Frank Prentice Rand (1923). Phi Sigma Kappa: A History 1873 - 1923. Northampton, Massachusetts: The Council of Phi Sigma Kappa, via The Kingsbury Print.
Crandall, Brian (December 29, 2009). "This Isn't Your Father's Fraternity". Ithacating in Cornell Heights. Wordpress.com. Retrieved September 14, 2013.
Founder Barrett once recalled that the Fraternity was "conceived in iniquity", a gentle statement, implying that the first inklings of formation were around the possibility of initiation mischief, probably sparked by hints of 'shenanigans' by two rival societies that had only formed in the four years prior. It was only after writing out the ritual and exploring its metaphor and meaning that the Founders declared "Say, this is too good an initiation to waste... Gosh, this is a real initiation. Let's make it one. Let's have a fraternity of our own, and initiate some real fellows. With a [full] Ritual. And a Constitution." Rand alludes to this in his MAC history, Yesterdays at Massachusetts State College, 1863-1933, pp 32-35, accessed 5 Nov 2021.
