Phi Delta Pi () was a national professional fraternity for women in the disciplines of health and physical education, health sciences, and recreation. It was established in 1916 at the Normal College of the North American Gymnastics Union (now Indiana University School of Health and Human Sciences). It merged with Delta Psi Kappa, a professional fraternity, in .
History Phi Delta Pi was founded on at the Normal College of the North American Gymnastics Union in Indianapolis, Indiana. It was a national professional fraternity for women in the disciplines of health and physical education, health sciences, and recreation.
Phi Delta Pi was one of the eleven women's professional fraternities to found the Professional Panhellenic Association in 1925.
Many of its early chapters were placed at vocational-oriented Normal Schools for Physical Education which did not survive the Great Depression. Later chapters were placed at colleges with broader course offerings and stronger financial footing. Baird's reports there were fourteen active chapters and sixteen inactive chapters in 1967, but provides only twenty chapter names in the 20th Edition of that resource.
Phi Delta Pi merged with Delta Psi Kappa, a professional fraternity, in .
Symbols The colors of Phi Delta Pi were purple and gold. Its symbol was the oak leaf. Its flower was the purple violet. Its jewel was the amethyst.
Membership Four types of membership existed in Phi Delta Pi: active, alumnae, honorary, and special membership.
Chapters The chapters of Phi Delta Pi were as follows; this list may be incomplete, and some chapters here listed as inactive may have merged or been absorbed only as alumni clubs (no active chapters). Inactive chapters and institutions are indicated in italics.
ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha – 1942Normal College of the North American Gymnastics UnionIndianapolis, INInactiveBeta1918 – March 1970Temple UniversityPhiladelphia, PAMerged (ΔΨΚ)Gamma1918–1919Northwestern UniversityEvanston, ILInactiveDelta1919–1965American College of Physical Education (now De Paul)Chicago, ILInactiveEpsilon1918–March 1970Kellogg School of Physical EducationBattle Creek, MIMerged (ΔΨΚ)Zeta1919–1921Chicago Normal School of Physical EducationChicago, ILInactiveEta1920–19xx ?University of UtahSalt Lake City, UTInactiveTheta1922–19xx ?Ithaca School of Physical EducationIthaca, NYMerged (ΔΨΚ)Iota1924–1944Savage School of Physical EducationNew York, NYInactiveKappa1927–1944Panzer College of Physical EducationEast Orange, NJInactiveLambda1928–1936Ohio UniversityAthens, OHInactiveMu1929–19xxUtah State UniversityLogan, UTInactiveNu1930–1942Southeastern Teachers CollegeDurant, OKInactiveXi1931–19xxBrigham Young UniversityProvo, UTInactiveOmicron1933–1943University of California, Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, CAInactivePi1935–1954Slippery Rock UniversitySlippery Rock, PAInactiveRho1949–1965Wittenberg UniversitySpringfield, OHInactiveSigma1951–19xxUniversity of Minnesota DuluthDuluth, MNInactiveTau1952–1970University of MiamiCoral Gables, FLMerged (ΔΨΚ)Upsilon1959–1970Florida State UniversityTallahassee, FLMerged (ΔΨΚ)
Notable members Maud May Babcock (honorary), pioneer leader in physical education in Salt Lake City, Utah Jane Deeter Rippin (honorary), past National Director of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America
See also
Professional fraternities and sororities
References