Delta Theta Sigma () is a social professional agricultural
fraternity
A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...
. It was created in 1906 at The
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...
. There are currently seven active chapters of Delta Theta Sigma.
Purpose of Delta Theta Sigma
As stated in its constitution:
''We, the members of Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, in order to promote agriculture, to secure a higher degree of scholarship, to foster the spirit of brotherhood in our vocation, and to ensure social and cultural unity, do promote our organization to the fulfillment of these ideals.''
Common Interests
The brotherhood of Delta Theta Sigma is composed of elite agriculture majors from all over the United States. The national Delta Theta Sigma network includes eight chapters through Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Minnesota, University of Wisconsin–River Falls, Purdue University, Wilmington College of Ohio, and University of Minnesota-Crookston. Brothers share common interests in agriculture and outdoor recreation. A majority of the members have agricultural and/or rural backgrounds, which provide common bonds through experiences.
History of Delta Theta Sigma
In the spring of 1906, several men gathered together in a rooming house at 175 West 9th Avenue in
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
. The idea, conceived primarily by three men, Maxwell Corotius, Samuel N. Kerr, and Stanley B. Stowe, was the actual beginning of Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity at The Ohio State University. The fraternity was incorporated under the laws of the State of Ohio on April 5, 1907 with 17
charter members.
The name, Delta Theta Sigma, and the fourfold purposes of the fraternity were drafted with the advice of Professor Smith of the Greek Language Department at Ohio State University.
The Delta Theta Sigma idea was contagious, not only at Ohio State University but also on many other agricultural college campuses throughout the Midwest. Within a few years chapters had been organized on ten other campuses. At a national convention in 1912, all of the chapters except the original chapter at Ohio State University voted to make Delta Theta Sigma an agricultural honorary fraternity. The local chapter at Ohio State University retained the original name, Delta Theta Sigma. The other ten chapters, therefore, assumed the name,
Gamma Sigma Delta
Gamma Sigma Delta (), or more fully, the Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta, is an honor society for Agriculture students and those in related fields. Founded in 1913, it is the oldest and largest such society for its academic discip ...
.
On November 26, 1927, representatives from Delta Theta Sigma at Ohio State University, Alpha Gamma Phi, a local at Pennsylvania State University, and a former
FarmHouse
FarmHouse (FH) is a social Fraternities and sororities in North America, fraternity founded at the University of Missouri on April 15, 1905. It became a national organization in 1921. Today FarmHouse has 33 active chapters and four associate ch ...
chapter at the University of Wisconsin–Madison met in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in Room 211 of the William Penn Hotel. This meeting resulted in the formation of a new national agriculture fraternity, Delta Theta Sigma.
Within a two-year period from 1957-1958 all three chapters moved into new houses. ''Gamma chapter'' at Wisconsin expanded from one house into two houses located at 320 North Lathrop Street. ''Beta chapter'' at Pennsylvania was the victim of a costly fire during the winter of 1958. They were fortunate, however, and found an excellent house at 101 North Patterson Street, into which they moved during the spring of 1958. ''Alpha chapter'' at Ohio State outgrew the old house and moved into a new chapter home located at 80 East 13th Avenue in March 1958.
This same year, 1958, found the fraternity growing nationally, also. A fourth chapter, ''Delta'', at the University of Minnesota, was organized and approved for membership in Delta Theta Sigma in May 1958. During the 1960-61 school year, ''Delta chapter'' rented their first and present chapter home located at 1485 North Cleveland Ave, St. Paul, MN. Then, in the fall of 1966 growth required they would rent the downstairs of the house next door at 1495 North Cleveland Avenue, in St. Paul.
In 1969, a fifth chapter, ''Epsilon'', was chartered at the
University of Wisconsin–River Falls
The University of Wisconsin–River Falls (UW–River Falls or UWRF) is a public university in River Falls, Wisconsin. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System. The campus is situated on the Kinnickinnic River (St. Croix River), Kinnic ...
. Albert Beaver, a ''Gamma chapter''
alumnus
Alumni (singular: alumnus (masculine) or alumna (feminine)) are former students of a school, college, or university who have either attended or graduated in some fashion from the institution. The feminine plural alumnae is sometimes used for grou ...
, was instrumental in organizing ''Epsilon'', and in 1970, helped them to purchase the house in which they are presently located.
The Fraternity's sixth chapter, ''Zeta'', was organized and chartered at
Purdue University
Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...
, West Lafayette, Indiana, in the spring of 1982. With the help of four alumni, Neils Neilson, ''Gamma''; George Van Soyoc and Jim Vorst, ''Alpha''; and Herb Olm, ''Delta'', the thirteen charter members and one new member, were activated by National Delta Theta Sigma officers in May 1982. ''Zeta'' was very fortunate to be able to rent a house their first year and are presently located at 321 Vine Street.
In January 1983 agricultural students at Wilmington College of Ohio had a desire to belong to a national fraternity. Through the leadership of senior J. Timothy McCarty, thirty-six students were recruited and expressed desire to become founding fathers of ''Eta chapter''. With the direction of National Officer Rick Harr, the ''Eta chapter'' was organized and chartered in the Spring of 1983. With the help of the National Executive Council, the purchase of a large house near campus was made, located at 780 Rombach Ave., Wilmington, OH, and was occupied in January 1984.
In 1997 Delta Theta Sigma colonized the
University of Minnesota Crookston
The University of Minnesota Crookston (UMN Crookston) is a public college in Crookston, Minnesota. One of five campuses in the University of Minnesota system, UMN Crookston had a fall 2022 enrollment of 1,489 undergraduate students. Students come ...
Chapter with much help from the Men of ''Delta chapter''. ''Theta chapter'' was officially recognized as a chapter at the 1998 Conclave hosted by ''Delta chapter''. At its beginning, ''Theta chapter'' was renting a house located at 101 North Nelson, Crookston, MN. They now reside in a house located at 204 Gorgas Ave., in Crookston. .
Notable alumni
*
Conrad Elvehjem
Conrad Arnold Elvehjem (May 27, 1901July 27, 1962) was internationally known as an American biochemist in nutrition. In 1937 he identified two vitamins, nicotinic acid, also known as niacin, and nicotinamide, which were deficient directly in hum ...
, who discovered
niacin
Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid, is an organic compound and a form of vitamin B3, an essential human nutrient. It can be manufactured by plants and animals from the amino acid tryptophan. Niacin is obtained in the diet from a variet ...
, was a member of the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
chapter.
*
Harry Steel, who won a gold medal in
Freestyle Wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling originated from Great Britain and the United States. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. American high school and men's college wrestling ...
for the United States in the
1924 Olympics in
Paris, France
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
, was a member of the Ohio State University chapter.
*
Russell Redding
Russell C. Redding is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, having been nominated by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and confirmed in May 2015 and again in May 2023 following his reappointment by Josh Shapiro. He had previously served in tha ...
, who is the current Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, was a member of the
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...
chapter.
*Arthur W. Nesbit, who was the founder and CEO of NASCO, was a member of the
Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State or PSU) is a Public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related Land-grant university, land-grant research university with campuses and facilities throughout Pennsylvan ...
chapter.
Chapters
This is the chapter list of Delta Theta Sigma. Active chapters in bold, inactive chapters in ''italics''.
[ The main archive URL i]
The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage
See also
*
List of social fraternities and sororities
Social or general fraternities and sororities, in the North American fraternity system, are those that do not promote a particular profession (as professional fraternities are) or discipline (such as service fraternities and sororities). Instea ...
*
Professional fraternities and sororities
Professional fraternities, in the North American fraternity system, are organizations whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession and whose membership is restricted to students in that particular field of profess ...
References
{{Professional Fraternities
Student organizations established in 1906
Student societies in the United States
Fraternities and sororities in the United States
1906 establishments in Ohio