Theta Kappa Phi (ΘΚΦ) was an American social fraternity for Catholics founded on October 1, 1919, at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. On April 29, 1959, it merged with a similar Catholic fraternity, Phi Kappa, to form Phi Kappa Theta.
| Theta Kappa Phi | |
|---|---|
| ΘΚΦ | |
 | |
| Founded | October 1, 1919 Lehigh University |
| Type | Social |
| Former affiliation | NIC |
| Status | Merged |
| Merge date | April 29, 1959 |
| Successor | Phi Kappa Theta |
| Emphasis | Catholic students |
| Scope | National |
| Member badge |  |
| Colors | Red, Silver, and Gold |
| Symbol | Sun |
| Flower | Columbine |
| Publication | The Sun of Theta Kappa Phi |
| Chapters | 23 |
| Colonies | 1 |
| Members | 4,000+ lifetime |
| Headquarters | United States |
History
editThe idea for the organization developed from a group of men who were a part of the university’s Newman Club, who had met in 1914.[1] Plans for the official establishment of the fraternity fell through upon the entry of the United States into the First World War in 1917, with several members subsequently joining the armed forces. Of the original group, three returned to Lehigh at the end of hostilities to resume their studies, including Raymond J. Bobbin, Peter J. Carr, and August Concilio.[2]
Following the conclusion of the war in November 1918 and the return of members to college, Carr led efforts to restart the process of establishing a social fraternity at Lehigh. Ultimately thirty men, including Concilio, Carr, and Bobbin, agreed to the establishment of the X Club, the original name of Theta Kappa Phi.[2][3]
During the first few months of the new fraternity’s existence, several important actions were undertaken. In a meeting on November 12, 1919, the X Club would select Theta Kappa Phi as its new name. At the time of its adoption, the letters simply stood in place for ‘The Catholic Fraternity’ before they were given a secret meaning later upon merger into Phi Kappa Theta in 1959. The founding group would elect Concilio as the fraternity’s first President. Carr successfully began the infant fraternity’s nationalization by unifying with Kappa Theta fraternity at Pennsylvania State University, establishing the group there as its Beta chapter on March 22, 1922.[3]
Meanwhile, the fraternity would receive valuable help and inspiring leadership from local Bethlehem pastor, Rev. William I. McGarvey. Since none of the existing members had fraternity experience, McGarvey was a valuable asset in developing the fledgling group into a true fraternity in its early days. McGarvey would additionally secure the help of Rev. Michael Andrew Chapman in writing Theta Kappa Phi’s ritual, who was an Episcopal priest as well as a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Bard College. The basics of Theta Kappa Phi’s ritual are still used in Phi Kappa Theta’s ritual today, while McGarvey’s effort for Theta Kappa Phi gained him recognition as the fraternity’s fourth founder.[3]
Theta Kappa Phi continued to expand to other colleges and universities in the surrounding region. On April 29, 1959, Theta Kappa Phi merged with a similar Catholic fraternity, Phi Kappa, to form Phi Kappa Theta.[1] At the time the merger, Theta Kappa Phi had 24 active chapters across the United States.[1] It had 4,000 members in 1957.[4]
Symbols
editThe Greek letters Theta Kappa Phi were selected to stand for "The Catholic Fraternity".[3]
The badge of Theta Kappa Phi was a gold shield with a black enamel center that featured the Greek letters ΘΚΦ, over a golden heart. The badge was bordered with crown-set pearls, and four rubies in the form of a cross.[1] Its pledge pin was a white shield, bordered with a gold chain that enclosed a golden sun.[1]
The fraternity's colors were red, silver, and gold.[1] Its flower was the Columbine.[1] Its publications was The Sun of Theta Kappa Phi.[1]
Chapters
editFollowing are the chapters of Theta Kappa Phi, with inactive chapters in italics.[1][5]
| Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status | References |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha | October 1, 1919 – April 29, 1959 | Lehigh University | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [a] |
| Beta | March 24, 1922 – April 29, 1959 | Pennsylvania State University | University Park, Pennsylvania | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [6][b] |
| Gamma | May 9, 1922 – April 29, 1959 | Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [6][c] |
| Delta | May 12, 1923 – April 29, 1959 | University of Illinois | Champaign and Urbana, Illinois | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [d] |
| Epsilon | May 9, 1924 – April 29, 1959 | University of New Hampshire | Durham, New Hampshire | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [e] |
| Zeta | April 9, 1925 – April 29, 1959 | Ohio Northern University | Ada, Ohio | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [f] |
| Eta | June 25, 1925 – April 29, 1959 | City College of New York | New York City, New York | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [g] |
| Theta | June 1, 1927 – 1931 | Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | Inactive | [h] |
| Iota | May 22, 1932 – April 29, 1959 | Temple University | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [i] |
| Kappa | January 4, 1934 – April 29, 1959 | University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [j] |
| Lambda | November 10, 1935 – April 29, 1959 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester, Massachusetts | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [k] |
| Mu | November 29, 1936 – April 29, 1959 | Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy | Worcester, Massachusetts | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [l] |
| Nu | May 2, 1937 – April 29, 1959 | Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [m] |
| Xi | April 14, 1938 – April 29, 1959 | Louisiana State University | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [n] |
| Omicron | May 4, 1941 – April 29, 1959 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, Louisiana | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [o] |
| Pi | April 10, 1948 – April 29, 1959 | St. Louis University | St. Louis, Missouri | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [p] |
| Rho | October 23, 1948 – April 29, 1959 | Mississippi State University | Starkville, Mississippi | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [q] |
| Sigma | March 13, 1949 – April 29, 1959 | Boston University | Boston, Massachusetts | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [r] |
| Tau | April 10, 1949 – April 29, 1959 | Saint Francis University | Loretto, Pennsylvania | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [s] |
| Upsilon | May 21, 1949 – April 29, 1959 | University of Missouri | Columbia, Missouri | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [7][t] |
| Phi | December 4, 1949 – April 29, 1959 | Kent State University | Kent, Ohio | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [u] |
| Chi | April 15, 1951 – April 29, 1959 | University of Mississippi | Oxford, Mississippi | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [v] |
| Psi | December 11, 1954 – April 29, 1959 | Northern Illinois University | DeKalb, Illinois | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [w] |
| Omega | May 18, 1957 – April 29, 1959 | University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit, Michigan | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [x] |
| UW Colony | University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, Wisconsin | Merged (ΦΚΘ) | [y] |
- ^ Chapter formed from the X Club (local), established in 1914. It became the Pennsylvania Alpha chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Kappa Theta (local), established in 1920. It became the Pennsylvania Beta Gamma chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Iota Lambda (local), established in 1920. It became the Ohio Gamma Theta chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Phi Lambda Pi (local), established in 1921. It became the Illinois Beta Delta chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Nu Sigma Mu (local), established in 1922. It became the New Hampshire Epsilon chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Newman Club, established in 1923. It became the Ohio Zeta chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Pi Theta Phi (local), established in 1921. It became the New York Eta chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Phi Kappa Theta (local), established in 1924 and unrelated to the national fraternity of the same name. It became the New York Theta chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Chi Lambda Phi (local), established in 1926. It became the Pennsylvania Iota chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Delta Phi Epsilon (local), established in 1930. It became the Oklahoma Kappa chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Friars Club, established in 1930. It became the Massachusetts Lambda chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Cardinal Mercier Club (local), established in 1925. It became the Missouri Mu chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Friars Club, established in 1936. It became the Oklahoma Nu chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Louisiana Xi chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Louisiana Omicron chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Delta Nu (local), established in 1933. It became the Missouri Kappa Kappa chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Missouri Rho chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Massachusetts Sigma chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from Iota Chi Mu (local), established in 1947. It became the Pennsylvania Tau chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Missouri Kappa Upsilon chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Friars Club, established in 1947. It became the Ohio Phi chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Mississippi Chi chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Illinois Psi chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ Became the Michigan Omega chapter of Phi Kappa Theta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
- ^ This colony was established in 1954. With the national merger of the two fraternities, it joined the Wisconsin Lambda chapter of Phi Kappa Theta, established by a pre-existing chapter of Phi Kappa.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i Robson, John, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 17th edition. Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Co., 1963. pp. 734-735
- ^ a b Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-25–26. ISBN 978-0963715906.
- ^ a b c d "The Journey of Phi Kappa Theta". The History of Phi Kappa Theta, Part 3: The Early Days of Theta Kappa Phi (18 ed.). Indianapolis, Indiana: Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. 2016. pp. 34–36. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
- ^ Leland's Annual Fraternity-Sorority Directory. Leland Publishers. 1957. p. 6 – via Google Books.
- ^ William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), document with Theta Kappa Phi list". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 18 December 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
- ^ a b The Journey of Phi Kappa Theta. Phi Kappa Theta, 2011. via issuu
- ^ "History". Phi Kappa Theta. Retrieved 2025-04-01.