Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (1879)/D.G.K.
This fraternity was established at Massachusetts Agricultural College, in 1868, by the following members of the class of 1871: G. H. Allen, W. P. Birnie, J. F. Fisher, F. S. Herrick, Geo. Leonard, L. A. Nichols, and A. D. Norcross. It grew out of the wishes of the founders to establish a society similar to the Greek-Letter organizations, and at the same time to avoid having a Greek fraternity in a college in which the study of that language formed no part of the course. Accordingly, it was made a German-Letter society under the name "Dah-Gay-Kah," or, more familiarly, D. G. K. The chapter was termed the "Aleph," after the old Gothic alphabet, and a second chapter has been organized this year at Boston University. It is proposed to hereafter establish chapters in the scientific colleges.
Since its foundation the society has been very prosperous, and now holds the first position in the college. The first reunion was held in June, 1879, at which time an address was delivered by J. H. Webb, '73. It seems to haye been an enjoyable occasion to all concerned. At the same time was issued a neat little pamphlet catalogue containing ninety names, and the first number of a fraternity journal, to be published quarterly, called the "Cycle."
The badge is a monogram of the three letters "D G K," the "D" in black, the "K" in gold, and the "G" in black studded with pearls. It is a very pretty pin. The chapter letter "/|" is worn as a guard-pin. The colors are magenta and gold.