The Banner Plan

The Banner Plan of Omega Gamma Delta was created in 1925 at the suggestion of Lee C. Dowling, Kappa/Alpha Beta ’21. It was designed to test the various qualities of the chapters in order to let them compare their relative strengths and weaknesses and to allow the Grand Chapter to determine the “best” chapter in any given year. A Banner bearing the name of the winners was the annual prize.

In its first three years, the Banner Plan point system only gauged participation in the national fraternity and only a single prize was given. It was in fact, a contest between only two chapters, Upsilon and Beta. After that, additional factors were taken into consideration and the rest of the chapters became more competitive. In recognition of this, a second place cup and third place plaque were added to the physical prizes.

As the fraternity became smaller in the 1940s, the plan was returned to the more limited, national participation-only pattern, in 1946, and the number of serious competitors shrank. In 1968, the Plan was again expanded to recognize local operations and individual achievements and the list of competitors again increased. Times change and the Banner Plan came to a sudden halt in 1983. Lack of interest and a reduced number of competing chapters were the culprits and this defeated several attempts to revive it more recently.

During its early period and again during the 1950s and early 1960s, the point system was limited to attendance at Grand Chapter meetings, registration of new members, submission of monthly reports to the GC, sponsorship of new chapters, payment of annual dues, attendance at dances and conventions and sale of Grand Chapter chance bids. During the more inclusive competition periods, the following were included: charitable and community service activities, chapter social functions, chapter reserve funds, cooperation with the official journal, inter-chapter cooperation, assistance to weak chapters, personal achievements and activities by individual active members, high academic performance, acceptance to college and college scholarships.

The Score Card

Year 1^st-Banner,  2^nd-Cup,  3^rd-Plaque,  4^th

1926 Upsilon, Beta, Pi

1927 Beta, Upsilon

1928 Upsilon, Beta

1929 Upsilon, Rho Beta, Alpha Eta

1930 Upsilon, Rho, Beta, Alpha Beta

1931 Alpha Gamma, Rho, Upsilon, Theta III

1932 Rho, Mu, Beta, Nu

1933 Alpha Gamma, Nu, Rho Alpha Iota

1934 Nu Psi Alpha Gamma Alpha Mu

1935 Alpha Mu, Beta, Alpha Gamma, Nu

1936 Alpha Mu, Tau, Theta III, Alpha Gamma

1937 Alpha Mu, Alpha Gamma, Tau, Theta III

1938 Theta III, Rho, Tau, Alpha Chi

1939 Theta III, Delta, Beta, Alpha Alpha

1940 Mu, Alpha Mu, Theta III, Rho

1941 Mu, Alpha Psi, Rho, Alpha Alpha

1942 Mu, Beta, Alpha Delta, Theta III

1943 Rho, Beta Gamma, Mu Beta, Alpha

1944 Beta, Eta Rho, Beta Gamma, Alpha Psi

1945 Rho, Alpha Sigma, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma

1946 Rho, Alpha Mu, Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma

1947 Rho, Alpha Mu, Mu, Alpha Psi

1948 Rho, Alpha Mu, Theta III, Alpha Chi

1949 Rho, Beta Alpha, Mu, Alpha Mu

1950 Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi, Rho, Beta Gamma

1951 Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi, Beta Gamma, Mu

1952 Beta Gamma, Alpha Chi, Beta, Delta

1953 Alpha Chi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Mu

1954 Alpha Chi, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma, Beta

1955 Alpha Chi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma

1956 Alpha Psi, Theta III, Beta Gamma, Alpha Chi

1957 Beta Gamma, Beta, Alpha Phi, Alpha Chi

1958 Beta Gamma, Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Psi

1959 Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma, Alpha Phi, Alpha Chi

1960 Theta III, Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Gamma

1961 Gamma Psi, Alpha Phi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi

1962 Alpha Phi/G. Psi, Delta Psi, Beta Psi, Delta Psi Delta

1963 Alpha Psi, Chi Beta Chi, Alpha Phi, Gamma Psi

1964 Gamma Psi, Alpha Psi, Upsilon Zeta, Delta Psi Alpha

1965 Beta, Gamma Psi, Beta, Gamma, Alpha Psi

1966 Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma, Beta, Alpha Chi

1967 Zeta Psi/Alpha Psi, Gamma Psi, Alpha Phi, Beta Chi

1968 Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi, Alpha Chi, Gamma Psi

1969 Upsilon Zeta/A. Psi, Beta Gamma, Beta Pi/Kappa Psi

1970 Alpha Psi, Beta, Upsilon Zeta, Beta Gamma

1971 Kappa Psi, Beta Gamma, Beta Chi, Beta

1972 Alpha Psi, Beta Gamma, Delta Psi, Gamma Theta

1973 Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi ,Beta Gamma, Alpha Phi

1974 Iota Rho, Alpha Phi, Kappa Psi, Delta Psi

1975 Alpha Phi, Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi, Beta Chi

1976 Beta Chi, Beta Pi, Beta Psi, Alpha Phi

1977 Alpha Phi, Kappa Psi, Alpha Psi, Beta Chi

1978 Alpha Phi, Beta Chi, Beta Pi, Kappa Psi

1979 Beta Chi, Delta Psi, Beta Gamma, Tau Zeta

1980 Beta Pi, Beta Chi, Alpha Psi, Delta Psi

1981 Delta Psi, Beta Pi, Beta Chi, Alpha Psi

1982 Beta Sigma, Beta Pi, Alpha Psi, Tau Zeta

Overall, Alpha Psi won 10 Banners; Rho won 7; Alpha Phi and Upsilon won 4; Theta III, Mu, Alpha Mu, Alpha Chi, Gamma Psi and Kappa Psi won 3; Beta, Alpha Gamma, Beta Gamma and Beta Chi won 2; Nu, Beta Eta, Delta Psi, Zeta Psi, Upsilon Zeta Iota Rho, Beta Sigma and Beta Pi won 1 each.

Total awards: Alpha Psi, 25; Alpha Phi and Beta Gamma, 16; Rho, 15; Beta, 12; Theta III, Alpha Mu and Kappa Psi, 7; Mu, Upsilon, Alpha Chi, Beta Pi and Beta Chi, 6; Gamma Psi, 5; Alpha Gamma and Delta Psi, 4; Tau and Upsilon Zeta, 3; Delta, Nu and Beta Psi, 2; and Pi, Psi, Beta Eta, Alpha Sigma, Zeta Psi, Iota Rho, Chi Beta Chi and Beta Sigma, all 1.