Alpha Lambda Tau


Alpha Lambda Tau was an American men's college fraternity founded in 1916 at Oglethorpe College in Brookhaven, Georgia. For its first decade, Alpha Lambda Tau permitted expansion only within the Southern states. In, the national organization of Alpha Lambda Tau dissolved; the majority of its chapters affiliated with Tau Kappa Epsilon.

History

Alpha Lambda Tau originated as the Alpha Lambda Club at Oglethorpe College in Brookhaven, Georgia on. In 1920, the group held its first biennial convention. In preparation of becoming a national fraternity, the club incorporated in the State of Georgia as Alpha Lambda Tau on. Being of Southern origin, it was originally decided that the fraternity would not expand north of the Mason–Dixon line.
Alpha Lambda Tau grew by absorbing numerous local fraternities at Southern universities. Beta was established in 1922 at the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, followed by Gamma at Mercer University in 1923. The fraternity dropped its anti-northern expansion policy at the 1927 national convention and issued a charter to Lambda at the University of Illinois.
Alpha Lambda Tau became a junior member of the National Interfraternity Conference in. By 1930, it had initiated 1,250 members in had fifteen chapters. It also had alumni chapters in Chicago, Birmingham, and Atlanta.
In the fall of, the national organization of Alpha Lambda Tau dissolved. Five of the eight chapters that were active in merged with Tau Kappa Epsilon. Several chapters went to other national fraternities. However, there was no official merger between Alpha Lambda Tau and another organization.

Symbols

Alpha Lambda Tau's badge was round with four gold arms with the letter ALOT. Its center featured a black shield with a serpent, a cross, and two torches. There were three stars above the shield and one below it. Its pledge pin was a gold shield with a black enamel serpent and cross in the middle, with black panels on either side.
The fraternity's colors were old gold and black. Its flower was the American Beauty rose. Its publication was The Rose Leaf.

Chapters

Following are the chapters of Alpha Lambda Tau.
ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatus
Alpha – Oglethorpe CollegeBrookhaven, GeorgiaInactive
Beta–Alabama Polytechnic InstituteAuburn, AlabamaMerged
Gamma – Mercer UniversityMacon, GeorgiaMerged
Delta – Louisiana Tech UniversityRuston, LouisianaMerged
Epsilon–University of North CarolinaChapel Hill, North CarolinaInactive
Zeta – North Carolina State College of Agriculture and EngineeringRaleigh, North CarolinaMerged
Eta – Howard CollegeHomewood, AlabamaInactive
Theta–University of GeorgiaAthens, GeorgiaInactive
Iota–1947Presbyterian CollegeClinton, South CarolinaMerged
Kappa – Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, South CarolinaInactive
Lambda–University of IllinoisChampaign, IllinoisInactive
Mu–University of ArkansasFayetteville, ArkansasInactive
Nu–Lyon CollegeBatesville, ArkansasInactive
Xi – University of ChattanoogaChattanooga, TennesseeMerged
Omicron–Transylvania UniversityLexington, KentuckyMerged
Pi–University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AlabamaInactive
Rho–Culver–Stockton CollegeCanton, MissouriInactive
Sigma – University of KentuckyLexington, KentuckyInactive
Tau – University of Maryland, College ParkCollege Park, MarylandMerged
Upsilon–193x ?Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MichiganInactive
Phi–Missouri School of Mines and MetallurgyRolla, MissouriInactive
Chi ?–Western State College of ColoradoGunnison, ColoradoInactive
Psi – Tri-State CollegeAngola, IndianaMerged