Phi Gamma Delta

History

The Immortal Six

Chan Coulter

Local Chapter History

The Mu Duteron Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta was granted its charter in 1873 and was the 3rd Fraternity to occupy the University of Iowa. The two houses settled before it was Beta Theta Pi (1866) and Phi Kappa Psi (1867). Unfortunately though, the chapter faded out of activity that same year. This is blamed on the fact that there was a rivalry between a class and the one succeeding it by two years, causing men from only these two classes to be activated into the chapter.

After a lapse of 46 years, the Mu Duteron chapter was re-estabilshed at the university on October 25, 1919, when 38 members of a local fraternity, Phi Zeta Epsiolon, were formally initiated into Phi Gamma Delta. The re-activation ceremony took place at Iowa City with Achron Tom K. Smith Sr. (Missouri '04) as Legate. Another Fiji dignitary present at the ceremony was Luther A. Brewer (Gettysburg '83), otherwise known as "The Grand Old Fiji of Iowa" or "Daddy" Brewer.

Luther Brewer was the spearhead in rebuilding the chapter from its past problems. He is credited for building the present chapter house, for he contributed both time and considerable ammounts of money to the building association and provided a substantial loan for the project. The bricks, which were used to build the structure, came from the street in front of Luther's printing shop, "The Torch Press," which was located in Cedar Rapids. The house was built at a cost of about $55,000. From 1919 to 1923 the chapter rented the house at 715 Iowa Ave. That year a change was made to larger quarters a 310 North Clinton St. where the members remained until early 1926 when they moved into the newly built chapter house at 303 Ellis Ave. The new house was dedicated on February 20, 1926 and the basement of the house was dedicated to Luther Brewer and his wife. Seven years later on May 6, 1933 Luther A. Brewer passed away.

In April of 1943 the army took over the house for its speacialized program during WWII and it occupied it until 1944. By the fall of 1945, with the end of the war, the chapter was reoccupied by its members and was soon a leader on campus again. Since then Mu Deuteron has enjoyed many years of prominent existence as one of the top fraternities at the University of Iowa.