# Alpha Lambda Tau

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. The organization at Oglethorpe became Alpha chapter on March 27, 1921. 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.
Alpha Lambda Tau became a junior member of the NIC in 1928.
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. However, there was no official merger between Alpha Lambda Tau and another organization.

## 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affiliated with ΤΚΕ their status is noted as "Merged"; where they joined other fraternities they are listed as "Withdrawn".
| Chapter | Institution | Location | Dates | Status | Notes |
| Alpha | Oglethorpe University | Brookhaven, GA | March 27, 1921–1943 | Dormant | |
| Beta | Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 1922–July 1947 | Merged | Became the Beta-Lambda chapter of ΤΚΕ. |
| Gamma | Mercer University | Macon, GA | October 13, 1923–1948 | Withdrew | Revived the Eta chapter of ΣΝ. |
| Delta | Louisiana Tech University | Ruston, LA | May 31, 1925–April 1947 | Merged | Became the Beta-Zeta chapter of ΤΚΕ in April 1947. |
| Epsilon | University of North Carolina | Chapel Hill, NC | 1925–1930 | Dormant | |
| Zeta | North Carolina State University | Raleigh, NC | January 22, 1925–January 1947 | Merged | Became the Beta-Beta chapter of ΤΚΕ in January 1947. |
| Eta | Samford University | Homewood, AL | April 15, 1926–1940 | Dormant | |
| Theta | University of Georgia | Athens, GA | 1928–1942 | Dormant | |
| Iota | Presbyterian College | Clinton, SC | 1927–1951 | Withdrew | Became the Zeta-Theta chapter of ΣΝ in January 1951. |
| Kappa | Wofford College | Spartanburg, SC | January 14, 1928–1947 | Dormant | |
| Lambda | University of Illinois | Champaign, IL | 1928–1932 | Dormant | |
| Mu | University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1928–1936 | Dormant | |
| Nu | Lyon College | Batesville, AR | 1929–1930 | Dormant | |
| Xi | University of Chattanooga | Chattanooga, TN | May 5, 1929–1947 | Withdrew | Became the Delta Epsilon chapter of ΠΚΑ in 1947. |
| Omicron | Transylvania University | Lexington, KY | 1929–1941 | Withdrew | Became the Beta Mu chapter of ΔΣΦ in 1947. |
| Pi | University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1931–1938 | Dormant | |
| Rho | Culver–Stockton College | Canton, MO | 1931–1932 | Dormant | |
| Sigma | University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY | January 30, 1932–1935 | Dormant | |
| Tau | University of Maryland | College Park, MD | December 15, 1934–February 1947 | Merged | Became the Beta-Delta chapter of ΤΚΕ in February 1947. |
| Upsilon | Michigan State | East Lansing, MI | 1934–193x ? | Dormant | |
| Phi | Missouri Mines | Rolla, MO | September 1935–1940 | Dormant | |
| Chi ? | Western Colorado University | Gunnison, CO | 1936–1937 | Dormant | |
| Psi | Trine University (Tri-State) | Angola, IN | June 7, 1936–March 1947 | Merged | Became the Beta-Epsilon chapter of ΤΚΕ. ΤΚΕ charter revoked. Later became Theta-Xi chapter of ΚΣ (1966). |
Alumni chapters existed as of 1941 in Chicago, Birmingham and Atlanta.
* ↑ Founded as a local called the Alpha Lambda Club in 1916, became Alpha Lambda Tau's Alpha chapter on March 27, 1921.
* 1 2 Auburn University was named Alabama Polytechnic Institute until 1960.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Omicron Tau Phi (local) in 1920.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Alpha Lambda (local) in 1921.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Alpha Omega (local) in 1901.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Gamma Psi (local) in 1824 (!), most likely a typo for 1924 in the Baird's Archive.
* 1 2 Samford University had been known as Howard College until 1965.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Phi Beta Tau (local) in January 1925.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Kappa Phi Alpha (local) earlier in 1928, or before that year.
* ↑ This chapter originated as the Rapier Club of Presbyterian College in 1926 prior to joining Alpha Lambda Tau.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Beta Phi (local) in 1924.
* ↑ This chapter originated as Phi Nu Beta (local) in 1923. It was the first chapter granted north of the Mason–Dixon line.
* ↑ This chapter originated as the College Men Club (local) prior to 1928.
* ↑ Originated as Eta Beta Kappa in 1925.
* ↑ Originated as Phi Beta Gamma (local) in 1921.
* ↑ Originated as Alpha Gamma Chi (local) in 1925. Withdrew from ΑΛΤ in 1941.
* ↑ Originated as Phi Beta Epsilon (local) in 1926.
* ↑ Originated as Phi Psi Phi (local) on October 26, 1930.
* ↑ Originated as Iota Nu Delta (local) fraternity in 1914.
* ↑ Originated as the Bonanza Club (local) in 1914.
* ↑ Originated as Theta Tau Omega (local) in 1925.
* ↑ 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.
* 1 2 Trine University was called Tri-State University until 2008.
* ↑ Originated as the Alpha chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma in 1921.
* ↑ 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.