Beta Phi Delta () was a three-state regional American

fraternity A fraternity (; whence, "wikt:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular ...

, established in 1917. It ceased operations in with four remaining chapters. Of these, three merged into other national fraternities.

History

Beta Phi Delta was founded at

Milwaukee State Normal School Wisconsin State College of Milwaukee was a predecessor institution of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Founded in 1885 as Wisconsin State Normal School, it became Wisconsin State Teachers College-Milwaukee in 1927, and Wisconsin State Coll ...

(now the

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee The University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UW–Milwaukee, UWM, or Milwaukee) is a Public university, public Urban university, urban research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. It is the largest university in the Milwaukee metropo ...

) in .Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed.
Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition
'. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 66. ''via'' Hathi Trust. It was an outgrowth of friendships that were developed among students in the

Student Army Training Corps The Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC; or ) is a group of college- and university-based officer-training programs for training commissioned officers of the United States Armed Forces. While ROTC graduate officers serve in all branches o ...

at the normal school during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Its founders were William Armstrong, Roderick Bott, Sidney Foster, Harold Morgan, Milton Murray, and Winston Reineking. By 1930, it had expanded to three chapters and around 200 members. The fraternity eventually chartered seven chapters, all in the Midwest states of Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois.Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (January 16, 2025).
Inactive Men's Organizations
.
Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities
'. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed March 30, 2025. It was governed by an national executive board that was based in Milwaukee. It also had a supreme high council that meet during the fraternity's annual convention. A merger with similarly sized Alpha Delta Alpha was discussed in the 1930s, but was not consummated. Beta Phi Theta national was dissolved in , with four chapters remaining active at as local fraternities. The

chapter operated as a local fraternity for a decade, before becoming a chapter of

Tau Kappa Epsilon Tau Kappa Epsilon (), commonly known as or Teke, is a social college fraternities and sororities, fraternity founded on January 10, 1899, at Illinois Wesleyan University. The organization has chapters throughout the United States and Canada, maki ...

in 1958. Within a year of dissolution of Beta Phi Theta, its

Bradley University Bradley University is a private university in Peoria, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1897, Bradley University enrolls 5,200 students who are pursuing degrees in more than 100 undergraduate programs and more than 30 graduate programs in fiv ...

chapter became a chapter of

Theta Xi Theta Xi () is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. It was founded at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1864. Of all the social fraternities today, Theta Xi was the only one founded during the Civil War. Its Grand Lodge is ...

. The Tri-State chapter held on until 1969 as Beta Phi Theta (local), when it became a chapter of

Delta Chi Delta Chi () is an international collegiate social fraternity. It was formed in 1890 at Cornell University as a professional fraternity for law students, becoming a social fraternity in 1922. In 1929. Delta Chi became one of the first internat ...

Symbols

The badge of Beta Phi Theta was an eight-sided shield, the major sides of which curved inward. On a field of black enamel were displayed the Greek letters , ordered vertically, in gold. This field was surrounded by pearls. The fraternity also had a pledge pin that was green oval with a gold bar, crossed at an angle. Its colors were green and white. Its flower was the daisy. Its publication was ''The Helmet''.

Chapters

Following are the chapters of Beta Phi Theta, with inactive chapters listed in ''italics''.

Notes

References

{{reflist, 2 Fraternities and sororities in the United States Student organizations established in 1917 1917 establishments in Wisconsin Defunct fraternities and sororities