In June 1919, with World War I concluded, two Georgia Tech students, Stanley S. Simpson and Luther D. Wallis, initiated the idea of forming a new fraternity at Tech.  On the advice of English professor Arthur H. Armstrong, a Beta from Yale, Simpson and Wallis formed a local fraternity with the hopes of petitioning a national fraternity.

 

The new fraternity was called Pi Phi Delta, and eleven members were selected in the fall of 1919 on the basis of personal appearance, congeniality, social standing, and campus activities.  A petition to the school for recognition was submitted in January 1920.  The petition outlined Pi Phi Delta's founding principles:  scholarship, Christian fellowship, and personal honor.  In addition, Pi Phi Delta was the first at Tech to adopt non-discriminatory policies toward co-op and ROTC students.  Their first president was John H. Staffield, and the faculty advisor was Armstrong.

 

By April, 1920, the members felt they were sufficiently established to get in touch with a strong national fraternity.  The candidates were narrowed down to Sigma Chi and Delta Tau Delta.  Frank Rogers, a member of the Delt Arch Chapter, visited the colony and in August, Pi Phi Delta petitioned Delta Tau Delta for a charter.

 

On April 21, 1921, the Delt National President, Alexander Bruce Bielaski, signed the charter thus creating the Gamma Psi chapter.  The initiation was held on May 3, 1921 in the Rainbow Room of the Ansley Motel.  Beta Epsilon chapter of Emory University conducted the ceremony, and Frank Rogers was present to see the twenty-two men become Delts for life.  Stanley S. Simpson resided in the Briarcliff area of Atlanta until his death in 1977.  Colonel Luther D. Wallis was shot down over Lisbon Bay, Portugal in 1944 while serving in Eisenhower's invasion of Europe.