Historical connections to other orgs?
 

Hey all
-I was wondering if anyone had a historical connection with another org? AGD is of course part of the Syracuse Three, along with Alpha Phi and Gamma Phi Beta. But we also have a really cool connection with TKE. One of our founders, Emily Helen Butterfield, was one of the first female archetects but also an expert in Heraldry. She not only designed our new member pin and our coat of arms AND our Alpha house....BUT...she also designed TKE's coat of arms as well!! There are even some simalarities between the 2 coats of arms!! So TKE's whenever you see your coat of arms, think of the AGD that designed it for you!!

Zeta has a connection with Alpha Sigma Alpha, Kappa Delta, and Sigma Sigma Sigma because they were all founded at Longwood College.

Pi Phi and Kappa have a connection because they were both founded at Monmouth College in Illinois (1867, 1870). At many campuses, we celebrate at Monmouth Duo parties because of that!

Plus being one of the Farmville Four, ASA also had Ida Shaw Martin (aka Sarah Ida Shaw), who was one of Tri-Delta's founders, as its national prez for a while. That is a very very long story and happened while we were still an educational sorority. If it wouldn't have been for her guidance, ASA would have died out shortly after its inception.

Many fraternities, including Delta Tau Delta were founded, at least in part, by Masons -- and many of our Rituals were influenced by Masonry.

Although not my fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Chi and Beta Theta Pi are known as the Miami Triad, having been founded at Miami of Ohio.

A Phi Delta Theta man helped out Delta Gamma!
 

After Delta Gamma was established with some chapters, a Phi Delta Theta (George Banta) was made DG's only male initiate and had the power to establish DG chapters in good standing.

I happen to know that 5 of Delta Tau Delta's 13 founders were Beta's, but after Delt was founded the five Betas resigned their membership saying it was far better to be just a member of Beta Theta Pi than a founder of Delta Tau Delta. (this is something that I continually mention to my friends in Delt ;))

Geoff,

Wow, I never knew that. Very cool.

One other fact that a Kappa Alpha Theta Alum(VT) told me is that a Beta helped found KAT(the first greek lettered organization for women). :D Other than that I do not know of any one sorority that we have a connection with. Historically speaking that is. I do know that Delta Zeta was founded on the same campus as we were. Miami of Ohio University in Oxford, Ohio.



Kevin
Beta Theta Pi

Dear Beta person,

I'm curious as to where that story comes from.

Sounds like the stuff of legends to me. And legends tend to change with time.

However, I have looked at both web pages and niether the history of Beta Theta Pi or of Delt mention anything about this.

I do know, however, that at one time the Alpha Chapter of Delta Tau Delta was at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware. (before the Central Office and Arch Chapter were formed, the chapter that headquartered the fraternity was designated Alpha -- so we've had several of them) The original Alpha Chapter was at Bethany College in Virginia -- now West Virginia. I believe, although I'm not sure, that Delt was the first fraternity on the Bethany campus.

At one point, the Delts at Ohio Wesleyan became disillusioned and left Delta Tau Delta. To quote from Delt history:

"What really happened at Ohio Wesleyan to our Alpha Chapter was pretty well reconstructed afterward by those involved (now Betas, you'll recall). The plot was hatched by eight members of the chapter. They led the others, about four or five in number, into believing that disbanding the chapter was a great sacrifice for the benefit of the campus as a whole. After the last meeting of the chapter, the eight members took the furniture and fixtures to Columbus and sold them, appropriating the money for their own use. The chapter's treasury, which was in effect the national treasury of the Fraternity, disappeared also. Then the eight plotters returned to Delware and were initiated into Beta Theta Pi, which had been a rather week chapter. It is unclear just what was gained by the action, although the Beta Chapter was greatly strengthened by our former members. The Delaware chapter was founded in 1866 as Omicron, became the Alpha in 1869, defected in 1874, and was reestablished as Mu in 1879. Mu chapter prospered almost from the start, and the defection did not hurt it noticeably. The Beta Theta Pi chapter, on the other hand, went into a decline after the defectors graduated, returning to its former status."

My suspicion is that your information is an unintended distortion of that event. Even the numbers you quote seem to match.

By the way, I've computed the interest on the money your fraternity stole from us and am looking forward to receiving your check for $9,875.321.56. Compound interest is a wonderful thing. You may round it off and make your check for $9,875,000.

Just kidding. You can keep the money. We don't need it.

You may now go visit your Delt friends and allow them to help you remove your foot from your mouth.

Have a nice day.

Phi Delta Theta/Delta Zeta Connection
 

Although not a brother fraternity, Delta Zeta has a unique bond with Phi Delta Theta in that one of the brothers, Dr. Guy Potter Benton, is our sorority's Grand Patron. Dr. Benton made the decision, when he was President of Miami University of Ohio, to allow women to matriculate and he provided much guidance, inspiration and advice to our six founders.

He even helped keep our Ritual a secret when a Beta brother stole a copy out of the hands of our secretary and Dr. Benton (if I recall from my pledge handbook) pursued the villain and won back the document "not by his sprinting ability but by virtue of his official position" :cool:

Re: Phi Delta Theta/Delta Zeta Connection
 

Very interesting Tracy :cool: LOL


QUOTE]Originally posted by KillarneyRose
[B]Although not a brother fraternity, Delta Zeta has a unique bond with Phi Delta Theta in that one of the brothers, Dr. Guy Potter Benton, is our sorority's Grand Patron. Dr. Benton made the decision, when he was President of Miami University of Ohio, to allow women to matriculate and he provided much guidance, inspiration and advice to our six founders.

He even helped keep our Ritual a secret when a Beta brother stole a copy out of the hands of our secretary and Dr. Benton (if I recall from my pledge handbook) pursued the villain and won back the document "not by his sprinting ability but by virtue of his official position" :cool:

One of the founders of Delta Chi was a DU. That is the only connection I know of.

One of PDT National Pres. ( a very long time ago ), was instrumental in combining a group of Local Fraterntiys into Theta Kappa Nu, Which eventually merged with Lambda Chi Alpha. I was never initiated as a member of either but very instrumental in the building of a major International Fraternity!:)

Yup!
 

Yeah that's we do! For a week we have secret buddies in the other organization, and then at the end of the week we have a dinner together.

Also, locally we have a connection to Delta Tau Delta. Last night I was reading through my old local pledge manual, and I discovered that the IN Gamma founders met at the Delta house when they decided to create Pi Phi! :)

The founders of ZTA solicited the help of a couple of brothers (biological, that is). Our first president's older brother was a KA at William & Mary. He helped write some of our rituals and design our badge. Our badge and KA's badge have a lot of similarities.

Yup. :) Also, another one of our founder's brothers was in another fraternity which I believe no longer exists. But, he helped to write our rituals and design our badges as well.

Samuel Zenas Ammen
 

Was the man that composed our ritual. I have read alot of history on Ammen, but I have never seen it officially noted that Ammen wrote, or helped write, the ritual of ZTA. We dont have ZTA at Eastern but I would love to know the official word on this.

It wasn't Ammen. It was our first president's brother who was a KA. He helped to write our ritual. His name is Plummer Jones. He was also a member of Phi Beta Kappa. There was another one of our founder's brothers who helped write the ritual. His name was Giles Mebane Smith and he was a member of Phi Theta Psi.

Miami1839,

Actually, both Beta and FIJI had a part in helping to found Theta. Here is an excerpt from the MIT Theta website:

"Her(Bettie Locke Hamilton) father was a Beta Theta Pi and her brother was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, so she'd been exposed to the fraternity lifestyle. Bettie had many friends at Asbury's Phi Gamma Delta, and when one asked her to wear his badge as a token of friendship, Bettie declined. Because she did not know the secrets and purposes which the letters represented, she replied, she could not wear them. There was even some thought of initiating Bettie into the fraternity, but, fortunately for Kappa Alpha Theta, they decided instead to present her with a handsome silver fruit basket engraved with the Phi Gamma Delta letters.

Bettie was impressed with the fraternity ideal and searched for its women's counterpart from which to form a chapter at Asbury. Finding none, her father suggested she create her own women's fraternity..."

Just an interesting tidbit

Mr. Blonde,

Thanks for refreshing my memory :) I remember that story now from my pledge education. Awesome story. :cool:

Kevin

Alpha Xi Delta and Sigma Nu
 

The brothers of Sigma Nu at Lombard College in Illinois were very involved in the founding of my sorority, Alpha Xi Delta. Our pink killarney rose was chosen to complement their white rose, and some aspects of our traditions and ritual are the same. Five of our ten founding sisters married Sigma Nus. A local attorney who was an alumnus of the Sigma Nu chapter at Lombard helped our founders draw up the chapter's constitution and obtain legal status as a greek-lettered fraternity for women. Also, when the decision was made to go national, Sigma Nus again helped, with legal advice and other support. For all these reasons, and many more, Sigma Nu is recognized as Alpha Xi Delta's official brother fraternity.

G8Ralphaxi

Farmhouse and Ceres
 

Ceres Women's International Fraternity was formed at the 1984 Farmhouse fraternity conclave. 3 interest groups were then formed out of existing little sister groups and little sister groups were "officially" done away with. Ceres was also formed to recognize the increasing number of women in agriculture. We still have our regional leadership conferences and international conclaves with Farmhouse. We have also modled our constitution, officer structure, and other things after FarmHouse.

Farmhouse International website

It is important for us to be close to Farmhouse and the ag dept or college on our campus but sometimes it backfires because the other fraternities and sororities don't think of us as a "real sorority" and don't think of inviting us to things.

:(

Fellow Beta Brothers and other Greeks,

Beta Theta Pi had much to do with the creation of the Greek world today. Not only was Beta the first Fraternity founded west of the Allegheny Mountains, they were the first of three fraternities founded at Miami University. Beta Theta Pi - 1839, Phi Delta Theta - 1848 and Sigma Chi - 1855. (The ever-infamous Miami Triad that is in some many pledge manuals)

Sigma Chi was a 'spin off' of the Delta Kappa Epsilon after six of their members had a disagreement and ended up forming 'Sigma Phi', later to be Sigma Chi.

Phi Delta Theta had decided not to grant a charter to local fraternity, and because of that, the local fraternity went on to form the TKE Fraternity.

Beta Theta Pi almost lost its Michigan chapter (Lambda) back in 1865 when all but one of its members disbanded and joined another fraternity - Psi Upsilon. Brother Edward C. Boudinot was not enlisted in the Civil War, and was the sole Beta not to disband and join Psi Upsilon. Because of that, Beta succeeded at Michigan and still exists today.

Beta has never merged into another fraternity, however other fraternities have merged into Beta. 1880 Beta accepted the Brown Chapter of Phi Kappa Alpha, the Denison Chapter of Alpha Kappa Phi, Dartmouth was the last chapter of Sigma Delta Pi and Missouri was the last chapter of Zeta Phi. One of Betas most well known acquisition was in 1879 with Alpha Sigma Chi (William Raymond Baird - Bairds Manual!!!!) The other well-known acquisition was with the Mystical Seven in the late 1800's.

Beta has also influenced a few sororities. As mentioned before, Bettie Locke’s (Kappa Alpha Theta Founder) dad was a Beta, and her brother a FIJI. If you look closely at the KAT badge, it is a combo of the Beta Badge and FIJI pin.

http://www.umaine.edu/greek/database...Theta%20Pi.jpg + http://www.umaine.edu/greek/database...ma%20Delta.jpg = http://www.stuorg.iastate.edu/kat/Images/badge.jpg


Alpha Chi Omega sorority was also helped with its founding by Beta Brother Dr. James G. Campbell.

Any way you look at it, fraternities as old as Beta have influenced the Greek system in some way. I could make this list go on for a long time. I don't know how many Crests/Coat of Arms are based off of Betas....

-kai-

ZZ-kai-

Wow, thats awesome about the KAT Badge and I never knew about AXO either. We didnt have either at my school. Its so awesome how we've influenced everyone. :cool:

Kevin

HAHAHA......I know this is an old thread, but whatever....

Every year, the KA pledges come to all of the houses and ask who Plummer Jones is. We always just thought that they were nuts and asking about one of their dogs or something.

My boyfriend used to be their pledge ed and would get mad b/c he'd want the pledges to find the answer. They would go down to Zeta and none of the Zetas knew the answer. This year, the ditziest girl in ZTA (one of my friends, I'm allowed!) was like "Oh yeah..." and told the story.

Just thought I'd share. ;)

call me lacking but...
 

Why did I always think that Phi Kappa Tau was a member of the Miami Triad? I know they were founded at Miami, was it just that they were established later??? Anyone know?

I know I've written this before on another thread, but in case anyone didn't see it...George Banta, Delta Gamma's male initiate, initiated at Alpha Zeta (I think) chapter, Lawrence University, Appleton, WI. News for you trivia buffs from a Lawrence grad.

Re: call me lacking but...
 

Phi Kappa Tau was founded at Miami University in 1904 but you're right, it's not one of the Miami Triad. The Triad consists of fraternities founded in the mid 1800's...

Beta Theta Pi - 1839
Phi Delta Theta - 1848
Sigma Chi - 1855

My sorority, Delta Zeta, was also founded at Miami in 1902

Haha, just a little more information than you asked for - sorry! :)

Heck yeah, Mother of Fraternities :)

this was a cool thread... BUMP

Then I'll throw in the "Macon Magnolia" connection: Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu, founded in 1851 and 1852, respectively, were both founded at Georgia Wesleyan College for Females. GWCFF was also the first college for women in the United States.

The Founder of Alpha Phi Omega, Frank Reed Horton, was a Sigma Alpha Epsilon, as were several of the charter Brothers.

From Horton's story of our founding:

"My Brothers in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity house, where I lived, who were outstanding for high ideals and clean living, were all former Scouts. I felt a college organization should be formed that would strengthen men in these ideals, and give them an opportunity for Leadership experience and for Service to others."

found here.

The Zeta Kappa chapter of Alpha Phi Omega at Bowling Green State University began Alpha Chapter of Omega Phi Alpha. Thanks, APhiO :D

You're welcome!

Alpha Phi Alpha and Alpha Kappa Alpha are connected in many ways. The most well-known way is probably that we are each the first/oldest existing BGLOs, but we have a history of collaboration that dates back to the infancy of our orgs.

I wonder what ever happened to Brian Sejas?

Alpha Sigma Phi & Delta Kappa Epsilon were both founded at Yale College (now university)

DEKE: June 22, 1844

Alpha Sig: December 6, 1845

ETA: Pi Lamda Phi was also founded at Yale University in 1895

Mother Mu

March 9, 1856

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

My sorority is local and we are connected to our brothers because they started us when there original sisters, Kappa Delta Kappa were disbanded in 1986
Quite original my brothers, they are sigma omega sigma so they just change ours to Sigma Delta Sigma :rolleyes:

I have read the history that Betarulz and Deltalum are talking about. I wish I had it on hand right this moment so I could quote it exactly.

One source I do have on hand is from a 1930's addition of The Beta Book. It mentions that 5 men initiated into Beta had been members of a local organization by the name of Delta Tau Delta. Of the five (J.D. Lowe, J.L.N. Hunt, William R. Cunningham, Thomas T. Holtan, and Benjamin S. Keene) two resigned so they could be counted as founders of DTD. Those two being Cunningham and Lowe.

The other source that I can't not find at this particular moment goes into that a bit further and mentions about a later fiasco at a DTD Founders dinner. Basically the other three members were some how included in the founders roles but they did not know about that distinction. Instead they made it clear that they were members of Beta.

John Hunt is considered a Delt founder. Hunt, Holtan, and Keene all appear on the rolls at Bethany.