Editing Alpha Lambda Delta (section)

==History==
Alpha Lambda Delta was founded in 1924 by the Dean of Women, Maria Leonard, at the [[University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|University of Illinois]] to recognize academic excellence among freshmen women. One year before, Dean Thomas Arkle Clark had founded [[Phi Eta Sigma]], an honor society to recognize academic excellence among [[First year|freshmen]] males. Both groups operated as single sex organizations until the mid-70s when they both became [[coeducational]] in response to [[Title IX]].<ref name="Baird's">{{cite book |editor1-first=Jack L. |editor1-last=Anson |editor2-first=Robert F. |editor2-last=Marchenasi |title=Baird's Manual of American Fraternities |edition=20th |year=1991 |origyear=1879 |publisher=Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. |location=Indianapolis, IN |isbn=978-0963715906 |page=VI-10–12}}</ref><ref name="ALD History" />

At the first meeting of the chapter, Florence Finn, president of the society, presented a passage from [[Plato's Republic]] in which Socrates asks the question, ''“Will they hold torches and pass them to one another...?”''. This idea, together with the symbol of a candle and the concept of sharing the love of learning with others, caught the imagination of the charter members.<ref name="ALD History">Noted in [https://www.nationalald.org/history the abridged National History], accessed 19 Sept 2021.</ref>

The honor society soon became a national organization through the chartering of chapters at [[Purdue University]] in 1926, at [[DePauw University]] in 1927, at the [[University of Michigan]] in 1927, and at the [[University of Oklahoma]] in 1929.

The first national convention was held in 1930 on the campus of the University of Illinois. Conventions were suspended during the [[Great Depression|Depression]] years because of travel expenses. The third convention was held in 1938 at the University of Michigan. A decision was made at that convention to suspend holding a national convention and to invest those funds into establishing a graduate fellowship fund. The first fellowship was awarded to Louise Houssiere for graduate study at MIT in 1940.<ref name="ALD History" />

The [[Association of College Honor Societies]] was organized in 1925 to consider matters of mutual concern to member organizations; Alpha Lambda Delta has been active in the Association since its admission to membership in 1939. In 1976 in response to Title IX, the National Council voted for the Society to become coeducational. In 1981, the first two male members of the National Council were installed.<ref name="ALD History" />

Alpha Lambda Delta has continued to be innovative and responsive in recognizing academic excellence by providing Senior Certificates and the Maria Leonard Senior Book Award since 1939, offering workshops since 1978, recognizing outstanding chapters with the Order of the Torch Award since 1989, recognizing an Outstanding Adviser of the Year since 1990, and taking advantage of technology by posting a national web site in January 1997.<ref name="ALD History" />

The Society has over 1.3 million lifetime members. ALD initiates between 25,000 and 30,000 new members each year.<ref name="ALD History" />