Delta Gamma History
A Timeline of Important Events
1873 - Anna Boyd, Mary Comfort and Eva Webb founded the Delta Gamma Club at Lewis School in Oxford, Mississippi, during the Christmas holiday when impassable roads made it impossible for them to return home, and chose the letter "H" as their emblem, which stood for hope.
1874 - First Initiation conducted, Anna Boyd delivers "First Initiation Address."
1877 - Anchor badge replaced original "H" pin.
1878 - George Banta, Phi Delta Theta, (Delta Gamma's only male member) accorded membership in order to carry out expansion in the North. First northern chapter, Phi Alpha-Franklin College, established by George Banta in Indiana.
1881 - First Convention held in Oxford, Mississippi.
1883 - Second Convention, held in Akron, Ohio, voted the ANCHORA into existence and added the color bronze to pink and blue.
1884 - First ANCHORA published.
1885 - Cream Rose designated as the Fraternity flower at Convention in Madison, Wisconsin. Convention determined "fraternity" would continue to be used in reference to Delta Gamma rather than the newer term, sorority.
1887 - March 15 designated as Reunion Day (now Founders Day) at the fifth Convention, Evanston, Illinois.
1891 - First intersorority meeting held.
1895 - Fraternity government by a Grand Chapter ended: a Council established to govern between Conventions.
1896 - Zeta-Albion, opened a chapter lodge, the first building constructed and owned by a Delta Gamma Chapter.
1902 - National Panhellenic Conference established by a meeting of seven women's groups in Chicago. Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Pi Beta Phi were all in attendance.
1905 - Fourteenth Convention, Evanston, Illinois adopted uniform anchor badge and new member pin.
1909 - Design for Fraternity Crest created by Leota Woy, Phi-Colorado, a commercial artist. For the first time, Mary Comfort Leonard, Eva Webb Dodd, and George Banta attended Delta Gamma Convention.
1911 - First Delta Gamma philanthropy established, the Scholarship Loan program. Plans made for a cookbook to raise funds.
1913 - Eighteenth Convention opened and installed Alpha Gamma-Toronto, the first Canadian chapter.
1917 - During World War I, Delta Gamma funded an orphanage in Belgium and opened the Delta Gamma House for Children in Holland.
1924 - Scholarship Endowment in honor of the Fraternity's 50th birthday totaled $57,000. First fellowships established.
1936 - Aid to the Blind adopted as Fraternity-wide philanthropy. Martha Scott was enjoying stardom in long run on Broadway of "Our Town".
1938 - "Delta Gamma Dream Girl" introduced in the ANCHORA by Alpha Kappa-Washburn. Los Angeles Blind Childrens Center opened. Memorial House, to honor the Founders, opened at University of Mississippi after being funded through Fraternity donations.
1941 - Founders portraits by Helen Humphreys Lawrence, Lambda-Minnesota unveiled at Memorial House.
1942 - Central Office established in Columbus, Ohio, by Roberta Abernethy, Executive Secretary.
1945 - First Field Secretaries (now called CDCs) began travel assignments. International Education Project started with six chapters hosting foreign exchange students.
1950 - First presentation of 50-year member certificates.
1951 - The Delta Gamma Fraternity and the Delta Gamma Foundation were incorporated in Ohio. Learning Center for Visually Impaired Children is established by St. Louis Alumnae.
1962 - Dedication of Delta Gamma Executive Offices at 3250 Riverside Drive, Columbus, Ohio.
1964 - Freedoms Foundation awarded the George Washington Medal to Delta Gamma alumnae of Oak Park-River Forest (Illinois) for their textured flag for the blind.
1965 - Delta Gamma Archives at Executive Offices dedicated.
1966 - First Delta Gamma Anchor Splash® sponsored by Beta Tau-University of Miami (Florida).
1973 - Delta Gamma Fraternity Centennial.
1975 - Anchor on loan from the US Navy installed on the Executive Offices lawn.
1976 - The registered tea rose named "Delta Gamma" debuted at Alpha Upsilon-Southern Methodist's 50th Anniversary.
1978 - First Advisers Seminar held in Columbus, Ohio. Loyalty Fund established.
1981 - Delta Gamma receives the Distinguished Public Service Award from the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
1982 - Anchor Pre-School for Blind Children established by Denver alumnae.
1984 - Cable Connection launched to assist women seeking career guidance.
1985 - Fraternity merchandise program, Anchor Trader, opened for business. Anchor Award and Oxford Award established.
1987 - Delta Gamma introduces Well Aware program for women's health and wellness education.
1989 - Delta Gamma Fraternity Housing Corporation incorporated.
1990 - Foundation received ART OF THE EYE: An Exhibition on Vision, as a gift from the Gund Foundation.
1991 - New Foundation Center addition to Executive Offices dedicated. Foundation Center at Executive Offices dedicated as the Dorothy Garrett Martin Center.
1996 - Collegiate chapters reorganized internally, creating the Chapter Management Team concept. American Foundation for the Blind presented first Helen Keller Philanthropic Service Achievement Award to the Foundation.
1997 - Watchwords, a Total Member Education program, debuted. Delta Gamma Foundation developed ART OF THE EYE II. Delta Gamma established an official Web site. Kosciusko, Mississippi, Memorial Room to the Founders completed.
1998 - Delta Gamma celebrated its 125th anniversary.
