The Kappa Alpha Society (ΚΑ), founded in 1825, was the progenitor of the modern fraternity system in North America.

[3] In 1823, John Hart Hunter, Isaac W. Jackson, and Thomas Hun, who were students at Union College in Schenectady, New York, established an informal group called The Philosophers.

In the words of founding member Arthur Burtis: After we were domiciled in our upper chamber, in the fourth story of the south section---South College---northeast corner... we now and then beguiled the long winter evenings and entertained our friends with a few baked potatoes and salt and comforted them with apples.

Jackson, Hun, Meads, Constant, and McGeoch were often the genial sharers of our simple meal, which was enlivened with mirth and wit and merry song...

The Kappa Alpha Society has produced a substantial number of notable members in widely varied fields throughout its nearly 200-year history.