Sigma Delta Rho


Sigma Delta Rho was a small national men's fraternity founded on January 8, 1921 at Miami University of Ohio, the fifth general social fraternity to be formed at that school. It "disintegrated" in the spring of 1935 due to pressures of the Great Depression and "absence of strong leadership." About half its chapters were absorbed into other fraternities.

History

Sigma Delta Rho was founded at Miami University on January 8, 1921 under the name of Delta Sigma Rho, and had received recognition from the university as a new local fraternity under that name. However, it was discovered that there was a previously existing national recognition society of the same name, thus after several months, when plans were made for expansion into a national organization the chapter changed its own name, switching the order of the first two letters, to avoid confusion.
Incorporated then as Sigma Delta Rho under the laws of the State of Ohio, the chapter was the fifth social fraternity to be founded at Miami. Sigma Delta Rho honored five founders:
The official badge of the society was a cross paté formé purpure with edges or, connected by four chains of five links each; this was superimposed with a mascle, or, enclosing the letters ΣΔΡ on a field of argent.

Chapters

lists an eventual nine chapters formed between 1921 and 1934. Dates for disbanding are from collegiate yearbooks:
According to Baird's, disagreement developed among its chapters as to the policies of the fraternity. Additionally, financial problems caused by the Great Depression and a lack of strong leadership all led to a downfall in the spring of 1935.
Fellow national fraternity Alpha Kappa Pi gained the chapters at Franklin and Marshall, Toledo, and Cincinnati. This national later merged with Alpha Sigma Phi. The Illinois chapter banded together with a faltering chapter of Beta Psi to form a new chapter of Pi Kappa Phi. The others "gradually disappeared."