This article describes smaller collegiate sororities created in the nineteenth century and early to middle twentieth century on campuses in the United States and Canada. These sororities are defunct. Individual chapters may have affiliated with National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities.
Aloquin was founded as a co-educational organization in 1905 at Ohio University called The Union. As a co-ed organization, its purpose was "to raise social and moral standards of college life."
Splitting along gender lines in 1910, the men became affiliated with Phrenocon, a national association that would go on to rename itself Phi Kappa Tau in 1916, while on September 12, 1912, the 65 women of the Ohio University Union became Aloquin. The name was created from the combination of the Latin words for "why not?" This was quickly extended to "Why not strengthen? Why not encourage?" It aimed to "promote a spirit of democracy and equality." They hoped to establish high ideals of college work. They wanted to "foster principles which will develop integrity, morality, and strength of character. ... the best type of womanhood... the bond of union between students and alma mater."[1]
Aloquin's colors were blue and gold. The pin was an "A" set with sixteen pearls.
The sorority held a convention in Athens Ohio on December 12, 1913. A national president and a general secretary were elected.
Ohio University's chapter affiliated with Zeta Tau Alpha in 1922; OSU's went with Chi Omega in 1919; Wittenburg's reorganized as Theta Gamma Rho in 1918, and later, became a chapter of Kappa Delta in 1927.
Of the OSU chapter, Chi Omega's history recalled that the Aloquins "decided that there would be many more advantages derived from membership in a national fraternity than from a local state organization." (Ferguson, p.188)
Beta Delta Pi (ΒΔΠ)
The Alpha chapter began as D.D.D. in January, 1887 at Bucknell Female Institute. On September 15, 1887, the sorority changed its name to Beta Delta Pi with charter members Mame Custer, Clara Fairchilds, Jessie Jones, Sue Loudon, Carrie Lovell, and Luella Peck.[2] Little else is known about this sorority. A Beta chapter was chartered at Miss Gordon's Private School in Philadelphia. The Lambda chapter was colonized at Toronto in 1914. Lambda chapter decided "something must be done to strengthen our position nationally." (Alpha Gamma Delta Quarterly, p.89).
The sorority was "renewed" in 1916 (Women of Today, 1925).
The 1917 edition of Toronto's yearbook gave the following chapters:
Delta Chi Alpha was one of the first Greek-lettered organizations for collegiate women. It was founded in May 1878 at Ohio Wesleyan University. The badge was silver with a monogram of the letters "encircled by a frosted wreath" (Baird's 1879).
The colors were cardinal and ecru. In 1879, the membership was twenty-five.
In 1882, the fraternity established a Beta chapter at Beaver College. (The Phi Gamma Delta 1882, p.76).
Alpha chapter, at Ohio Wesleyan, affiliated with Kappa Alpha Theta (Baird's 1898). It is not known what happened to the Beta chapter.
Kappa Sigma Tau (ΚΣΤ)
Kappa Sigma Tau existed at Northwestern University prior to World War I. In 1919, the group organized as the Campus Club but could not compete with the Y.W.C.A. In 1922 the group became the Kahnigafraternity, but in April of that year changed its name once again, to Kappa Sigma Tau. There were 22 founders. It collapsed "during the war years".
There was a national council meeting at a convention. The journal was The Gold and White.
The badge was "a gold crescent with a row of ten pearls on the left side and one pearl at the point on the right. Gold letters spelling Kappa Sigma Tau are placed vertically on a raised onyx crescent in the center of the badge" (Baird's 1930, p.602). The colors were Gold and White. The flower was the yellow rose. yellow rose. The coat-of-arms was "on a fess between three mullets in chief and a lamp in bend a pair of balances. Crest is a crescent" (Butterfield, p.46).
The Lake Forest's Delta chapter affiliated with Alpha Xi Delta in 1932. The other three dissolved.
Phi Delta (ΦΔ)
This article is about the defunct social sorority. Not to be confused with Phi Delta (medical).
Phi Delta was created from the combination of two local sororities: Sigma Epsilon (New York University, 1919) and Alpha Delta Omicron (New York State Teachers College at Albany). These two groups came together to form Phi Delta on 19 January 1927. (October 25, 1919, the founding date of the eldest unit was celebrated as the official founding date). Baird's (1930) stated the objects are "to create a friendly spirit among the girls of the institutions represented, to uphold the honor spirit of the institution, and to develop the abilities of members for most effective college life" (p.322).[3]
By 1930, there were six active chapters, eventually forming eight chapters. All of these had their origin in different local chapters, combining a total of 223 members. The withdrawal of three chapters in 1935 resulted in a breakdown of national operations, where the remaining chapters closed or became local entities once again.
↑ The sorority originated as the Campus Club in 1919. By 1922 it switched its name to the Kahnigh Club, before settling on Kappa Sigma Tau in April of that year.
↑ The sorority originated as Beta Sigma Iota (local) in 1927. Upon withdrawing from Kappa Sigma Tau in 1932 it became the Beta Zeta chapter of Alpha Xi Delta.
↑ The Alpha chapter originated on the New York State Teachers College at Albany campus as Alpha Delta Omicron (local) in 1923. After 1935 it reverted to local status.
1 2 The Beta chapter originated as Sigma Epsilon (local) on October 25, 1919. The new national sorority adopted the 1919 date as its "official founding date".
↑ Upon withdrawal, in 1935 Beta chapter became the Alpha Theta chapter of Beta Phi Alpha, which would later revive the Beta Omega chapter of Delta Zeta.
↑ The Gamma chapter originated as Pi Sigma (local) in 1925.
↑ The Epsilon chapter originated as Phi Beta (local) in 1924.
↑ Upon withdrawal, in 1935 Epsilon chapter became the Beta Pi chapter of Alpha Delta Pi.
↑ The Zeta chapter originated as Alpha Sigma Theta (local) in 1925. Upon withdrawal, in 1935 Zeta chapter became the Alpha Eta chapter of Beta Phi Alpha.
↑ The Eta chapter originated as Delta Omega (local) in 1890. After 1935 it reverted to local status under its former name, closing in 1938.
↑ The Iota chapter originated as the Newegita Club (local) in 1923. After 1935 it reverted to local status.
↑ The Theta chapter originated as Alpha Sigma Chi (local) in 1929. After 1935 it reverted to local status.
SUNY Albany's online archives state that Phi Delta was founded for Protestant women and that it was the first sorority for Protestant women founded at a state university.
Baird's (1930) described the insignia thus: "The badge is a Phi, studded with pearls, superimposed upon a plain gold Delta. The pledge pin is a black shield with a gold sword and star. Colors are gold and black. The flower is the yellow tea rose" (p.322).
The Phi Delt was the bi-monthly magazine.
Butterfield (p.42) described the coat-of-arms as "...sable a sinister bend or, superimposed by a white open book proper on which in turn is superimposed a torch palewise, or, flamed argent. [With a] Crest. An eagle displayed, or" ("or" meaning "golden", in heraldry). The motto was the sorority's name, which was placed on the banner underneath the shield.
Phi Delta suffered from the Great Depression. In 1935, the NYU and GWU chapters affiliated with Beta Phi Alpha; Cincinnati became an Alpha Delta Pi chapter. UCLA struggled for a short time as a local and ultimately dissolved. Albany remained a local until 1973 (Baird's).
Phi Delta (local)
For the next 40 years, Alpha chapter functioned as a typical social sorority. The chapter had residences at 146 and 278 Western Ave (SUNY Albany archives). The Constitution (1967) gives the purpose of the sorority
as a social and fraternal organization, shall be to uphold the honor Spirit of the University, to create a friendlier spirit among the girls of the University, to strengthen the scholastic standing of the University, and to develop the abilities of the girls for the benefit of the college life.
Article IV, Section VII of the Constitution (1967) explained that Phi Delta permitted honorary membership
to those men and women who have shown distinguished ability in the field of education and leadership, and possess such qualities as Phi Delta stands for; and men and women who have shown sincere interest and have given service to Phi Delta, upon election.
Section X of the same Article explained faculty membership as
a man or woman of the University faculty who has shown distinguished ability in the field of education and leadership.
During the 1960s, Phi Delta opened membership to African- American and Jewish women (SUNY Albany archives).
In 1973, the sorority dissolved.
Sigma Sigma Delta (ΣΣΔ)
On November 11, 1924, the society Lanterna Laetitiae was organized at Bucknell University. Four years later, their decision to become a national organization prompted the name change to Sigma Sigma Delta. The sorority had "open membership as a fundamental principle" (Bucknell University website).
Northwestern's came from the local Aeukiga and Baldwin-Wallace's from the Calumet Club (Baird's).
In Ohio Marietta's catalogue (1933), the sorority is listed as "Sigma Sigma Delta National Open Sorority" (p.23)
By 1938, all chapters had dissolved or disaffiliated. Northwestern's went to Phi Omega Pi. Baldwin-Wallace's reorganized as local Theta Tau Delta, then affiliated with Phi Mu.
The sorority's official colors were green and white.
Theta Upsilon Omega (ΘΥΩ), was a national collegiate fraternity in the United States. Representatives of several local fraternities at a December 1, 1923 meeting of locals, organized by the National Interfraternity Conference, determined to form a new national through amalgamation, resulting in the creation of Theta Upsilon Omega on May 2, 1924.
Beta Phi Alpha (ΒΦΑ) was a national collegiate sorority operating under that name in the United States from 1919 until 1941. It was absorbed by Delta Zeta sorority.
Theta Upsilon (ΘΥ) was a national women's fraternity operating in the United States from February 1921 until May 1962, when the group was absorbed by the Delta Zeta sorority.
Washington & Jefferson College is host to 8 Greek organizations and a significant percentage of the undergraduate student body is active in Greek life. With 43% of women and 40% of men of the student body participating in "greek life," fraternities and sororities play a significant role in student life at W&J. The Princeton Review named Washington & Jefferson College 12th on their 2010 list of "Major Frat and Sorority Scene" in the United States. As of 2024, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life recognized 4 fraternities, Alpha Tau Omega, Beta Theta Pi, Delta Tau Delta, and Phi Kappa Psi, and 4 sororities, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and Pi Beta Phi. The fraternities are governed by a local Interfraternal Council and the sororities are governed by a local Panhellenic Council, while the Greek Judiciary manages broad policy violations at the chapter-level. All Greek organizations occupy College-owned houses on Chestnut Street on campus. All members of fraternities and sororities must pay the $100 "Greek Membership Fee," a levy designed to fund leadership seminars and other educational events for Greeks.
Theta Sigma Upsilon (ΘΣΥ) was an American sorority founded on March 25, 1921 at Emporia State University. It chartered 23 chapters in the United States. The sorority merged with Alpha Gamma Delta on June 29, 1959.
Beta Sigma Omicron (ΒΣΟ) is a defunct American collegiate sorority. It was founded on December 12, 1888, at the University of Missouri and merged with Zeta Tau Alpha on August 7, 1964.
References
1. Butterfield, Emily H. (1931) College Fraternity Heraldry. The Collegiate Press: George Banta Publishing Co, Menasha, WI.
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