Delta Tau Delta
From KCpedia
Kenyon is home to the Chi chapter of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, founded on January 25, 1881. Eight students of the classes between Class of 1881 and Class of 1884 founded the fraternity amid objections from several other fraternities on campus, who feared the new establishment would draw potential pledges away.
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Delta Tau Delta National History
Delta Tau Delta was founded in 1858 at Bethany College in Virginia. Eight men, angered by a fixed vote for a prize in oratory to be given at the Neotrophian Literary Society (a forum for students to practice and demonstrate skills in poetry, public speaking and writing essays), responded by forming a secret society. The purpose of the new society, known by the Greek letters Delta Tau Delta, was to see the Neotrophian Society returned to popular control.
Since 1858 the Fraternity has spread to nearly 200 campuses with over 115 active chapters and colonies comprised of about 6,000 undergraduate members. Just shy of 150 years, Delta Tau Delta has in excess of 145,000 men who have become members of the Fraternity.
Chi Chapter Founding
To the President and Faculty of Kenyon College Gentlemen: We the undersigned wishing to abide by all the Laws of Kenyon College are desiring to establish a Chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Kenyon, by and with the consent of the President and Faculty of Kenyon College do most respectfully request permission. The DTD Fraternity is one of the strongest and best of the western secret organizations. In respect to the high moral character and scholarly standing of its members the undersigned do most respectfully refer the President and Faculty of Kenyon College to the officers of any institution where DTD has a chapter. We make this entreaty,
- First - Desiring to enjoy the benefits and immunities which a Fraternity in general offers.
- Second - Because no present Fraternity offers the opportunity for admission to the undersigned as a body by remaining as such the undersigned know that they can more advantageously enjoy each other's company and be of mutual benefit to each other.
- Third - Believing that this organization will not only largely benefit the undersigned but will also greatly further the interests of the College.
Furthermore the undersigned do most respectively request the President and Faculty of Kenyon College to duly consider their moral and studious habits. Hoping that the above statements will meet your hearty concurrence and that in due time the undersigned will receive your favorable reply.
Yours respectfully,
- John Edward Franks
- Andrew L. Herrlinger
- William Addison Child
- Charles J. Suhr
- S. S. Crawford
- Ichiji Sano
- Marcus Wing
- Henry H. Chritchfield
In 1881 only 60 men were enrolled in the College, a new fraternity had just been chartered the previous year, and established organizations were against the founding of an additional chapter. Before Chi Chapter was established, the old fraternities sent a petition to the faculty ordering the disbanding of Chi. It was on the shoulders of Professor George C. S. Southworth that the Chapter could be born. The professor cited Acts 5:34 to win the support for the men of Delta Tau Delta.
Then stood there up one in the council, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, high in reputation among all the people, and he said unto them: Take heed of yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves; he was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered and brought to nought. After this rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him; he also perished, and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. And now I say unto you, refrain from these men, and let them alone, for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. (Acts 5:34)
Oddly enough, Professor Southworth became the father of Chi Alumni Rufus Southworth, Class of 1900, who helped compile the Chapters early history. The opposition then resorted to courting the initial members of Chi. These advances were of serious nature with the Arch Chapter being only 20 years old and not providing much support. Despite the advances, only one member jumped to another fraternity.
Chi opened its doors to eight members, John Edwin Franks, Class of 1881; William Addison Childs, Class of 1883; Andrew L. Herrlinger, Class of 1883; Charles J. Suhr, Class of 1883; Alfred A. Taltavall, Class of 1883; Henry Critchfield, Class of 1884; Ichigi Sano, Class of 1884; and one other member of the class of 1884, on January 25th, 1881.
The Lone Delt
The trials of opening the chapter were only the start of problems for Chi. With enrollment low in the college, the chapter shrank to one man. Henry J. Eberth, father of Kenyon (’27) and John Eberth (’31), became the lone member of Chi Chapter. (He was also the lone member of the track team.) In addition to dealing with advances of other fraternities, offering him a spot in their membership, Eberth also needed to prevent the Arch Chapter from closing the doors on the Chapter. Having one-man chapter meetings, Eberth would send reports of 100% attendance, dues paid in full, and 100% membership in Phi Beta Kappa.
With the help of Minor T. Hines, master of the Kenyon Military Academy, Eberth was able to keep the chapter afloat, and initiate two members, the Walkley Brothers, of the Beta Epsilon pledge chapter. The Beta Epsilon pledge chapter was a group in the military academy who upon enrolling in the College would enroll into Chi Chapter.
Housing
Because Kenyon has no fraternity houses, Delts are provided with division housing in Leonard Hall. Originally, Delts were housed in Ascension Hall, but they soon moved to Old Kenyon in 1903. Hanna Hall was completed and, until 1925, Delts were split between these two buildings. Active members and alumni together raised $15,000 toward the construction of Middle Division in Leonard Hall, and, in the fall of 1925, Delts first moved into Leonard, where rooms had been constructed and furnished to their specifications.
Chapter Meetings
Initially, meetings of the Chi chapter were held in members' rooms, but in Spring 1890, the Delts began to rent space over the Gambier post office. In the fall of 1901, President Walter J. Morris Class of 1902 proposed the construction of a lodge, plans which the President of Kenyon at the time, William Foster Peirce, approved. Delts then set about, on their own, building a tomb-shaped lodge out of tile, and on April 12, 1902, Delta Tau Delta members met at their lodge for the first time. For years, only Delts were admitted to the lodge. A fire damaged the building on January 21, 1909, but even then, Delts undertook repairs themselves and refused to let other students inside to help clean. In 1931, Robert A. Weaver Class of 1912 supplied time and money to tear down the tile structure and build one of cement in its place. The June 5, 1936 Chi Copy reported that a driveway of gravel had been laid in front of the lodge, flowers and grass planted outside, and older chapter pictures hung on the walls in an attempt to improve their surroundings.
Replacing the Old Lodge
In 1961, Delta Tau Delta again felt the need for a new lodge and approached the Board of Trustees with a proposal: that the college purchase the old lodge, build a new lodge with money given to the college for this purpose, and lease that lodge to the Chi chapter. The college was initially receptive to the idea, and funds were raised by alumni for construction of a new lodge. However, plans fell apart when concerns about finances surfaced, and at least one officer of the Delta Tau Delta Alumni Association resigned angrily. By 1967, however, the deal had been revitalized, and preliminary plans for the current Delt lodge were first drawn up, and funds were raised from Delt alumni. In 1968, Kenyon administrators approved the project, and in March 1970, the college moved ahead with plans to demolish the old lodge. Two months later, the present-day lodge, situated on Kokosing Drive, opened.
Renovations
In early 1983, a structural engineer and architect determined that the new Delt lodge was not sufficiently waterproofed. This led to water seepage and rafter deterioration, so, in September 1983, the fraternity had the rafters replaced and the walls painted. The renovations, totaling about $1,500, were completed in time for the annual alumni dinner.
Resources in the Kenyon College Archives
- Delta Tau Delta -- collected Materials
