Delta Phi

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Delta Phi - ΔΦ
Founded November 17, 1827 (1827-11-17) (age 180)
Union College
Type Social
Scope National
Motto "Semper Ubique"
Symbol The Maltese Cross
Chapters 14 Active Chapters
Headquarters P.O. Box 81521
Athens, Georgia, USA
Homepage http://www.deltaphi.org

Delta Phi (ΔΦ) is a fraternity founded in 1827 at Union College in Schenectady, New York. Founded as part of the Union Triad, along with the Kappa Alpha Society and Sigma Phi Society, Delta Phi was the third and last member of the Triad.

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Delta Phi and the other fraternities of the Union Triad were established during a time of strong anti-Masonic sentiment in America. This sentiment also spilled over to fraternities, which at the time were secret societies. This led Phi Beta Kappa, known as the Greek letter fraternity, to abandon secrecy and become an honor society.

In the early 1830s, Dr. Eliphalet Nott, president of Union College, called for the dissolution of all fraternities. His desire, however, was never granted. Years later, Kappa Alpha would eventually debadge.

In defense of the fraternities, John Jay Hyde, a member of Delta Phi, argued the benefits of the fraternity system so convincingly that Dr. Nott relented and permitted the organizations to remain in existence. In addition, Hyde designed the fraternity badge which is based on the Maltese Cross, a symbol also used by the Knights of Malta.

It is because of this shared symbol that Delta Phi is also known as "The St. Elmo Club," a name first used by the Omicron chapter at Yale University. The brothers there used the name of St. Elmo, the patron saint of mariners and the Knights of Malta. Some of Delta Phi's chapter houses are also known as "St. Elmo's Hall."

Delta Phi remains a small fraternity, with only fourteen active chapters and few chapters with many members. It has resisted the urge to expand, in order to create an "intimate, personal experience" [1] for its members. The chapters of Delta Phi are all located in close proximity to one another. Its current expansion policy is to reactivate its dormant chapters.[citation needed] Delta Phi is the oldest contiguous fraternity in the United States, and the Beta chapter at Brown University is the oldest active chapter.

The insignia of Delta Phi Fraternity
The insignia of Delta Phi Fraternity

Alpha 1827 - 1999 Union College Schenectady, New York

Delta 1842 - 2001 Columbia University New York, New York

Zeta 1845 - 1901 Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts

Theta 1854 - 1877 Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey

Iota 1855 - 1936 University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan

Kappa 1855 - 1861 University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Mu 1874 - 1876 Colgate University Hamilton, New York

Omicron 1889 - 1925 Yale University New Haven, Connecticut

Sigma 1917 - 2001 Trinity College Hartford, Connecticut

Upsilon 1926 - 1965 Williams College Williamstown, Massachusetts

Psi 1960 - 2007 Pennsylvania State University State College, Pennsylvania

Omega Beta 1994 - 2001 Wabash College Crawfordsville, Indiana

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