Alpha Zeta

Alpha Zeta Boule’ became another link in the chain of the brotherhood of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity when it was organized in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday, May 19, 1951.  It owes its existence and early growth and development to the leadership of three outstanding Archons who came to Florida A&M College (now Florida A&M University- FAMU) and the Tallahassee community during the late 1940s and early 1950s.  They were: Dr. George W. Gore Jr. of Chi Boule’ in Nashville, Tennessee and Mr. S. Randolph Edmonds and Mr. S. Tanner Stafford of Alpha Alpha Boule’ in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Noting the “rich pool of talent” at FAMU and in other parts of the State of Florida, these three Archons set out to identify at least “ten good men” to form the nucleus for a new subordinate boule’.  As it turned out, they ended up with “Eleven Hopefuls” who became charter members of Alpha Zeta Boule’ A brief overview of the achievements and contributions of the sponsoring Archons will give a better understanding of the high qualities that they expected in the eleven men that they ultimately invited to join them.  An honor graduate of DePauw University with a M.A. degree from Harvard University and a Ph.D. degree from Columbia University, Archon Gore had served for 23 years as Dean of the College of Tennessee State University.  Archon Gore also served as Sire Archon of Chi Boule’.  In 1950, Archon Gore became President of Florida A&M University. Archon Edmonds, the holder of the A.B. degree from Oberlin University, the M.A. from Columbia University, and a year of advanced study at Yale University, was a pioneer in the field of educational theatre.  Coming to FAMU in July 1947 as head of the Department of Speech and Drama, he had previously served as a professor at Morgan State University and Dillard University.  A prolific writer of books and plays, Archon Edmonds founded the Intercollegiate Dramatic Association and the Southern Association of Speech and Dramatic Arts. Archon Stafford, who held the B.S. degree from Knox College and the M.S. degree in Public Health and Hospital Administration from the University of Michigan, became the superintendent in 1950 of the $2.1 million FAMU Hospital.  Prior to coming to Tallahassee, he had served as the administrator of the Flint-Goodridge Hospital of Dillard University in New Orleans. It should be noted that Archons Gore and Stafford were not only noted boule’ leaders on the local level, but also on the national level as well.  Archon Stafford was chosen as the Grand Sire Archon for 1952-54 and Archon Gore became Grand Sire Archon for 1954-1956.  This was the first time in the history of the Grand Boule’ that an Archon of the same Boule’ had immediately followed another Grand Sire Archon in the Grand Office. The eleven charter members, their academic / professional preparation and occupational pursuits are shown as follows: Wilmoth H. Baker, B.S. M.D. a participating physician in the City of Tallahassee and was then President of the Medical Staff at the Florida A&M Hospital and Health Center; Willie E. Combs, B.S., M.Ed., Supervisor of Negro Secondary Schools of the State of Florida; Leonard H.B. Foote, B.S., M.D., Medical Director and Chief of Surgery at the Florida A&M College Hospital and Health Center, Horace D. Goode, B.S., D.D.S., a practicing dentist in Pensacola; John R.E. Lee, Jr., A.B., a business manager of Florida A&M College; Leroy A. Howell, D.D.S., Director of Student Dental Health at Florida A&M College; Richard V. Moore. A.B., M.A., L.L.D., President of Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach; Gilbert L. Porter, A.B., M.A., Principal of the Lincoln High School in Tallahassee; Mahlon C. Rhaney, A.B., M.S., Ph.D., Director of the Division of Sciences at Florida A&M College; George P. Schanck, B.S. M.D., a practicing physician in the city of Orlando, and Garret T. Wiggins, A.B., M.A., Ph. D., President of the Booker T. Washington Junior College in Pensacola.