Pi Delta Theta Explained

Pi Delta Theta
Letters:Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΠΔΘ
Coat Of Arms:File:The_crest_of_Pi_Delta_Theta.png
Birthplace:Miami University (Ohio)
Former Affiliation:AES
Status:Merged
Merge Date:1941
Successor:Delta Sigma Epsilon
Type:Social
Scope:National (US)
Mottos:-->
Colors: White, Gold and Myrtle green
Flower:Marguerite Daisy
Publication:Thalia
   and The Myrsine
Chapters:9
Members:1,000
Nicknames:-->
Province:-->
Postal Code:-->
Homepage:-->

Pi Delta Theta (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: 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]

History

Prior to formation, the sorority had help in 1925 from the Sorority Service Bureau, whose Mrs. Ida Shaw Martin had been fielding requests for information from recently-formed local sororities seeking some manner of affiliation. She invited representatives of three of these local 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:

The organization was thus formed, with the Miami chapter being named its Alpha chapter, and Mrs. Brown 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.

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.

Government

Government was vested in three entities: The national convention, the National Council and the Board of Advisers.

Symbols and traditions

Chapter List

The chapters of Pi Delta Theta were as follows. Chapters active at the time of the Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ΔΣΕ merger are noted in bold, inactive chapters noted by italics :[3] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: State University College at Buffalo. New York State Teachers College at Buffalo: A History, 1871-1946. 1946. 153.
  2. Book: William Raimond Baird. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. 1977. 19. G. Banta Company. 809. Baird's Manual is also available online here: The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  3. Book: William Raimond Baird. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. 1957. 16. G. Banta Company. 539.
  4. Web site: William Raimond Baird . Carroll Lurding . Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive) . Student Life and Culture Archives . University of Illinois Archives . 17 December 2021 . University of Illinois . English. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.