Alpha Phi Delta Foundation
Chapter Histories - Nu Chapter
Nu Chapter in General
Nu Chapter is Founded: 1923
Delta Lambda Mu was an Italian Fraternity at the University of Pittsburgh. On February 4, 1923, the brother of Delta Lambda Nu merged their local fraternity in Alpha Phi Delta. That group became our Nu Chapter. The Chapter remained active until 1936. Until the early 1930s, Nu boasted a consistent roster of 25-30 members. In a good portion of those years the Chapter shared a house with our Rho Chapter (Carnegie Mellon Institute). In 1936, at the Great Depression peaked, and college attendance waned, our Nu Chapter closed its door. But, six years later, something amazing happened. Amazingly, in the midst of World War II, in 1942, as chapters left and right were closing, Nu Chapter was reactivated. In the 1943 photo above, Nu is shown boasting a roster of 23 members — making it the second largest Chapter in the Fraternity during our World War II year (only Epsilon at University of Buffalo, with 27, was ever larger during t hat period). The Chapter continued on through the wars, but then again closed in 1958, due to declining numbers.
The Nu-Rho Chapter House
In the mid-1920 and into the early 1930s, Nu Chapter (University of Pittsburgh) and Rho Chapter (Carnegie Mellon Institute) shared one chapter house located at 4801 Center Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Chapter's house was quite large. In fact, it was so very large that the 1927 National Convention of Alpha Phi Delta was held at that Chapter house. The first and only time in our long history that a National Convention was held at a Chapter house. As you can see with its wrap-around porch, ionic columns, and connected addition on one side, this was not just some typical little house -- it was spacious. It was a house with a large-enough downstairs area to host the 1927 National Convention and its related Grand Council Meeting with delegates from about 20 chapters and colonies present. Pictured above are the officers and delegates of the 1927 National Convention posing in front of the Nu-Rho house.
Nu Chapter - Individuals
Louis Ignelzi, Rosario Nucci, and James Sunseri (of Delta Lambda Mu)
Members of a local Fraternity at University of Pittsburgh
Delta Lambda Mu became our Nu Chapter in 1923
Delta Lambda Mu was a local Italian Fraternity at the University of Pittsburgh. It has petitioned to the University for recognition as an Italian membership brotherhood on March 26, 1920; it received that approval on April 2, 1920. Louis G. Ignelzi was its first "Superior Frater" (President); other officers at that time were Rosario C. Nucci was "Frater Secretarius" (Secretary) and James J. Sunseri was "Frater Tresorarius: (Treasurer). Though chartered as a local Fraternity, the 1921 Owl Yearbook of University of Pittsburgh noted that this group planned to "widen its scope, thereby attaining a realization of its greatest ambition -- a nationalizing program."
In 1922, it began the process of merging with Alpha Phi Delta -- a process that was moved along expeditiously brother Gerald Chirichigno. The merger between the two organizations was completed on February 4, 1923 when Nu Chapter was chartered, simultaneous with Delta Lambda Mu ceasing to exist, and its members assimilated into Alpha Phi Delta.
Charles Barone
9th Grand Consul (1927-29)
Nu '23
Charles J. Barone was born on Christmas Day of 1890, to Italian immigrant parents. He was educated at the University of Buffalo and received his medical degree in 1915. When the United States entered World War I, Barone volunteered his service, serving as a physician in the infantry. He later moved to Pittsburgh and worked at Magee Hospital, where In 1947, he became chairman of the Department of Obstetrics. In 1949, he became the hospital’s medical director. He also served as Chief of Obstetrics of several area hospitals and served on the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Medicine teaching staff. One of the nation’s foremost obstetricians, he delivered more than 27,000 babies.
Barone believed that the birth of a baby was one of the greatest miracles. He once said, “The creation of life is a function man hasn’t much to do with. Embryological studies of a human cell show the marking of the future child — the landmarks that will be the eyes or the legs, or the nose, or the lips. If this isn’t Divine, I don't know what is.”
Dr. Charles J. Barone was initiated into our Nu Chapter (University of Pittsburgh) as a founding member on February 4, 1923. He would go on to become the Ninth Grand Consul of Alpha Phi Delta Fraternity, being elected to that position at the Pittsburgh Convention of 1927. He served two terms office, 1927-1929 -- his term ending at the Boston Convention of 1929. Always active in Alpha Phi Delta, he was presented by the brothers of the Pittsburgh Alumni Club with a wall plaque for "Outstanding service to Alpha Phi Delta.” This was presented to him on the occasion of its Third Annual Metropolitan Dinner in 1959.
Brother Barone was the founder and a past president of the Pittsburgh Obstetrical and Gynecological Society. He also served on the credentials committee of both the American Council of Surgeons and the International Council of Surgeons.
Brother Barone married the former Grace Jageman. Living in Pittsburgh, the couple raised one daughter, Joan. Dr. Barone passed away suddenly on January 25, 1963 when he was felled by a heart attack. A Requiem Mass for Brother Barone was celebrated St. Paul’s Cathedral in Pittsburgh; he is interred at Calvary Cemetery.