Guide to the Records of Alpha Delta Chapter—Alpha Phi Pi (Lynn, Mass.), undated, 1932-1993
 
*I-562

Processed by Sophia Rehm

Jewish Heritage Center at NEHGS

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Boston, MA 02116

Email: jhcreference@nehgs.org

URL: jewishheritagecenter.org

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Machine-readable finding aid created by Sophia Rehm as MS Word document, August 2014. Finding aid was encoded by Christine McEvilly on January 2, 2015. Description is in English.

Historical Note

Members of the Alpha Delta Fraternity, April 4, 1954

Alpha Delta (Lynn, Massachusetts)¹

Alpha Delta was the Lynn, Massachusetts chapter of the national Jewish high school fraternity Alpha Phi Pi. Alpha Phi Pi was founded in 1920 by twelve high school students in New York. By 1932, it had grown to include 1,064 members across the country, produced a monthly publication, The Triangle, and hosted annual conventions.

The Alpha Delta Chapter of Alpha Phi Pi was organized in December 1931. It existed intermittently and in various forms for decades, with its last recorded activity in 1993. The group was organized by Lynn Classical High School student Louis Winer. Initially founded as a club because Jewish students were not allowed to join Classical High’s fraternity, it was accepted as a chapter of Alpha Phi Pi in 1932. Louis Winer was the Chapter’s first Chancellor. The Chapter’s advisors included Harry Weiner, the scoutmaster of Lynn Hebrew School’s Boy Scout Troop 4, from which several of the fraternity’s members also participated.

From 1932-1940, the Alpha Delta Chapter, comprising of students from Lynn’s Classical and English High Schools, met approximately weekly at Lynn’s YMHA. It held social events, such as dances, debates, and luncheons, and participated in the city basketball league. In 1939, Alpha Delta hosted Alpha Phi Pi’s annual National Convention, held at Boston’s Parker House hotel.

After a period of dormancy, the group was reactivated for a short time in 1953, with Louis Winer’s son, Saul Winer, installed as Chancellor. The Chapter met at Temple Beth El in Swampscott, and appears to have remained active through 1955.

An Alpha Delta Alumni group of the Chapter’s original members was formed in 1954. The Alpha Delta Alumni provided support to the high school chapter, attended its events, and held its own events.

Beginning in 1986, the Alpha Delta Alumni began to meet twice yearly, on the North Shore and in Florida. The last recorded activity of the group in this collection is a 1993 reunion, following Louis Winer’s death in that year.

• Footnotes

• ¹ Information used in the finding aid is from the following sources:
  
  Material from the collection.
  
  "Lynn 'Y' News: Annual Youth Night." Jewish Advocate, January 12, 1934.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of the records of the Alpha Delta Chapter of the national Jewish high school fraternity Alpha Phi Pi. Organized in 1931 in Lynn, Massachusetts, the Chapter’s dated records span from 1932 to 1993. Materials consist of correspondence, frequently to or from Louis Winer, event invitations and programs, copies of the "Alpha Delta News," photographs, and news clippings. The Alpha Delta Chapter constitution is also included, as well as a resolution adopted by the Chapter in response to the rise of Hitlerism. Materials produced by the greater Alpha Phi Pi organization include “The Beacon” National Convention Yearbooks (1939 and 1954), event invitations and programs, and a roster.

Folder 4 contains materials related to the 1939 Alpha Phi Pi National Convention, hosted by the Alpha Delta Chapter in Boston. These materials include “The Beacon” Yearbook, Louis Winer’s host ribbon, tickets, information about the Parker House hotel venue, and a map and guide to Boston.

This collection is organized chronologically, with Folders 1-5 containing the Chapter’s records from 1932-1955. Folder 6 contains photographs from 1938-1954, in chronological order. Folder 7 contains news clippings spanning the course of the Chapter’s history. This folder is subdivided by decade.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into a single series as follows:

• Series I: Alpha Delta Chapter—Alpha Phi Pi (Lynn, Mass.), undated, 1932-1993

Access and Use

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to all researchers by permission of the Director of Collections and Engagement of the American Jewish Historical Society, except items that are restricted due to their fragility.

Use Restrictions

Information concerning the literary rights may be obtained from the Director of Library and Archives of the American Jewish Historical Society. Users must apply in writing for permission to quote, reproduce or otherwise publish manuscript materials found in this collection. For more information contact:
American Jewish Historical Society, Center for Jewish History, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY, 10011
email: reference@ajhs.org

Related Material

Boy Scout Troop 4 (Sachems), (Lynn, Mass.) Records I-559

YMHA-Hecht House Records, I-74

Lynn Hebrew Young Men’s Aid Association Records, I-73

Interfor Club Records, I-563

Jecomen Club Records, I-564

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:
Identification of item, date (if known); Alpha Delta Chapter—Alpha Phi Pi (Lynn, Mass.) Records; I-562; box number; folder number; Jewish Heritage Center at NEHGS.

Acquisition Information

Donated by the Jewish Heritage Center of the North Shore in 2013.

Access Points

This collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

• Subject Names:

  • Pruss, William
  • Ross, Sidney
  • Solar, Philip
  • Weiner, Harry
  • Winer, Louis
  • Winer, Saul
  • Zamcheck, Irving

• Subject Organizations:

  • Alpha Delta Chapter—Alpha Phi Pi. (Lynn, MA)
  • Alpha Phi Pi. Jewish High School Fraternity
  • JCC Association
  • Lynn Classical High School (Lynn, Mass.)
  • Lynn English High School (Lynn, Mass.)
  • Lynn Hebrew School Association (Lynn, Mass.)
  • Morris High School
  • Parker House (Boston, Mass.)
  • Suffolk University. Law School
  • Temple Beth El (Swampscott, Mass.)
  • Young Men’s Hebrew Association (Lynn, MA)

• Subject Topics:

  • Greek letter societies—Massachusetts—Lynn.
  • Jewish high school students
  • Jews—Societies, etc.
  • Student activities
  • Young Men’s Hebrew associations

• Subject Places:

  • Boston (Mass.)
  • Florida
  • Lynn (Mass.)
  • New York (N.Y.)
  • North Shore (Mass. : Coast)
  • Swampscott (Mass.)

• Document Types:

  • Brochures
  • Clippings (information artifacts)
  • Correspondence
  • Maps (documents)
  • Membership cards
  • Photographs
  • Programs (documents)
  • Publications
  • Reports

Container List

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Click the box in the request column to learn more about viewing materials at the Jewish Heritage Center at NEHGS.

Series I: Alpha Delta Chapter—Alpha Phi Pi (Lynn, Mass.), undated, 1932-1993
English.
Box 1, Folders 1-7.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content: See Collection Scope and Content Note.
Box	Folder	Title	Date	Request
1	1	Correspondence, Events, Roster, News Bulletin, Chapter Constitution	undated, 1932
1	2	Correspondence, Events, Chapter Resolution	undated, 1933
1	3	Correspondence, Events, News Clipping, Roster	undated, 1934
1	4	Annual Events, 1939 National Convention Materials	undated, 1935-1940
1	5	Reactivated Chapter Events, News, and National Convention Yearbook; Alumni Reunion Photograph, Roster, and Petition for Charter	undated, 1953-1955
1	6	Anniversary and Reunion Photographs	1938-1954
1	7	News Clippings	undated, 1932-1993