Deciding that a submarine would be the best means of delivering his mines in warfare, he built an eight-foot-long wooden submersible that was christened the Turtle for its shape. Large enough to accommodate one operator, the submarine was entirely hand-powered. Lead ballast kept the craft balanced.
Today, the Massive Twelfth District encompasses ten (10) states, four (4) time zones, and one thousand financial members. Geographically, the 12th District covers the largest contiguous landmass of any District under the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. umbrella, occupying approximately 1.6 million square miles. In recent years, the 12th District has enjoyed a rich history. Brother Dr. L. Benjamin Livingston, Pi Rho Chapter (San Bernardino, CA), was elected as Omega Psi Phiâs 1st Vice Grand Basileus in 1979. Subsequently, in 1982, Brother Livingston was elected 32nd Grand Basileus. He is the only Grand Basileus elected from the District.
Dr. Hamden L. Forkner, head of the Commercial Education Department of the Teachers College of Columbia University developed the FBLA concept in 1937. In the fall of 1940, the National Council for Business Education accepted official sponsorship of FBLA; on February 3, 1942, the first high school chapter was chartered in Johnson City, Tennessee. In 1958, the first Phi Beta Lambda chapter was chartered in Iowa. The Professional Division (originally the Alumni Division) began in 1979; the latest group to join FBLA (in 1994) was the FBLA Middle Level, for students in grades 5-9.