pharmaceutical
Medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy) is an important part of the ...
professional fraternity
Professional fraternities, in the North American fraternity system, are organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is restricted to students in that particular field of profes ...
founded on December 19, 1919. It was originally known as the Dead Men's Club.
History
Origins
Alpha Zeta Omega was founded in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, at the
Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science
Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
, which is now called the
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (University of the Sciences or USciences), previously Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (PCPS), was a private university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On June 1, 2022, it officially merge ...
. The leader and originator of this group was Ephraim G. Sless. The original members (also known as fraters) were:
These eleven men secretly started a pharmaceutical fraternity they dubbed the Dead Men's Club. Soon after its founding, Harry Althouse was added, and as its members then numbered twelve, the group was often referred to as "The Dozen". Later, Dr. Lawrence Rosenfeld, an eminent Philadelphia
bacteriologist
A bacteriologist is a microbiologist, or similarly trained professional, in bacteriology— a subdivision of microbiology that studies bacteria, typically Pathogenic bacteria, pathogenic ones. Bacteriologists are interested in studying and learnin ...
, also became a member, but the name of "The Dozen" persisted. Because of strenuous opposition to the formation of new organizations at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science by older fraternities and clubs, the newly formed Dead Men's Club would exist as a
secret society
A secret society is an organization about which the activities, events, inner functioning, or membership are concealed. The society may or may not attempt to conceal its existence. The term usually excludes covert groups, such as intelligence ag ...
for several years.
Alpha Zeta Omega was formed for academic support; the original stated goal was to ensure 100% graduation of its members. Members participated in a structured series of quizzes, designed and executed by the members most proficient in the particular subject under discussion. These frequent study sessions resulted in bringing together the social life of the members. In 1921, the Dead Men's Club boasted 100% graduation of its thirteen members. In addition to the original goal of "100% graduation" the purpose of the Fraternity is now designated chiefly as "to spread the spirit of Fraternalism, Brotherly Love, Friendship and Good Will towards Mankind."
The original constitution of AZO was drawn up by A.M. Bernstein and D.L. Dyen. Stanley Rosenfeld was elected the first "Supreme Directorum" (
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
*'' Præsident ...
) of the fraternity. The original thirteen members termed themselves the ''Alpha chapter''. The ''Supreme chapter'', consisting of the Supreme Officer and delegates from subordinate chapters, meets regularly twice a year in January and July. As the fraternity began to grow in its early years, it became necessary to hold a yearly convention. The first such affair took place at the Hotel Walton, Philadelphia in June 1922, with E. Fullerton Cook, chairman of the
Pharmacopoeia
A pharmacopoeia, pharmacopeia, or pharmacopoea (or the typographically obsolete rendering, ''pharmacopœia''), meaning "drug-making", in its modern technical sense, is a reference work containing directions for the identification of compound med ...
Revision Committee, as guest and toastmaster.
After the Dead Men's Club founding members graduated, the group held its first official gathering at the home of Abe M. Bernstein. It was at this time decided to change the name of the organization to Alpha Zeta Omega Fraternity. In 1922, Alpha Zeta Omega Fraternity Supreme Chapter was officially incorporated under the laws of the State of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
. The fraternity's yearly publication, ''Hazy-O'', started in December 1922 and was edited by Si Sless.
At the 1925 Convention in
Newark, NJ
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey, the county seat of Essex County, and a principal city of the New York metropolitan area.Ohio River Floods caused considerable damage to pharmacies owned by several members. An emergency session of the fraternity was called and a support drive was held to assist those members' businesses that were damaged or destroyed in the flood. In 1938, plans to offer insurance to the members of the fraternity were adopted, and when finalized, $100,000 worth of insurance was written.
In 1939, a Ladies Auxiliaries was established at several chapters for the wives of AZO fraters. At the
Detroit
Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
Convention in 1940, a National Auxiliary was founded.
In 1961, the book ''40 Years of AZO'' was published, detailing the history of AZO. Additional historical publications would follow, outlining the history of AZO from 1960 to 1970, and then again from 1970 to 1980. In the early 1970s, AZO began admitting women as members for the first time and thus became a co-ed fraternal organization.
Symbols
The
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
letters AZO were chosen to represent:
* Alpha—the first letter in the
Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and is the earliest known alphabetic script to systematically write vowels as wel ...
, representing the beginning of time
* Zeta—a
mnemonic
A mnemonic device ( ), memory trick or memory device is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval in the human memory, often by associating the information with something that is easier to remember.
It makes use of e ...
of the founder's names, a symbol of the link between the
creation
Creation or The Creation or Creations, may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Creation'' (1922 film), a British silent drama
* ''Creation'' (unfinished film), 1931
* ''Creation'' (2009 film), about Charles Darwin
Literature
* ''Creation ...
and
eternity
Eternity, in common parlance, is an Infinity, infinite amount of time that never ends or the quality, condition or fact of being everlasting or eternal. Classical philosophy, however, defines eternity as what is timeless or exists outside tim ...
* Omega—the last letter of the
Greek alphabet
The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and is the earliest known alphabetic script to systematically write vowels as wel ...
, was taken to represent the end of time.
The fraternity's pin was designed by A. M. Bernstein, D. L. Dyen, M. Shuman, and E. G. Sless. The fraternity's shield and recognition pin was approved in 1924.
Activities
Conventions
Currently, two meetings are held each year—a National Convention in July and a Regional Convention in January. ''The AZOan'' is the fraternity's yearly publication. Its quarterly newsletter is ''AZO Apothecary''.
Awards
The fraternity has numerous awards. The Directorum's Cup was established in June 1926 and is awarded annually to a subordinate chapter for its excellent standing. The Newspaper Cup is awarded to subordinate chapters for chapter publications. The Meritorious Award is presented to a member for "long and distinguished activity on behalf of the fraternity". The Supreme Undergraduate Award is given to exceptional undergraduates annually at conventions. The S. I. Sless Award is presented to an undergraduate member for undergraduate service to the fraternity. The E. G. Sless Award is given to a member for long and distinguished service to the fraternity on the chapter level. The Achievement Medal is presented to a person (not necessarily a member) for "long and meritorious service to the Profession of Pharmacy". The Order of the Double Star is awarded to members "who attain positions of respect and importance within the Profession of Pharmacy".
Mandatory Palestine
Mandatory Palestine was a British Empire, British geopolitical entity that existed between 1920 and 1948 in the Palestine (region), region of Palestine, and after 1922, under the terms of the League of Nations's Mandate for Palestine.
After ...
. This was part of the $15,000 pledged by the fraternity to build a pharmacy building at the hospital. In 1956, AZO took on as its cultural program, the task of raising money for the
Hebrew University
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI; ) is an Israeli public research university based in Jerusalem. Co-founded by Albert Einstein and Chaim Weizmann in July 1918, the public university officially opened on 1 April 1925. It is the second-ol ...
in Israel. The stated goal was to raise $100,000 in three years. The fraternity surpassed its goal and raised $103,000 in just two years.
In 1976, the founder of AZO, Ephraim G. Sless, died. In honor of their late founder, the membership began a campaign to establish scholarships across the United States and in Israel.
After the events of September 11, 2001, AZO started a project to benefit the Dean Street Heroes Fund, N.Y. Fire Dept., Engine Co. 219. After the devastation caused by
Hurricane Maria
Hurricane Maria was an extremely powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that affected the northeastern Caribbean in September 2017, particularly in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, which accounted for 2,975 of the 3,059 deaths. It is the ...
to Puerto Rico, where one of AZO's chapters resides, a project was started to benefit the rebuilding of the territory.
Governance
The fraternity is organized by chapters, each representing a specific pharmacy school or geographic area. Chapters may be formed by undergraduates and alumni, and in some instances are mixed, containing both undergraduate and graduate members.
The government has alternative names for their officers which follow:
*Directorum - President
*Sub-Directorum - Vice President
*Signare - Secretary
*ExCheque - Treasurer
*Bellarum - Sergeant of Arms
Chapters
Collegiate chapters
Following is a list of the undergraduate chapters of Alpha Zeta Omega.Robson, John, ed. (1963). ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. p. 500. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in ''italics''.
Alumni chapters
Following is a list of the alumni chapters of Alpha Zeta Omega. Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in ''italics''.
See also
*
List of Jewish fraternities and sororities
This is a list of historically Jewish fraternities and sororities in the United States and Canada. Baird's Manual is also available online hereThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage These organizations exemplify (or exemplified) a range of "Je ...
*
Professional fraternities and sororities
Professional fraternities, in the North American fraternity system, are organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is restricted to students in that particular field of profes ...