A New National Fraternity at Ames

The Noit Avrats, founded in ’97 and the oldest on campus, was formally installed Saturday evening as the Alpha Iota chapter of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. The exercises took place at the Noit house at six o’clock, and were followed by a banquet at Adam hall. With Guy Brewer, ’97, as toastmaster, the following program of toasts was enjoyed:

“The Future” ………. Geo. E. Former
“Why We are Here” ………. Don H. Cunningham
“The Noit Avrats” ………. Leslie M. Hurt
“The Alpha Iota Chapter” ………. Edward P. Prince
“What It Means to Be a Fiji” ………. Stuart Eaglesor
“Thru the Mail” ………. Thos. L. Pogue
“Phi Gamma Delta Finance” ………. Wilmer Christian

The responses to toasts were interspersed with spirited college and fraternity yells and songs, and a splendid evening of good fellowship and fun passed all too quickly.

Among those who installed the chapter were Thos. L. Pogue, national secretary, Cincinnati; Dr. Wilbur Christian, national treasurer, Indianapolis; E. P. Prince, Webster City; W.D. Corrigan, Minneapolis; Smith T. Kellogg, Des Moines.

Those initiated to active membership were E.A. Pattingill, R.F. Jordan, Don H. Cunningham, B.F. Parsons, W.E. Buell, Merle C. Patton, A.E. Berggren, Clarke B. Beard, J. Clyde Ford, Geo. L. [McCain], Wm. M. Green, Geo. E. Farmer, K.D. Seeberger, Percy Wallace, D.E. Rohrer, A.R. Crawford, E. Chase West.

The alumni who returned to be installed as charter members were Guy Brewer, ’97, Des Moines; Philip E. Damon, ’97, Boone; E.D. Perry, ’98, Des Moines; Robt. Blair, ’03, Manila, P.I.; J.E. Van Liew, ’99, Des Moines; Leslie M. Hurt, ’04, Eldon L. Usry, ’04, Bloomington, Ill.; James A. Buell, ’05, Canton, Ohio; Paul B. Miller, ’06, Tampa, Florida; A.H. Wyman, ’06, Milwaukee; E.K. McConnell, ’07, Des Moines; Frank Mack, ’07, Storm Lake.

Phi Gamma Delta has fifty-six active chapters throughout the U. S. and is one of the oldest college fraternities, having been founded at Washington and Jefferson college, Pa., in 1847. Vice-President Fairbanks, who visited the college last spring, and Bishop McDowell, who delivered the commencement address, are members of the fraternity.

The Noits in their larger affiliation as the Alpha Iota chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, hope to continue the high standard for character, ability and good fellowship which they have held for ten years as Noit Avrats.

The I.S.C. Student, “A New National Fraternity at Ames,” 23 September 1907

Issue: 23 September 1907

Founded in 1897 because students were dissatisfied with the food service at Iowa State’s dining facility — in Margaret Hall — Noit Avrats got its name from “starvation” (spelled backwards), which students joked about given the food quality. Though fraternities were banned, the administration tolerated the secret Noit Avrats.

With several residences being constructed at the turn of the century, Noit Avrats moved into its first home in January 1903 at 203 Sheldon, right at the West Street entrance to campus (now a parking lot).

In fall 1908, now the Alpha Iota chapter of Phi Gamma Delta, the fraternity moved to its new residence at 158 Hyland (now Collegiate Presbyterian’s parking lot). In 1913, it moved again to the new residence at 325 Ash , where it still resides today.

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Greek Community Re-establishing at Iowa State

Court upholds fraternity ban (1894)
Fraternities (re)approved (1904)

ORIGINAL TWO: Delta Tau Delta (1911) | Pi Beta Phi (1906)

NATIONAL FRATERNITIES: Acacia (1909) | Alpha Tau Omega (1908) | Beta Theta Pi (1905) | Kappa Sigma (1909) | Phi Gamma Delta (1907) | Phi Sigma Kappa (1911) | Sigma Alpha Epsilon (1905) | Sigma Nu (1904) | Theta Xi (1909)

NATIONAL SORORITIES: Alpha Delta Pi (1911)