Founding of Alpha Phi Omega

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ALPHA PHI OMEGA was founded in 1925 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania by Frank Reed Horton.  (Read F.R. Horton story of the founding of the Alpha Phi Omega.) Horton had served in the United States Navy during World War I.  After the war, he became a student at Lafayette College.  One fateful evening, he met Herbert G. Horton who had also served in the Navy.  The two became fast friends.

 

Through their relationship, Frank Horton became a Scoutmaster.  He believed that the Scout Oath and Scout Law were a standard of manhood that would withstand the test of time and a code of ideals created and accepted by some of the greatest leaders the world had ever known.  

During his senior year, Frank Horton talked with some men on campus with a Scouting background, including his brothers of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.  They agreed to join an organization based on the ideals of Scouting.  Frank Horton created the name Alpha Phi Omega, the motto and the Greek words and their meaning, and wrote the Ritual.  Mr. Horton did not, of course, found the organization alone.  Everett W. Probst designed the pin and drew the Coat-of-Arms.  Thane S. Cooley suggested the handclasp.  Ellsworth S. Dobson and Gordon M. Looney helped write the Constitution and Bylaws.  In total, fourteen men signed as charter members.

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APO Philippines

World War II had recently ended, but it had left its devastation around the world. The major cities of Europe had been heavily damaged, and many of the cities of Asia and the Pacific had been destroyed. Manila, the capital of the former US colony Philippines had been occupied and was now in ruins; its universities, rubble. What, if anything, could college students across the Pacific in the United States do that would have any real effect? It turns out, quite a lot!

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Some of the Alpha Phi Omega-USA Brothers in Texas and the Pacific Northwest had fought in these islands. They knew, firsthand, of the friendliness of the people and of their need. They knew that education of the young people was a vital necessity if the country was to get back to its feet. They could do something, and they did. Book drives were started on their campuses and hundreds of textbooks, used but useable, were gathered from their libraries and fellow students to be sent to the Philippines to help re-stock the many burnt-out college libraries in Manila.

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It was a successful service project, but like many one-time projects, it was soon forgotten, remembered only in the scrapbooks of the chapters involved and in the mind of the then APO-USA National President (1931-1946) H. Roe Bartle “The Chief”. It was a good example of a service project; it had all of the elements of a good story; and the Chief never forgot a good story.

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Time passed. It was January 1950, and (2) Sol George Levy (Gamma Alpha 1947), a professional scout, an APhiO member at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington and a friend of Dr. Bartle, was going to the Philippines to help generate more interest among the Scouts here. The Chief told him what APO had done a few years earlier to help re-establish Filipino university libraries. One January evening that year, scouts in Manila were invited to a conference by Mr. Levy. He passed on the story to them, mentioning how nice it would be if a Scouting-based fraternity similar to Alpha Phi Omega could be established in the country. He expressed his desire to organize Alpha Phi Omega, and distributed some copies of three APO publications: Questions and Answers, National Constitution and By-laws, and Ritual Rites and Ceremonies.

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The story was of particular interest to a group of Scouts at Far Eastern University in Manila. It may be that their library was one of those which had been helped, or it may be that the idea of a Scouting-based fraternity just struck fertile ground. Librado Inocencio Ureta, an Eagle Scout, a graduate student, and was among the audience; together with a group of over twenty Scouts and advisors began organizing work.

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On March 2, 1950, at the Nicanor Reyes Hall, Room 214, Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines; the first organization of Alpha Phi Omega outside of the United States of America was established. It is now known as the Alpha Chapter.

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Alpha Phi Omega rapidly and healthily grew in the Philippines. In its third year, it became a national organization with seven chapters chartered in Manila and Visayan campuses. It was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on October 21, 1953 as a non-stock, non-profit and non-dividend corporation with a registered name of Alpha Phi Omega (Philippines) Incorporated. It renewed its registration on June 8, 1981 with the SEC Registration No. 0099381 under the name of Alpha Phi Omega International Philippines Incorporated.

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APO Alumni Association of Hawaii

In the Spring of 2007, a group of Alpha Phi Omega members from the Ilocos Region (Philippines) gathered at the residence of Bro Ciding Domingo, followed by another at Sis Sally Lazo’s residence, in Hawaii.  These meetings were attended by Bro Melvin Calivoso, Bro Lito Labuguen, Bro John Jacinto, Bro Edgar Acorda, Bro Vannie Del Rosario, Bro Eric Agustin, and Bro Elmer Corotan.  It was during these fellowship gatherings that the idea of forming an Alumni Association here in Hawaii came about. 

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Incidentally, another group of APO members in Hawaii – Bro Ian Beltrano, Bro Dong Rongcal, Bro Howard Mateo, Bro Rolly Bajar, Bro Martin Leoncio, Sis Coy Blanco, and Bro Ronnie Hipolito – had been exploring the same idea. 

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Perchance, Bro Ronnie and Bro Vannie met at the Pacific Supermarket, which brought the paths of the two groups to a crossroad. On June 17, 2007, both groups, including Bro Rey De Guzman, met at the residence of Bro Ian where the first general membership meeting took place, with the objective of uniting all brothers and sisters of APO here in Hawaii.

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The Alpha Phi Omega Alumni Association of Hawaii was founded at Nimitz Beach, Barbers  Point, Hawaii on July 15, 2007.  The founding members included: 1) Bro Ian Beltrano (Gamma Epsilon); 2) Dong Rongcal (Gamma Epsilon); 3)  Bro Melvin Calivoso (Beta Lambda); 4) Bro John Jacinto (Gamma Beta); 5) Ruben Paulino (Gamma Beta); 6) Ferdinand Ramiro (Beta Lambda); 7) Bro Vannie Del Rosario (Beta Lambda); 8) Bro Eric Agustin (Zeta Lambda); 9) Ronnie Hipolito  (Epsilon Beta); 10) Martin Leoncio (Epsilon Beta); 11) Rolly Bajar (Beta); 12) Bro Lito Labuguen (Beta Lambda); 13) Bro Ciding Domingo (Alpha Theta & Alpha Eta); 14) Bro Rey De Guzman (Alpha Psi); 15) Sis Rosaly Lazo (Beta Lambda); 16) Edgar Acorda (Zeta Lambda); 17) Bro Harry Miguel (Beta Lambda); 18) Ray Mariano (Epsilon Iota); 19) Bro Darwin Fernandez; (Zeta Lambda-inactive); and 20) Bro Elmer Morales (Beta Lambda-inactive). They have become known as the “Kauna-unahang Dalawampung Miembro nang APO sa Hawaii.”

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The Association elected its first acting officers:  President – Bro Ian Beltrano; Vice President – Bro Melvin Calivoso; Secretary – Bro Dong Rongcal; Treasurer – Sis Rosaly Lazo; Historian – Bro Vannie Del Rosario; Chairman of the Board – Bro Lito Labuguen; Board of Directors – Ciding Domingo, Bro Ruben Paulino, Bro John Jacinto, Bro Martin Leoncio, and Bro Ronnie Hipolito.  Bro Francis Franco (Gamma Epsilon) from GEI became its adviser. 

 

Our purpose:  To bring together men and women of Alpa Phi Omega who live permanently or temporarily in the State of Hawaii; to develop future leaders, promote friendship, and render service to the community as fully participating citizen; and to provide unified assistance and support to the members, their families, and other APO Alumni Associations.

 

With less than 5 months in existence, APO-Hawaii had volunteered and provided services to fellow members, families, and local communities, with many of its efforts directed toward  Hawaii’s environmental and ecological awareness.  All projects initiatives were inspired by the spirit of Leadership, Friendship, and Service.