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79-617: Phi Delta Theta fraternity was founded in Elliott Hall in 1848. Phi Kappa Tau founders William H. Shideler and Clinton D. Boyd lived together in the same room in Elliott at the time of their fraternity's founding in 1906. Both buildings were rebuilt in 1937 with the assistance of the Public Works Administration . In 2011, Elliott and Stoddard Halls became the first dorms at Miami to convert to geothermal energy instead of using

158-527: A carefully controlled process known as "colonization." In 1968, a historic initiation took place when Robert Wise , Academy Award winning director of The Sound of Music and West Side Story , was initiated in the Franklin College chapter. Wise had completed all membership requirements in 1932 but was forced to withdraw from college due to a lack of funds. Roger D. Branigin , the Governor of Indiana at

237-660: A certain number of members and achieving a respectable cumulative grade point average among its members. Phi Delta Theta also has the longest continuous chapter of any fraternity in the United States, that chapter being the Kentucky Alpha Delta chapter at Centre College, which was established in 1850 and is still active today. The largest chapter of Phi Delta Theta is at Indiana University with, on average, 160 active brothers and has been active since 1849. Currently, Phi Delta Theta has over 100 active alumni clubs. Although all

316-443: A comprehensive insurance policy to protect its chapters. During the 1980s, an important aspect of the fraternity was created: Leadership consultants. The consultants, who are recent college graduates, travel to assigned provinces and assist various chapters in many aspects of fraternity life and chapter operations. They also report the status of each visited chapter to the general headquarters. An important leadership change occurred at

395-440: A constant among others. In terms of new members, it ranked ninth in 1990, eighth in 2000, and ninth in 2004. Many alumni members have credited the alcohol-free housing policy with continuing this trend. The Scroll of Phi Delta Theta is the official magazine for members of the fraternity. The award-winning magazine has been published continuously since 1875. It is the second oldest continuously published fraternity magazine behind

474-788: A high degree of mental culture, and the attainment personally of a high standard of morality". These cardinal principles are contained in The Bond of Phi Delta Theta, the document to which each member pledges on his initiation into the fraternity. Among the best-known members of the fraternity are Benjamin Harrison , the 23rd President of the United States , Vice President Adlai Stevenson I , Baseball Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig , actor Burt Reynolds , architect Frank Lloyd Wright , astronaut Neil Armstrong , and John S. McCain Sr. , U.S. Navy Admiral and grandfather of John McCain . In 1839, Beta Theta Pi

553-474: A leadership convention for undergraduate members. These conventions would cover topics ranging from chapter organization to effective leadership. The first such convention was set up in 1956. At the time, it only involved 16 chapters. From 1956 until 1987, these sessions were held on a regional basis. The gatherings would form the basis of the Leadership College founded in 1987. 1958 was an important year for

632-423: A period of rapid growth and an expansion of the internal operations of the fraternity. Twelve new schools were granted chapter status. An important change in leadership also occurred during this time. In 1955, Paul Beam, the executive vice president of the fraternity (the head of the fraternity's daily operations) unexpectedly died. He had succeeded the position of Arthur R. Priest who had served 1923–1937. Beam guided

711-460: A year. The Palladium was a private magazine specifically for members of Phi Delta Theta. Unlike The Scroll , the Palladium was intended to be read by Phis only. The magazine covered topics such as fraternity policy, reports, and minutes to conventions. It was published only once a year and was a supplement to the winter edition of The Scroll . The first issue was printed in 1894 and the last issue

790-629: Is also essential in supporting programs such as the Emerging Leaders Institute, the Leadership Consultant Program, and portions of the General Convention as well as The Scroll , the official magazine of the fraternity. The foundation, which was established in 1962 with only $ 4,708, has since grown to over $ 14 million. In 2004, the fraternity began a member development program for undergraduates called The Accolade. It

869-708: Is an international secret and social fraternity founded in 1848, and currently headquartered, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio . Phi Delta Theta, along with Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad . The fraternity has over 200 active chapters and colonies in over 44 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces and has initiated more than 310,000 men between 1848 and 2024. There are over 180,000 living alumni. Phi Delta Theta chartered house corporations own more than 135 houses valued at over $ 141 million as of summer 2015. There are nearly 100 recognized alumni clubs across

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948-409: Is attended by selected undergraduates from every chapter. It is mainly geared toward newly initiated members. The institute was established after the Leadership College was dissolved. The event was renamed in honor of Tio Kleberg, Texas Tech '69 after a one-million-dollar donation in 2012. For many years, Phi Delta Theta had no official philanthropy. The fraternity, however, was long associated with

1027-517: Is called a Phikeia . The typical pledge period lasts a minimum of eight weeks, although occasionally it is shortened or lengthened to fit university requirements or by approval of the General Council. The pledge period is a time where the prospective member learns about the fraternity history, structure, traditions, organization as well as social etiquette. Phi Delta Theta has a strict policy against hazing and does not tolerate chapters that violate

1106-497: Is designed to enhance a member's collegiate and overall fraternity experience. Some of the program's development activities include goal-setting, time management, and career development. Although the program is intended for new undergraduate members, it is available to all members, including senior members and alumni. Although Phi Delta Theta is no longer part of the North American Interfraternity Conference,

1185-533: Is regarded as one of the most rare and valuable books of its kind. The 4th–6th editions were authored by Arthur R. Priest. Much of the present-day material is derived from these editions. Membership in Phi Delta Theta is open to all qualified men without concern for race, religion, or ethnicity. Initial membership to the fraternity is contingent upon receiving an invitation to an interested individual from members of an active chapter. A pledge of Phi Delta Theta

1264-403: Is to discuss and vote on a wide range of issues affecting the fraternity. The convention is held in various cities across North America. It is also during the convention where the General Council is elected. The General Council is the governing body of Phi Delta Theta. Its all-volunteer members are elected every two years during the fraternity's convention. Their chief responsibility is to act as

1343-743: The ALS Association (ALSA) because of Lou Gehrig , an alumnus who died of the disease. Amytrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a debilitating neuro-muscular disease and has since become known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Although there had always existed a relationship between ALSA and Phi Delta Theta, it was not until November 2002 that the General Council made the partnership official. Undergraduate and alumni chapters from all across North America regularly organize events to raise money for research. In August 2017, Phi Delta Theta terminated its partnership with ALSA and elected to proceed with creating its ALS-related charity. But now they have elected to work closely with

1422-652: The Army Air Corps and the Victoria Cross (VC) to Robert Hampton Gray , a Canadian naval aviator. Vance's MOH was the last to be awarded before the D-Day landings, and Gray was both the last military personnel to receive the VC in the war and the last Canadian to lose his life during the war. But the line will not be broken, because the fraternity's life is continuous, with a mystic cord binding one generation to another. Members of

1501-539: The Quebec Alpha , was installed at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec on April 5, 1902. Phi Delta Theta was being a founding member of the North American Interfraternity Conference, in 1910. By 1918, there were 78 chapters with a membership of 77,000. At the outbreak of World War I , college administrators urged its undergraduate members to stay in school. However, many were eager to enlist. The first Phis to fight in

1580-568: The LiveLikeLou Foundation to succeed in leaving ALS better than they found it. Phi Delta Theta has the distinction of having close connections with two sororities: Delta Gamma and Delta Zeta . George Banta Sr., a Phi Delt from Franklin-Indiana, was instrumental in expanding the Delta Gamma sorority. For his efforts, he was the only man ever initiated into Delta Gamma. Banta would later perform initiation ceremonies for new members of

1659-543: The Miami faculty in 1845 and among his more prominent students were Benjamin Harrison , David Swing , John Willock Noble and Whitelaw Reid . At Miami, he became a faculty member of Phi Delta Theta and was known affectionately as "Stoddy" and "the Little Wizard" by his students. Stoddard and his wife, Eliza lived in a historic home at 16 South Campus Avenue in Oxford where they raised their three daughters who graduated from

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1738-601: The Philippines lasted for nearly 40 years. Orange Nash Stoddard Orange Nash Stoddard (August 23, 1812—February 10, 1892) was a professor of natural science at Miami University and the College of Wooster who served as president pro tem of Miami University in 1854. He was born in Lisle, New York , and received his A.B. degree from Union College 1834. He received an honorary LL.D. degree at Monmouth College . He joined

1817-407: The U.S. and Canada. The fraternity was founded by six undergraduate students: Robert Morrison , John McMillan Wilson, Robert Thompson Drake, John Wolfe Lindley, Andrew Watts Rogers, and Ardivan Walker Rodgers, who are collectively known as The Immortal Six . Phi Delta Theta was created under three principal objectives: "the cultivation of friendship among its members, the acquirement individually of

1896-603: The U.S. and Filipino forces in Bataan , Philippines; Admiral Robert L. Ghormley , commander of the Guadalcanal campaign ; and Admiral John S. McCain Sr. , commander of carrier task forces in the Pacific. Members of Phi Delta Theta also received every major military decoration in both the United States and British Commonwealth forces, including the Medal of Honor (MOH) awarded to Leon Vance of

1975-451: The United States, including the presidency, vice presidency, and speakership of the House of Representatives. In Canada, fraternity members have served in many levels of government. Members have won major awards in science and entertainment, and have also gained prominence in areas such as architecture, medicine, and sports. Throughout the years, many prominent members have kept a vested interest in

2054-431: The addition of a steam heater, electrical lights and modern bathrooms. These first set of renovations were mainly mechanical ones in order to keep up with the changing times. The next renovation on the building took place in 1912. With this renovation the central hall of the building was removed and later replaced by two-side halls, which virtually cut the hall into two sections. Both the corridors were named for professors at

2133-407: The beginning of the 1990s when Robert Biggs became the fourth executive vice president of the fraternity after Robert Miller stepped down. During the decade, Phi Delta Theta and many other fraternities experienced a decline in membership. The most important policy to be implemented by the fraternity during the decade was the decision made in 1997 to have all chapter facilities alcohol free by 2000. It

2212-630: The building more user-friendly and simple. After the renovation had been completed, Miami decided to rename the building Stoddard Hall in honor of Professor Orange Nash Stoddard , who was a professor at Miami University between 1845 and 1870. During this time period he taught natural Science and acted as President in 1854. He received his education from Union College and Monmouth . Stoddard died on February 10, 1892. 39°30′32″N 84°44′07″W  /  39.5088°N 84.7352°W  / 39.5088; -84.7352 Phi Delta Theta Phi Delta Theta ( ΦΔΘ ), commonly known as Phi Delt ,

2291-429: The changing demographic of the college scene caused Phi Delta Theta to re-examine its membership. Years of debate followed; however, by 1954, Phi Delta Theta eliminated the clause and became one of the first fraternities to eliminate any restriction based on race, color, or creed. Only a year earlier, Phi Delta Theta had suspended its chapters at Amherst and Williams College for pledging minorities. The 1950s saw

2370-504: The clubs are currently in North America, alumni clubs have been found all over the world throughout its history. At one point, there were over 165 alumni chapters, some as far away as China. The most Phis to ever assemble on foreign land for an alumni club meeting, before the fraternity became international in 1902, was in Manila , Philippines when 30 Phis gathered in 1899. The alumni club in

2449-428: The coal and natural gas steam system. The new system reduced the two buildings' energy consumption by 61 percent. Originally known as North Dorm or "Old North," construction on Elliott Hall was completed in 1825. The dorm was originally used for student housing and its purpose has remained the same since its opening. The building was originally constructed for a total cost of $ 7,000. The dorm housed 35 men. Each resident

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2528-412: The conflict. Of that number, over 800 were killed or missing in action , the largest loss of any fraternity during the war. An additional 8,000 veterans were initiated into the fraternity in the immediate subsequent years. Fifty Phi generals and admirals served in the United States and Canada during the conflict, the most for any fraternity. Prominent among them were General Edward P. King , leader of

2607-538: The construction of the university gates at Miami University. To date, nine buildings on the campus were either constructed by Phi Delta Theta or named after members. The 1980s saw the fraternity deal with issues such as hazing, rising insurance costs, and maintenance of individual chapter operations. The unofficial theme of the 1980 convention was "Eliminate Hazing." The decade was marked by an increase in lawsuits dealing with hazing and alcohol abuse among many fraternities. To deal with this issue, Phi Delta Theta instituted

2686-412: The corridors had been named after. Elliott was a professor at Miami University between 1849 and 1863. He was a professor of Logic and Greek Language and Literature. He received his education from a number of schools including Lafayette College , Ohio University , Hanover College , and Princeton Theological Seminary . He died in 1892 at the age of 77. Originally known as Southeast Building, construction

2765-535: The direction of the conference for six years before leaving. Phi Delta Theta officials believed that the conference had been placing too much emphasis on individual undergraduates through specific programs such as leadership conferences rather than focusing on the fraternity movement as a whole. Phi Sigma Kappa has since re-joined the NIC. In 2005, the fraternity issued a progress report. Significant improvements have occurred in many areas of fraternity life and operations. Since

2844-422: The events and operations of Phi Delta Theta. President Harrison, for example, participated in three Phi Delt banquets during his presidency while Medal of Honor recipient General Frederick Funston was the guest speaker at certain chapter installations. The number of members who have either been involved in armed conflict or have achieved prominence in their respective professions has been documented throughout

2923-441: The executive and administrative board of the fraternity. Their duties include the granting and suspending of charters. The General Headquarters (GHQ) is responsible for the daily operations of the fraternity. Among its many duties, GHQ collects dues, distributes supplies, and tries to maintain up-to-date information about all its members. Unlike other entities within the fraternity, the staff of GHQ are paid for their services. While

3002-418: The exterior of the building all the bricks were sandblasted in order to make it fit in with the other buildings on Miami's campus. Also a number of the original chimneys were removed. In 1848, the fraternity Phi Delta Theta was founded in room 202 of Elliott Hall. The two co-founders of the fraternity, Robert Morrison and John M. Wilson, were both roommates in this room when they decided to try and cultivate

3081-459: The founding of the chapter and is dedicated to the 12 members of the fraternity who died during World War II . Delta Upsilon was the sixth and final fraternity from the " Old Miami " era. For a short period of time the campus YMCA was housed in Stoddard Hall in 1869 and also housed classrooms while the main academic building, Old Main, was under renovations. In 1937 a large renovation project

3160-631: The fraternity also played a crucial role on the homefront. Among those were Elmer Davis , the head of the Office of War Information ; Byron Price , the head of the Office of Censorship ; and Ted Gamble, the National Director of the War Finance Division. When World War II ended, the fraternity experienced a surge in membership as many veterans attended college under the GI Bill . On December 15, 1945,

3239-535: The fraternity because an educational foundation was created, the main purpose of which was to provide scholarships to deserving students. During the turbulent 1960s, Phi Delta Theta along with other social fraternities dealt with a strong anti-fraternity sentiment from people who saw the Greek-lettered communities as old-world-established institutions. This sentiment was not without reason. Although Phi Delta Theta attempted to revise its restrictive membership codes in

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3318-485: The fraternity through eight conventions and the trials of World War II. Bob Miller, who was Beam's assistant, was eventually chosen to take over by the General Council and assumed the office almost immediately. He would go on to serve for 36 years, which is currently the longest term served in that office. Two important programs were developed during this period that would profoundly affect the fraternity's services. Before Beam died, he and several province presidents proposed

3397-541: The fraternity was aided by the absorption of local fraternities that sought national membership, including a merger that absorbed five chapters of Kappa Sigma Kappa in 1886 . The fraternity continued steady growth, and by 1889, there were 66 chapters in 27 states. With constant expansion into the Western United States , Phi Delta Theta became an international fraternity when the organization's first chapter in Canada ,

3476-460: The fraternity was recognized by the conference for "Best Use of a Foundation Grant" for its support of The Accolade. The Kleberg Emerging Leaders Institute (Kleberg) is an annual event held at the Fraternity's headquarters during the summer where newly initiated undergraduates are instructed leadership classes, as well as participating in programs that help to improve their respective chapters. It

3555-459: The fraternity, which he carried with him on his Gemini flight in 1966. As war raged in Vietnam , Phis again served in the armed forces. With the emergence of new technology, a significant percentage opted to become fighter pilots. The Vietnam War saw a small dip in the Fraternity's membership; however, by 1972, the fraternity had 140 active chapters with over 128,000 initiates. An important change

3634-451: The fraternity. Today this room acts as a shrine to these two men. The room consists of two beds, a table, portraits of the men, and a stone plaque to help commemorate the founding of Phi Delta Theta. This room has seen little change since the founding of the fraternity. After the final set of renovations had been completed on the dorm it officially had its name changed from North Dorm to Elliott Hall in recognition of Charles Elliott who one of

3713-508: The groundbreaking of the present-day General Headquarters building took place. One of the features of the headquarters was a permanent war memorial honoring all Phis who lost their lives during WWII and previous wars. After the end of World War II, the fraternity was confronted with the social changes sweeping college campuses in the United States. Like many fraternities, Phi Delta Theta had a restrictive clause barring membership to African-Americans , Asians , Jews , and Muslims . Specifically

3792-503: The implementation of the alcohol-free housing policy, the undergraduate grade point average rose from 2.77 in 2000 to nearly 3.00 in 2005. The insurance premiums of individual members have also gone down as risk management violations have decreased. Perhaps the most telling area is in membership, where Phi Delta Theta showed an increase in new members. In 2004, Phi Delta Theta had 3,102 new members while other fraternities averaged 2,415. In 1990, chapters of Phi Delta Theta were 18% larger than

3871-436: The last two decades of the 19th century, over 50 chapter houses were acquired. For a brief period, a resolution was set forth to allow chapters to initiate women. First proposed in 1869, this was considered a radical idea both from a fraternal standpoint and social one as well since women were not allowed to vote until 1920. Although it was met with strong opposition, the issue would not be settled for several years. During

3950-588: The main offices of GHQ are held by members of the fraternity, support staff need not be members. The head of GHQ is the executive vice president, who acts as the secretary to the General Council. Phi Delta Theta and many other fraternities have an educational foundation fund. Part of the Phi Delta Theta Foundation's aim is to award scholarships to deserving undergraduate members and those pursuing advanced degrees in various graduate schools. Each year, it provides over $ 150,000 in scholarships. The foundation

4029-524: The military, and 13 chapters were closed. As active membership declined, most of the Phi Delt houses were used as women's residence halls or became makeshift military quarters. The fraternity tried its best to maintain up-to-date records regarding the status of members engaged in combat. A newsletter, The Fighting Phi News , was sent to members whose contact information was known to the fraternity. Over 14,000 Phis were known to have been in active service during

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4108-456: The most important of all Phi Delta Theta conventions took place. The Indianapolis Convention of 1880 established new rituals, insignia, and customs that are still used today. Moreover, the convention saw the creation of the General Council, the governing body of the fraternity, with Walter B. Palmer, Emory-Vanderbilt 1877 , and George Banta , Franklin-Indiana 1876 , becoming the president and historian, respectively. The convention also called for

4187-456: The official magazine of Beta Theta Pi, which was first published three years before. Members receive lifetime subscriptions to The Scroll . The magazine covers topical issues relating to Phi Delta Theta and the wider fraternity world, news of prominent alumni, alumni club meeting reports, and undergraduate chapter reports. While its focus is Phi Delta Theta, readership is open to non-members. Since its inception, issues have been published 2–4 times

4266-515: The organization attracted new individuals into their membership including prominent university officials, members began to openly wear their badges indicating their affiliation. Phi Delta Theta held its first convention in 1851 in Cincinnati when the organization had only four chapters. The event was attended by seven members. Despite the limited number, positive steps were taken for the establishment of new chapters by forming an expansion committee. It

4345-473: The organization of groups of chapters into provinces, which were to be headed by province presidents. A housing movement began to form during this time. The movement arose out of necessity because it was pointed out that chapter meetings were being conducted in rented halls. Even though the housing movement had been gaining momentum, it was not until the 1892 convention that a resolution was passed that advocated that all chapters rent or own at least one house. In

4424-409: The policy. Once initiated, a brother is entitled to all rights and privileges of fraternity membership unless he formally resigns or is expelled. All powers of the fraternity, both legislative and supreme, rest within the General Convention. The convention is a biennial event attended by representatives of undergraduate chapters, alumni chapters, and various foundations. The purpose of the convention

4503-407: The return of Phis from the war, many housing corporations consented to have the houses used as barracks or for YMCA programs. During the 1920s and 1930s, expansion was carefully controlled. Focus was placed on re-activating chapters whose charters were revoked years earlier. World War II exacted a heavy toll on the membership and operations of the fraternity. Many undergraduate members joined

4582-464: The school, R.B.C. Johnson and Charles Elliott. The next renovations came to the building in 1937, with these the building took on all the same features and characteristics that it has today. To get ready to bring the building into the New Miami look many things were done. The interior of the building was completely redone. This caused the special layout of the space to become a much more unified building. On

4661-535: The scroll with the Greek letters on it. The first branch of Phi Delta Theta was founded at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio , in 1848. Fearing punishment from the university, the activities of the fraternity were sub rosa for its first three years of existence. Phi Delta Theta also took an unusual step, unique among all fraternities, of splitting into two chapters at both Miami and Centre College, so their meetings would be smaller and attract less attention. Eventually, as

4740-410: The sorority, including Lillian Vawter, his fiancée. Guy Potter Benton , a graduate of the Phi Delt chapter at Ohio Wesleyan University , was president of Miami University in 1902 when he helped with the founding of Delta Zeta. Dr. Benton aided in the preparation of a ritual, badge, and colors. He was a great assistance to Delta Zeta and at one point chased down a man who stole the newly formed ritual of

4819-610: The sorority. For his work, Delta Zeta named him the Grand Patron of the sorority, and is the only man to ever wear the Delta Zeta badge. To this day, an amiable friendship exists between Phi Delta Theta and these two sororities. Phi Delta Theta instituted several policies and traditions that are not only still used by the fraternity today, but have also become standard among almost all fraternities, as well as sororities. Members of Phi Delta Theta have held numerous political positions in

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4898-548: The term "white persons of full Aryan blood" was the subject of strong opposition among many members in light of Nazi ideology in the recently fought war, although there had been dissenting voices regarding this long before the clause became controversial among its members. This clause was added to the Code of Phi Delta Theta in 1910. However, by the 1946 convention, there was an open discussion regarding this topic. Impassioned sentiment from many alumni as well as undergraduates coupled with

4977-572: The time and Phi Delt member, presided over the ceremonies. 1969 was an eventful year for the fraternity as Neil Armstrong , a graduate from the Purdue University chapter, became the first man to walk on the Moon. During the Moon landing, Armstrong carried with him a fraternity badge, which he subsequently donated to the General Headquarters of the fraternity. He also donated a small silk flag of

5056-452: The two decades from 1870 to 1890, the growth of the fraternity was rapid, due principally to the efforts of Palmer and Banta. The two were given the title "Second Founders" for their work. In the 1870s alone, 34 new chapters were established, but this was also a period of uncertainty because of the anti-fraternity sentiment held by many faculty in schools where Phi Delta Theta had chapters. Several chapters became dormant because of this. Still,

5135-404: The typical fraternity chapter. In 2004, they were 30% larger. Also, in 2004, Phi Delta Theta was one of only 13 national/international fraternities to show an increase in total undergraduates from the previous year with an increase of 4.2%. The significance of this is highlighted by the fact that Phi Delta Theta had fewer chapters than other fraternities. Competitively, Phi Delta Theta has remained

5214-483: The wake of World War II, as late as 1961 the national office made headlines by rejecting the pledge of a Jewish student at Lake Forest College . Later that same year the University of Wisconsin banned Phi Delta Theta from campus for barring Jews, African-Americans, and other minorities from membership. Despite an overall decline in fraternity membership during the late 1960s, Phi Delta Theta continued to expand through

5293-444: The war were members of the chapters at the University of Toronto and McGill University, the fraternity's only Canadian chapters during that period. By the time the United States entered the war in 1917, over 5000 Phis served in the conflict with 155 of them losing their lives. Because many of the undergraduate Phis put their studies on hold, many chapter houses either had limited occupants or none at all. To prevent losing houses pending

5372-407: The years. As of November 2014, the following statistics are the involvement of its members in various fields: Since 1848, Phi Delta Theta has granted more than 285 charters across the United States and Canada. Today, there are over 191 active chapters and colonies. To be granted a charter, a colony must complete certain requirements set forth by the General Council. Chief among these are recruiting

5451-631: Was also during the first convention that the chapter at Miami University was designated as the Grand Chapter whose duties were to oversee the overall fraternity operations. Subsequent conventions were held again in Cincinnati five years later; Bloomington, Indiana in 1858; and Danville, Kentucky in 1860. Another convention was held in 1864 in Bloomington during the American Civil War . The Civil War

5530-536: Was an initiative that was strongly pursued by the 1996–1998 General Council. The policy was in response to the growing insurance claims against the fraternity, 53% of which were alcohol-related, and a return to the core values of the organization. In 2002, Phi Delta Theta, along with Kappa Sigma and Phi Sigma Kappa left the North American Interfraternity Conference due to ideological differences. Fraternity officials had been concerned of

5609-408: Was completed in 1836. This was the third building completed on Miami's campus and was used as housing for junior and senior male students. The building was completed for a total cost of $ 9,000 and housed up to 29 students. In 1868, the Miami chapter of Delta Upsilon fraternity was founded in room 4, the room of one of the original members, William Eltzroth. Today, a plaque inside Stoddard describes to

5688-628: Was difficult for all fraternities. Battles put fraternity brother against fraternity brother. Fifty Phis fought on the side of the Confederacy while 231 Phis fought for the Union Army . At its convention in Indianapolis in 1868, the first steps were taken to create an overall administrative plan for the fraternity. The convention was regarded as the first "National Convention" as permanent convention rules were adopted during this time. Twelve years later,

5767-408: Was formed by six men staying in a dormitory the day after Christmas . Robert Morrison, a senior, proposed to classmate John McMillan Wilson that they form a secret society together; the two subsequently invited juniors Robert Thompson Drake and John Wolfe Lindley and sophomores Ardivan Walker Rodgers and Andrew Watts Rogers to join them. These men are known today as "The Immortal Six." The first meeting

5846-471: Was founded at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio . In protest against the president of the university, members of Beta Theta Pi and another fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi , blocked the entrances of the main educational and administrative building in what became known as the Great Snowball Rebellion of 1848. After the president expelled most of the students involved in the uprising, Phi Delta Theta

5925-440: Was given survival tools upon their arrival to ensure their comfort and safety in the dorm. These tools included a bed, chairs, table, cook utensils, an ax to cut wood for the fireplaces in each room, and a warm cap. The first renovations on the building were started in 1899. The first one was the addition of multiple new technologies for the time, which were supposed to make the dorm a more modern building. These renovations included

6004-513: Was held in Wilson's room at Old North Hall, now called Elliott Hall . During the early meetings, the Founders wrote The Bond of Phi Delta Theta, which is the fundamental law of the fraternity. It has remained unchanged ever since, and it is believed to be the only document of any fraternity of such a nature. Morrison designed the shield form of the badge, with the eye as an emblem, while Wilson suggested

6083-403: Was made during the 1970s that gave more autonomy to chapters in terms of membership selection. An amendment was passed wherein the unanimous vote rule to allow a college man to become a pledge was changed to allow individual chapters to decide on their own which method best suited their respective chapters. In 1973, the fraternity celebrated its 125th anniversary. The special occasion was marked by

6162-480: Was released in the mid-1960s. The first three pledge manuals of the fraternity were written by Walter B. Palmer. The idea for the manual was conceived by J. Marshall Mayer (City College of New York, 1884), who at the time was the managing editor of the Scroll . The first pledge manual was printed in 1886 and contained only 56 pages. Since few copies were published and it is the first membership manual of any fraternity, it

6241-451: Was started on "Old South" to try adapt the building to the New Miami era. The project's main objective was to make "Old North" and "Old South" together and to make them fit with the rest of the architecture that was progressing on Miami's campus. The entire interior space of the building was gutted, and the old fireplaces and stove openings had to be removed. The circulation patterns of the building were also rerouted to make traveling throughout

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