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Omicron Alpha Tau

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Omicron Alpha Tau
ΟΑΤ
Founded1912; 112 years ago (1912)
Cornell University
TypeSocial
Former affiliationNIC
StatusMerged
Merge date1934
SuccessorTau Delta Phi
EmphasisJewish
ScopeNational
Member badge
Colors  Orange and   Blue
FlowerGoldenrod
PublicationOAT Digest
The Oath
Chapters21 ?
Headquarters
United States

Omicron Alpha Tau (ΟΑΤ) was an historically Jewish fraternity founded in 1912. It merged with Tau Delta Phi in 1934.[1][2][3]

History

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Omicron Alpha Tau was founded at Cornell University in the Spring of 1912. Its founders were Benjamin Brickman, James Castelle, Jack Grossman, Abraham Haibloom, Jules Jokel, Joseph Seidlin, and Nat Shiren. At the time, the founders had no intention of forming a national Greek letter fraternity. Omicron Alpha Tau remained a local fraternity until 1915 when David Browman founded a second chapter at the Columbia University College of Dental and Oral Surgery in New York City.

Growth continued throughout New York, extending to eastern and southern schools. Its first Midwest chapter was established in 1924 at Valparaiso University. The fraternity became an international organization in 1927 with the formation of the Rho chapter at McGill University in Montreal. Additional Midwestern chapters were also established at the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago, also in 1927. Upsilon chapter was formed in 1928 at Marquette University; this may have been the last chapter formed; Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities notes "at least eighteen chapters were installed", ending its list with Upsilon. However, the 1930 edition of The Illio yearbook notes there were 21 chapters .[4]

The fraternity held its ninth convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on April 28, 1935, with the Marquette chapter as host.[5][6]

Baird's Manual notes that several chapters died during the Great Depression, predicating national dissolution. In 1934, Tau Delta Phi absorbed the chapters at Rutgers University, New York University, Marquette, and Cornell. The chapter at Syracuse University was absorbed by Phi Epsilon Pi.[7] The chapter at the University of Pennsylvania merged into Phi Beta Delta.[7]

Symbols and traditions

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The fraternity's colors were orange and blue.[8] Its flower was the goldenrod.[8]

Omicron Alpha Tau was particularly known for their houses having adherence to traditional Jewish dietary laws. Several chapters maintained kosher kitchens. At Cornell, it was known as "the most Jewish of fraternities."[3]: 79 

One of the songs of the fraternity was "Onward Our O.A.T.":[8]

Onward our O.A.T.
Forever onward greater to be,
For with the Orange and Blue
Leading sons ever true
We fear no adversity.
Lead us, Oh, Orange and Blue
Oh lead us on to honor you,
For where'er your sons may be,
We shall always fight for thee,
Oh, Onward Our O.A.T.

The fraternity's magazine, as of 1923, was called the OAT Digest and was distributed monthly. Later, the magazine's name was changed to The Oath and was issued three times a year.

Chapters

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The chapters of Omicron Alpha Tau include:[1][2][7]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha 1912–1934 Cornell University Ithaca, New York Merged (ΤΔΦ) [a]
Beta 1915–1925 Columbia University College of Dental and Oral Surgery New York, New York Consolidated [b][c]
Gamma 1916–1927 Columbia University New York, New York Inactive [d]
Delta 1916–1918 University of Kentucky Lexington, Kentucky Inactive [e]
Epsilon 1919–1934 New York University New York, New York Merged (ΤΔΦ) [f]
Zeta 1920–1930 Syracuse University Syracuse, New York Merged (ΦΕΠ) [g]
Iota 1921–19xx ? Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts Inactive
Theta 1922–19xx ? Lafayette College Easton, Pennsylvania Inactive
Kappa 1922–19xx ? University of Connecticut Storrs, Connecticut Inactive
Lambda 1922–1934 University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Merged (ΦΒΔ) [h]
Mu 1922–19xx ? Fordham University New York, New York Inactive
Nu 1924–1930 Valparaiso University Valparaiso, Indiana Inactive
Xi 1925–19xx ? University of Buffalo Buffalo, New York Inactive
Omicron 1927–19xx ? University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, Alabama Inactive
Pi 1927–1932 University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois Inactive
Rho 1927–1934 McGill University Montreal, Quebec Inactive [i]
Sigma 1927–19xx University of Chicago Chicago, Illinois Inactive
Eta 1927–1934 Rutgers University New Brunswick, New Jersey Merged (ΤΔΦ) [j]
Tau 1928–1932 George Washington University Washington, D.C. Inactive
Upsilon 1928–1934 Marquette University Marquette, Wisconsin Inactive [k][l]
  1. ^ Became the Tau Beta chapter of Tau Delta Phi.
  2. ^ Baird's Manual says this chapter started in 1913.
  3. ^ In 1925, Beta chapter consolidated with Gamma chapter, which was formed the following year, also at Columbia.
  4. ^ Gamma chapter was dormant by 1927 or earlier.
  5. ^ Delta chapter was dormant by 1918 or earlier.
  6. ^ Absorbed by the Gamma chapter of Tau Delta Phi.
  7. ^ May have been absorbed in 1930 by the Chi chapter of Phi Epsilon Pi. Baird's records are unclear.
  8. ^ Joined the Eta chapter of Phi Beta Delta, which later merged with Pi Lambda Phi.
  9. ^ The Almanac notes the formation of this chapter in 1917, but listed in order as if it was created in 1927. This appears to be a typo; needs confirmation, perhaps with a check of the yearbooks.
  10. ^ Originally formed in 1925 as the Evergreen Club (local). It became the Tau Gamma chapter of Tau Delta Phi.
  11. ^ Originally formed in 1927 as Sigma Beta Tau (local). The name similarity with the non-sectarian national of that same name appears to have been coincidental.
  12. ^ One reference noted that Upsilon chapter became a Tau Delta Phi chapter but this is not supported by the Baird's Manual. This appears to have been an error; the Marquette chapter met its demise in the same year as other chapters merged and the national ceased operations.

Notable members

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b William Raimond Baird (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated. p. VIII-8.
  2. ^ a b Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. 1923. p. 216.
  3. ^ a b Sanua, Marianne Rachel (2003). Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the US, 1895- 1945. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-2857-6. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
  4. ^ See The Illio, p.484, accessed 2 Apr 2021.
  5. ^ "Milwaukee is Site of 9th Fraternity Parley". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1935-04-21. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  6. ^ "News Brief". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 1934-04-25. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  7. ^ a b c William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive)". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  8. ^ a b c As noted in The Record yearbook for Valparaiso University, 1930, accessed 2 Apr 2021.
  9. ^ Radio Personalities 1935 - p142
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