Phi Delta

Phi Delta () was an American college sorority. It formed in 1927 through the merger of local sororities at New York University in New York City and New York State Teachers Colleges at Albany. The sorority grew to include nine chapters but struggled during the Great Depression. The withdrawal of three chapters in 1935 resulted in a breakdown of national operations, with the remaining chapters becoming local sororities again. The chapter at Albany continued as a local fraternity until 1973.

History

Predecessors and merger Sigma Epsilon was a local sorority that was established at New York University in New York City on October 24, 1919. Its founders were Charlotte Behnken, Effe Dooling, Mary Guinee, Katherine Kirwin, and Florence Sullivan.

Alpha Delta Omicron was a local sorority established at the New York State Teachers College at Albany in 1923. Sigma Epsilon and Alpha Delta Omicron merged to form Phi Delta on January 19, 1927.

Phi Delta Baird's Manual stated the objects of Phi Delta as "to create a friendly spirit among the girls of the institutions represented, to uphold the honor spirit of the institution, and to develop the abilities of members for most effective college life". Phi Delta was founded for Protestant women.

By 1930, there were six active chapters and 223 members. It added two additional chapters, for a total of eight chapters by 1932. Phi Delta struggled during the Great Depression. In 1935, the chapters at New York University and George Washington University withdrew and affiliated with Beta Phi Alpha. That same year, the chapter at the University of Cincinnati withdrew and joined Alpha Delta Pi.

The withdrawal of these three chapters in 1935 resulted in a breakdown of national operations, where the remaining chapters closed or became local entities once again.

Phi Delta (local) The UCLA chapter struggled for a short time as a local and ultimately dissolved.

For the next forty years, Alpha chapter functioned as a typical social sorority. The chapter had residences at 146 and 278 Western Ave. The constitution (1967) gave the purpose of the sorority "as a social and fraternal organization, shall be to uphold the honor Spirit of the University, to create a friendlier spirit among the girls of the University, to strengthen the scholastic standing of the University, and to develop the abilities of the girls for the benefit of the college life."Constitution, Alpha chapter of Phi Delta, Fall 1967.

Article IV, Section VII of the Constitution explained that Phi Delta permitted honorary membership "to those men and women who have shown distinguished ability in the field of education and leadership, and possess such qualities as Phi Delta stands for; and men and women who have shown sincere interest and have given service to Phi Delta, upon election." Section X of the same Article explained faculty membership as "a man or woman of the University faculty who has shown distinguished ability in the field of education and leadership."

During the 1960s, Phi Delta opened membership to African-American and Jewish women. In 1973, the sorority dissolved.

Symbols Phi Delta's coat-of-arms was "...sable a sinister bend or, superimposed by a white open book proper on which in turn is superimposed a torch palewise, or, flamed argent. [With a] Crest. An eagle displayed, or" ("or" meaning "golden", in heraldry). The motto was the sorority's name, which was placed on the banner underneath the shield.

Baird's Manual (12th edition) described the insignia as "The badge is a Phi, studded with pearls, superimposed upon a plain gold Delta". Its pledge pin was a black shield, with a gold sword and star. The sorority's colors were gold and black. Its flower was the yellow tea rose. The Phi Delt was the bi-monthly magazine.

October 25, 1919, the founding date of Sigma Epsilon, was celebrated as Phi Delta's official founding date.

Chapters Following are the chapters of Phi Delta.

ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatus Alpha – 1973 University at Albany, SUNY Albany, New York Inactive Beta – 1935 New York University Manhattan, New York Withdrew () Gamma –1932 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Withdrew (local) Delta -19xx ? Hunter College New York City, New YorkInactive Epsilon –1935 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Withdrew () Zeta –1935 George Washington University Washington, D.C. Withdrew () Eta –1934 Temple University Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Withdrew (local) Iota –1935 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California Withdrew (local) Theta –1935 Adelphi University Garden City, New York Withdrew (local)

Phi Delta

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