Delta Tau Delta Fraternity

History of Delta Tau Delta

Delta Tau Delta is a North American social fraternity with a rich history dating back to its founding in 1858 at Bethany College in West Virginia. The fraternity was founded by eight men, who sought to create an organization that valued excellence in academics, leadership, and character. Today, Delta Tau Delta has over 140 active chapters across the United States and Canada, with a membership of over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate members.

To learn more about Delts history, visit www.delts.org/history.

Origins of our IIT Chapter

In the early turn of the century, nothing could be more natural than the tendency for college aged men to form clubs that could afterward be accorded fraternity standing. The Armour Institute of Technology, a growing school with scores of good fellows unaffiliated to any organization, would have been a tempting destination to any college man with a love of fraternalism. On April 16, 1900, six men formed the Consonant Club; the plan of forming a club name using the initials of each found member’s name proved impracticable because all said letters were vowel-less – thus the Consonant Club then became its natural title. After two long years of growing membership, courting various fraternal organizations, and preparing for installation, twenty fine men hand-picked from Armour’s brightest students gathered at the Chicago Athletic Association to be formally installed as Founding Fathers of Delta Tau Delta’s latest undergraduate Chapter, Gamma Beta. The exercises, which were carried through almost faultlessly and with unusual impressiveness, were executed by neighborly members from Beta Pi (Northwestern) and Gamma Alpha (University of Chicago) on Friday, May 10th 1901 and were witnessed by fully half hundred Delts.

These young men, at the time, would not know the legacy that would grow from their simple endeavor – that they would create a ripple in the course of history that would go on to shape the lives of over 1500 men for over a century and counting!

Delt Principles

Truth is vital in the relationship between an organization and the outside world. If an organization cannot be trusted, it will perish. Truth begins within the organization. To truly become brothers, men must be truthful to themselves and to one another. They must hold one another accountable.

Courage takes heart. Those who are courageous thrive. As you navigate through life, you will be confronted with many difficult decisions. Courage helps a leader understand the best option and take it, regardless of the popularity of that choice. Courage has a distinct relationship with truth. One must know the truth to stand for it.

Faith is belief. Faith grows, develops and changes. It means trusting yourself and believing your actions are appropriate. Faith will help you trust decisions you make and believe that given information is correct. A lack of faith drives a wedge through an organization and friendships.

Power begins as inner strength. Power is a combination of talents and inherent abilities and wisdom. Through united individuals, we can do so much more as a brotherhood than we can alone. The power of an organization, when combined with courage, faith, and truth, leads us into the future and ensures success.

Delt Values

  • Integrity is Essential: Integrity means doing what you say you will do. Integrity establishes credibility for yourself and the Fraternity and having it means others can trust you, believe you, and count on you.
  • Accountability is Fundamental to all Commitments: Accountability means holding to your promises, making you responsible for both your words and your actions.
  • Lifelong Learning and Growth are Vital: There is no status quo in the pursuit of excellence – you are either moving ahead through continuous growth and learning or going backward and slowly narrowing your choices and opportunities in life. There is no point in today’s world where one can afford to stop learning and growing.
  • Strengthening Community is Essential to our Vitality: The pursuit of a life of excellence must occur through constant interaction with many different communities. Therefore, a strong community is vital for your future, as well as the Fraternity’s.
  • Brotherhood Sustains Us: Delta Tau Delta is an organization that relies on Brotherhood to hold us together. Brotherhood involves individual responsibility to one’s self and to others.

The Delt Creed

I believe in Delta Tau Delta for the education of youth and the inspiration of maturity so that I may better learn and live the truth.
I believe in Delta Tau Delta as a shrine of international brotherhood: her cornerstone friendship, her foundation conscience, her columns aspiration, her girders self-restraint, her doorway opportunity, her windows understanding, her buttresses loyalty, her strength the everlasting arms.
I believe in Delta Tau Delta as an abiding influence to help me do my work, fulfill my obligations, maintain my self-respect, and bring about that happy life wherein I may more truly love my fellow men, serve my country, and obey my God.