Alpha Digamma

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Alpha Digamma
ΑϜ
coat of arms of Alpha Digamma
FoundedFebruary 16, 1859; 166 years ago (February 16, 1859)
Marietta College
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusMerged
Merge dateFebruary 6, 1920
SuccessorAlpha Tau Omega
ScopeRegional
Member badge
Colors  Black and   Old Gold
SymbolLamp, dagger, key, and clasped hands
MascotOwl
PublicationDigamma Record
Chapters4
Members300+ lifetime
NicknameDigs, Dig
HeadquartersMarietta, Ohio
United States

Alpha Digamma (AϜ) was an American collegiate fraternity. It was established in 1859 at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. The fraternity expanded to include four chapters in Ohio and Delaware. After 61 years, its last active chapter merged into Alpha Tau Omega in 1920. Digamma is an archaic Greek letter.

History

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Alpha Digamma[a] was established in February 1859 at Marietta College in Marietta Ohio.[1][2] The first meeting was held in A. J. McKim's dormitory room No. 20 N.H., on February 7.[3] At its second meeting, the fraternity adopted a constitution and, thus, considered February 16, 1859 as its founding date.[3] The founders members were Russell Bottsford Brownell, Thomas J. Cochran, Timothy Lewis Condit, Ephraim Cutler Dawes, Rufus R. Dawes, William H. Fleek, John Calvin Garrison, Josiah Henry Jenkins, Isaac Hollenbach Johnson, Joseph Addison Kingsbury, Frank Putnam Lutz, John Newton Lyle, Reese Marshall Newport, Edwin Wilder Newton, Andrew Jackson McKim, and Henry Martin Parker.[4][5] Rufus Dawes wrote the fraternity's constitution and bylaws.[3]

Alpha Digamma was the first successful local fraternity at Marietta College.[6] It formed from an society created to participate in literary society politics.[7] The 1883 Mariettian yearbook noted, "The work of Alpha Digamma has ever been in perfect harmony with the object and purpose of the Literary Societies and for the advancement of the best interests of Marietta College."[2]

In 1860, a second chapter, Beta, was chartered at Delaware College; however, its charter was revoked due to its members' misconduct.[1][2] A third chapter was formed at Kenyon College in 1860, but it went inactive the next year.[7] A fourth chapter was chartered at Ohio Wesleyan University in 1864, but withdrew in 1873 to join Chi Phi.[1][7]

Membership in Alpha Digamma was limited by its charter.[2] By 1879, the fraternity had initiated 168 members;[1] that number had increased to nearly 200 in 1883.[2] At that time, it was the oldest fraternity at Marietta College.[2][8] The fraternity established the Andrews Scholarship in 1890, named in honor of Marietta College's president Israel Ward Andrews.[2]

In 1890, Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities 4th edition notes that the fraternity was inactive, with the Alpha chapter closing in February 1890.[9] However, Baird's Manual lists the fraternity as active in its 1898 edition, with the Marietta chapter having initiated 250 members.[10] The chapter's hall was in a rented room on Putnam Street.[11] In November 1897, Alpha rented rooms on the third floor of the McCulloch Building on Greene Street in Marietta.[12] There, the chapter held is annual commencement banquet and dance, with also served as reunions.[13][11][14][15]

The chapter moved into Schlicher Hall at 110 Front Street on October 1, 1900.[16][15] However, the fraternity was down to one active member in 1902.[8] That member reestablished the fraternity, which moved to the third floor of the Register-Leader Building on 211 Second Street.[8] Its membership had grown to 300 by 1905.[17] In December 1910, the fraternity gave up its rooms in the Register-Leader Building and began meeting at the homes of alumni.[8]

During the 1915–1916 academic year, Alpha Digamma began investigating a merger with a national fraternity.[5] Because Alpha Tau Omega's chapter at Marietta College had been inactive since 1898, Alpha Digamma petitioned to join that fraternity.[5] However, the merger was delayed by World War I.[5] Finally, Alpha Digamma merged with Alpha Tau Omega on February 7, 1920, reviving the Beta Rho chapter.[7][18] At the merger ceremony, 54 members of Alpha Digamma became members of Alpha Tau Omega.[5] The merger was celebrated by a banquet at the Lafayette Hotel.[5] At the time of the merger, Alpha Digamma was known as "the oldest local fraternity west of the Alleghany Mountains".[5]

Symbols

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Alpha Digamma's colors were black and old gold.[1][19][3][20][b] The fraternity's badge was "a crescent-shaped disk, in the broadest part of which is a shield-shaped space bearing a lighted lamp. To the left and right are the Greek letters Α and Ϝ.[c] Beneath the Α are clasped hands, while beneath the Ϝ are a key and dagger crossed."[1]

The fraternity's semi-annual publication was the Digamma Record.[17] It also published a member's catalog in 1880.[7][4][2] The fraternity's nickname was "the Dig", and its members were called "the Digs".[14][5]

Chapters

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Following is a list of the chapters of Alpha Digamma. The local fraternity of the same name that was established at the University of Utah in 1902 is unrelated.[21]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha February 16, 1859 – February 7, 1920 Marietta College Marietta Ohio Merged (ΑΤΩ) [1][7][18][d]
Beta (First) 1860–1864 Delaware College Newark, Delaware Inactive [1][2][e]
Gamma 1860–1861 Kenyon College Gambier, Ohio Inactive [7]
Beta 1864–1873 Ohio Wesleyan University Delaware, Ohio Withdrew (ΧΦ) [1][7][f]

Notable members

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Digamma is an archaic letter of the Greek alphabet, similar to "W".
  2. ^ Baird's Manual refers to the fraternity's colors as black and gold, whereas Marietta College yearbooks indicate that the fraternity's colors were black and old gold.
  3. ^ While pronunciation differs between the two, note the similarity in design to the English letter F, where the Digamma has a short downward stroke off the lower horizontal bar, in both upper case and lower case, and which is not merely a serif.
  4. ^ The chapter merged with Alpha Tau Omega, reestablishing its Beta Rho chapter.
  5. ^ This chapter lost its charter for member misconduct.
  6. ^ This chapter withdrew in 1893 to join Chi Phi; it was chartered as part of Chi Phi in 1898.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Baird, William Raimond, ed. American College Fraternities, 1st edition. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co.,1879. pp. 31–32. via Hathi Trust.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "The Mariettian [yearbook]". Marietta College Legacy Library. Marietta, Ohio: Marietta College. 1883. p. 11. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Mariettan [yearbook]]". Marietta College Legacy Library. Marietta, Ohio: Marietta College. 1901. p. 90 and 93 [unnumbered]. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  4. ^ a b c d Alpha Digamma Society (1880). Catalogue of the members of the Alpha Digamma Society, Alpha Chapter of Marietta College, 1859-80. Cincinnati: Peter G. Thomson, Printer – via Hathi Trust.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Mariettana [yearbook]". Marietta College Legacy Library. Marietta, Ohio: Marietta College. 1921. p. 133. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  6. ^ Schroeder, Jessica (1996). "Alpha to Omega". Changes (Spring). Department of Mass Media, Marietta College: 21 – via Marietta College Legacy Library.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (July 11, 2205) "Inactive Men's Organizations ". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed September 12, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d "Mariettana [yearbook]". Marietta College Legacy Library. Marietta, Ohio: Marietta College. 1913. p. 64. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  9. ^ Baird, William Raimond, ed. American College Fraternities, 4th edition. New York: James P. Downs, 1890. p. 259. via Hathi Trust.
  10. ^ Baird, William Raimond, ed. American College Fraternities, 5th edition. New York: Wm. Raimond Baird, 1898. p. 280. via Hathi Trust.
  11. ^ a b "Personal and Local". Marietta Daily Leader. 1896-06-17. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Personal and local". Marietta Daily Leader. 1897-11-10. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Last Night's Dances". Marietta Daily Leader. 1900-06-14. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b c "Alpha Digamma's Custom". Marietta Daily Leader. 1901-06-13. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b "Banquet Tonight". Marietta Daily Leader. 1901-06-12. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "College Notes". Marietta Daily Leader. 1900-10-02. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b Baird, William Raimond, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 6th edition. New York: The Alcolm Company, 1905. p. 339. via Hathi Trust.
  18. ^ a b "Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity". Marietta College. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  19. ^ "Mariettana [yearbook]". Marietta College Legacy Library. Marietta, Ohio: Marietta College. 1905. p. 82 (unnumbered). Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  20. ^ a b c "Mariettana [yearbook]". Marietta College Legacy Library. Marietta, Ohio: Marietta College. 1917. p. 95. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  21. ^ Baird, William Raimond, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 7th edition. New York: The College Fraternity Publishing Co., 1912. p. 572. via Hathi Trust
  22. ^ "Hon Chas. S. Dana Called from Life". The Times Recorder. Zanesville, Ohio. 1916-08-02. p. 12. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "Dangerous Measures Are Now Pending Before the Legislature". Bryan Press. 1896-02-20. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Herman E. Gieske, 62, a Veteran Newsman" (PDF). The New York Times. February 9, 1954. p. 27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  25. ^ "Herman E. Gieske | Alumni in the News". Marietta Alumnus. 19 (1): 14–15. October 1939 – via Marietta College Legacy Library.
  26. ^ "Mariettana [yearbook]". Marietta College Legacy Library. Marietta, Ohio: Marietta College. 1929. p. 97. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
  27. ^ "Dana Edward Johnson 1879-1937 | News of Our Alumni". The Marietta Alumnus. 17 (3): 13–14. January 1938 – via Marietta College Legacy Library.
  28. ^ "E. D. Johnson Dead; Editor in Santa Fe; Pilot of The New Mexican 24 Years Widely Known for His Vigorous Editorials" (PDF). The New York Times. December 11, 1937. p. 19. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-09-13.
  29. ^ "Judge Pierpont Will Retire from Bench Here". Evening Eagle. Wichita, Kansas. 1944-05-04. pp. 1, 2. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Societt". The Topeka Capital-Journal. 1913-11-10. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Judge Honored by YMCA Directors". The Wichita Eagle. 1954-02-19. p. 18. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "Death Takes Former Judge". The Wichita Eagle. 1954-01-01. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-09-12 – via Newspapers.com.