Frank Reed Horton (July 17, 1896 in

Sewickley, Pennsylvania Sewickley is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, west northwest of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. It is a residential suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,827 according to the United States Census 2010, 20 ...

– August 28, 1966 in

Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in, and the county seat of, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River, a river tha ...

), was a

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

educator. He is best known as the founder and first national president of

Alpha Phi Omega Alpha Phi Omega (), commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q, is a coeducational service fraternity. It is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of over 25,0 ...

, an international service fraternity.

Early life and education

Frank Reed Horton was born July 17, 1896 in

. He attended and graduated from Worcester Academy in 1914 and then obtained an associate degree in law from

Boston University Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...

in 1917 and an A.B. and M.A. degree in history from Lafayette College in 1926 and 1938, respectively. In 1937, he was awarded and L.L.B. degree from La Salle Extension University.

Fraternities

Horton was the founder and first national president (1926–1931) of

, which grew to eighteen campuses and established its first national structure under his leadership. Horton also was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon social fraternity,

Kappa Phi Kappa Kappa Phi Kappa () is a professional fraternity for students in Education. It was organized in 1922 at Dartmouth College. It currently has one remaining active chapter, at Ohio State University. History Kappa Phi Kappa was founded at Dartmouth a ...

Education Honorary, and the Square and Compass (a

Freemasonry Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...

college group) while at Lafayette. Alpha Phi Omega membership application
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Military

Horton joined the U.S. Navy in 1918, commissioned an Ensign in 1919. As an ensign, he served on the minesweeper shortly after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and received the World War I Victory Medal with Minesweeper Clasp.

Awards

His fraternity leadership won him several awards, including: *Numerous

honors and awards The National Distinguished Service Key *The naming of the 1966 national fall pledge class in his honor. Among fraternity members, he is sometimes referred to as "The Lightbearer" since he was the principal founder of Alpha Phi Omega. Horton was heavily involved in Scouts and other community organizations, holding the following role: *Deputy Scout Commissioner, Easton Scout Council, PA, 1923 *Scout Executive, Homestead District Council, PA, 1927–28 *Scout Executive, Shenandoah Area Council,

Winchester, Virginia Winchester is the most north western independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Frederick County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Winchester wit ...

, 1929-1931 *Member, Freemasonry, 1918; Royal Arch/York Rite, 1919; Scottish Rite *Member,

Kiwanis Kiwanis International ( ) is an international service club founded in 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. It is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, and is found in more than 80 nations and geographic areas. Since 1987, the organizatio ...

(joined between 1920–22) *Member,

Knights of Pythias The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias is the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded ...

(joined between 1920–22)

References

External links

Frank Reed Horton biography
at

website {{DEFAULTSORT:Horton, Frank Reed 1896 births 1966 deaths Alpha Phi Omega founders Boston College alumni Cedar Crest College faculty Educators from Allentown, Pennsylvania Lafayette College alumni Military personnel from Pennsylvania People from Easton, Pennsylvania People from Sewickley, Pennsylvania United States Navy officers Worcester Academy alumni