men began meeting between classes at City College of New York. Some had known one another
before they graduated from the New York public school system, and they had wanted to
continue their friendships at City College. The obvious solution was to join a fraternity, but
there was just one problem: This was no ordinary group of undergraduates. They were an
affiliation of Jews and Christians; and, at the time, entry to all-Jewish and all-Christian
fraternities was barred to individuals and groups that mixed religions.
Given that their close association challenged the conventional behavior of the day, perhaps it was
only natural that the undergraduates took an even bolder step by founding their own Fraternity
on December 10, 1899. Symbolized by the Greek letters Delta, Sigma, and Phi, the Fraternity
was based on the principle of the universal brotherhood of man.
Uptown from City College at Columbia University, the second chapter was organized in 1901
but did not become a chapter until 1902. To differentiate the chapters, the first was called Insula,
from the Latin insularis, since it was on the island of Manhattan. Because of its location in
Morningside Heights, the new chapter was called Morningside.
Delta Sigma Phi was incorporated in New York City on December 2, 1902. Five members of
Insula signed the incorporation papers, with the stated objectives of dissemination "the principles
of friendship and brotherhood among college men, without respect to race or creed." The early
organizers, including Meyer Boskey (Insula), also drafted Delta Sigma Phi's laws, requiring open
membership to all college men of quality. The purpose of the Fraternity, written the same year,
was "to fulfill the desire of serious young college men for a fellowship and brotherhood, as near a
practical working ideal as possible not fettered with too many traditional prejudices and artificial
standards of membership, by a clean, pure, and honorable chapter home life."
Although such principles later would invite problems, the basic concept of the Fraternity-
embracing brotherhood and congeniality without regard to religion race-not only attracted other
idealists as City College of New York, it set the stage for expansion onto other campuses.
Here is a chronological look at Delta Sigma Phi.
1899
Association formed at City College of New York, called Insula (the mother chapter, later
renamed Alpha), on December 10
1901
1902
1903
1904
1906
Tonsor and Boskey chartered the Washington and Lee Chapter as Stonewall (Zeta)
First alumni group chartered as the New York Alumni Chapter
The Convention changed the Fraternity's approach to naming chapters to the present Greek-
alphabet designations
1907
Boskey, having conceived the idea of a national magazine to bind the chapters together,
published the first issue of The Carnation in April
Eta Chapter installed at Texas
Theta Chapter installed at Cornell
1908
1910
1912
1914
Office of national general secretary created at the Convention and Arthur Defenderfer chosen to
fill the position
The Ritual first published
Fraternity restricted membership to men of the Christian faith
Coat-of-arms, seal, pledge symbol, and badge adopted
1915
First Delta Sigma Phi Headquarters opened in the Reibold Building, Dayton, Ohio
Hilgard Chapter installed at UC-Berkeley
Pi Chapter installed at Furman
Rho Chapter installed at NC State
Sigma Chapter installed at Thiel
Tau Chapter installed in Hillsdale
Upsilon Chapter installed at Franklin and Marshall
The Carnation is named the official magazine of the Fraternity
1916
1919
1920
Lon A. Scott, who had graduated from Cumberland University in 1915 as valedictorian of his
class, became Delta Sigma Phi's first congressman
1921
The Convention established Board of Governors of seven men with full power to manage and
direct the affairs of the Fraternity; the Board of Governors later shrank to five members, and the
Administrative Council disappeared, replaced by an Endowment Board of Trustees
1922
On May 23 a trademark was granted to Delta Sigma Phi for the quarterly, The Carnation
1923
The Sphinx, an esoteric publication, first appeared; it has been issued subsequently as needed
The Convention adopted a ceremony for the dedication of new chapter houses and instituted the
Pilgrim Degree, a special ritual for those making the pilgrimage to a national Convention
The Fraternity initiated its first and only honorable member of the Fraternity when the
Honorable James J. Davis, secretary of Labor in the Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover cabinets,
was initiated at the request of Omega Chapter
At the Fraternity's quarter-century mark, there were forty undergraduate chapters
1925
1928
1929
Fraternity reincorporated in the District of Columbia, where the offices of General Secretary
Defenderfer were located
1931
Harvey H. Herbert Award for distinguished service to the Fraternity first awarded
1932
1936
1940
Upon the retirement of Arthur Defenderfer, the Headquarters moved from Washington, D.C.,
to Springfield, Ohio, the home city of Arthur Sprague, the new national treasurer
Marcus E. Sharpe became executive director
1942
1946
1947
System of universal life membership approved, providing The Carnation to each initiate as a life
subscription
Francis Wacher became executive director
1948
Twelve chapters installed-the largest number in the history of the Fraternity-two revived
1949
1950
1951
The Delta Sigma Phi Foundation established; granted status as a nonprofit educational
Foundation in 1958, it provides scholarships to students with high academic achievement and
supports other Delta Sigma Phi educational programs
1954
1959
Delta Sigma Phi votes to end racial and religious discrimination policies (though the policies had
not been enforced for much of the time they were in effect)
1961
1965
1967
1969
Mr. Delta Sig Award, the highest honor the Fraternity can bestow, first conferred
Denver Headquarters moved to Milwaukee Street
1978
1982
1984
Delta Sigma Phi became the first organization to provide fraternity experience to deaf students
by establishing a colony at Cal State-Northridge
1985
Pyramid of Excellence implemented, a new award structure for recognizing the top chapters in
the Fraternity
Delta Sigma Phi became the first fraternity to ban Little Sister organizations
1987
Outstanding Active Award renamed the E. Allen James Outstanding Undergraduate Award
upon James's retirement as executive director David A. Testerman became executive director
1988
Risk Management Policy adopted, prohibiting use of chapter funds for purchase of alcohol
1989
1991
1993
1994
Austin Hastings became first undergraduate member of the Grand Council in January
1996
Delta Sigma Phi launches Internet home page on the World Wide Web
1997
Tony Smercina is appointed the executive director of the Foundation - Jon Hockman becomes
the executive director of the Fraternity
1998
1999
The 52nd Biennial Convention assembled voted to adopt The Challenge initiative effective
December 10, 2000
Delta Sigma Phi celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Fraternity
2000
2002
2003
Regional Leadership Academies (RLAs) developed and held to educate chapter leadership on
operations
Regional Director program replaced Challenge Team
2005
2006
2007
2008
The Summit program for chapter presidents and recruitment chairmen developed and held in
Indianapolis – over 170 brothers trained during inaugural event
Over 1,000 undergraduates and alumni volunteers trained in months of January and February