SPRING 2023
THE
AUBURN PHI
Official Newsletter of the Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta at Auburn University
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
T Arthur Henry Feagin 206
Joel Daniel Feagin 408
of 1890 as a speaker. The April 1890 edition lists William as working as a shipping clerk for Birmingham Railway Supply Co., but he eventually worked to become the superintendent of education for the State of Alabama. He and his brother Clifton H. Feagin 163, were from Clayton, Alabama. Clifton also represented the chapter with his oratory skills. In the October 1891 edition, the chapter reported, “In the annual speakers’ contest between the Wirt and Websterian societies, the Phis were represented by Brothers Feagin and Baker, both Wirts; this time Brother Feagin was successful, winning a beautiful gold medal and the praises of everyone.” Jewett Whatley Feagin 192, and Arthur Henry Feagin 206, were the last two Feagins initiated at Alabama Beta in the nineteenth century. The chapter welcomed Arthur Henry Feagin with an introduction in the April 1897 edition: “It is with great pleasure that we introduce to the Phi world Bro. A. H. Feagin, of Union Springs. Alabama. Bro. Feagin is a brother of J. D. Feagin, Alabama Alpha ’91, and a cousin of the Feagins
o say that the spring 2023 semester has been a rollercoaster for Alabama Beta would be an understatement. When we all left for winter break, every chapter member was excited to return and have one of our best semesters ever. However, this all changed on Christmas Eve when I received a phone call from the university about flooding at fraternity houses across campus, with ours being one of the worst. While this accident was devastating, I saw it as an opportunity for myself and the rest of the executive committee to step up as leaders and rally the chapter around this tough time. As a chapter, we came together and persevered through the repairs, and I am glad to say that our brotherhood is stronger than ever because of this. Repairs to the chapter house were completed in early March, and we are happy to be back in full operation. Thanks to Chapter Adviser Dwight Bassett 1644 and House Corporation President Malcolm Marsh 1519 for their efforts throughout this process. In January, leaders from the chapter advisory board, house corporation, and executive committee gathered for the annual Strategic Planning Meeting to establish goals and expectations for the upcoming year. As a chapter, we set goals for mental health and wellness, philanthropy, campus
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John Lightner Feagin 464
Samuel Ball Feagin 730
THE FEAGIN FAMILY LEGACY
A
s part of the Buck Marsh Digital History Museum project, the alumni history committee has worked with History IT for the last few years. In January 2023, historical documents and materials were hand-delivered to History IT at their Portland, Maine, headquarters. We plan to combine the museum with digitized composites for display on a large-screen video monitor in the house. To learn more about the project, please visit https://phide.lt/BuckMarshFund. Digging through the history of the Alabama Beta Chapter of Phi Delta Theta, the committee wanted to share some of the exciting findings. One such story that is meaningful to the present-day chapter is the story of the Feagin family legacy. The first Feagin initiated into Alabama Beta begins with William Francis Feagin 97. W. F. Feagin started his Phi Delt journey in 1887. According to the July 1891 edition of The Scroll, he represented the chapter in the annual oratorical contest between the literary societies that took place during commencement. Feagin also represented his class