Omega Phi Fraternity, a local fraternity founded at Mercer University in 1921, was installed as the Alpha Alpha Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi on February 16, 1923. At that time, Alpha Alpha had fifteen brothers and one pledge. The chapter experienced a period of prosperity over the following years. During this time, Alpha Alpha occupied numerous houses around the campus, including one house still at 1491 Adams Street, across the street from Shorter Hall. The chapter encountered problems in the late thirties and was closed in 1938.

 

On December 7, 1947, Mercer's I.F.C. voted unanimously to allow Pi Kappa Phi to re-establish the chapter on Mercer's campus. On April 10, 1948, the alumni of Pi Kappa Phi gave a dinner for its new rushees, the Alpha Alpha Club, made up of eighteen young men, under the leadership of affiliate Brother G. Gerald Kunes (Chi Chapter transfer student). On May 22, 1948, the reactivation of Alpha Alpha Chapter was complete. During the following years, Alpha Alpha met in one of the meeting rooms in Shorter Hall. The chapter continued to prosper into the fifties for a short while. However, weaknesses in caused it to be shut down for a second time, in 1955.

 

On December 23, 1965, the national office received approval from Mercer to reactivate Alpha Alpha Chapter. On February 1, 1966, a national counselor began interviewing perspective members for the colony. A week later, two freshmen, Hollis Lewis and Allen Brinkerhoff, were pledged. These two young men became the two colonizers around whom the chapter was rebuilt. At that time, the Macon area alumni, headed by Carl Westmoreland (Alpha Alpha #125), were providing funds for the use of a meeting room for the colony in Shorter Hall.

 

On March 30, 1968, Alpha Alpha Chapter was officially reactivated with initiating teams from Georgia Tech and Georgia State. A chartering banquet was held in Macon, with featured speaker former University of Georgia Football Coach James Wallace Butts (Alpha Alpha 29). In 1970, the current Pi Kapp lodge was completed with help from Alpha Alpha alumni Wally Butts and Robert Lee Bennett (Alpha Alpha 26). Bob Bennett alone contributed $6,242.55 for the lodge's completion. A dedication ceremony was held at the new lodge on February 15, 1970.

 

At the Supreme Chapter in 1978, Bob Bennett was named Mr. Pi Kappa Phi, the highest possible honor to be awarded by the fraternity, for his lifetime of dedication and contribution to Alpha Alpha Chapter and Pi Kappa Phi. Wally Butts died on December 17, 1973 and, at the Supreme Chapter in 1981, he was inducted into the Pi Kappa Phi Hall of Fame.

 

In the fall of 1981, Glenn Dickson, former leadership consultant, visited Mercer and learned that Pi Kappa Phi had pledged only one man during rush and there were only ten brothers. Unable to initiate more than ten men in any one year since 1968's reorganization, it was decided that Alpha Alpha would be reorganized.

 

After talking with the director of student activities, Glenn learned of a intramural group at Mercer called the "Spanish Flies" who were interested in starting a fraternity of their own. They were trying to get Sigma Chi, but University officials were weary of bringing another fraternity to Mercer. Glenn met with some of the "Spanish Flies" that evening to discuss the reorganization. The following evening fifteen men pledged. They were Joe Chancey (Archon), Mark Hancock (Vice Archon), Frank Tarallo (Treasurer), Merv Rudner (Secretary), David Wheeler (Warden), Fred Lee (Historian), Charlie Bridges (Chaplain), Mark Aycock, Andrew Eisenberg, Steven Kurth, David Lintz, Ken Sawyer, Robert Sexton, Bubba Swan, and Thomas Holbrook.

 

On November 14, 1981 twenty men were initiated into Alpha Alpha Chapter. Mark Hancock, Vice Archon, coordinated a twelve day blitz rush program during the first two weeks of Winter Quarter, pledging eighteen men. The following spring, the Chapter initiated thirteen more brothers.