Iswza Society
by Mike Raymond • January 2006 • 6 Comments •
When Alpha Tau Omega’s Editor Claude T. Reno wrote about Lambda Chi Alpha in 1914 in their magazine the Palm, he mentioned that our 12th chapter had been installed at Cornell University on October 11, 1913, as Omicron Zeta.
At the time, there was nothing unusual about covering interfraternal news within Alpha Tau Omega’s publication. What was unusual was the mention of the “Iswza Society.”
Seeing the Iswza Society’s name in print reminded me I had an original steel engraving of its badge from the 1908 edition of the Cornellian yearbook in my collection. Further examination disclosed that Ernst Julius Carl Fischer (Cornell 1910) was a member.
Omicron Zeta’s website sheds some light on the beginning of its existence as an informal group called the “Mug and Jug.”
This small group of men shared a common interest in socializing together. In 1907, the group transformed itself into the Iswza Society with its own ritual and internal organization.
The Iswza Society derived its name from the title of an old German drinking song — now featured on the chapter’s website. The German name for the song is “Im Schwaren Wallfisch Zu Ascalon,” or I.S.W.Z.A.
According to Fischer, the Iswza Society Badge “was square, tilted through forty-five degrees, the letters S W Z A appearing on the corners. There were three pearls on each side, and in the center square on blue enamel was a gold turtle; on its back was the letter I, and in the center of the I was a small opal.” It was also reported that the turtle motif was taken from the design of the lid on the communal beer stein.
The early years of the Iswza Society, Omicron Zeta, and Fischer are forever entwined. Fischer, a founder of the “Mug and Jug” and an enthusiastic leader of the Iswza Society, was brought into our Fraternity as an alumnus at the Worcester Assembly in 1914. Five years later he was elected to the office of Grand High Alpha at the Ann Arbor Assembly.
Fisher served as Grand High Alpha from 1920-29. During that period he also served a short time as the business manager of the Purple, Green, and Gold magazine. His hand can also be found in the creation of the first Paedagogus manual.
His ability to organize the business activities of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity transformed our young organization into a model of good fraternal management. Fischer was famous for his vivid and inspiring story telling at nearly every General Assembly until his death in 1978.
For almost 100 years, Omicron Zeta at Cornell University has been an important part of Lambda Chi Alpha. The story of its origin in the Iswza Society and the many contributions of Fischer have enriched the history of our fraternity.
David Shannon - Omicron 1049 Says:
January 9th, 2006 at 10:22 pmAs an Omicron, I do wish to comment. First of all, it should always be written ISWZA - a capital letters as an acronym. The second word is “Schwarzen” and the song title means “In the Black Whale on the way to Ascalon.” After graduation in 1969, I was stationed by the US Army in Heidelberg Germany. I don’t know if it was the one referred to in the drinking song, but I can attest to a Gasthaus (bar/pub) called the “Schwarzen Wallfisch” in Heidelberg. It was my pleasure to meet EJC Fischer on one of his later visits to Omicron.
Mike raymond Says:
January 10th, 2006 at 11:18 amBrother David,
Thank you for your comment. Jason, C&C Editor, and I debated the proper capitalization of “ISWZA.” I felt that “Iswza” was correct because the 1908 yearbook engraving that appears in the article printed the word that way. I assumed that that is the way the members of group capitalized it.
Yours in ZAX,
Mike Raymond, ZU-384
Eric Langstedt - Omicron 1566 Says:
January 19th, 2006 at 7:08 pmIn the year 2000 a man came to 125 Edgemoor with a stein in his hand. He then told a story about how Cornell’s chapter had hosted a meeting of the eastern chapters, and that he was a member of the now defunct Syracuse chapter. He also explained that it was common at that time to “take a souvenir” when visiting another chapter. He was passing through Ithaca, and had decided to return the stein, and asked “do any of you know Ernst Fischer?” It was Fischer’s stein, as his name was engraved into the top of the stein, which now is behind plexi-glass in the house library.
Jason Cho - Omicron 1512 Says:
January 22nd, 2006 at 10:58 pmThe informal Mug and Jug (sometimes listed as “Keg and Leg”) which formed in 1907, but ISWZA did not “badge out,” or announce its establishment as a fraternal society, until February 1908. At that time the badge, ritual, and other aspects of the organization were established, and the first two new members inducted.
Many fraternities at Cornell owe their existence to boarding houses or drinking clubs; in the late 19th and early 20th century, many local societies formed spontaneously. Many later dissolved or became chapters of nationals, as ISWZA did, but other persisted for decdes. The Eleusis Society (est. 1912) remained independent until accepting a Theta Kappa Nu charter in 1935. Of those dozens of local fraternities, however, only one remains as of 2006.
Mike Raymond Says:
January 23rd, 2006 at 9:48 amBrother Jason,
Thank you for the additional information about ISWZA. I did not come across a reference to “Keg and Leg.” However, that name is in character for the period! Your comment about boarding houses and drinking clubs is on the mark. By the way, which local group remains on campus today?
Yours in ZAX,
Mike Raymond,
Zeta-Upsilon Zeta
Jason Cho Says:
January 24th, 2006 at 8:51 pmThe last local which is a member of the IFC is the Seal & Serpent Society, founded 1905.