LOGAN, Utah — Twenty-five years after it ceased to exist as a functioning organization, a college fraternity for returned missionaries lives in the hearts of alumni who embraced its objectives of service and high standards.
In fact, a former member of the fraternity, Delta Phi, now a member of the Quorum of the Twelve, addressed a reunion of alumni Oct. 11 and championed those values.
Elder L. Tom Perry was the keynote speaker for the Delta Phi reunion held at Utah State University. Former members and their wives congregated for a luncheon and program at the Institute of Religion building adjacent to the university campus. Earlier in the day, the members were a featured entry in the university homecoming parade, seated in horse-drawn wagons emblazoned with a label identifying it as the university's first fraternity. Its origins date to 1869.
"We have a tradition worthy of remembering and living up to," said Elder Perry to about 90 people at the luncheon, including a few former Delta Phi "Dream Girls" and attendants, as well as an assemblage of former members of the Delta Phi Chorus who sang at various times under the direction of James Bradley from 1958 on. The past chorus members were reunited to sing three selections for the luncheon.
"That tradition must continue in some way," said Elder Perry, who reminisced about inspirational Sunday services in the institute chapel, about dances on the institute's parquet ballroom floor and about intermissions with organ recitals. "That was the time when most Delta Phis lost their pins," he said. "The pin went off the lapel of the Delta Phi onto a nice young lady, and [the prelude to] marriage started."
With World War II and a reduction of full-time missionaries, Delta Phi "faded away for a few years," Elder Perry said. "But then, after the war, there came back an inspired group of young men that wanted to revive Delta Phi again on the campus." He said the fraternity became known as leaders at Utah State and, for the Pioneer Centennial of 1947, presented a special assembly program honoring the pioneers. He said it was probably one of the greatest programs ever presented on campus.
He also recalled tri-chapter dinner dances held at other universities in Utah. One was held in the Joseph Smith Building on the BYU campus, where Elder John A Widtsoe of the Quorum of the Twelve, the fraternity's first national president, "gave us a charge and a responsibility to move forward and carry the tradition on of a returned missionary. I'll never forget that charge."
That night, Elder Perry said, "you could hardly dance because there were so many engagements occurring. They kept announcing them from the bandstand, engagement after engagement. That was the night I lost my Delta Phi pin."
Elder Perry said that by 1978, student wards and stakes were being organized on college campuses. "And with these student wards came the responsibilities of having the returned missionaries actively engaged in bishoprics, elders quorum presidencies, Sunday School presidencies and teaching capacities. . . . Gradually Delta Phi was asked to terminate. Then it was absorbed into Sigma Gamma Chi [the current college fraternity for Latter-day Saints]. We were obedient. We followed the leadership of the Church. We gave up Delta Phi and made it a part of student wards and stakes and the institute programs all over the country.
"So we have tradition. We have great fond memories of what it was to belong to this organization. We had our dream girls. We had our activities. We had our programs, and we had our music and choirs. Most of all, we were returned missionaries. We have an obligation to continue and keep alive the faith that we were trying to teach."
With the world's values crumbling, "something must happen," he said. "Some few of us must come forth. I think it has to be those who have had the opportunity of knowing the Lord. . . that we don't just bury it, that we give it away, as we gave away our fraternity pins, for something better in our lives. That gift will be the inspiration, the excitement, the thrill of being a returned missionary. Perpetuate that culture, that great heritage which is ours in a way that will keep it alive in these young men and women."
Alan Parrish, associate professor of ancient scripture at BYU and a former basketball star at Utah State, spoke on the life of Elder Widtsoe. Having distinguished himself at Harvard University, Elder Widtsoe joined the faculty of Utah State and put its Experimental Station "on the map," then became the "father of dry farming," Brother Parrish said. Later, he started the school of agriculture at BYU, then served as president of Utah State and the University of Utah respectively. Both Elder Perry and Brother Parrish touched on the history of the fraternity, which began in 1869 at the old University of Deseret, forerunner to the University of Utah. "It really became a Church fraternity at the University of Utah in 1920, when Elder Widtsoe was president of the U. . . . While there, they organized what they called the Friar's Club," Brother Parrish said. Later, some felt the name would be offensive to Catholics, so in 1931, the Greek letters delta phi, were adopted from a previous fraternity at the University of Utah, a debating society, with the alumni from that organization invited to be included in the new fraternity.
John Willis, Delta Phi president of 1952-53, who organized the reunion, said he is trying to establish contact with other alumni and asked that any who did not get notice of the reunion contact the USU Alumni Association at the e-mail address alumni@cc.usu.edu, or by the toll-free number of 1-800-291-2586.
E-mail: rscott@desnews.com
