| Phi Lambda Theta | |
| Letters: | Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΦΛΘ |
| Coat Of Arms: | File:The_crest_of_Phi_Lambda_Theta.png |
| Birthplace: | Pennsylvania State University |
| Former Affiliation: | NIC |
| Status: | Defunct |
| Defunct Date: | 1984 |
| Successor: | Scattered |
| Type: | Social |
| Emphasis: | Originally Odd Fellows, then General |
| Scope: | National (US) |
| Mottos: | --> |
| Colors: | Purple and Gold |
| Flower: | White carnation |
| Publication: | Star and Balance |
| Chapters: | 5 |
| Nicknames: | --> |
| Province: | --> |
| Postal Code: | --> |
| Homepage: | --> |
Phi Lambda Theta (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΦΛΘ) was a social fraternity founded at Pennsylvania State College in 1920 for students who belonged to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.[1] It was originally named Three Links.
November 18, 1920, is designated as Founders' Day as on that date the body first met as an organization officially recognized by the Pennsylvania College college board on fraternity affairs. The name was changed from Three Links to Phi Lambda Theta on May 11, 1922. Modification of the non-collegiate Odd Fellows lodge requirement was effected on September 13, 1922, and all affiliations and subsidiary connections with the Odd Fellows were severed in January, 1924.
In 1930 Phi Lambda Theta was admitted to Junior membership in the North American Interfraternity Conference.[2]
Rather than a coordinated merger strategy, dissolution of Phi Lambda Theta appears to have been a sudden rush for the door, late in the Great Depression. The Kansas State and Susquehanna chapters became chapters of Beta Kappa in through separate petitions, and the founding chapter was absorbed into Alpha Tau Omega. Shortly after these departures the chapter at Bucknell became a local under that name.[3] In it would join Chi Phi as the Phi Lambda Theta chapter, a nod to its former national name. Meanwhile, the Waynesburg chapter opted for Kappa Sigma Kappa, its home for 18 years in what looked to be the fourth of the scattered nationals. But the group would later withdraw from that fraternity and merge into Theta Chi, as did the vast majority of chapters of Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΒΚ. Thus eventually, three of Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΦΛΘ's five chapters were absorbed by Theta Chi, considering later mergers.[4]
These were the chapters of Phi Lambda Theta. All were active at dissolution:[5]