Since its founding, Alpha Delta Gamma has expanded conservatively to keep a small but strong brotherhood; thus, the fraternity has chartered 32 chapters in its long history. Today, Alpha Delta Gamma operates nine active chapters at private and public colleges across the
United States, stretching from
Los Angeles, California, to
Atlanta, Georgia.[2][3]
History
Alpha Delta Gamma was founded at the Lake Shore campus of
Loyola University Chicago on October 10, 1924, by four students: Francis Patrick Canary, John Joseph Dwyer, William S. Hallisey, and James Collins O'Brien Jr. According to the Alpha Delta Gamma National Web Site, "In effect, they wanted a fraternity founded upon
Christian ideals of true manhood, sound learning, and the unity of the fraternal brotherhood. These ideals decreed the purpose of Alpha Delta Gamma when it first came into being. And so the foundation was set, Alpha Delta Gamma was on its way to becoming a city walled!"[2][3]
In 1926, members of the local organization Delta Theta at
Saint Louis University in
St. Louis, Missouri, contacted the Alpha chapter at Loyola University Chicago, requesting permission to affiliate with the then-existing fraternity. Their request was granted and, on October 26, 1927, Alpha Delta Gamma officially charted its Beta chapter, becoming a national fraternity.[2] The fraternity continued expanding to other Catholic colleges and universities and adopted the descriptive "National Catholic-College Fraternity." This was eventually changed to "National Catholic Social Fraternity" when the organization began expansion to non-Catholic colleges and universities.[1][3]
Alpha Delta Gamma has remained a small national fraternity, granting charters to 32 collegiate chapters, nine of which are active. Most chapters are located at Catholic universities but there are no religious requirements for membership.[2][3]
Symbols and traditions
The Fraternity's badge is hexagonal, in gold, which is optionally plain, beveled, or jeweled with pearls and ruby points. The base supports a black enameled field bearing the carved golden letters Α, Δ, and Γ. Members are instructed to wear the pin at a 45° angle with the appropriate chapter guard.
The pledge button is a diamond-shaped slab of gold with a bright red enamel center. The fraternity's colors are scarlet red and gold. The fraternity's flower is the red carnation. A universal ADG Night is celebrated on the first Friday of December each year, commemorating the founding of the fraternity. Active chapters annually support at least one function for the benefit of orphans such as a Christmas toy drive or spring picnic.[3]
Chapters
These are nine active chapters of Alpha Delta Gamma fraternity, listed in bold. Inactive chapters are listed in italic.[2][4][5]
^This chapter originated as Delta Theta (local) in 1925.
^This chapter originated as Delta Phi Sigma (local) in 1924.
^This chapter originated as Omicron Sigma (local) in 1915, and was granted that name as its chapter name. The 1954 restoration came with the absorption of Phi Omega (local) but failed within a few years. The 1966 restoration came from the absorption of Alpha Delta (local), which had formed in 1965. This group took on the name Mu chapter.
^This chapter originated as Beta Sigma Kappa (local) in 1929.
^This chapter originated as the Booster Club (local) in 1946.
^This chapter originated as Phi Sigma Beta (local) in 1951.
^The 1954 restoration of Omicron Sigma chapter came with the absorption of Phi Omega (local) and briefly accepting the name Mu chapter, but failed within a few years. Reestablished under the Mu name with the absorption of Alpha Delta (local) in 1966.
^This chapter originated as Knights of the Altar (local) in 1956.
^This chapter originated as Sigma Kappa (local), which had formed in 1985.
^This chapter originated as Mu Alpha Beta (local), formed earlier.
^This colony was never installed and went dormant after its name was assigned.
^
abcdeAnson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. III-5,6.
ISBN978-0963715906.