Phi Delta Gamma () was an American professional fraternity in the field of

forensics (public speaking) Public speaking, is the practice of delivering speeches to a live audience. Throughout history, public speaking has held significant cultural, religious, and political importance, emphasizing the necessity of effective rhetorical skills. It all ...

.Robson, John, ed. (1963). ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. p. 751. It merged into Tau Kappa Alpha in 1935.

History

Phi Delta Gamma was founded on June 7, 1924, at the

College of William & Mary The College of William & Mary (abbreviated as W&M) is a public university, public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. Founded in 1693 under a royal charter issued by King William III of England, William III and Queen ...

, combining local literary society's from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

Georgetown University School of Law Georgetown or George Town may refer to: Places Africa *George, South Africa, formerly known as Georgetown * Janjanbureh, Gambia, formerly known as Georgetown *Georgetown, Ascension Island, main settlement of the British territory of Ascension Isl ...

, the

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota Twin Cities (historically known as University of Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint ...

, the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC, U of I, Illinois, or University of Illinois) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Champaign–Urbana metropolitan area, Illinois, United ...

Ohio University Ohio University (Ohio or OU) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus in Athens, Ohio, United States. The university was first conceived in the 1787 contract between the United States Department of the Treasury#Re ...

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally-chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Originally named Columbian College, it was chartered in 1821 by ...

, and the

University of Southern California The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in ...

. Its founders were members of a committee that was organized after a 1922 meeting held in Urbana, Illinois. The founders were: * William O. Moore, State University of Iowa * George O. Hurley, State University of Iowa * Kenneth E. Oberholtzer, University of Illinois * Dean William A. Hamilton, College of William and Mary * Russell D. Tubaugh, Ohio University * Paul A. Lomax, University of Southern California * William Waldo Girdner, George Washington University * Carl E. Anderson, University of Minnesota. The fraternity's purpose was to "maintain and stimulate a greater interest in the work of literary societies, debate clubs, and dramatic organization in colleges and universities and to foster the upbuilding of literary societies." Phi Delta Gamma was a founding member of the Professional Interfraternity Conference in 1928. Phi Delta Gamma merged into Tau Kappa Alpha in 1935.

Symbols

The fraternity's badge was illustrated in ''Baird's'' as a diamond shape with an enameled center that featured a scroll with the Greek letters on it in the diagonal, from the left corner of the scroll to the bottom right corner. There was a star above and below the scroll.

Membership

Phi Delta Gamma's members included male undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. Membership was through a pledging and initiation process, with new members being elected based on debating experience, qualities of scholarship, and interest in literary events. The fraternity also awarded honorary memberships.

Activities

Phi Delta Gamma pursued intersociety rather than intercollegiate forensics. Its activities included debates and forensic contests, awarding silver loving cups to members of the winning team. The ''DC Alpha'' chapter awarded a silver loving cup annually to winner of a freshman oratory contest, while he ''CA Alpha chapter'' awarded a loving cup annually for the best speech in the state. The ''VA Alpha chapter'' purchased three gold medals to be awarded annually for "unusual merit" to a men and women in forensics and either a man or woman for dramatics at the College of William and Mary. The society's members also organized guest speakers and social events such as an annual banquet. The fraternity's magazine was ''The Literary Scroll''

Governance

Chapters elected the following officers: president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer; some chapters had a sergeant-at-arms and chaplain.

Chapters

Following is a list of the chapters of Phi Delta Gamma.

Notable members

* Theodore F, Koop (''IA Alpha'') – Vice President of

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...

. editor for The Associated Press and director of ''

National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...

s news service * Lee Loevinger (''MN Alpha'') – jurist, lawyer, and Commissioner of the

Federal Communications Commission The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, internet, wi-fi, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains j ...

* Norman Shumway (''MN Alpha'') – a pioneer of heart surgery

References

{{Professional Fraternities Former members of Professional Fraternity Association Student organizations established in 1924 College literary societies in the United States Debating societies Merged fraternities and sororities