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Pi Delta Theta

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Not to be confused with Phi Delta Theta.
Pi Delta Theta
ΠΔΘ
FoundedFebruary 14, 1926; 98 years ago (1926-02-14)
Miami University (Ohio)
TypeSocial
AffiliationAES, (pre-NPC)
ScopeNational (US)
Colors  White,   Gold and   Myrtle green
FlowerMarguerite Daisy
PublicationThalia
   and The Myrsine
Chapters9
Members1,000 active
Merged withDelta Sigma Epsilon (1941)
   See Delta Zeta (1956)

Pi Delta Theta (ΠΔΘ) was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from February 14, 1926 until it was absorbed by Delta Sigma Epsilon in September 1941.[1][2]

History

Prior to formation, the sorority had help in 1925 from the Sorority Service Bureau, whose Mrs. Ida Shaw Martin had been fielding requests for information from recently-formed local sororities seeking some manner of affiliation. She invited representatives of three of these local organizations to send their faculty advisors to a meeting in Boston, Massachusetts in the summer of 1925. Two responded affirmatively, which constitute both the founders and founding chapters of Pi Delta Theta:

  • Mrs. Robert E. Brown, Kappa Theta Alpha (local) of Miami University of Ohio
  • Miss Beulah Houlton, Zeta Sigma Alpha (local) of Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia[2]

The organization was thus formed, with the Miami chapter being named its Alpha chapter, and Mrs. Brown named as the first National President. Expansion began in earnest, but early chapters were lost as the Great Depression dragged on. In 1941, with WWII looming, the four remaining chapters opted for merger.[3]

Pi Delta Theta was a member of the Association of Education Sororities, an NPC predecessor. The merger of Pi Delta Theta and Delta Sigma Epsilon was the only merger to occur within AES organizations.

Fifteen years later, in 1956 Delta Sigma Epsilon would itself merge with Delta Zeta.

Government

Government was vested in three entities: The national convention, the National Council and the Board of Advisers.

Symbols and traditions

  • The badge consisted of the Greek letters Π and Θ in gold with a Δ set with pearls overlaying the other two letters.
  • Colors were white, gold with myrtle green.
  • The flower of Pi Delta Theta was the marguerite.
  • The Sorority publications were the Thalia, which was published twice a year and the Myrsine which was published by the ex-collegio (alumnae) chapters four times a year.

Chapter List

The chapters of Pi Delta Theta were as follows. Chapters active at the time of the ΔΣΕ merger are noted in bold, inactive chapters noted by italics :[4][3]

Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
Alpha February 14, 1926–1939 Miami University Oxford, Ohio Dormant [5]
Beta 1926–1937 Emporia State University Emporia, Kansas Dormant [6]
Gamma 1927–1934 Pittsburg State University Pittsburg, Kansas Dormant [7][8]
Delta 1927–1932 Ohio University Athens, Ohio Dormant
Epsilon 1927–1937 Kent State University Kent, Ohio Dormant [9]
Zeta June 1928–1941 Buffalo State College Buffalo, New York Merged [10][11]
Eta 1929–1941 Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, Michigan Merged [12]
Theta May 28, 1932–1941 University of Northern Colorado Greeley, Colorado Merged [13][14]
Iota October 25, 1935–1941 Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, Pennsylvania Merged [15][16]

References

  1. ^ State University College at Buffalo (1946). New York State Teachers College at Buffalo: A History, 1871-1946. p. 153.
  2. ^ a b William Raimond Baird (1977). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (19 ed.). G. Banta Company. p. 809. Baird's Manual is also available online here: The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  3. ^ a b William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive)". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 17 December 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  4. ^ William Raimond Baird (1957). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (16 ed.). G. Banta Company. p. 539.
  5. ^ Predecessor group was Kappa Theta Alpha (local), formed in 1922.
  6. ^ Predecessor group was Zeta Sigma Alpha (local), formed in 1925.
  7. ^ Predecessor group was Pi Omicron Pi (local), formed in 1925.
  8. ^ "Kansa Yearbook for Kansas State Teachers College (College Life)". The Kanza Yearbooks. January 1930.
  9. ^ Predecessor group was Psi Chi Nu (local), formed in 1926.
  10. ^ Predecessor group was Phi Delta Beta (local), formed in 1927. Joined the existing Areutha Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.
  11. ^ "1938 Buffalo State yearbook". online.flippingbook.com. Retrieved 2018-10-04.
  12. ^ Predecessor group was Theta Chi Sorority (local), formed in 1926. Joined the existing Eta chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.
  13. ^ Predecessor group was Pi Delta (local), formed in 1928. Joined the existing Gamma chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.
  14. ^ "Theta chapter installation". The Thalia. Vol. III, no. 1.
  15. ^ Formed as a colony in 1935. Joined the existing Beta chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.
  16. ^ "The Oak" - 1936 Yearbook. Pittsburgh Printing Co. 1936.
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