National History of Phi Kappa Theta in Brief
Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity is the result of a merger of its parent fraternities, Phi Kappa founded at Brown University in 1889, and Theta Kappa Phi Fraternity founded at Lehigh University in 1919. These two fraternities merged in 1959 to form the United Fraternity of Phi Kappa Theta, the one true merger of competing national fraternities in the history of Greek life.
In 1938, the first joint committee of both Phi Kappa and Theta Kappa Phi met to discuss the possibility of the merger. This was the first "officially sanctioned" meeting between representatives of the two fraternities. The minutes of a Theta Kappa Phi National Council meeting in 1939 records "cautious approaches" between the fraternities - but was the true intent "marriage?" This is what the Conventions of '37, '39, and '41 tried to find out. It was not until the Penn State Conclave of '55 that definite authorization was given to explore further and finally at Ohio State in '57 to negotiate. Prior to the opening of school in the fall of 1958 separate national conventions of Phi Kappa and Theta Kappa Phi were simultaneously held at Ohio State University in Columbus. On September 8 agreement, in principle, was reached and each national convention ratified the unification and authorized their respective national councils to implement the terms of the consolidation agreement.
Finally on April 29, on the 70th anniversary of the Fraternity's founding in 1889, all was in readiness for the nationwide celebration of Charter Day - the day that all Theta Kap and Phi Kap chapters officially became chapters of the national fraternity PHI KAPPA THETA.
In 1959, the first Phi Kappa Theta Chapter was installed at Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. The first two biennial conventions of the merged fraternity were held in Indiana, and it was during this period that the new national fraternity experienced its severest growing pains as it worked its way towards stabilization under the direction of Brother William Grogan. Since then the national fraternity of Phi Kappa Theta has striven to be nothing but the best.
