History

Phi Gamma Delta in Indiana:

1856-Lambda Chapter founded at Asbury University (Depauw)
1864-Tau Chapter founded at Hanover—lost its charter in 2000, regained it in 2006
1866-Psi Chapter founded at Wabash College
1871-Zeta Chapter founded at Indiana University
1902-Lambda Iota founded at Purdue University
1969-Rho Phi founded at Rose Hulman
1971-Iota Sigma founded at Indiana State
2000-Epsilon Iota founded at University of Evansville
2001-Beta Sigma founded at Ball State

  The initial facts concerning the foundation of Psi Chapter date back to 1865.  Delta Psi Theta was a fraternity on campus that existed at this time.  This was not a nationally recognized fraternity, and perhaps may have been a local fraternity or one of a handful of chapters in Indiana.  This fraternity had several similarities to the international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta.  For example its pin was strikingly similar to the FIJI pin.  In December of 1865 17 members of Delta Psi Theta chose to resign for unknown reasons.  On June 1, 1866 these seventeen men decided to petition Phi Gamma Delta for a Charter.  They began this chartering process by first approaching the Lambda Chapter at Depauw university.  This charter was granted on June 19,1866, and thus began the long and storied history of Psi Chapter.

  In the early years of Psi, chapter meetings were held every week on Friday at the home of a member or in the rooms of South Hall, which served as a dormitory in the 1860’s.  In October 1869 Psi gained Thomas Riley Marshall ’73, who served as governor of Indiana and then later vice president to Woodrow Wilson in 1912.  The three fraternities on campus at this time all existed in secrecy because the college did not officially support them.  They however, ignored their presence and allowed them to continue meeting.  Psi continued to meet in the rooms of its members for its first nine years until 1875 when they acquired a chapter hall.  This hall was acquired in November, and it was located on the third floor of the Fisher Block on the corner of Main and Green streets.

  Members of the fraternity in the early days were known as “Deltas” or “Phi Gams” because the term FIJI was unknown at this time.  In 1893 Psi chapter moved from the third floor of the Fisher Block to the third floor of the Campbell Block on the corner of Main and Washington.  This hall was larger than the previous one, which gave the men room to dance.  The origins of pledgeship came in 1899.  Prior to this year, new members were selected and then they were immediately initiated.  This pledgeship varied in time.

  There was talk of purchasing a chapter house that dates back to 1892, however no action was taken until the spring of 1902, when Psi purchased the old Van Sickle home at 207 South Grant.  This was the first fraternity house on Wabash College’s campus.  Along with the purchase of the house, the Wabash College Phi Gamma Delta Association, aka the housing corp, was established.  They would meet annually and discuss matters pertaining to the management and operation of the house.  In this year, Psi also played a critical role in the chartering of the Lambda Iota chapter at Purdue University.  The men lived, studied, and slept in the house but did not eat there until 1908.  In 1904 Psi chapter began its tradition of tabletop carving of names, which was adopted from Stanford.  There was an annual dance every year at the college known as the Pan.  Fijis were banned from the dance in 1910 because the previous year they left during intermission with their dates to go back to the house at 207.  They had a dinner and a lot of fun and ultimately returned late, which made the other fraternities mad.  However, Psi didn’t give in so they decided to have their own Pan dance.  This dance was a huge success and nearly 100 people attended.  Subsequently, the Fijis were allowed to take part in the pan in 1911.  The Fijis began to excel academically during this time in the new house.  One brother in particular, Jake Schramm ’10, who won Phi Beta Kappa honors, received the highest grade point average any man in the college had made in twenty years.  He also graduated in three years.   

 

  The bombing of Pearl Harbor and subsequently the beginning of the S econd World War induced many changes in the house.  In April 1943 it was reported to the chapter that an inventory of the house must be made because the college was going to house Navy men.  So it was on July 1, 1943, when the Navy V-12 program began.  Psi Chapter became company 4, a Navy Barracks.  The house also became known as Ship Phi Gamma Delta.  The Navy left in October 1945 and after repairs the brothers were able to move back into the house in the spring of 1946.  Brother Gene Burks ’43 returned to the house after the war as the most decorated Wabash man in WWII.  He received the Distinguished Silver Cross.  In 1949 Harry Wright Duckworth ’92, a very loyal and dedicated brother, died.  In his will he left $65,000 to Psi Chapter.  At this time, it was the largest single gift received by any FIJI chapter.  In 1952 Psi chapter once again captured the Cheney for the 1950-1951 academic year.  Also in 1951 the house received its seven foot tall grandfather clock.  It was donated by Brother John A. Martin ’27.

  The actual capture of the bell during the Mexican bell heist of 1966 was successfully completed by FIJIs.  Around dinner time 8 brothers, one moid, and one independent went to Greencastle to steal the bell.  They knew of the location because of prior reconnaissance.  These brothers went down to the Quonset Hut on Depauw’s campus, which is where the bell was stored.  They removed a window from the hut and entered the building.  They found the bell and loaded into one of the brother’s car.  They brought it back to campus and stored it at one of the brother’s house who lived in Crawfordsville.  Eventually, they gave the bell over to Dean Moore.  However, if you ever get a chance look inside the bell and you will see a Greek psi engraved in the metal.

  Brother Bill “Abe” Diddel ’08, was considered Wabash’s greatest living athlete in 1979 and the college staged the Abe Diddel Night at the home basketball game against Depauw.  Diddel was a letterman if four sports, who was considered the greatest basketball player in the U.S.A.  He was also a member of the “Wabash Wonder Five” which was once considered the champion basketball team of the world. 

  In 2006 a new chapter house was built at 414 S. Grant and ushered in a new era at Phi Gamma Delta.  Brother Don Smith ’59 was the major contributor to its funding, and without him the new building could not have been built.  The house was designed and built by Brother Jim Riddle ’86 who is an architect and devoted graduate brother.  As we move on from 2006, we always keep in mind the brothers that have come before us and the legacy we will leave to those yet to come.