Delta Omicron Alpha

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Delta Omicron Alpha
ΔΟΑ
Founded1907
Tulane University
Louisiana, New Orleans
TypeProfessional
EmphasisMedical
ScopeNational
Colors  Gold and   White
FlowerWhite rose
PublicationDelta Alpha Omicron Quarterly
Chapters8
Members1,063 lifetime
Merged w/Kappa Psi
November 17, 1917

Delta Omicron Alpha ( ΔΟΑ) was an American medical fraternity that operated from 1907 to 1917.[1] This national professional fraternity was established at Tulane University and merged with Kappa Psi in 1917.[2]

History[edit]

Delta Omicron Alpha was established in 1907 at the College of Medicine of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana.[1] It created by-laws and a constitution, along with a ritual.[3] The fraternity was managed through a Grand Chapter and held annual conventions.[3]

The fraternity expanded to Columbia University by creating its Beta chapter in 1908. In 1910, the Gamma chapter and Delta chapter were established at the University of Tennessee and Southwestern University, respectively. Four additional chapters were added between 1911 and 1914.[1] However, several medical schools closed or merged around 1915 because of a reduction in the number of students, resulting in two chapters closing and others struggling.[4]

Delta Omicron Alpha merged with the medical and pharmaceutical fraternity Kappa Psi on November 17, 1917.[2] Before the merger, the fraternity had initiated 1,063 members.[1]

Symbols and traditions[edit]

The fraternity's badge was a black enameled triangle, margined in jewels.[3][1] It was decorated with gold Greek letters in the center.[3][1] A gold star was above the letters, with a gold serpent below the letters.[1][3] Its colors were gold and white, and the flower was a white rose. The fraternity's publication was the Delta Omicron Alpha Quarterly.[5]

Chapters[edit]

Following is a list of the chapters of Delta Omicron Alpha.[1][3][4] Inactive chapters and institutions are indicated in italics.

Chapter Chartered date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha 1907 – December 1, 1917 Tulane University College of Medicine New Orleans, Louisiana Merged [a]
Beta 1908 – November 17, 1917 Columbia University New York City, New York Merged [b]
Gamma 1910 – 191x ? University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Inactive [c]
Delta 1910–1915 Southwestern University College of Medicine Georgetown, Texas Inactive [d]
Epsilon 1910 – November 29, 1917 University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Merged [e]
Zeta 1912–1915 Birmingham Medical College Birmingham, Alabama Inactive [6][f]
Eta 1912 – December 15, 1917 Fort Worth School of Medicine Fort Worth, Texas Merged [7][g]
Theta 1914 – November 17, 1917 Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery Valparaiso, Indiana Merged [8][h]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ The Alpha chapter merged into the Pi (first) chapter of Kappa Psi in 1917 as part of the national merger of the two fraternities.
  2. ^ Beta chapter merged into the Gamma chapter of Kappa Psi in 1917 as part of the national merger of the two fraternities.
  3. ^ Gamma chapter decided to close due to a reduction in the number of medical students at Memphis. The chapter became part of the Pi (first) chapter of Kappa Psi in 1917 as part of the national merger of the two fraternities.
  4. ^ Delta chapter went dormant when Southwestern closed its College of Medicine.
  5. ^ Epsilon chapter merged with Iota chapter of Kappa Psi as part of the two fraternities' national merger.
  6. ^ Birmingham Medical College (BMC) closed in 1912. In October 1913, the Graduate Medical School of Alabama began operating in the former BMC facilities, allowing the remaining BMC students to graduate. This chapter went defunct when the last BMC students graduated in June 1915.
  7. ^ Eta chapter became the Beta Sigma (first) chapter of Kappa Phi in 1917 as part of the national merger of the two fraternities. Fort Worth School of Medicine closed in 1919.
  8. ^ Chicago College of Medicine and Surgery was part of Valparaiso University. It was purchased by Loyola University in 1917, the same year the fraternity had a national merger with Kappa Psi. Theta chapter became the Beta Rho (first) chapter of Kappa Psi with the merger.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Baird, William Raimond; Taylor, James Taylor, eds. (1923). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities; a Descriptive Analysis of the Fraternity System in the Colleges of the United States, with a Detailed Account of Each Fraternity (10th ed.). New York: James T. Brown, editor and publisher. pp. 514–515 – via Hathi Trust.
  2. ^ a b "Our History". Kappa Psi. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Bliss, A. Richard (May 1922). "A Brief History of the Kappa Psi Fraternity". Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. XI (5): 354–355 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ a b "Delta Omicron Alpha, Phi Delta, Kappa Psi Merger". The Mask. XV (1): 11-12. January 1918 – via Hathi Trust.
  5. ^ Corolla yearbook. Board of Publications, University of Alabama. 1915. p. 242. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
  6. ^ Batesel, Paul. "Birmingham Medical College, Birmingham, Alabama". America's Lost Colleges. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  7. ^ Batesel, Paul. "Fort Worth University, Fort Worth, Texas". America's Lost Colleges. Retrieved 2023-04-05.
  8. ^ Batesel, Paul. "American College of Medicine and Surgery, Chicago, Illinois". America's Lost Colleges. Retrieved 2023-04-04.