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Phi Beta Delta (fraternity)

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This article is about the social fraternity. For the honor society, see Phi Beta Delta (honor society).
Phi Beta Delta
ΦΒΔ
FoundedApril 4, 1912; 113 years ago (1912-04-04)
Columbia University
TypeSocial
Former affiliationNIC
StatusMerged
Merge dateFebruary 1, 1941
SuccessorPi Lambda Phi
ScopeNational
Member badge
Colors  Blue and   Gold
Symbolstar. crossed keys
FlowerHyacinth
JewelPearl
PublicationWhat's Doing in Phi Beta Delta
The Tripod of Phi Beta Delta
Chapters36 inactive
Members1,800+ lifetime
Headquarters36 Mill Plain Rd, Ste 309
Danbury, Connecticut 06811
United States
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Phi Beta Delta (ΦΒΔ) was an American college social fraternity for Jewish students. It was founded at Columbia University in 1912. After chartering 36 chapters, the fraternity merged with Pi Lambda Phi in 1941.

History

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Phi Beta Delta was founded at Columbia University on April 12, 1912 as a college social fraternity for Jewish students. Its eight founders were David H. Cohen, Henry C. Fenton, William Haas, Darcy M. Heinemann, Joseph Michtom, Samuel Null, Julius Rudd, and Bernard Shapiro [1][2]

The founders stated, "Its purpose is to inculcate among its membership a fine spirit of loyalty, activity, and scholarship toward their Alma Mater, to develop the highest ideals of conduct, and to promote a close fraternal bond through means of carefully selected associates."[1]

While entering the ranks of national fraternities somewhat later than its national peers, the organization quickly grew, with chapters quickly formed at several eastern schools. In 1934, Phi Beta Delta absorbed the UPenn chapter of Omicron Alpha Tau, a smaller Jewish fraternity that was dispersing that year. This group either merged with the existing Phi Beta Delta chapter on the campus or re-established it. Four of ΟΑΤ's other chapters went to Tau Delta Phi.[3]

In 1930, Phi Beta Delta had initiated 1,811 members and chartered 32 chapters, with three being inactive.[4] Ten chapters owned houses.[4] The fraternity had alumni clubs in Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York City, Oklahoma, Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Western Pennsylvania.[4]

Phi Beta Delta effectively merged into Pi Lambda Phi on February 1, 1941. Baird's Manual (19th edition) notes the merger documents were signed on October 1, 1940. At the time, Pi Lambda Phi had twenty active chapters, and Phi Beta Delta had sixteen. Considering duplications, the combined post-merger fraternity had a net of 33 chapters. All members and alumni of Phi Beta Delta were admitted into Pi Lambda Phi.[5]

Symbols

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The Phi Beta Delta badge was diamond-shaped and edged with twenty pearls. Across the center, it displayed the Greek letters ΦΒΔ in gold on a blue background. Above the letters was a five-pointed star, and below were two crossed keys.[5][4]

The fraternity's colors were blue and gold.[5][4] Its jewel was the pearl. Its flower was the hyacinth.[5][4] Its publications were the monthly What's Doing in Phi Beta Delta and the quarterly magazine The Tripod of Phi Beta Delta.[4]

Chapters

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Following are the chapters of Phi Beta Delta, listed in the order of formation, with inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.[3][6][4]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha April 5, 1912 – 1929 Columbia University New York City, New York Inactive
Gamma 1912–1935 City College of New York New York City, New York Inactive
Lambda 1912–1926 New York College of Dentistry New York City, New York Inactive [a]
Sigma 1913–1918,
1934–1941 		Cornell University Ithaca, New York Merged (ΠΛΦ) [b]
Zeta 1915–1934 New York University New York City, New York Inactive
Beta 1916–1935 Fordham University New York City, New York Inactive
Eta 1919–1941 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Merged (ΠΛΦ) [c]
Epsilon 1919–1939 University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois Inactive [d]
Theta 1920–1941 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Boston, Massachusetts Merged (ΠΛΦ) [e]
Mu 1920–1941 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Merged (ΠΛΦ) [f]
Nu 1920–1935 Polytechnic Institute of New York (Tandon) New York City, New York Inactive [g]
Kappa 1921–1941 University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Merged (ΠΛΦ) [h]
Omicron 1921–1941 University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan Merged (ΠΛΦ) [i]
Rho 1921–1925 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, Massachusetts Inactive
Xi 1921–1930 Tufts University Medford, Massachusetts Inactive
Pi 1921–1941 Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri Merged (ΠΛΦ) [j]
Tau 1922–1941 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Merged (ΠΛΦ) [k]
Upsilon 1922–1941 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Merged (ΠΛΦ) [l]
Iota 1922–1941 University of Oklahoma Norman, Oklahoma Merged (ΠΛΦ) [m]
Phi 1922–1936 University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa Inactive
Chi 1924–1934 University of Wisconsin–Madison Madison, Wisconsin Inactive [n]
Psi 1924–1930 Drake University Des Moines, Iowa Inactive [o]
Delta 1925–1941 University of Florida Gainesville, Florida Merged (ΠΛΦ) [p]
Omega 1925–1931 University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Inactive [q]
Alpha Alpha 1925–1933 University of Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Inactive
Alpha Beta 1927–1934 University of Denver Denver, Colorado Inactive [r]
Alpha Gamma 1927–1933 Lehigh University Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Inactive [s]
Alpha Delta 1927–1933,
19xx ?–1941 		Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Merged (ΠΛΦ) [7][t]
Alpha Epsilon 1927–1941 Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio Merged (ΠΛΦ) [u]
Alpha Zeta 1928–1941 University of South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina Merged (ΠΛΦ) [v]
Alpha Eta 1928–1937 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Inactive [w]
Alpha Theta 1928–1941 Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana Merged (ΠΛΦ) [x]
Alpha Iota 1931–1934 University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado Inactive [y]
Alpha Kappa 1934–1941 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois Merged (ΠΛΦ) [z]
  1. ^ Chapter went inactive when the College of Dentistry merged with New York University.
  2. ^ Chapter went inactive during World War I when all of its members enlisted. In 1934, the chapter reformed from Phi Delta Mu (local), established in 1925. With the national merger, it joined the NY Delta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  3. ^ Eta absorbed the Lambda chapter of Omicron Alpha Tau in 1934 when that national fraternity disbanded. With the national merger, Eta joined the PA Epsilon Zeta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  4. ^ Chapter formed from Kappa Omega (local).
  5. ^ With the national merger, the chapter restored the Theta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  6. ^ With the national merger, the chapter became the OH Mu chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  7. ^ Chapter formed from Lambda Beta (local).
  8. ^ With the national merger, the chapter became the CA Kappa chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  9. ^ With the national merger, the chapter joined the MI Epsilon chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  10. ^ With the national merger, the chapter became the MO Pi chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  11. ^ With the national merger, the chapter became the CA Tau chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  12. ^ With the national merger, the chapter became the CA Upsilon chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  13. ^ Chapter formed from Sigma Beta Tau (local), established in 1921. With the national merger, it became the OK Iota chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  14. ^ Chapter formed from the Chi Club (local), established in 1922.
  15. ^ Chapter formed from Sigma Delta Phi (local), established in 1923.
  16. ^ With the national merger, the chapter became the FL Delta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  17. ^ Chapter formed from Delta Gamma Tau (local), established in 1923.
  18. ^ Chapter formed from Alpha Beta Phi (local), established in 1922.
  19. ^ Chapter formed from Omega Phi (local), established in 1926.
  20. ^ Chapter formed from Sigma Iota Sigma (local), established in 1924. With the national merger, it became the PA Alpha Delta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  21. ^ Chapter formed from Phi Delta Gamma (local), established in 1923. With the national merger, it became the OH Alpha Epsilon chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.
  22. ^ Chapter formed from The Evergreen Club (local) in 1927. With the national merger, it became the SC Alpha Zeta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi
  23. ^ Chapter formed from The Pioneers Club (local).
  24. ^ Chapter formed from Gamma Tau (local), established in 1927. With the national merger, it became the IN Alpha Theta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi
  25. ^ Chapter formed from The Alpha Club (local), established in 1929.
  26. ^ Chapter formed from Delta Pi (local), established in 1925. With the national merger, it became the IL Tau Delta chapter of Pi Lambda Phi.

Notable members

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 14th Edition, 1940.
  2. ^ Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 137-139. via Hathi Trust.
  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 6 Aug 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 137-139. via Hathi Trust.
  5. ^ a b c d Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-13. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  6. ^ Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. 1923. p. 220.
  7. ^ Templar yearbook of 1928, p.153. Accessed 16 February 2022.
  8. ^ Feynman, Richard P.; Leighton, Ralph (1992). Hutchings, Edward (ed.). "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!": adventures of a curious character. London: Vintage. p. 30. ISBN 978-0-09-917331-1.
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