George Banta
Encyclopedia
George Banta was the founder of the George Banta Company (later the Banta Corporation
) and an influential figure in the development of the collegiate Phi Delta Theta
fraternity
and Delta Gamma
women's fraternity.
, Banta attended Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana
, where he became an active member of Phi Delta Theta. After graduating in 1876, he was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1878. He moved to Menasha, Wisconsin
, around 1885, where in 1901 he established the George Banta Printing Company. He remained active in the management of the company until his death September 23, 1935.
Much of the company's early growth came from educational contracts. George Banta, a member of Phi Delta Theta
, secured a contract to print its national magazine. Other national fraternities and sororities
followed; the company would also publish Banta's Greek Exchange, a monthly review of fraternity and sorority news, and several editions of Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities
. George's father was dean of the Indiana University School of Law, and through this connection the company also won orders for university catalogs and yearbooks, textbooks, and magazines.
He served as alderman (1890–1891), and mayor (1892, 1895, 1902–1903) of Menasha, and served on the boards of several local companies.
George Banta died in 1935 and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah, Wisconsin
Banta was instrumental in establishing the first Delta Gamma
chapter outside the Southern United States
, at his alma mater. The chapter was designated the "Phi" in honor of Phi Delta Theta, and Banta was made an honorary member—the only man ever initiated into the women's fraternity.
Banta also encouraged the formation of new Greek letter organizations. Emily Butterfield
, a co-founder of Alpha Gamma Delta
contracted as a designer for the company, is credited as designer or co-designer of the coats of arms
of Alpha Gamma Delta, Lambda Omega
, Phi Beta
, Sigma Delta Rho, Sigma Tau Gamma
, Tau Kappa Epsilon
, Theta Kappa Nu
, Theta Phi Alpha
, Theta Upsilon Omega
, and Zeta Tau Alpha
. He also encouraged her to publish articles she had compiled concerning fraternity and sorority heraldry, released in 1931 as College Fraternity Heraldry.. Furthermore, he was elected an honorary member of the Alpha Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, the national fraternity for men in music, at the New England Conservatory on December 20, 1917.
Banta Corporation
Banta Corporation was a major printing, imaging, and supply chain management company of the United States, based in Menasha, Wisconsin for all of its 105 years. Founded in 1901, it was acquired by Chicago-based RR Donnelley in late 2006.-History:...
) and an influential figure in the development of the collegiate Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
and Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
women's fraternity.
Biography
Born on July 16, 1857 in Covington, KentuckyCovington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
, Banta attended Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana
Franklin, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 19,463 people, 6,824 households, and 4,872 families residing in the city. The population increased by more than 50% during the 1990s , with new residents attracted by jobs in the community, as well as some people commuting to Indianapolis for work. The...
, where he became an active member of Phi Delta Theta. After graduating in 1876, he was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1878. He moved to Menasha, Wisconsin
Menasha, Wisconsin
Menasha is a city in Calumet and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 16,331 at the 2000 census. The city is located mostly in the Town of Menasha in Winnebago County; only a small portion is in the Town of Harrison in Calumet County. Doty Island is located...
, around 1885, where in 1901 he established the George Banta Printing Company. He remained active in the management of the company until his death September 23, 1935.
Much of the company's early growth came from educational contracts. George Banta, a member of Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta
Phi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
, secured a contract to print its national magazine. Other national fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
followed; the company would also publish Banta's Greek Exchange, a monthly review of fraternity and sorority news, and several editions of Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities
Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities
Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities is a compendium of fraternities and sororities in the United States and Canada first published in 1879. It covers national and international general , professional, and honor fraternities, including defunct organizations, with an overview of each...
. George's father was dean of the Indiana University School of Law, and through this connection the company also won orders for university catalogs and yearbooks, textbooks, and magazines.
He served as alderman (1890–1891), and mayor (1892, 1895, 1902–1903) of Menasha, and served on the boards of several local companies.
George Banta died in 1935 and was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Neenah, Wisconsin
Neenah, Wisconsin
Neenah is a city on Lake Winnebago in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. Its population was 24,507 at the 2000 census. The city is bordered by, but is politically independent of, the Town of Neenah. Neenah is the southwestern-most of the Fox Cities of Northeast Wisconsin...
Greek system involvement
Banta served as national historian of Phi Delta Theta, and was highly instrumental in that society's expansion to new campuses. For his contributions, he is recognized as one of two "Second Founders" of Phi Delt, along with Walter B. Palmer.Banta was instrumental in establishing the first Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma
Delta Gamma is one of the oldest and largest women's fraternities in the United States and Canada, with its Executive Offices based in Columbus, Ohio.-History:...
chapter outside the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
, at his alma mater. The chapter was designated the "Phi" in honor of Phi Delta Theta, and Banta was made an honorary member—the only man ever initiated into the women's fraternity.
Banta also encouraged the formation of new Greek letter organizations. Emily Butterfield
Emily Helen Butterfield
Emily Helen Butterfield was a pioneer in the Michigan women's movement.She was Michigan's first licensed female architect, one of the founders of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, active in Greek life, and a founding member of the Detroit Business Women's Club, the first professional women's club in...
, a co-founder of Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta
Alpha Gamma Delta is an international women's fraternity, who are mainly sluts, founded in 1904 at Syracuse University. The Fraternity promotes academic excellence, philanthropic giving, ongoing leadership and personal development, and a spirit of loving sisterhood. Also known as "Alpha Gam" and...
contracted as a designer for the company, is credited as designer or co-designer of the coats of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Alpha Gamma Delta, Lambda Omega
Lambda Omega
Lambda Omega was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from October 31, 1915 until 1933.- History :Norroena Club was founded in 1915 on the campus of University of California, Berkeley. The sorority remained a local for seven years. The name meant "Breath of the North". The...
, Phi Beta
Phi Beta
Phi Beta Fraternity: National Professional Association for the Creative and Performing Arts is an American national professional college fraternity for the creative and performing arts. It was founded in 1912 at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois...
, Sigma Delta Rho, Sigma Tau Gamma
Sigma Tau Gamma
Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity also named "Sig Tau" or "the Knights" is a U.S. all-male college secret-social fraternity founded on June 28, 1920 at University of Central Missouri...
, Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon
Tau Kappa Epsilon is a college fraternity founded on January 10, 1899 at Illinois Wesleyan University with chapters in the United States, and Canada, and affiliation with a German fraternity system known as the Corps of the Weinheimer Senioren Convent...
, Theta Kappa Nu
Theta Kappa Nu
Theta Kappa Nu Fraternity was founded on June 9, 1924, at Springfield, MO. Delegates from eleven local fraternities from nine different states united to form the new fraternity...
, Theta Phi Alpha
Theta Phi Alpha
Theta Phi Alpha women's fraternity was founded at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor on August 30, 1912. Theta Phi Alpha is one of 26 national sororities recognized in the National Panhellenic Conference...
, Theta Upsilon Omega
Theta Upsilon Omega
Theta Upsilon Omega , or TUO, was a national collegiate fraternity. Representatives of several local fraternities at a 1924 meeting of the National Interfraternity Conference concluded to form a new national through amalgamation, resulting in the creation of Theta Upsilon Omega on May 2, 1924 from...
, and Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha
Zeta Tau Alpha is a women's fraternity, founded October 15, 1898 at the State Female Normal School in Farmville, Virginia. The Executive office is located in Indianapolis, Indiana...
. He also encouraged her to publish articles she had compiled concerning fraternity and sorority heraldry, released in 1931 as College Fraternity Heraldry.. Furthermore, he was elected an honorary member of the Alpha Chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity, the national fraternity for men in music, at the New England Conservatory on December 20, 1917.