Delta Kappa Fraternity

Delta Kappa
ΔΚ
Crest of Delta Kappa National Fraternity
Founded 1920
Buffalo State College
Type Social
Scope United States
Motto True leadership is possible only through honorable and upright living.[1][2]
Maxim Korufaios, Kathapos, and Kosmos
Member badge
Delta Kappa Badge with Alpha Chapter Badge Guard
Colors      White
     Maroon[2]
Flower Red Rose[2]
Jewel Pearl and Ruby
Publication The Deltan
Chapters 22 undergraduate chapters

Delta Kappa Fraternity (ΔΚ) was a national fraternity in the United States of America that existed from 1920 to 1964.

Founding and early growth

The fraternity was founded as Kappa Kappa Kappa at the State Normal School in Buffalo, New York (now Buffalo State College) by James Finley, Albert Meinhold, Albert Stalk, Fred Weyler, and Arthur S. Bellfield as a fraternity for students majoring in education. The organization was incorporated in New York in 1930 as a national fraternity for the teaching profession. It assumed the name Kappa Kappa Kappa (ΚΚΚ) to represent the tri-Kappa symbolism of Korufaios, Kathapos, and Kosmos.[3] The fraternity voted to change its name to Delta Kappa at the 1936 convention to avoid being confused with the Ku Klux Klan and incorporated under the new name in 1937.[2] At the 1936 convention, the fraternity also changed the scope of the organization by changing its emphasis from professional to social and allowing any bachelor degree granting institution to host a chapter. The fraternity went inactive during World War II but was reactivated in 1946. The organization then began expanding outside of the state of New York. It was also decided to drop the requirement that at least half the members of any petitioning fraternal group be working toward a degree in the teaching profession.[4]

Loss of Chapters

Delta Kappa was growing until a 1953 edict by the SUNY Board of Trustees forced the abandonment of all chapters affiliated with national societies in state supported schools.[5] The fraternity lost eight chapters. With most of the active chapters now in Wisconsin a meeting was called in 1954 where it was decided that there should be an attempt to save the fraternity. In 1956 the fraternity was re-incorporated in the state of Wisconsin.[4] The national offices were moved to Milwaukee and in 1958 the fraternity began a magazine called The Deltan.[6]

In 1961 the Chi Delta chapter at Wisconsin-Whitewater began the process of disaffiliation with the national fraternity which became compete in 1963.

Independent New York Chapters

Most of the chapters in New York became independent local fraternities after 1953. Chapters at Cortland, Oswego, Plattsburgh, Potsdam, Geneseo, and Fredonia are known to have become local fraternities at that time. The chapter at Ithaca would follow suit in 1964.

Folding of the National Oragnization

In 1964, Delta Kappa merged with Sigma Pi Fraternity, with the approval of the conventions occuring in June and September, respectively.[2] Of the six chapters, four (Wisonsin-Miwaukee, Wisconsin-Stout, Milton, and Western State College of Colorado) became Sigma Pi chapters. The chapter at Wisconsin-Oshkosh decided to go its own way and affiliate with Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity. The chapter at Ithaca College (which is not a SUNY institution) became a local fraternity.

Chapter List

Undergraduate chapters

Known undergraduate chapters were[2]

Chapter Institution's Name at Chartering (if different than current) Current Name Date Chartered Notes Status
Α State Normal School - Buffalo Buffalo State College 1920 Closed
Β Cortland State Teacher's College SUNY Cortland 1925 Became Delta Kappa Beta local fraternity in 1953.[7] Briefly became a Sigma Pi colony in 1977[8] Lost university recognition in 1991. Banned by the university in 2000.[3]
Γ Oswego State Teacher's College SUNY Oswego 1926 Became Delta Kappa Kappa local fraternity in 1953.[1] Active
Δ Plattsburgh State Teacher's College SUNY Plattsburgh 1927 Dormant in 1932. Rechartered in 1953. Became Delta Kappa Delta local fraternity later in 1953.[9] Closed in 1979.
Ε Ithaca College 1931 Became Delta Kappa local fraternity in 1964 after the national merger with Sigma Pi. Ithaca removed recognition from most greek letter organizations in the 1980s. Closed in 2009.
Ζ New Paltz Teacher's College SUNY New Paltz 1935 Became Delta Kappa Zeta local fraternity in 1953.[10]

.

 Active
Η Oneonta State Teacher's College SUNY Oneonta 1942 Closed
Θ Potsdam State Teacher's College SUNY Potsdam 1946 Became Delta Kappa Theta local fraternity in 1953.[11][12][13] Active
Ι Geneseo State Teacher's College SUNY Geneseo 1948 Became Delta Kappa Tau local fraternity in 1953. Active
ΔΧ Southeast Missouri State College Southeast Missouri State University 1949 First chapter outside of the state of New York. Closed
Κ Indiana State Teacher's College Indiana State University 1950 Closed
ΔΡ Madison College James Madison University 1951 Closed
Φ Clarion State College Clarion University of Pennsylvania 1951 Formed as Alpha Phi Alpha local fraternity.[14] Closed
ΣΦ State Teachers' College at Frostburg Frostburg State University 1951 Closed
Σ The Stout Institute University of Wisconsin–Stout 1951 Became the Delta Sigma chapter of Sigma Pi in 1964.[15] Dormant since 1983.[16][17]
ΧΔ Wisconsin State College–Whitewater University of Wisconsin-Whitewater 1952 Formed as Beta Kappa Nu local fraternity in 1929. Became the Beta chapter of Chi Delta Rho state fraternity in 1939. Reorganized as Chi Delta Rho local fraternity after World War II. Became the Lambda Iota chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity in 1965. Dormant in 2005. Rechartered in 2013.[18] Active
ΗΦ Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire Wisconsin-Eau Claire 1952 Closed
Ο Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1953 Became the Delta Omicron chapter of Sigma Pi fraternity in 1964. First Delta Kappa chapter to be initiated into Sigma Pi.[19] Dormant since 1972.[16]
ΧΓ Milton College 1953 Formed as a local fraternity then became Gamma chapter of Chi Delta Rho state fraternity before World War II. Became the Delta Gamma chapter of Sigma Pi in 1968 after a four year colony status. The delay was due to the college's accreditation status.[20] Dormant when the college closed in 1974.[16]
ΙΑΣ Wisconsin State College–Oshkosh Wisconsin-Oshkosh 1960 Became the Epsilon Beta chapter of Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity in 1965.[21] Active
ΧΣ Western State College of Colorado Western State Colorado University 1960 Became the Delta Chi chapter of Sigma Pi in 1965.[22] Dormant since 1999.[16]
Fredonia State Teacher's College SUNY Fredonia Became Delta Kappa Omicron local fraternity. Active

Alumni Chapters

Alumni Chapters were usually given the name of the local college chapter with the Greek letter Pi added before the local chapter name. Known alumni chapters are:

Fraternity Song

Hail Men of Delta Kappa
Keep your honor ever high.
Raise your heads fling out your banner
Let the colors never die.
We are brothers all DK men,
With a trust that men hold high.
It’s a pledge we call good fellowship,
Let our emblem fill the sky.
Sing out with voice proclaiming,
Let our song be ever known.
We are proud to be DK men,
With an emblem all our own.
We are brothers pledged together
That our faith be ever true.
In the pledge we call good fellowship,
Men of DK here’s to you.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "About - Delta Kappa Kappa - Oswego, NY". Deltakappakappa.org. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 18th edition, page 769-770
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "History of DK - Delta Kappa Beta". Google.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "History". Delta Kappa Fraternity of Ithaca College. Delta-kappa.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  5. ↑ "Fraternity Communication: New York State Fraternity History". Fratcomm.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  6. ↑ "Deltan" (PDF) 1 (1). May 1958.
  7. ↑ "Kappa (1925-1991) Fraternity". Cortland.edu. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  8. ↑ "The Emerald of Sigma Pi" (PDF) LXV (2). Enivation.com. 1977. p. 1. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  9. ↑ "Delta Kappa Delta Honors Brothers and Alma Mater with Scholarship and Memorial". Plattsburgh.edu. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  10. ↑ "2013 Reunion Brochure" (PDF). Newpaltz.edu. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  11. ↑ "Welcome To Delta Kappa Theta Fraternity". Archived from the original on 2011-02-02.
  12. ↑ "Potsdam Greeks United: Delta Kappa Theta Fraternity". Potsdamgreeks.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  13. ↑ "Potsdam Greeks United: Social Fraternities in Potsdam". Potsdamgreeks.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  14. ↑ http://www.mocavo.com/Clarion-University-of-Pennsylvania-1952-Clarion-Pa/226601/89
  15. ↑ "The Emerald of Sigma Pi" (PDF) LI (4). Sigma Pi Fraternity. 1965. pp. 204–205. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Sigma Pi Fraternity, International. "Sigma Pi Fraternity » Chapter Roll". Sigma Pi Fraternity.
  17. ↑ "Delta Sigma". 317parkcircle.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  18. ↑ "Lambda Chi Alpha : University of Wisconsin-Whitewater » Local History". Uwwlca.com. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  19. ↑ "The Emerald of Sigma Pi" (PDF) LI (4). Sigma Pi Fraternity. 1965. pp. 202–203. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  20. ↑ "The Emerald of Sigma Pi" (PDF) LV (2). Sigma Pi Fraternity. 1968. pp. 62–63. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  21. ↑ "Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities" (20th ed.). 1991. p. 6.
  22. ↑ "The Emerald of Sigma Pi" (PDF) LII. Sigma Pi Fraternity. 1965. pp. 86–88. Retrieved 2015-04-18.

External links