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Following
World War II, Memphis State University experienced rapid
growth due to the influx of returning veterans.
Nearly all campus fraternities had been forced to shut down
during the war years because all the college age men had
gone to war. During the early part of 1944, the
Triangle Club was formed on the Memphis State Campus.
Although only one of the members of this club was still in
school when the Triangle Club became Lambda Chi Alpha (John
Hardy, ΖΘ10), the club was the direct ancestor of
this fraternity.
In 1945,
it was felt that the organization needed to become a Greek
letter organization. The Triangle Club became
the local fraternity Delta Sigma Chi. This local
fraternity soon became tops on the MSU campus.
With their
success, the men of Delta Sigma Chi decided to affiliate
with a national fraternity and through the efforts of Lew
Callow (T16) Delta Sigma Chi was installed as a colony of
Lambda Chi Alpha on May 22, 1948 by Epsilon Chi Zeta at
Mississippi State. The first president of the
new colony was Richard Bauer(ΖΘ1) and Barbara Jo
Walker, Miss America 1947, was the first Sweetheart.
On May 21, 1949, Zeta Theta Zeta was installed as a full
chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha by Epsilon-Omicron Zeta
(University of Tennessee at Knoxville).
In 1960
our chapter fell on hard times. Only through the
efforts of the Fearless Thirteen was the chapter
saved. Doc Dirghalli (a past Grand High Alpha)
led the group back to stability. Because of
this, our chapter became known as the Phoenix Chapter.
In January
1961 we moved into our first chapter house on Mynders.
Later, an additional house was purchased on Midland,
directly behind the house on Mynders. These
remained our homes until 1971 when we moved into our second
chapter house at 621 Normal. In 1991, we
purchased our third chapter house located at 3615 Southern
Avenue.
In 1998,
due to internal problems like we had in 1981, we lost our charter
for the second time.
In 2002 we came back to the U of M campus with a new colony
of men, who are now leading the fraternity back to a rapid
recovery. It is with this fresh pioneering
spirit that Zeta Theta Zeta continues to excel. We have now moved into new chapter
houses at 3605 and 3609 Watauga.
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We
believe in Lambda Chi Alpha, and its traditions, principles
and ideals. The crescent is our symbol; pure, high,
ever growing, and the cross is our guide; denoting service,
sacrifice, and even suffering and humiliation before the
world, bravely endured if need be, in following that ideal.
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