First Song Book

1874

In January 1874, the Ohio Delta Chapter at Wooster purchased a printing press. The printing press was set up in the room of Charley T. Jamieson. He worked with Preston W. Search to print official Fraternity documents. The records show that Search composed the second-ever song for the Fraternity, “Triumphs of Phi Delta Theta.” According to Palmer’s History of Phi Delta Theta, “Search was the greatest songwriter that Phi Delta Theta ever had. They printed songs on cardboard, pocket size, among them, ‘Working for Old Phi Delta Theta,’ by W. O. Bates, Indianapolis 1875 (all editions).”

On October 13, 1874, the chapter printed the first songbook for Phi Delta Theta, Songs of the Phi Delta Theta. This first edition was no more than a pamphlet with about sixteen songs, composed mainly by Search. Included in the song titles were “Our Song of Greeting,” “Our Cause Speeds on Its Way,” “Working for Old Phi Delta Theta,” “Evening Songs of the Phis,” “Work! Work! Work!” and “Home, Dear Phi Home.”