1912–13 Volume 37 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLL. 33sketch of the original Society that has yet appeared is by Rev. OscarM. Voorhees, D.D., 350 East 146th Street, New York City, Secretaryand Treasurer of the United Chapters. It appeared in the Keyfor March, 1912, embraces twenty-eight pages, and has been drawnupon for most of the material in this article. The same issue of theKey contains a view of William and Mary College at the time ofthe organization of * B K, herewith reproduced; the obverse andreverse of the medal, herewith reproduced; an exterior view of theold Raleigh Tavern, herewith reproduced; an interior view of theApollo Room, portraits of John Heath and William Short, and afacsimile of the record for December 9, 1781, showing the grantof a charter party for a branch at Yale.WALTER B. PALMER.JOHN ALEXANDER MATHEWSJohn Alexander Mathews was born May 20th, 1872, at Washington,Pa. His father, William J., (a merchant), his mother, FrancesSage Pelletreau Mathews. Father of Scotch ancestry, great-grandfathercame to the United States immediately after the revolution.Mother, of French (Huguenot) ancestry; the first of her family cameto this country in 1685. His education was obtained first in thepublic and high schools of his native place. In 1893 he took thedegree of B. Sc. at the Washington and Jefferson College, and thedegree of M. Sc. at same college in 1896. He next attended ColiunbiaUniversity of New York City, where he took the degree of M. A.in 1895, and degree of Ph. D.'in 1898. In 1909 he attended theRoyal School of Mines (London University) at London, Eng., wherehe took up research work under Prof. Sir William Roberts-Austin,K. C. B. His first occupation was as Instructor in Chemistry atColumbia University. He left the University in 1902 to becomeMetallurgist in charge of experimental work at the Sanderson worksof the Crucible Steel Co. of America, and two years later he becamethe Assistant Manager, remaining there until 1908. Dr. Mathewshas never sought political offices, but he accepted the honorary appointmentsof Assay Commissioner by Presidents McKinley, Rooseveltand Taft, in the years 1900, 1905 and 1911. In 1908 he becameoperating manager of the Halcomb Steel Co. of Syracuse, N.Y., and holds that important office at present day; in the same yearhe was elected a Director in the corporation. This company producesthe highest grades of crucible and electric furnace tool and alloysteel. Dr. Mathews is a member of the following clubs in Syracuse:The Citizens, the University, the Technology, the Onondaga Golfand Country, also of the Chemists' and Engineers' Clubs of NewYork City; and of the American Chemical Society, the Americanand International Societies for Testing Materials, the Iron and SteelInstitute of Great Britian, the Electro-Chemical Society and of num-