The origin of the college fraternity dates back to December 5th,
1776, with the creation of Phi Beta Kappa. Originally a secret
society, it later changed in the 1830's to become an honorary
fraternity. In the early 1820's, several other fraternities were
created, all utilized Greek letters, displayed a badge, had a
ritual and were secret societies. By the turn of the century, 40
national fraternities were in existence throughout the country.
Since 1900 the development of fraternities has been so rapid
that the 20th century organizations outnumber those established
previously. World Wars I & II were a great strain on the
fraternity system. Most college-aged men were fighting over seas
and many chapters closed. At the end of WWII, and largely
because of the GI Bill, the "Golden Age" of fraternities started
as a result of a large influx of men into college. Universities
with 40 fraternities, each with 50-150 men were not uncommon.
The 60's and 70's were a tough period for fraternities, as the
youth of those eras