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Delta Phi Fraternity was found ed at Union College on November 17, 1827 by nine members of the junior class, marking the close of a page in the history of American society. Within a period of scarcely more than two years, three secret organizations had been successfully formed on campus and were grow ing steadily. What was later to be known as the Union Triad was here to stay and the path had been blazed for the future. Ending the Period The last of the Triad was found ed only six months after her sister organization, Sigma Phi, but unlike the latter it was established in a manner that seems to foretell of the approaching storm that Ameri can fraternities were soon to meet. In the beginning the idea for the society had taken not quite con ventionally enough in the rooms of the founders then residing in North College, but, instead of hold ing their first official meeting on campus, it was held on the Schen ectady shore of the Mohawk under the first span of the old Scotia Bridge. The stated purpose of the found ers of Delta Phi was ‘to consoli date their interests and at the same time to mutually benefit each other,” but originally it was also formed with the idea of having a literary and debating society as well. This literary character was maintained for a long time after founding, eventually, however, to the fraternal side of the society, which has remained dominant ever since. Weathers the Storm It was not long after her found ing that the threatened storm broke. Anti-fraternity feeling swept the country and the Triad shud dered under the blast. Secret or ganizations smacked of subversive activity, and as a result the Union College faculty announced the banning of fraternities. The other two societies on campus ceased wearing their badges, but John Jay Hyde of Delta Phi appeared before the faculty and trustees, and as spokesman for the fraternities was able through his eloquence to sway Dr. Nott thereby saving the college fraternity from obliteration. Conservative Expansion Having bucked opinion and sur vived, the fraternity entered into a period of slow conservative ex pansion. Chapters were founded at Brown, N. Y. U., Columbia, Rut gers, and Pennsylvania during the next quarter of a century, and two more chapters were added before the Civil War. Chapters at Har vard, Princeton, and Michigan were founded, but were abolished by anti-fraternity feeling; Harvard and Michigan being eventually re vived. Finally Southern chapters were added, but the majority of them were lost during the 1860’s. Following the war, expansion con tinued slowly until today twenty one chapters exist with fifteen of them active. The last of these was founded at Kenyon College in 1940. One Man Rule If any one individual could be considered responsible for the growth of Delta Phi it is James Duane Livingston, who devoted his entire life to the development of the fraternity. From his initiation in 1876 until his death in 1936 Delta Phi was his dominant in terest. He served in various ca pacities throughout his life time, but his purpose was always the same, the growth of Delta Phi. No more fitting memorial could be raised to this man than the one that was constructed with his own hands. Alpha Chapter The original chapter here at Union has been in continuous ex istence since its conception in 1827. It met for a time in rooms on and around campus, and was one of the first fraternities to provide living quarters for its members, renting a place on Nott Street. In 1913 it migrated to its present lo cation overlooking Council Field where it built its first house. The house has been remodeled and en larged since that time, Delta Phi Today Delta Phi at the present time finds itself in a simillr position with scores of other college fra ternities, emerging from the ruin of war. Dormant for several years, she has just recently come to life with a new and bright Vitality. If anyone should have any doubts as to her future, a look at her history would be a sure cure.
Newspaper Details
Schenectady Concordiensis
Schenectady, New York, US
Fri, Feb 08, 1946
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
William B.
USA 07 Sep 2026
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Schenectady Concordiensis
