Gamma Sigma Delta

Our Local History

The Iowa Beta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta is considered to be the parent chapter of "The Honor Society of Agriculture - Gamma Sigma Delta." Gamma Sigma Delta began as a professional agricultural fraternity called Delta Theta Sigma at Ohio State University 1 December 1905. Its founders were the dean of the college, several faculty members, and some undergraduate students in the College of Agriculture.

While the group's original intention was for the organization to be strictly honorary, it developed into a social fraternity and maintained living quarters for some of its members. Later the fraternity acquired a chapter house. On 6 April 1907, an agricultural fraternity bearing the name of Delta Theta Sigma and located at Ohio State University was incofporated in the State of Ohio ". . . for the purpose of promoting agriculture in all its branches, to secure a high degree of scholarship, to foster the spirit of brotherhood and to insure social culture."

Three days after this incorporation, on 9 April 1907, a chapter of Delta Theta Sigma was installed at Iowa State College. On 30 March 1908, a chapter was installed at Pennsylvania State College. The fourth chapter was installed at the University of Missouri on 23 November 1908, the fifth chapter at Utah Agricultural College on 30 March 1909, and the sixth chapter at Oregon State College on 13 April 1909.

When the Iowa State Chapter was installed, it was with the idea that the fraternity would be purely honorary in character and that no chapter houses would be maintained. The Iowa State Chapter was joined in this objective by the chapters in Pennsylvania, Missouri, Utah and Oregon.

Name Changes for Society

The business of the Society is conducted at Conclaves. The first Conclave was held at Iowa State University in 1910. Conclaves have been held in even-numbered years since 1920. In all, Iowa State University has hosted four Conclaves, the most recent in 1990.

The 1913 Conclave, held in Columbia Missouri, settled the question of the strictly honorary character of the old Delta Theta Sigma fraternity. The Ohio State chapter temporarily withdrew, and the name of the national organization was changed to Gamma Sigma Delta. The new Greek letters were chosen to represent the society as it changed to a strictly honorary format. The letter Gamma was selected to represent Gaea, the goddess of earth, the original all-producing, all-nourishing mother. Sigma was to represent the Greek word Syndesmos, meaning to band together Delta represented Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture and rural life. Therefore, the letters Gamma Sigma Delta represent the binding together of earth, the mother of all, with the practice of agriculture and the arts related thereto, for the welfare of humankind. Chapters were added at Kansas State in 1914, and at Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1916. In 1915 a comparable organization, the Honor Society of Agriculture, was formed at the University of Minnesota. The Honor Society of Agriculture constitution was adopted on 10 March 1916.

The Iowa State chapter, now the parent chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta, tentatively rewrote the constitution that same year and stressed the honorary character of the organization. In early 1916, a joint committee of Gamma Sigma Delta and the Honor Society of Agriculture met at the University of Minnesota and reached a tentative agreement on a merger. A new constitution was drafted and ratified 11 May 1917 at Iowa State University. The constitution made Gamma Sigma Delta the honor society of agriculture, and strictly honorary in character. The constitution established the name as the Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta, and defined the broad principles of faculty control, and limited membership to graduating seniors, graduate students, alumni and faculty.

1950s Mark Turning Point

The year 1952 was a turning point in Gamma Sigma Delta's history. There were only ten chapters at that time, and there was reluctance to accept Gamma Sigma Delta on a campus where Alpha Zeta was established. Louis M. Thompson attended the biennial Conclave in 1952, and again in 1954 when he was elected national president-elect. In 1954, the decision was made to develop an attractive brochure to promote Gamma Sigma Delta in such a way as to be noncompetitive with Alpha Zeta. New chapters grew rapidly after 1954. By 1994 there were 47 chapters, and the society had become international.

Louis Thompson credits two people with having had the greatest influence on Gamma Sigma Delta since 1948. They are John A. Johnson of Kansas, who served as secretary (1950-1960), and Home L'Hote of Missouri, who was treasurer for more than 30 years, beginning in 1948. The 1950s brought significant changes that made the society a strong and viable influence in the land-grant college system.

Iowa State Chapter a Leader

The Iowa Beta Chapter has maintained a strong national leadership position in the society. W. F. Coover was a prime mover in developing the society in its formative years, and served as high chancellor from 1911-1912. Howard Vaughn served as grand chancellor from 1913-1915. H. H. Kildee served as president-elect from 1942-1944, president from 1944-1946, and received the National Award for Distinguished Service in 1952. Louis Thompson served as president-elect from 1954-1956, and president from 1956-1958. E. D. Ball was vice-chancellor from 1916-1918. L. H. Pammel served as secretary from 1916-1920 and C. A. Iverson held that same office from 1926-1928. J. O. Rankin was historian from 1917-1918 while at Iowa State, and served in that same office again from 1924-1930 while on the faculty at Nebraska. Richard I. Carter served as treasurer from 1982-1988, president-elect from 1988-1990, president from 1990-1992, and immediate past president from 1992-1994.

International Distinguished Service to Agriculture Awards have been given by the Society to several Iowa State University faculty and administrators:

H. H. Kildee (1952)

William G. Murray (1957)

Earl O. Heady (1974)

William P. Switzer (1981)

David G. Topel (1994)

Banquets, Awards Enjoy New Growth

The Iowa Beta Chapter discontinued the initiation banquets during WWII. Banquets were not held again until 1953 when Chapter president Harvey Lantz and secretary Louis M. Thompson re-established the banquet tradition. The 1953 banquet was a colorful occasion and set the tone for a long series of outstanding banquets. Lantz and Thompson had place cards engraved for seating arrangements, a tradition that continued until the late 1980s.

Two distinguished scientists, W. H. Pierre and Earl O. Heady, served as presidents of the Beta Chapter in 1954 and 1955, respectively, and set the pattern for the banquet program that continues to this time.

The Iowa Beta Chapter started its own Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award in 1952 by recognizing H. H. Kildee. The chapter also started recognizing distinguished alumni in 1953 when Herbert Pike and Wallace Barron were honored. In 1975, the chapter initiated the Alumni Award of Merit to honor alumni of the College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine. This award is granted to members only.

In the late 1950s the Iowa Beta chapter began annually recognizing senior and sophomore students, in the College of Agriculture, with outstanding academic records. In 1993 the chapter implemented the Mission Award of Merit, which annually recognizes three faculty in the college who have made exceptional contributions in the areas of extension, research and teaching.

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