Pi Delta Theta
American collegiate sorority
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Pi Delta Theta (ΠΔΘ) was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from February 14, 1926, until it was absorbed by Delta Sigma Epsilon in September 1941.[1][2]
| Pi Delta Theta | |
|---|---|
| ΠΔΘ | |
| |
| Founded | February 14, 1926 Miami University |
| Type | Social |
| Former affiliation | AES |
| Status | Merged |
| Merge date | 1941 |
| Successor | Delta Sigma Epsilon |
| Scope | National |
| Colors | White, Gold, and Myrtle green |
| Flower | Marguerite Daisy |
| Publication | Thalia and The Myrsine |
| Chapters | 9 |
| Members | 1,000 active |
| Headquarters | United States |
History
Before its formation, the sorority had help in 1925 from Ida Shaw Martin of the Sorority Service Bureau, who had been fielding requests for information from recently formed local sororities seeking national affiliation. She invited representatives of three organizations to send their faculty advisors to a meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, in the summer of 1925. Two responded affirmatively, which constitute both the founders and founding chapters of Pi Delta Theta:
- Mrs. Robert E. Brown, Kappa Theta Alpha (local) of Miami University of Ohio
- Miss Beulah Houlton, Zeta Sigma Alpha (local) of Kansas State Teachers College, Emporia[2]
The organization was thus formed, with the Miami chapter being named its Alpha chapter, and Mrs. Brown was named as the first National President. Expansion began in earnest, but early chapters were lost as the Great Depression dragged on. In 1941, with WWII looming, the four remaining chapters opted for merger.[3]
Pi Delta Theta was a member of the Association of Education Sororities, an NPC predecessor. The merger of Pi Delta Theta and Delta Sigma Epsilon was the only merger to occur within AES organizations.
Fifteen years later, in 1956, Delta Sigma Epsilon would itself merge with Delta Zeta.
Symbols
- The badge consisted of the Greek letters Π and Θ in gold with a Δ set with pearls overlaying the other two letters.
- Colors were white, gold with myrtle green.
- The flower of Pi Delta Theta was the marguerite.
- The Sorority publications were the Thalia, which was published twice a year, and the Myrsine, which was published by the ex-collegio (alumnae) chapters four times a year.
Governance
Government was vested in three entities: The national convention, the National Council, and the Board of Advisers.
Chapters
The chapters of Pi Delta Theta were as follows.[4][3]
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Instituiton | Location | Status | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | February 14, 1926 – 1939 | Miami University | Oxford, Ohio | Inactive | [a] |
| Beta | 1926–1937 | Emporia State University | Emporia, Kansas | Inactive | [b] |
| Gamma | 1927–1934 | Pittsburg State University | Pittsburg, Kansas | Inactive | [5][c] |
| Delta | 1927–1932 | Ohio University | Athens, Ohio | Inactive | |
| Epsilon | 1927–1937 | Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | Inactive | [d] |
| Zeta | June 1928 – 1941 | Buffalo State College | Buffalo, New York | Merged (ΔΣΕ) | [6][e] |
| Eta | 1929–1941 | Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, Michigan | Merged (ΔΣΕ) | [f] |
| Theta | May 28, 1932 – 1941 | University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, Colorado | Merged (ΔΣΕ) | [7][g] |
| Iota | October 25, 1935 – 1941 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania | Indiana, Pennsylvania | Merged (ΔΣΕ) | [8][h] |
- Predecessor group was Kappa Theta Alpha (local), formed in 1922.
- Predecessor group was Zeta Sigma Alpha (local), formed in 1925.
- Predecessor group was Pi Omicron Pi (local), formed in 1925.
- Predecessor group was Psi Chi Nu (local), formed in 1926.
- Predecessor group was Phi Delta Beta (local), formed in 1927. Joined the existing Areutha Upsilon chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.
- Predecessor group was Theta Chi Sorority (local), formed in 1926. Joined the existing Eta chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.
- Predecessor group was Pi Delta (local), formed in 1928. Joined the existing Gamma chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.
- Formed as a colony in 1935. Joined the existing Beta chapter of Delta Sigma Epsilon.