Phi Delta Gamma (professional)

Phi Delta Gamma (ΦΔΓ) was an American professional fraternity in the field of forensics (public speaking).^[1][2] It merged into Tau Kappa Alpha in 1935.^[3][1]

Phi Delta Gamma
ΦΔΓ
Founded	June 7, 1924; 101 years ago (1924-06-07) College of William and Mary
Type	Professional
Former affiliation	PFA
Status	Merged
Merge date	1935
Successor	Tau Kappa Alpha
Emphasis	Forensics
Scope	National (US)
Publication	The Literary Scroll
Chapters	13
Headquarters	United States

History

Phi Delta Gamma was founded on June 7, 1924, at the College of William & Mary, combining local literary society's from the University of Iowa, Georgetown University School of Law, the University of Minnesota, the University of Illinois, Ohio University, George Washington University, and the University of Southern California.^[1][4] Its founders were members of a committee that was organized after a 1922 meeting held in Urbana, Illinois.^[3]

The founders were:^[5][3]

• William O. Moore, State University of Iowa
• George O. Hurley, State University of Iowa
• Kenneth E. Oberholtzer, University of Illinois
• Dean William A. Hamilton, College of William and Mary
• Russell D. Tubaugh, Ohio University
• Paul A. Lomax, University of Southern California
• William Waldo Girdner, George Washington University
• Carl E. Anderson, University of Minnesota.

The fraternity's purpose was to "maintain and stimulate a greater interest in the work of literary societies, debate clubs, and dramatic organization in colleges and universities and to foster the upbuilding of literary societies."^[1]

Phi Delta Gamma was a founding member of the Professional Interfraternity Conference in 1928.^[6] Phi Delta Gamma merged into Tau Kappa Alpha in 1935.^[3][1]

Symbols

The fraternity's badge was illustrated in Baird's as a diamond shape with an enameled center that featured a scroll with the Greek letters ΦΔΓ on it in the diagonal, from the left corner of the scroll to the bottom right corner. There was a star above and below the scroll.

Phi Delta Gamma University of Minnesota, 1924

Membership

Phi Delta Gamma's members included male undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty.^[2][7][4] Membership was through a pledging and initiation process, with new members being elected based on debating experience, qualities of scholarship, and interest in literary events.^[8][9][10] The fraternity also awarded honorary memberships.^[11]

Activities

Phi Delta Gamma pursued intersociety rather than intercollegiate forensics.^[1][12] Its activities included debates and forensic contests, awarding silver loving cups to members of the winning team.^[1][13] The DC Alpha chapter awarded a silver loving cup annually to winner of a freshman oratory contest, while he CA Alpha chapter awarded a loving cup annually for the best speech in the state.^[14][15][16] The VA Alpha chapter purchased three gold medals to be awarded annually for "unusual merit" to a men and women in forensics and either a man or woman for dramatics at the College of William and Mary.^[17] The society's members also organized guest speakers and social events such as an annual banquet.^[11][18][19]

The fraternity's magazine was The Literary Scroll^[5][1]

Governance

Chapters elected the following officers: president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer; some chapters had a sergeant-at-arms and chaplain.^[17][20][21]

Chapters

Following is a list of the chapters of Phi Delta Gamma. ^[a]

Chapter	Charter date and range	Institution	Location	Status	References
IA Alpha	June 4, 1924 – 1935	Iowa State University	Ames, Iowa	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3]
OH Alpha	June 4, 1924 – 1935	Ohio University	Athens, Ohio	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3]
CA Alpha	June 4, 1924 – 1935	University of Southern California	Los Angeles, California	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3]
DC Alpha	June 4, 1924 – 1935	George Washington University	Washington, D.C.	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3]
VA Alpha	June 4, 1924 – 1935	College of William & Mary	Williamsburg, Virginia	Merged (ΤΚΑ	[3][4]
MN Alpha	June 4, 1924 – 1935	University of Minnesota	Minneapolis	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3][2]
IL Alpha	March 3, 1925 – 1935	University of Illinois	Urbana, Illinois	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3][22][23][4][b]
AL Alpha	March 22, 1925 – 1935	Auburn University	Auburn, Alabama	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3][24]
TX Alpha	1925–1935	University of Texas	Austin, Texas	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3]
IL Beta	April 9, 1927 – 1935	Northwestern University	Evanston, Illinois	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3][25]
OH Beta	1927–1935	Ohio State University	Columbus, Ohio	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3]
IN Alpha	May 16, 1928 – 1935	Indiana University	Bloomington, Indiana	Merged (ΤΚΑ)	[3][21]
IA Beta		University of Iowa	Iowa City, Iowa	Inactive	[26]

1. Names are likely, but conjectural. The Minnesota chapter listing is mentioned in Minnesota Gopher yearbooks as the MN Alpha chapter of the fraternity.
2. Sources indicate this chapter was founding chapter, established before June 1924. However, it was not authorized as a campus organization until March 3, 1925.

Notable members

• Theodore F, Koop (IA Alpha) – Vice President of CBS. editor for The Associated Press and director of National Geographic's news service^[27][28]
• Lee Loevinger (MN Alpha) – jurist, lawyer, and Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission^[29]
• Norman Shumway (MN Alpha) – a pioneer of heart surgery^[30]

See also

• College literary societies
• Debate
• Professional fraternities and sororities