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History

The Creed of Alpha Tau Omega

"To bind men together in a brotherhood based upon eternal and immutable principles, with a bond as strong as right itself and as lasting as humanity; to know no North, no South, no East, no West, but to know man as man; to teach that true men the world over should stand together and contend for supremacy of good over evil; to teach, not politics, but morals; to foster, not partisanship, but the recognition of true merit wherever found; to have no narrower limits within which to work together for the elevation of man than the outlines of the world: these were the thoughts and hopes uppermost in the minds of the founders of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity."

– Otis Allan Glazebrook, 1880

National History

All three founders were veterans of the Civil War whom had all fought in the Battle of New Market. The Alpha Tau Omega (ATO) fraternity was founded in an effort to heal the wounds between men of the North and South.

Glazebrook was raised as a devout Christian and based the fraternity in terms of Christian love. While founded upon Christian principles, Alpha Tau Omega welcomes exceptional men from all backgrounds and beliefs. The name Alpha Tau Omega came to Glazebrook from the original symbol of a Tau-shaped cross and the Christian symbols of perfection, Alpha and Omega.

Part of ATO's continued success is due to its constant innovation and adaptation. As cultural and collegiate values have changed over the years, ATO has grown along with them. In 1992, ATO partnered with the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority to conduct national leadership conferences. This is how ATO's annual LeaderShape conferences began, which are the first of their kind -- weeklong conferences allowing male and female Greek students from across the nation to develop crucial leadership skills. These conferences earned ATO the moniker of "America's Leadership Development Fraternity."

Chapter History

The Alpha Sigma chapter of ATO has several distinctions. Founded in 1882, it was the first ATO chapter in the Northwest, as well as the first fraternity at Oregon State. Unfortunately, due to lack of membership and mistrust of secret societies at the University, the chapter disbanded the following year. In 1916, the Ahneek, or Beaver, club, petitioned the National ATO fraternity, and the Alpha Sigma chapter of ATO was recharted at Oregon Agricultural College.

After residing in several buildings for short periods of time, the brick building ATO resides in today was built in 1924. Our chapter is dedicated to Harry Hamilton, a member of the founding class of ATOs at Oregon State. After his death, his mother, Nora Hamilton, donated $5,000 for the construction of the current house. In 1938, Nora Hamilton passed away, leaving an additional $5,000 donation to help ATO Juniors and Seniors pay for educational loans.

An expansion was added on to the East side of the house in the 1958. There are a total of twenty-two rooms for members to live in, with bathrooms and showers on each floor.  The wood floors on the first floor entryway and living room were added a few years ago.