Alpha Lambda Tau
ΑΛΤ
The Coat of Arms of Alpha Lambda Tau
FoundedOctober 8, 1916 (1916-10-08)
Oglethorpe University
TypeSocial
AffiliationNIC (former)
ScopeNational (US)
Colors  Old gold and   Black
FlowerAmerican Beauty Rose
PublicationAlpha Lambda Tau (Monthly) The Rose Leaf (Quarterly)
Chapters23
Merged intoTau Kappa Epsilon (1946), and scattered

Alpha Lambda Tau (ΑΛΤ) was a men's college fraternity founded in 1916 at Oglethorpe University. For its first decade Alpha Lambda Tau permitted expansion only within the southern states. At the start of its fourth decade, in 1946, the national organization of Alpha Lambda Tau dissolved; the majority of its chapters affiliated with Tau Kappa Epsilon.

History

Alpha Lambda Tau was founded at Oglethorpe University, of Brookhaven, Georgia (a northeastern suburb of Atlanta) on October 8, 1916.[1] The organization at Oglethorpe became Alpha chapter on March 27, 1921.[1] Being of southern origin, it was originally decided that the fraternity would not expand north of the Mason–Dixon line. By 1927, the anti-northern expansion policy was met with disapproval at the fraternity's national convention. The policy was dropped in 1927, and a charter was issued to a new chapter at the University of Illinois.[2]

Alpha Lambda Tau became a Junior member of the NIC in 1928.

Merger with ΤΚΕ

In 1946, the national organization of Alpha Lambda Tau dissolved. Five of the eight chapters that were active in 1946 merged with Tau Kappa Epsilon. Several chapters went to other national fraternities.[3]

Chapters

These were the chapters of Alpha Lambda Tau. Those active at the time of the merger are noted in bold, those inactive are noted in italics. Where chapters affiliated with ΤΚΕ their status is noted as "Merged"; where they joined other fraternities they are listed as "Withdrawn".[4][5]

Chapter Institution Location Dates Status Notes Reference
Alpha Oglethorpe University Brookhaven, GA October 8, 19161943 Dormant [lower-alpha 1][5]
Beta Auburn University[lower-alpha 2] Auburn, AL 1922July 1947 Merged Became the Beta-Lambda chapter of ΤΚΕ. [lower-alpha 2][lower-alpha 3][5]
Gamma Mercer University Macon, GA October 13, 19231948 Withdrew Revived the Eta chapter of ΣΝ. [lower-alpha 4][6]
Delta Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA May 31, 1925April 1947 Merged Became the Beta-Zeta chapter of ΤΚΕ in April 1947. [lower-alpha 5][7]
Epsilon University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC 19251930 Dormant [lower-alpha 6][5]
Zeta North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC January 22, 1925January 1947 Merged Became the Beta-Beta chapter of ΤΚΕ in January 1947. [8]
Eta Samford University[lower-alpha 7] Homewood, AL April 15, 19261940 Dormant [lower-alpha 7][lower-alpha 8][9]
Theta University of Georgia Athens, GA 19281942 Dormant [lower-alpha 9][5]
Iota Presbyterian College Clinton, SC 19271951 Withdrew Became the Zeta-Theta chapter of ΣΝ in January 1951. [lower-alpha 10]
Kappa Wofford College Spartanburg, SC January 14, 19281947 Dormant [lower-alpha 11][10]
Lambda University of Illinois Champaign, IL 19281932 Dormant [lower-alpha 12]
Mu University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR 19281936 Dormant [lower-alpha 13][5]
Nu Lyon College Batesville, AR 19291930 Dormant [lower-alpha 14][11]
Xi University of Chattanooga Chattanooga, TN May 5, 19291947 Withdrew Became the Delta Epsilon chapter of ΠΚΑ in 1947. [lower-alpha 15][12][13]
Omicron Transylvania University Lexington, KY 19291941 Withdrew Became the Beta Mu chapter of ΔΣΦ in 1947. [lower-alpha 16][14]
Pi University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 19311938 Dormant [5]
Rho Culver–Stockton College Canton, MO 19311932 Dormant [lower-alpha 17][5]
Sigma University of Kentucky Lexington, KY January 30, 19321935 Dormant [lower-alpha 18][15]
Tau University of Maryland College Park, MD December 15, 1934February 1947 Merged Became the Beta-Delta chapter of ΤΚΕ in February 1947. [lower-alpha 19][16]
Upsilon Michigan State East Lansing, MI 1934–193x ? Dormant [5]
Phi Missouri Mines Rolla, MO September 19351940 Dormant [lower-alpha 20][5][17]
Chi ? Western Colorado University Gunnison, CO 19361937 Dormant [lower-alpha 21][lower-alpha 22]
Psi Trine University (Tri-State)[lower-alpha 23] Angola, IN June 7, 1936March 1947 Merged Became the Beta-Epsilon chapter of ΤΚΕ.
ΤΚΕ charter revoked.
Later became Theta-Xi chapter of ΚΣ (1966).
[lower-alpha 23][lower-alpha 24][lower-alpha 25][18]

Alumni chapters existed as of 1941 in Chicago, Birmingham and Atlanta.[18]

Notes

  1. Founded as a local called the Alpha Lambda Club in 1916, became Alpha Lambda Tau's Alpha chapter on March 27, 1921.
  2. 1 2 Auburn University was named Alabama Polytechnic Institute until 1960.
  3. This chapter originated as Omicron Tau Phi (local) in 1920.
  4. This chapter originated as Alpha Lambda (local) in 1921.
  5. This chapter originated as Alpha Omega (local) in 1901.
  6. This chapter originated as Gamma Psi (local) in 1824 (!), most likely a typo for 1924 in the Baird's Archive.
  7. 1 2 Samford University had been known as Howard College until 1965.
  8. This chapter originated as Phi Beta Tau (local) in January 1925.
  9. This chapter originated as Kappa Phi Alpha (local) earlier in 1928, or before that year.
  10. This chapter originated as the Rapier Club of Presbyterian College in 1926 prior to joining Alpha Lambda Tau.
  11. This chapter originated as Beta Phi (local) in 1924.
  12. This chapter originated as Phi Nu Beta (local) in 1923. It was the first chapter granted north of the Mason–Dixon line.
  13. This chapter originated as the College Men Club (local) prior to 1928.
  14. Originated as Eta Beta Kappa in 1925.
  15. Originated as Phi Beta Gamma (local) in 1921.
  16. Originated as Alpha Gamma Chi (local) in 1925. Withdrew from ΑΛΤ in 1941.
  17. Originated as Phi Beta Epsilon (local) in 1926.
  18. Originated as Phi Psi Phi (local) on October 26, 1930.
  19. Originated as Iota Nu Delta (local) fraternity in 1914.
  20. Originated as the Bonanza Club (local) in 1914.
  21. Originated as Theta Tau Omega (local) in 1925.
  22. The name of the Western Colorado chapter is conjectural; no name is listed in Baird's Archive, only the school. This could also have been the Omega chapter (or colony), as Baird's Archive, normally noting chapters in order of formation, lists it after Psi. Still, its chartering occurred in the same year.
  23. 1 2 Trine University was called Tri-State University until 2008.
  24. Originated as the Alpha chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma in 1921.
  25. Through no fault of its own, after being granted the name Beta-Epsilon chapter of ΤΚΕ in March 1947, ΤΚΕ was forced by NIC rules to revoke Beta-Epsilon's charter because Tri-State was not (yet) accredited; the chapter then affiliated with Kappa Sigma Kappa in 1952. In 1962 ΚΣΚ nationally merged with ΘΞ, but due to the accreditation issue the chapter reverted to local status again, calling itself Tau Kappa Lambda (local) [possibly Tau Kappa Sigma, some records showed this as Tau Kappa Sigma (local), in what appears to have been a typo.] In 1966, once school accreditation was in place, it would become the Theta-Xi chapter of Kappa Sigma fraternity, with that new name a coincidence having no relation to the national fraternity into which its former national merged. To complete the historical record, ΤΚΕ's Beta-Epsilon chapter was recolonized in a separate effort on the Trine campus in 1989.

References

  1. 1 2 Yamacraw (Oglethorpe Yearbook), 1923 p.103
  2. Noted in "Fraternity News" section, The Tri-Angle of Tri-State College, November 11, 1946, p.4.
  3. Noted by Teke in its online history, accessed 6 Dec 2019.
  4. William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), page with Alpha Lambda Tau records". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII–2–3. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  6. Noted in the 1924 Cauldron (Mercer College Yearbook), p.173.
  7. Noted in the 1933 Lagniappe (Louisiana Tech Yearbook), p.161
  8. Noted in the 1944 Agromeck (NCSC yearbook), p.142.
  9. Noted in the 1930 Entrenous (Howard College Yearbook) p.158.
  10. Noted in The Bohemian of 1936 (Wofford College Yearbook), p.182.
  11. Lyon College, 1872-2002: The Perseverance and Promise of an Arkansas College, accessed 18 Jul 2022.
  12. The University of Chattanooga Sixty Years, p.225
  13. The Shield and Diamond - Jun 1948, p34
  14. John D. Wright Jr. (13 January 2015). Transylvania: Tutor to the West. University Press of Kentucky. p. 350. ISBN 978-0-8131-4920-2.
  15. The Kentucky Kernel of January 19, 1932, p1, notes this chapter's formation as local Phi Psi Phi on October 26, 1930 for the purpose of eventual expansion into Alpha Lambda Tau.
  16. Maryland Alumni News December 1934
  17. 1936 Rollamo (MSM Yearbook) p 81
  18. 1 2 Noted in the 1941 Modulus (Tri-State College Yearbook) p 78.
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