Delta Phi

Delta Phi (ΔΦ) is a fraternity founded in 1827 at Union College in Schenectady, New York consisting of ten active chapters along the East Coast of the United States. The fraternity also uses the names "St. Elmo," "St. Elmo Hall," or merely "Elmo" because of its relation to Erasmus of Formia with some chapters known almost exclusively by one of these monikers on their respective campuses. Delta Phi was, after the Kappa Alpha Society and Sigma Phi Society, the third and last member of the Union Triad.

"St. Elmo Hall" redirects here. For other uses, see St. Elmo (disambiguation) and San Telmo (disambiguation).
Delta Phi (St. Elmo)
ΔΦ
FoundedNovember 17, 1827 (1827-11-17)
Union College
TypeSocial
AffiliationNIC
ScopeNational
Motto"Semper Ubique" ("Always Everywhere")
Colors  Columbia blue and   White
SymbolMaltese Cross
Patron saintSt. Elmo
Chapters10 active
NicknameSt. Elmo / St. Elmo Hall / Elmo
Headquarters120 Providence Rd., Ste 102
P.O. Box 4633
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
USA
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Delta Phi was officially founded on November 17, 1827 at Union College by nine upperclassmen.[1] Delta Phi and the other Union Triad fraternities were established during a time of strong Anti-Masonry sentiment in the United States and became targets of the Anti-Masonry movement. This led Phi Beta Kappa, the original fraternity, to abandon secrecy and become a strictly honor society.[2]

In the early 1830s, Dr. Eliphalet Nott, president of Union College, called for the dissolution of all fraternities. Before this policy could be enacted, 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. Hyde went on to design the badge still worn by members of Delta Phi today, which includes a Maltese Cross, a symbol used by the Knights of Malta.

This connection to the Knights of Malta led Delta Phi to become known as "St. Elmo", a name first used by the Omicron chapter at Yale, which since has transformed into a senior secret society known as St. Elmo Society that is no longer associated with Delta Phi. Beginning at some point shortly after the Omicron chapter's inception in 1889, the brothers there used the name of St. Elmo, the patron saint of mariners and the Knights of Malta.[3] On some campuses, Delta Phi chapters are known almost exclusively as "St. Elmo," "St. Elmo Hall," or simply "Elmo."

Expansion

In 1838, the Beta chapter of Delta Phi was founded at Brown University and Delta Phi finally became a “national” fraternity. Next, the Gamma chapter was established at New York University in 1841, followed quickly by the Delta chapter at Columbia University in 1842,[4] the Epsilon chapter at Rutgers University[5] and the Zeta chapter at Harvard University, both in 1845,[4] and the Eta chapter at University of Pennsylvania in 1849.[5] In 1844, Delta Phi held its first convention, only the second fraternity to have such a meeting and was held under the auspices of the Alpha chapter but was held in Troy, New York. The next convention was held in New York City and, seeing the growth in the organization, authorized the fraternity to undertake its first printed publication, a complete catalogue of the membership up to 1847.

Delta Phi left its base in the Northeast and expanded into what was then still the northwest of the young country, establishing the Iota chapter at University of Michigan in 1855 and southward to charter the Kappa chapter at the University of North Carolina that same year.[4]

Delta Phi today

Delta Phi remains a small fraternity with ten active chapters and few chapters with more than a couple dozen members. It has resisted expansion in order to create an "intimate, personal experience"[6] for its members. The fraternity's current expansion policy is to reactivate dormant chapters.[6] As a member of the Union Triad, Delta Phi is the third oldest fraternity and the oldest continuous fraternity in the United States.

Governance and organization

Owing mostly to its development in the early 19th century, Delta Phi organizes itself federally. Individual alumni chapters still exercise significant power over chapter governance. Those powers that are given in the national organization are vested in the Board of Governors.[7] The board consists of one member appointed from each alumni chapter plus two undergraduate representatives elected at the annual leadership conference the fraternity sponsors.[7] Among the duties given to the board is hiring the Executive Director who oversees day-to-day management of the fraternity.[7]

In addition to the national governing organization of the fraternity, Delta Phi alumni have also established the Saint Elmo Foundation which, among other things, sponsors the annual leadership weekend and provides scholarships to undergraduate members of Delta Phi.[8]

Alumni membership

Overall alumni participation among active chapters remains strong, with chapters hosting several social events throughout the year.[9][10]

On or around November 17 of every year, the national organization sponsors the Founder's Day Dinner at the Saint Elmo Club where undergraduates and alumni celebrate the founding of the fraternity.[11]

Founders

Chapters

Active chapters

There are 10 active chapters of Delta Phi.[12]

[*] An active fraternity that is no longer affiliated with the national organization

[**] An active fraternity that is no longer affiliated with the university

Inactive chapters

There are 16 inactive chapters of Delta Phi, including the Alpha Chapter.[20]

[*] Omicron Chapter dissociated with Delta Phi and is now known as the St. Elmo Society at Yale.

Notable alumni

References
  1. "History". deltaphifraternity.org. Delta Phi Fraternity. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  2. "PBK - History of Phi Beta Kappa". pbk.org. The Phi Beta Kappa Society. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  3. "History". deltaphifraternity.org. The Delta Phi Fraternity. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  4. "Inactive Chapters". deltaphifraternity.org. The Delta Phi Fraternity. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  5. "Active Chapters". deltaphifraternity.org. The Delta Phi Fraternity. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  6. "Delta Phi Fraternity". Archived from the original on December 15, 2010.
  7. "Delta Phi Fraternity". Archived from the original on December 15, 2010.
  8. Archived February 8, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 15, 2010. Retrieved 2008-06-10.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. "Delta Phi at Cornell - Calendar of Events". Archived from the original on December 15, 2010.
  11. "Delta Phi Fraternity". Archived from the original on December 15, 2010.
  12. "Active Chapters - Delta Phi Fraternity".
  13. Epsilon Archived 2008-10-09 at the Wayback Machine
  14. "Eta". Archived from the original on 2016-05-26. Retrieved 2019-11-25.
  15. "Delta Phi Lambda Chapter". deltaphirpi.com.
  16. "Delta Phi - Home - Hamilton College". students.hamilton.edu.
  17. Omega
  18. "Delta Phi at William and Mary". wmdeltaphi.wixsite.com.
  19. "Notice Regarding the Omega Alpha Chapter of Delta Phi". William & Mary. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  20. "Inactive Chapters - Delta Phi Fraternity".
  21. "iCloud".
  22. "Llenroc – at Cornell University". llenroc.org. Retrieved 2020-12-26.
  23. "The Undergraduate Record: Columbia College. A Book of Statistical Information". 1881. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  24. "Delta Phi - Founders".
  25. "Delegate Jay Jones".
  26. "ALUMNI". wmdeltaphi.wixsite.com.
  27. Various objects (incl. ring and tankard), George M. Low Gallery, Low Center for Industrial Innovation, Troy, NY.
  28. Hamilton, Reeve (July 1, 2019). "Low Gallery at Rensselaer Provides Insight Into Man Behind the Moon Landing". Rensselaer News. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  29. Breen, Matt. "New Phillies GM Ned Rice is closely tied to old GM Matt Klentak". www.inquirer.com.
  30. Freeland, Arthur G., ed. (1907). Delta Phi Catalogue, 1827–1907. Chapel Hill, NC: Delta Phi Fraternity. p. 131 – via Google Books.
  31. "Columbia Spectator 20 December 1940 — Columbia Spectator". spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
  32. Pace, Eric (2002-04-06). "Wylie F. L. Tuttle, 79, Force Behind Paris Tower". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
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