I've posted a blog about the Phi Delta Theta and Delta Gamma connection.
Here's the start of the post:
There are a few men who names emerge in the history of women's fraternities/sororities. These men include Dr. Wesley P. Coddington, Dr. Charles Richardson, Dr. Guy Potter Benton, and the Right Reverend Edward D. Kelly. The man most influential in the early growth of the women's fraternity system during the 1870-80s is George Banta. He was a stalwart proponent of Greek-letter life for all of his adult years. He was both a Phi Delta Theta and a Delta Gamma.
This post is courtesy of Delta Gamma and its Fraternity Archivist, Marilyn Ellis Haas. Originally published in the Winter 1993
Anchora, the article quoted below was written by Frances Lewis Stevenson with Carmalieta Dellinger Jenkins. Frances was one of Delta Gamma's first traveling consultants and she worked at Headquarters for 39 years. Among the jobs she held during those years were Historian and
Anchora Editor. The archives are named in her honor. Carmalieta served as Assistant to the President of the Phi Delta Theta Educational Foundation and former Executive Secretary of Delta Gamma Fraternity.
"Generations of Delta Gamma pledge lessons have been learned and, often, buried amidst the bits and scraps of information our minds collect. It is likely, however, that one myth could be instantly recalled from many Delta Gammas' mental files - while what could be more important information has been discarded. It is this: Phi Delta Theta is Delta Gamma's 'brother fraternity.' This has been accepted as fact whether or not a Phi Delt chapter existed on one's campus.
If you'd like to read more, the post is at
http://wp.me/p20I1i-AS
At the end of the
Anchora article, the authors make certain that the reader realizes that this connection is only a myth, "
"Phi Delta Theta as Delta Gamma's 'brother Fraternity' is indeed a myth, but as the myth can be credited to the energies of one brother, George Banta, who saw to the growth which created this truly international organization, Delta Gamma."
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