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Delta Theta Tau

From Wikipedia - Reading time: 6 min
Delta Theta Tau
ΔΘΤ
FoundedOctober 16, 1903; 121 years ago (1903-10-16)
Muncie, Indiana
TypeService, non-collegiate
AffiliationIndependent
StatusActive
EmphasisChristian
ScopeNorth America
Member badge
Colors  Olive Green and   White
SymbolVertical Diamond
FlowerWhite rose
JewelDiamond and Emerald
PublicationGRIT
PhilanthropyNational Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasia
Chapters72
Members180,000 lifetime
NicknameDeltas, Delts, or Delta Theta
Headquartersc/o Beth Wallis
500 S Colfax
Martinsville, Indiana 46151-2309
United States
Websitedeltathetatau.org

Delta Theta Tau (ΔΘΤ) is a North American service sorority that is community based and non-collegiate. It was founded on October 16, 1903, in Muncie, Indiana. Delta Theta Tau was the first non-sectarian sorority.[1][2] Its members are only required to "believe in a higher power." The sorority has 72 chapters in the United States and over 50 alumnae chapters in the United States and Canada.

History

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In the early 1900s, it was very common for Greek letter organizations to form in high schools.[2] Many of the high school organizations did not extend past their immediate schools. Delta Theta Tau would become much more. The organization began as the Tyrolean Club. its founders were:

  • Nora Spurgeon Charman
  • Olive Spurgeon Gage
  • Ethel Busch Lesh
  • Betsy Gordon Gibert
  • Charlene Prutzman Rector

At the home of Betsy Gordon on October 16, 1903, the group decided to change its name to Delta Theta Tau. That evening, Ethel Busch was chosen as the leader. They also selecte colors and drew up a constitution. The first pledges were Bess Staigers, Charline Knapp Murray, Anna Hilling, Della Ault, and Florence Jackson.

Initially, the organization was solely social but changed over time into a service sorority. The group's is now "dedicated to the advancement of philanthropy and charity, nonsectarian, nonacademic, promoting welfare for all and fostering the spirit of good fellowship."

The Beta chapter was installed on February 9, 1905, in Elwood, Indiana. Also in 1905, Winnie Hartley of Muncie, Indiana designed the badge, which has remained the same ever since. Nora Spurgeon Charman was the first of the founders to die and it was in her honor that the founders' names would be included in the sorority's ritual.

The first convention was held in 1906. In 1907 the third chapter was installed in Tipton, Indiana. By 1913, there were eleven active chapters.The sorority's newsletter, Grit, was first published in 1917. By 1920, Delta Theta Tau had eighteen chapters.

Today there are 72 active chapters and 53 alumnae chapters. There are 180,000 members who have been initiated into the sorority.

Symbols

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The symbol of Delta Theta Tau is the diamond. The sorority's colors are olive green and white. Its flower is the white rose. Its jewels are diamond and emerald. Its motto is "Grit Wins", the motto of the founder's high school class.

Philanthropy

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Delta Theta Tau Sorority is a service sorority that raises money through various efforts for many different charities. Over the last ten years, Delta Theta Tau has contributed time and money to the National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias (NFED).

The Delta Theta Tau Golden Hand Fund is a non-profit entity within the organization that provides charitable contributions to various philanthropies. Delta Theta Tau is unique in that it has a separate fund that is used for members entering their golden years who experience financial difficulties. Delta Home provides anonymous assistance to members who apply.

Chapters

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Following is an incomplete list of chapters, with active chapters indicated in bold and inacitve chapters in italics.[3][4]

Chapter Charter date and range Location Province Status References
Alpha October 16, 1903 Muncie, Indiana Alpha Active
Beta February 9, 1905 Elwood, Indiana Alpha Active
Zeta Bloomington, Indiana Theta Active
Theta Greencastle, Indiana Alpha Inactive
Lambda Union City, Indiana Alpha Active
Xi Portland, Indiana Beta Active
Sigma Marion, Indiana Beta Active
Tau Valparaiso, Indiana Beta Active
Phi Lewisburg, Ohio Gamma Active
Alpha Delta Huntington, Indiana Beta Active
Alpha Omicron Terra Haute, Indiana Alpha Active
Alpha Rho Chesterton, Indiana Beta Active
Alpha Omega Brazil, Indiana Alpha Active
Beta Zeta Warsaw, Indiana Beta Active
Beta Nu Winchester, Indiana Alpha Inactive
Beta Xi Lawrenceville, Illinois Epsilon Active
Beta Sigma Clinton, Indiana Alpha Active
Beta Omega Denver, Colorado Zeta Inactive
Gamma Gamma Washington, Indiana Theta Active
Gamma Xi Bakersfield, California Delta Active
Gamma Pi New Paris, Ohio Gamma Active
Gamma Upsilon West Frankfort, Illinois Epsilon Active
Delta Kappa Anna, Illinois Epsilon Active
Delta Xi Alexandria, Indiana Alpha Active
Delta Chi Monticello, Indiana Beta Active
Epsilon Lambda Pinckneyville, Illinois Epsilon Active
Epsilon Mu Sullivan, Indiana Theta Active
Epsilon Rho San Jose, California Delta Active
Epsilon Omega Crawfordsville, Indiana Alpha Active
Zeta Alpha Redkey, Indiana Beta Active
Zeta Zeta Plymouth, Indiana Beta Active
Zeta Theta Pana, Illinois Epsilon Active
Zeta Lambda Shelbyville, Indiana Theta Active
Zeta Upsilon Seneca, Illinois Epsilon Active
Zeta Chi Dunkirk, Indiana Beta Active
Zeta Omega Highland, Indiana Beta Active
Eta Alpha Portland, Oregon Eta Inactive
Eta Beta Odon, Indiana Theta Active
Eta Zeta LaGrange, Indiana Beta Active
Eta Kappa Brookville, Indiana Theta Active
Eta Lambda Noblesville, Indiana Alpha Active
Eta Mu Goshen, Indiana Beta Inactive
Theta Delta Sparta, Illinois Epsilon Active
Theta Iota Delano, California Delta Active
Theta Kappa South Whitley, Indiana Beta Active
Theta Lambda Roachdale, Indiana Alpha Active
Theta Mu Eaton, Ohio Gamma Active
Theta Nu Albany, Indiana Beta Active
Theta Zeta Seymour, Indiana Theta Active
Iota Mu Lynn, Indiana Alpha Active
Iota Chi Spencer, Indiana Theta Active
Kappa Mu Carlisle, Indiana Theta Active
Kappa Xi Brookville, Ohio Gamma Active
Kappa Omicron Wood River, Illinois Epsilon Active
Kappa Rho New Carlile, Indiana Beta Active
Lambda Alpha Tacoma, Washington Eta Active
Lambda Gamma Wichita, Kansas Zeta Active
Lambda Epsilon Plainfield, Indiana Alpha Active
Lambda Eta Franklin, Indiana Theta Active
Lambda Theta Martinsville, Indiana Theta Active
Lambda Nu Mooresville, Indiana Alpha Active
Lambda Sigma Phoenix, Arizona Delta Active
Mu Lambda Stockton, California Delta Active
Nu Alpha Oxford, Ohio Gamma Active
Nu Theta Boonville, Indiana Theta Active
Nu Tau Greenwood, Indiana Theta Active
Xi Epsilon Yakima, Washington Eta Active
Xi Gamma Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Gamma Active
Xi Nu Owensburg, Indiana Theta Inactive
Xi Phi Marissa, Illinois Epsilon Active
Xi Omega Hurst, Texas Zeta Active
Omicron Alpha Woodlawn, Illinois Epsilon Active
Omicron Gamma Escondido, California Delta Inactive
Omicron Delta Fresno, California Delta Active
Omicron Omicron Lodi, California Delta Inactive
Omicron Pi Bethel, Missouri Epsilon Active
Omicron Psi Red Bud, Illinois Epsilon Active
Pi Alpha New Athens, Illinois Epsilon Active
Pi Beta Mascoutah, Illinois Epsilon Active
Pi Gamma St. Peters, Missouri Epsilon Active

Notable members

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Honorary members

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References

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  1. ^ Jones, Imogene Mullens. The golden years of Delta Theta Tau. 1954
  2. ^ a b Silver Years of Delta Theta Tau
  3. ^ "Find a Chapter". Delta Theta Tau National Sorority. Retrieved 2024-11-24.
  4. ^ "Find a Chapter". Delta Theta Tau National Sorority. Archived from the original on 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2024-11-24 – via web.archive.org.
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Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Theta_Tau
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