German National Honor Society

The German National Honor Society or Delta Phi Alpha (ΔΦΑ) (German: Deutsche Ehrenverbindung), is the sole post-secondary national honorary society for German studies in the United States. According to the organization, the honor society seeks to "recognize excellence in the study of German and to provide an incentive for higher scholarship. The society aims to promote the study of the German language, literature, and civilization, and endeavors to emphasize those aspects of German life and culture which are of universal value and which contribute to humankind's eternal search for peace and truth." Delta Phi Alpha was founded in May 1929 at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where the Alpha chapter still resides. The honor society is currently operated from the campus of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA. The society has over three hundred constituent chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Delta Phi Alpha
ΔΦΑ
Delta Phi Alpha Crest
FoundedMay 1929 (1929-05)
Wofford College
TypeHonor society
AffiliationIndependent
EmphasisGerman studies
ScopeNational (US)
Slogan“Torchbearer of Human Spirit”
Colors  Black,   Red and   Gold
SymbolWeimar Eagle
Chapters300
HeadquartersDelta Phi Alpha / W&J College
60 South Lincoln St
Washington, PA 15301
US
WebsiteOfficial website
[1]

The high school equivalent is American Association of Teachers of German's (AATG) honor society, Delta Epsilon Phi. It was founded in Coral Gables, Florida, United States, in 1968, functioning as a branch of the AATG.

History

21 Wofford students under the guidance of the Dr. James A. Chiles met in Old Main in February 1928, and founded a German Club they named Deutscher Verein. Over the next year, John Olin Eidson '29 and members of the Wofford group began contacting German clubs at other schools. Invitations were sent to active German clubs in about twelve or fifteen small colleges to form chapters of a national fraternity.[2] This led to the formation of Delta Phi Alpha, the National Honorary German Society, in May 1929. Wofford was the Alpha chapter of the society, and Dr. Chiles became its president, a position he occupied for the remainder of his active career.[1]

Chapters

The chapters of Delta Phi Alpha as of 1939 include:

  • By the end of 1929: ely Alpha at Wofford College, Beta at Central College in Fayette, Missouri, and Gamma at Bates College in Lewiston
  • 1930: Vanderbilt University; Davidson College, North Carolina Berea College, Kentucky; University of Rochester; Birmingham-Southern College; University of Washington.
  • 1931: Rutgers University; West Virginia University; Alabama College; Wittenberg College, Ohio; University of Cincinnati; Duke University; University of Illinois; University of Pennsylvania.
  • 1932: University of South Carolina; New York University; Wes ern Reserve University; Bucknell University; University of California a Los Angeles; Washington University, St. Louis.
  • 1933: Indiana University; Cornell University; Clark University.
  • 1934: University of Colorado; University of Buffalo; Southern Methodist University; University of Southern California; Union Col Schenectady, N. Y.
  • 1935: Colgate University; Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.
  • 1936: University of Oregon; University of Tennessee; Hunter College; University of Iowa.
  • 1937: Drake University; Capital University, Columbus, Ohio; Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea, Ohio.

See also

References
  1. Delta Phi Alpha at Wofford
  2. Edwin H. Zeydel (February 1939). "Delta Phi Alpha". Monatshefte für Deutschen Unterricht. University of Wisconsin Press Stable. 31 (2): 104–106. JSTOR 30169529. Retrieved 2022-03-01.


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