- Alpha Phi Omega national conventions
National conventions in
Alpha Phi Omega are biennial gatherings of the respective national organization of the fraternity, in which official business is conducted and brothers from the various chapters in the organization meet to share ideas, expanding leadership, friendship, and service. In the very early years, decisions of the National Fraternity were conducted by mail. The first actual assembly of delegates in a convention was held inSt. Louis, Missouri , on March 1-2, 1931. Seven of the fraternity's eighteen chapters were represented at this convention by a total of 23 students and advisors." [http://www.apo.org/site/site_files/pledgemanual.pdf Pledge Manual] ." "Alpha Phi Omega ." March, 2005. Retrieved onFebruary 23 ,2007 .]Alpha Phi Omega of the United States conducts biennial national conventions in even-numbered years, and as of 2006, thirty-nine conventions have been held. Conventions were not held in 1942 and 1944 due to
World War II , and a special Constitutional Convention was held in 1967. Alpha Phi Omega of thePhilippines conducts biennial national conventions in odd-numbered years, and as of 2007, twenty-four conventions have been held.In the US, national conventions are officially called to order by an opening ceremony in which the Eternal Flame of Service is brought forth by members of the Delta Omega chapter at the
University of Houston . This tradition was started after the twenty-first national convention inDallas, Texas . In the early hours ofDecember 30 ,1971 , the delegates of the Delta Omega chapter met in a ceremony in the suite ofH. Roe Bartle , with the newly-elected members of the National Board of Directors and National President Aubrey B. Hamilton. Bartle lit a small blue candle the he in turn used to light a hurricane lamp, which was then passed from the blue candle to each of the board members' candles. He then joined the board members to light two four foot candles. The flame was then taken to Houston and allowed to burn while awaiting the completion of the Eternal Flame site." [http://www.uh.edu/apo/aboutdo.html The Eternal Flame] ." " [http://www.uh.edu/apo/ Delta Omega Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega] ." Last Revised onJanuary 11 ,2005 . Retrieved onOctober 6 ,2007 .]Convention attendance has grown considerably through the years. The largest convention attendance in the US to date has been 2,316 in
New Orleans, Louisiana in 2002, and the largest number of chapters represented was 235 inPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania in 2000.United States
d. Note_label|d|d|none 1973(?) Convention was temporarily suspended due to the imposition of Martial Law by Philippine President
Ferdinand Marcos . Group assembly without approval punishable by incarceration.References
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