Sigma Delta Rho

Sigma Delta Rho (ΣΔΡ) was a small national men's fraternity founded on January 8, 1921 at Miami University of Ohio, the fifth general social fraternity to be formed at that school. It "disintegrated" in the spring of 1935 due to pressures of the Great Depression and "absence of strong leadership." About half its chapters were absorbed into other fraternities.[1]

This article is about the national fraternity founded at Miami (Ohio). For the unrelated local fraternity formed at Amherst College, see Sigma Delta Rho (local).
Sigma Delta Rho Fraternity
ΣΔΡ
FoundedJanuary 8, 1921 (1921-01-08)
Miami University of Ohio
TypeSocial
ScopeNational
Colors  Silver,   Purple and   Gold
Chapters9 (all dormant)

History

Sigma Delta Rho was founded at Miami University on January 8, 1921 under the name of Delta Sigma Rho, and had received recognition from the university as a new local fraternity under that name. However, it was discovered that there was a previously existing national recognition (~honor) society of the same name, thus after several months, when plans were made for expansion into a national organization the chapter changed its own name, switching the order of the first two letters, to avoid confusion.[1][2]

Incorporated then as Sigma Delta Rho under the laws of the State of Ohio, the chapter was the fifth social fraternity to be founded at Miami.[3] Sigma Delta Rho honored five founders:

  • Gilbert L. Stout
  • Albert O. Grooms
  • Aurthur Baker
  • Herbert Ansteatt
  • Roe Bush

The official badge of the society was a cross paté formé purpure (formed of purple) with edges or (gold), connected by four chains of five links each; this was superimposed with a mascle (a lozenge-shaped device), or (also gold), enclosing the letters ΣΔΡ on a field of argent (silver).[1]

Chapters

Baird's Manual lists an eventual nine chapters formed between 1921 and 1934. Dates for disbanding are from collegiate yearbooks:

Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
Alpha January 8, 1921 Miami (Ohio) Oxford, OH Disbanded? [4]
Beta 1922 Ohio State University Columbus, OH Disbanded?
Gamma 1924 University of Toledo Toledo, OH Merged, ΑΣΦ Became Alpha Delta chapter of Alpha Kappa Pi in 1937, eventually Alpha Sigma Phi's Beta Rho chapter.
Delta 1926 University of Illinois Urbana, IL Merged, ΠΚΦ Became the revived Upsilon chapter of Pi Kappa Phi in 1935. [5]
Epsilon 1926 University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH Merged, ΑΣΦ Became Alpha Epsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Pi in 1937, eventually Alpha Sigma Phi's Beta Sigma chapter. [6]
Zeta 1928 Ohio University Athens, OH Disbanded?
Eta 1929 Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster, PA Merged, ΑΣΦ Became Alpha Gamma chapter of Alpha Kappa Pi in 1936, eventually Alpha Sigma Phi's Beta Pi chapter.
Theta 1934 Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI Disbanded?
Iota 1934 Tri-State College (Trine) Angola, IN Disbanded?

Demise

According to Baird's, disagreement developed among its chapters as to the policies of the fraternity. Additionally, financial problems caused by the Great Depression and a lack of strong leadership all led to a downfall in the spring of 1935.[1]

Fellow national fraternity Alpha Kappa Pi gained the chapters at Franklin and Marshall, Toledo, and Cincinnati. This national later merged with Alpha Sigma Phi. The Illinois chapter banded together with a faltering chapter of Beta Psi[7] to form a new chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. The others "gradually disappeared."[1]

References
  1. Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII–21. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. See Delta Sigma Rho-Tau Kappa Alpha for the recognition society whose name was in conflict.
  3. See the Miami Triad for further information.
  4. Athena. 1930.
  5. Illio (PDF). 1930.
  6. This University page lists Sigma Delta Rho among past and current Greek chapters, accessed 17 Jun 2019. The Epsilon chapter was noted to have originally formed as a local called Kappa Alpha Chi.
  7. Baird's says "Beta Psi". Could this be have been the Alpha chapter of Beta Sigma Psi, which closed in 1940?
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