On November
2, 1883, 11 men at the University of Michigan formed the fraternity. At that
time, there were a number of literary societies at Michigan, but Phi Delta
Chi's founders believed something should be organized exclusively for the
College of Pharmacy. A Quotation from the early records reads: "Both students
and faculty recognized that such an organization would bring students of
pharmacy together for the discussion of scientific questions pertaining to
pharmacy and its sister sciences."
The forward-looking young
men who on that day in 1883 banded together to form an association that has
grown into Phi Delta Chi are all deceased. But their names will long be remembered
by every Phi Dex: Charles Edward Bond, Franklin Herbert Frazee, llewellyn
Hall Gardner, Calvin Pomeroy Godfrey, Adolph Gustave Hoffman, Arthur Gilliam
Hopper, Charles F. Hueber, George Pawling Lemon, Arthur Sidney Rogers, Azor
Thurston, and Albert Tenny Waggoner.
These 11 men wrote this preamble
to the original Constitution of the Fraternity:"Recognizing the necessity
of, and the mutual benefits to be derived from an Organization devoted to
the sciences of pharmacy and chemistry, a careful investigation into, and
a free discussion of subjects relative to the same; we do agree to form an
association and for its government to adopt the following Constitution and
By-Laws."
Four years after founding
in 1887, the society adopted a ritual, symbols, signs, and regalia, Then
in 1896, a second chapter was organized at Northwestern University in Evanston,
Illinois. The chapter at Ann Arbor then became known as the Alpha Chapter
and the chapter at Evanston became known as the Beta Chapter. The third chapter,
Gamma, was started at Columbia University in 1898.
Albert Benjamin Prescott (1832-1905)
then Dean of College of Pharmacy at Michigan, encouraged the 11 founders
in the formation of the society. He was made the first honorary member and
then served as the group's sponsor. Dean Prescott's name has been associated
with the highest and finest traditions and awards of the fraternity throughout
the years. Prescott is acclaimed as an innovator in pharmaceutical education.
He served the American Pharmaceutical Association as President in 1900 and
at one timed assayed the gold for the US mint.
Originally the Fraternity
was called Phi Chi. At the second meeting of the society a motion was made
to change the name to Phi Delta Chi, but at that time, the motion failed.
However, two medical fraternities founded in 1889 and 1894 also took on the
name Phi Chi. Shortly after the turn of the century these two medical fraternities
merged into one retraining the name Phi Chi. There was some disagreement
as to who had the right to the name, but at the time there was a desire among
the members of the pharmacy group to consider the name Phi Delta Chi. By
1909, the fraternity had grown to 14 chapters, and when they met in Grand
Council at Chicago in March of that year, they proposed to change the name
of the Fraternity to Phi Delta Chi, rather than pursue the disagreement with
the medical fraternity. This change was ratified March 1, 1910, in New York
City.
The Communicator, the official
publication for Phi Delta Chi was first published nationally in 1906 and
has been published regular ever since. During World War II, it was cut in
size and published as Communicator Junior. Today The Communicator is published
four times a year.
Phi Delta Chi originally accepted
for membership men in the fields of pharmacy and chemistry, the latter including
both chemistry majors and chemical engineers. During the depression days
of 1928-1933 difficulties arose because the fraternity was serving two professions,
and therefore membership requirements were changed to include the persons
majoring in the field of pharmacy only. And thus Phi Delta Chi as we know
it today was formed, a Professional Fraternity serving the field of Pharmacy.
Throughout the years, it has
been a matter of considerable pride to Phi Delta Chi's that the organization
has not only been kept intact under conditions that were highly destructive
to all types of organizations, but that always Brothers have come forward
to carry on the work of the organization and to expand it. Since it founding
in 1883, Phi Delta Chi has chartered 57 undergraduate chapters and has initiated
33,000 men and women into the Brotherhood.
Phi Delta Chi has numbered
in its membership many illustrious leaders over the years. With the pharmaceutical
manufacturing fields such names as Lilly (Epsilon), Weeks, and Meyer are
familiar. High up in the administration of many other pharmaceutical firms
are a great number of Phi Dex Brothers. Scattered over the nation are others
who have become extremely well known in local areas for their ownership and
leadership of various pharmaceutical enterprises. Other Brothers have become
famous in the political life of the nation, the states, and local jurisdiction.
On the list are Hubert H. Humphrey (Theta), a Vice President of the United
States, several governors, many mayors, and large number of state legislators,
several judges, many members of federal agencies in Washington and hundreds
of local public officials.
Through the years, the Fraternity
has met in national Grand Councils many times. These meetings are rotated
through every region of the nation. Regional Conferences supplement the national
Gatherings. The greatest experiences of fraternalism occur when Brother meet
for these festive events.
The reason for Phi Delta Chi's
continued existence is due in large part to the interest that has been maintained
throughout the past 100 years for the continued helpfulness of the brothers
towards each other and their willingness to follow the purpose of the Fraternity
originally advanced in 1883 at Ann Arbor:
"The object of the association
shall be to advance the science of pharmacy and allied interest and to foster
and promote a fraternal spirit among its members."
Centennial celebrations in
1983 culminated with the dedication of a plaque at the University of Michigan
School of Pharmacy that commemorates Phi Delta Chi's one hundred years of
accomplishments and the Fraternity's commitment to the future.
