. In 1936, at the Alpha Psi Omega Grand Rehearsal, Delta Psi Omega was officially recognized as the junior college division of Alpha Psi Omega. Today, there are over 350 Delta Psi Omega casts. Alpha Psi Omega has enjoyed continuous national growth and, with over 550 casts, is the largest national honor society in America. Membership in Alpha Psi Omega is only granted to fully accredited institutions with a four-year curriculum in theatre and drama, leading to a degree. |