It must be taken into consideration that Alpha Epsilon Pi was a World War I baby. Counting the Beta Chapter only fifty-two men had been initiated by April 6, 1917, the date the United States formally declared war on Germany and her allies. Almost every undergraduate and alumnus answered the call of the colors causing the fraternity to become nearly inactive during the war years.

The fraternity would have easily disappeared, like so many other locals, if not for the efforts of brothers Theodore Racoosin and F. Nathan Wolf who shouldered the burden of keeping the fraternity alive and planning for the future.

In the years between the world wars, Alpha Epsilon Pi had grown to twenty-eight chapters. But tough times were known to be forthcoming at the 1941 convention, and many knew that undergraduate and alumnus would again be called to duty. Expansion remained dormant throughout World War II.

With the end of the war and the shift of national headquarters to St. Louis, Alpha Epsilon Pi had gained new life and momentum in its reopening of inactive chapters, expansion to new campuses, and the merging with other locals that had been hit hard by the war. In 1940, Sigma Omega Psi joined Alpha Epsilon Pi adding three chapters, as did Sigma Tau Phi in 1947.

The next two decades were a time of steady growth and prestige for Alpha Epsilon Pi, as well as other fraternities. Expansion was occurring at an incredible rate for the Greek system as a whole. However, with the onset of fighting in Vietnam in the early 1960s, fraternity life faltered. Liberal student bodies revolted against authority and the Greek system, which was seen as a conservative, elitist group.

Ironically, the roots of fraternity itself lie in revolution against authoritarianism. Membership plummeted and nearly half the chapter roll was lost. It almost looked as if it might have been the end for Alpha Epsilon Pi. However, due to Alpha Epsilon Pi’s perseverance, the fraternity was able to reverse the trend and stabilize following the Vietnam War.

Reidentifying with its Jewish heritage, the men of Alpha Epsilon Pi refused to say die. Possessed with faith and courage to believe that this too would pass, they were determined that the national strength could be regained, and that the fraternity would once again be able to pursue its mission of shaping young Jewish men into community leaders.

It has been over ninety years since Alpha Epsilon Pi began to build its special form of brotherhood. The fraternity has survived four wars, the great depression, several recessions, changes in the standards of morality, and a revolution in personal behavior and conduct. It has seen more changes occur in this time than had occurred in the entire history of the world prior to its founding. It has seen the birth of television, the jet plane, space travel and the computer. Through it all, the fraternity has remained true to the ideals of the founders honesty, courage, brotherhood, love of country and faith in Jewish ethics and values.

If these ideals continue to have meanings in the years to come, then Alpha Epsilon Pi will be able to carry its message to college generations yet unborn. It will have been true to the ideals expressed in the motto emblazoned on its coat of arms, ESPONDA. Recently, Alpha Epsilon Pi celebrated its 93rd Anniversary, with over 132 chapters on its chapter roll. Its membership directory boasted over eighty thousand members.

The greatness Alpha Epsilon Pi has achieved is all from the vision of that group of eleven young Jewish men going to night school in pursuit of a better life. Many times a chapter will blame its lack of success in part because of low membership. But one thing that every brother should learn from our history is that Alpha Epsilon Pi started with eleven men, ended the first year with eight due to graduation, and flourished into the fraternity it is today. It is not the numbers that make us great, it is the spirit and motivation to create something unique and the ability to implement a positive program based on Jewish ethics and values.