Alpha Delta Sigma
{{Short description|American advertising honor fraternity}}
{{Infobox Fraternity
| name = Alpha Delta Sigma
| letters = {{lang|grc|ΑΔΣ}}
| crest = The_crest_of_Alpha_Delta_Sigma.png
| image_size = 190px
| founded = {{start date and age|1913|11|14}}
| birthplace = University of Missouri
| former_affiliation = PIC
| status = Active
| defunct_date =
| type = Honor society
| affiliation = American Advertising Federation
| emphasis = Advertising
| scope = National
| motto = Bridging the Gap
| colors = {{color box|#FF0000}} Red and {{color box|#FFFFFF}} White
| symbol =
| flower =
| jewel =
| chapters = 102 active
| lifetime = 70,000+
| publication =
| address = 1101 K Street NW, Suite 420
| city = Washington, D.C.
| state =
| ZIP code = 20005
| country = United States
| homepage = [https://www.aaf.org/Public/Public/Programs/Alpha_Delta_Sigma_Home.aspx Alpha Delta Sigma website]
| footnotes =
}}
Alpha Delta Sigma ({{lang|grc|ΑΔΣ}}) is an American honor society for advertising. It started in 1913 as a men's professional fraternity and absorbed Gamma Alpha Chi women's professional fraternity in 1971. It merged into the American Advertising Federation in 1973, becoming an honor society at the time.
History
Alpha Delta Sigma was formed as a men's professional fraternity for the field of advertising at the University of Missouri on {{dts|1913|11|14}}.Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 639-640.{{Cite web |title=Alpha Delta Sigma Ceremony |url=https://www.aaf.org/Public/Programs/Alpha_Delta_Sigma/Ceremony.aspx |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240302224907/https://www.aaf.org/Public/Programs/Alpha_Delta_Sigma/Ceremony.aspx |archive-date=2024-03-02 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=American Advertising Federation |language=en}} Its founders were Alex C. Bayless, J. Harrison Brown, Oliver N. Gingrich, Howard W. Hailey, Alberg G. Hinman, Joseph B. Hosmer, John W. Jewell, Alfonso Johnson, Rex B. McGee, Hugh J. McKay, Thomas E. Parker, John B. Powell, D. D. Rosenfelder, Charles H. Ross, James E. Schofield, Robert K. Tindall, Guy B. Trail, Walter Williams, and Chauncey Wynne.{{Cite book |last=Williams |first=Sara Lockwood |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b112013?urlappend=%3Bseq=327%3Bownerid=9007199258950692-333 |title=Twenty years of education for journalism; a history of the School of Journalism of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A. |publisher=The E.W. Stephens Publishing Company |year=1929 |location=Columbia, Missouri |pages=304-306 |via=Hathi Trust}} Powell was an instructor in advertising and served as the fraternity's first president.
Alpha Delta Sigma was created for students who were interested in the business side of the newspaper business. It was affiliated with the Associated Advertising Clubs of the World, an earlier name for the American Advertising Federation.[https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A60609#page/318/mode/2up Salvitar yearbook 1921]. University of Missouri. p.300.{{cite book |author1=John McDonough |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QpLtCQAAQBAJ&pg=PT1037 |title=The Advertising Age Encyclopedia of Advertising |author2=Karen Egolf |date=18 June 2015 |publisher=Taylor & Francis |isbn=978-1-135-94913-6 |pages=1037–}}{{Cite news |date=1914-04-09 |title=Establish Chapter of Advertising Fraternity |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-illini-establish-chapter-of-ad/165378376/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=The Daily Illini |location=Urbana, Illinois |pages=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3119647?urlappend=%3Bseq=465%3Bownerid=9007199274501863-499 Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition]. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 433-434. via Hathi Trust. A second chapter was established at the University of Kentucky in early 1914. This was followed chapters at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Washington in April 1914.{{Cite news |date=1914-05-03 |title=News and Reviews from University and College |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oregon-daily-journal-news-and-review/165378827/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=The Oregon Daily Journal |location=Portland, Oregon |pages=42 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Alpha Delta Sigma was mostly inactive during World War I. Hosmer returned to the University of Missouri after the war and reestablished the fraternity. However, the fraternity failed to add new chapters because the field of advertising did not expand to many colleges and universities. This changed once the University of Missouri's program proved successful and a new chapter was added in 1920 at Georgetown College.
With the addition of this new chapter, the University of Missouri undertook a failed effort to become a national fraternity in 1920. This was successfully attempted in 1921, with founding member Gingrich serving as the first national president. A chapter was added at Dartmouth University in 1922, followed by a chapter at the University of Michigan in 1923.{{Cite book |last=Williams |first=Sara Lockwood |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.$b112013?urlappend=%3Bseq=327%3Bownerid=9007199258950692-333 |title=Twenty years of education for journalism; a history of the School of Journalism of the University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, U.S.A. |publisher=The E.W. Stephens Publishing Company |year=1929 |location=Columbia, Missouri |pages=304-306 |via=Hathi Trust}}
To better organize its governing structure, Alpha Delta Sigma held its first national convention in Columbia, Missouri during the Journalism Week of 1926. Delegates from four chapters attended, with others sending their proxy by telegraph to write and approve a new constitution, expand the national officers, and update the fraternity's ritual. E. K. Johnston, an advertising professor at the University of Missouri, was selected as the second national president and served two terms.
Under Johnston's leadership, Alpha Delta Sigma positioned itself as a men's national professional advertising fraternity. It added five chapters in 1924, five in 1925, two in 1926, and three in 1927. In 1928, the fraternity had twenty active chapters. It was a charter member of the Professional Interfraternity Conference in 1928.{{cite magazine |date=July 31, 1928 |title=Ely Represents Alpha Rho Chi at Conference |url=https://alpharhochi.org/archi-files/backissues/1928-Jul31-Archi/1928-Jul31-Archi-opt.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510142143/https://alpharhochi.org/archi-files/backissues/1928-Jul31-Archi/1928-Jul31-Archi-opt.pdf |archive-date=10 May 2017 |access-date=February 13, 2025 |magazine=The ARCHI of Alpha Rho Chi |page=1 |volume=9 |issue= |number=7}}Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. [https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.b3119647?urlappend=%3Bseq=465%3Bownerid=9007199274501863-499 Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition]. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930. pp. 433-434. via Hathi Trust.
By 1961, the fraternity had chartered 69 collegiate chapters, with 53 active, and had initiated 17,000 members. Some chapters provided housing for members. Alpha Delta Sigma absorbed Gamma Alpha Chi, which had formed on {{dts|1920|02|09}} at University of Missouri as a female counterpart to Alpha Delta Sigma and had 22 active chapters as of 1964.{{cite book |author=William Raimond Baird |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oT8nPwAACAAJ |title=Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities |publisher=Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated |year=1977 |edition=19th}} The merger occurred on {{dts|1971|11|02}} in San Francisco.{{cite web|url=http://yearbooks.unl.edu/yearbook.php?year=1928,554#page/371/mode/transcription|title=University of Nebraska-Lincoln Yearbook 1928: Image 371|website=Transcribe UNL|access-date=2019-08-05}}{{Cite news |date=1971-11-25 |title=Headquarters. Tech Chosen by Ad Group |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lubbock-avalanche-journal-headquarters/165379707/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal |pages=80 |via=Newspapers.com}}
The merged fraternity was headquartered, briefly, at Texas Tech University. In 1973, Alpha Delta Sigma merged into the American Advertising Federation.{{Cite web |title=Alpha Delta Sigma |url=https://www.marietta.edu/alpha-delta-sigma |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Marietta College |language=en}} It became a national honor society for the advertising field.
Symbols
At the time of its formation, the Greek letters {{lang|grc|ΑΔΣ}} were selected as the name ADS, short for advertising. Later, the name Alpha Delta Sigma represented the Greek words truth, persistence, and cooperation. The fraternity's motto is "Bridging the Gap".{{Cite web |title=Alpha Delta Sigma Lapel Pins and Cords |url=https://www.aaf.org/Public/Programs/Alpha_Delta_Sigma/Store.aspx |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240613000037/https://www.aaf.org/Public/Programs/Alpha_Delta_Sigma/Store.aspx |archive-date=2024-06-13 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=American Advertising Federation |language=en}}
Alpha Delta Sigma's colors are red and white. Its graduating members may wear honor cords that are red and white.
The Alpha Delta Sigma professional fraternity's badge was a shield, with the image of the Western Hemisphere on a black background at the bottom, surmounted by the three Greek letters {{lang|grc|ΑΔΣ}}, and surrounded by a wreath. This is different from its current lapel pin.
Membership
Eligible members are juniors and seniors who have completed at least two upped level advertising classes, have at least a 3.25 GPA.{{Cite web |title=Alpha Delta Sigma Eligibility |url=https://www.aaf.org/Public/Programs/Alpha_Delta_Sigma/Eligibility.aspx |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20231202155704/https://aaf.org/Public/Programs/Alpha_Delta_Sigma/Eligibility.aspx |archive-date=2023-12-02 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=American Advertising Federation |language=en}}
Chapters
{{Main|List of Alpha Delta Sigma chapters}}
Noble members
- Kenneth G. Bartlett, New York State Assembly{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2023 |title=Alpha Delta Sigma Politicians |url=https://politicalgraveyard.com/group/alpha-delta-sigma.html |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=The Political Graveyard}}
- Neil H. Borden, professor of advertising at the Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration
- Berl Boyd, Kentucky House of Representatives
- Virgil Chapman, United States House of Representatives and United States Senate
- George C. Hanson, U.S. Consul General in Harbin, Moscow, and Salonika; U.S. Consul in Shantou, Chongqing, Fuzhou, and Harbin
- Paul C. Jones, United States House of Representatives and Missouri House of Representatives
- Laurence W. Lane Jr., United States Ambassador to Australia, and United States Ambassador to Nauru
- Larry R. Williams, investor and author
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Further information
- Donald G. Hileman and Billy I. Ross. Toward Professionalism in Advertising: The Story of Alpha Delta Sigma's Aid to Professionalize Advertising Through Advertising Education, 1913-1969. Alpha Delta Sigma, 1969.
{{Professional Fraternities}}
Category:Student organizations established in 1913
Category:1913 establishments in Missouri
Category:Former members of Professional Fraternity Association
Category:Professional fraternities and sororities in the United States