As of 2024, the fraternity has ten active chapters on the East Coast of the United States, and also uses the names "St. Elmo," "St. Elmo Hall," and "Elmo" in reference to its relation to Erasmus of Formia, the patron saint of sailors, and the Knights of Malta.
History
Delta Phi was founded on November 17, 1827, at Union College by nine upperclassmen.[1] Its founders were:
William Wilson, President of the College of Cincinnati from Ireland
Delta Phi and the other Union Triadfraternities were established during a time of strong Anti-Masonry sentiment in the United States and became targets of the Anti-Masonry movement. This led Phi Beta Kappa, the original fraternity, to abandon secrecy and become a strictly honor society.[2]
In the early 1830s, Dr. Eliphalet Nott, president of Union College, called for the dissolution of all fraternities. Before this policy could be enacted, John Jay Hyde, a member of Delta Phi, argued the benefits of the fraternity system so convincingly that Dr. Nott relented and permitted the organizations to remain in existence. Hyde went on to design the badge still worn by members of Delta Phi today, which includes a Maltese Cross, a symbol used by the Knights of Malta.
This connection to the Knights of Malta led Delta Phi to become known as "St. Elmo", a name first used by the Omicron chapter at Yale University, which since has transformed into a senior secret society known as St. Elmo Society that is no longer associated with Delta Phi. Beginning at some point shortly after the Omicron chapter's inception in 1889, the brothers there used the name of St. Elmo, the patron saint of mariners and the Knights of Malta.[3] On some campuses, Delta Phi chapters are known almost exclusively as "St. Elmo," "St. Elmo Hall," or simply "Elmo." At Cornell University, the Delta Phi chapter is known as Llenroc, since that was the name of the mansion when it was the residence of Cornell University co-founder Ezra Cornell's
In 1844, Delta Phi held its first convention, only the second fraternity to have such a meeting and was held under the auspices of the Alpha chapter in Troy, New York.
In 1847, it held its second convention in New York City and, seeing the growth in the organization, authorized the fraternity to undertake its first printed publication, a complete catalogue of the membership up to 1847.
Delta Phi remains a small fraternity with ten active chapters and few chapters with more than a couple dozen members. It has resisted expansion in order to create an "intimate, personal experience"[6] for its members. The fraternity's current expansion policy is to reactivate dormant chapters.[6] As a member of the Union Triad, Delta Phi is the third oldest fraternity and the second oldest continuous fraternity in the United States.
Governance and organization
Owing mostly to its development in the early 19th century, Delta Phi organizes itself federally. Individual alumni chapters still exercise significant power over chapter governance. Those powers that are given in the national organization are vested in the Board of Governors.[7] The board consists of one member appointed from each alumni chapter. Among the duties given to the board is hiring the Executive Director who oversees day-to-day management of the fraternity.[7]
In addition to the national governing organization of the fraternity, Delta Phi alumni have also established the Saint Elmo Foundation which, among other things, sponsors the annual leadership weekend and provides scholarships to undergraduate members of Delta Phi.[8]
Activities
Overall alumni participation among active chapters remains strong, with chapters hosting several social events throughout the year.[9][10]
On or around November 17 of every year, the national organization sponsors the Founder's Day Dinner at the Saint Elmo Club where undergraduates and alumni celebrate the founding of the fraternity.[11]
Chapters
These are the chapters of Delta Phi. Active chapters noted in bold, inactive chapters noted in italics. Two chapters have withdrawn from affiliation with the national fraternity, but remain active on their campuses; their dates of withdrawal are noted.[12][13][14]
^ abThis chapter is active under the name of Delta Phi and uses the fraternity's crest, but is disaffiliated from the national fraternity.
^At its 1966 reorganization, Beta chapter was created from Delta Phi Omega (local).
^Epsilon chapter was revived with a 2003 recolonization.
^Eta chapter was revived in 1882 when it absorbed Delta Beta Phi (local), which had formed in 1878.
^Iota chapter was revived in 1923 when it absorbed Kappa Beta Psi (local), which had formed in 1912.
^Nu chapter had its origin as Alpha Gamma Phi (local), which had formed prior to becoming a chapter of Delta Phi.
^Xi chapter was revived in 1921 after a brief dormancy, when it absorbed Beta Beta (local).
^Omicron chapter dissociated with Delta Phi and is now known as the St. Elmo Society at Yale.
^Sigma chapter had its origin as Iota Kappa Lambda (local), which had formed in 1829.
^Tau chapter had its origin as the Iris Club (local), which had formed in 1908.
^ abWilliams College banned all fraternities in the 1960s, phasing them out by 1970.
^Upsilon chapter had its origin as Alpha Tau Alpha (local), which had formed in 1925.
^Phi chapter had its origin as Alpha Pi Tau (local), which had formed in 1927. The chapter withdrew from the fraternity in 2020 to become a local fraternity.
^Chi chapter had its origin as Alpha Chi (local), which had formed in 1947.
^Psi chapter had its origin as the Beaver Society (local), which had formed in 1935.
^Omega chapter had its origin as Lambda Sigma Rho (local), which had formed in 1965.
^In March 2020, William & Mary suspended the chapter through the spring 2028 semester for violations of hazing and alcohol policies. However, the fraternity did not withdraw the chapter's charter, allowing the group to continue as an unofficial student organization.
^The oldest traditional fraternities (~junior societies) at Yale named their buildings with "Hall" nicknames, by which they wished to be known on campus: Thus Delta Phi was known at Yale as St. Elmo's AND as a Delta Phi chapter until its disassociation. Similarly, Psi Upsilon became the Fence Club. Phi Gamma Delta was Vernon Hall which later became Myth and Sword. Sigma Delta Chi (local) was renamed the Cloister Club which soon became Book and Snake. Theta Xi's chapter was Franklin Hall, Phi Sigma Kappa adopted the name Sachem Hall, Delta Psi adopted the name St. Anthony Hall which spread to their entire small but old national fraternity. Chi Delta Theta (local literary honorary) established the Manuscript Society, and finally, Chi Phi was York Hall.
