# Phi Delta Pi

Phi Delta Pi (ΦΔΠ) 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 March 1970.

## History

Phi Delta Pi was founded on October 23, 1916 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 March 1970.

## 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.
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status |
| Alpha | October 23, 1916 – 1942 | Normal College of the North American Gymnastics Union | Indianapolis, IN | Inactive |
| Beta | 1918 – March 1970 | Temple University | Philadelphia, PA | Merged (ΔΨΚ} |
| Gamma | 1918–1919 | Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | Inactive |
| Delta | 1919–1965 | American College of Physical Education (now De Paul) | Chicago, IL | Inactive |
| Epsilon | 1918–March 1970 | Kellogg School of Physical Education | Battle Creek, MI | Merged (ΔΨΚ} |
| Zeta | 1919–1921 | Chicago Normal School of Physical Education | Chicago, IL | Inactive |
| Eta | 1920–19xx ? | University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | Inactive |
| Theta | 1922–19xx ? | Ithaca School of Physical Education | Ithaca, NY | Merged (ΔΨΚ} |
| Iota | 1924–1944 | Savage School of Physical Education | New York, NY | Inactive |
| Kappa | 1927–1944 | Panzer College of Physical Education | East Orange, NJ | Inactive |
| Lambda | 1928–1936 | Ohio University | Athens, OH | Inactive |
| Mu | 1929–19xx | Utah State University | Logan, UT | Inactive |
| Nu | 1930–1942 | Southeastern Teachers College | Durant, OK | Inactive |
| Xi | 1931–19xx | Brigham Young University | Provo, UT | Inactive |
| Omicron | 1933–1943 | University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | Inactive |
| Pi | 1935–1954 | Slippery Rock University | Slippery Rock, PA | Inactive |
| Rho | 1949–1965 | Wittenberg University | Springfield, OH | Inactive |
| Sigma | 1951–19xx | University of Minnesota Duluth | Duluth, MN | Inactive |
| Tau | 1952–1970 | University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | Merged (ΔΨΚ} |
| Upsilon | 1959–1970 | Florida State University | Tallahassee, FL | Merged (ΔΨΚ} |
* ↑ Chapter joined the existing Tau chapter of Delta Psi Kappa at the time of the merger of the two groups.
* ↑ The Physical Education school at what was then known as Battle Creek College, was open until 1938 as a department of what became Andrews University.
* ↑ Chapter joined or became the Eta chapter of Delta Psi Kappa at the time of the merger to the two groups.
* ↑ This school was also the site of the Lambda chapter of ΔΨΚ (1920).
* ↑ This school was also the site of Psi chapter (1931-19xx) of ΔΨΚ.
* ↑ This school was also the site of the Lambda chapter of ΔΨΚ (1920).
* ↑ This school (Panzer) was also the site of the Theta chapter;; of ΔΨΚ (1919). Panzer merged with nearby Montclair State College in 1958.
* ↑ A separate Alpha Phi chapter of ΔΨΚ was established on the Slippery Rock campus in 1956
* ↑ Appears to have become the Beta Tau chapter of ΔΨΚ.
* ↑ Appears to have become the Beta Upsilon chapter of 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