GreekChat.com Forums - First Women's Fraternity?

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- - First Women's Fraternity? (https://greekchat.com/gcforums/showthread.php?t=141368)

Okay, first off I would like to say that the "first" thing is definitely a little silly. My original post was meant as a brief explanation of why a few groups can/do claim to be the "first." (I realize it's preaching to the choir to most of y'all, but someone did ask). I then became confused by thetalady's reply, and tried to elaborate. I would add that I was doing it all on my phone at work, and thus in haste.

Lastly, the Pi Phi website says it was formed as the

Quote:

first secret society for women patterned after men’s groups

I would argue that "patterned after men's groups" is the more important phrasing than "secret society," but I will admit that I had thought the term "fraternity for women" was a lot more prominent in our history (It's been a few years since my new member education).

I want to stress, again, that I really don't care who claims the title of being the "first" and I got sidetracked by theta lady's reply.

The end.

Oh, and finally, to get back to what was apparently the REAL original question before we (okay it was me) got off on a tangent, Pi Beta Phi was formed as IC Sorosis in 1867.

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Originally Posted by pas (Post 2273201)

I am actually more interested in finding the year that women started to form their own social organizations either Greek or literary. Like how the Theta founder wanted to be initiated into a fraternity for men but they instead asked her to be their mascot. I think it's AMAZING that instead she formed her own fraternity for women.

I'm wondering if this happened with others and lead to the founding of a local organization that is less known due to its local status. Or that it is defunct.

Who came first is not really an issue. All that matters is we are here now. My curiosity is in the year that women started to pioneer this. It could forever be a mystery but I'm wondering if others jave stumbled across any info in their research.

NO. You got that wrong. FIJI asked Bettie Locke to wear their badge as a "welcomed supporter" and as a symbol of their affection for her. Her brother was a FIJI at Indiana Asbury (now DePauw). She was said to have replied (paraphrasing) that if she was to wear their badge, it would be as an initiated member. They pow-wowed, and politely declined. She talked to her dad (a Beta Theta Pi) and he planted the idea of forming her own. The rest of the story is readily found online.

Like I said, Bound By a Mighty Vow - and the official website(s) (for Kappa Alpha Theta and any other NPC/NPHC organization) are sources for information. Don't mess with me, I know my Theta history.

I'm not arguing first, because I already said this is DUMB. I'm correcting the record.

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Originally Posted by AZTheta (Post 2273277)

Don't mess with me, I know my Theta history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQfXRk8Hico

That's on my rotation. You should see the looks I get when I've got the windows down, going home late at night, and a car full of youngsters pulls up next to me.

What ever happened to Big Daddy Kane?

http://www.officialbigdaddykane.com/tour/

He still does great tours. :)

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Originally Posted by DubaiSis (Post 2273176)

I immediately pulled out the popcorn when I saw the title of this thread. Thankfully I don't have a dog in this hunt. Alpha Xi Delta is indeed a fraternity, but I know for sure we aren't first in anything related to this thread since we were initially intended to be a chapter of Kappa. I think the only safe statement to make on this issue is Gamma Phi is first to be called a sorority and any older than Gamma Phi were/are fraternities. From then on, you pull out the gloves to argue your point. And then only if you have time on your hands and maybe hating your boss today and needing to take it out on strangers ;)

Sigma Kappa was never a fraternity. Although sorority obviously came at some point later.

If it is the first secret society for women date that you are looking for I think it would be May 15, 1851...the Adelphean Society, which was founded at Wesleyan College...the first college chartered to grant degrees to women. They later became Alpha Delta Pi in the early 1900's. Phi Mu started in 1852, also at Wesleyan.

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Originally Posted by DubaiSis (Post 2273315)

What ever happened to Big Daddy Kane?

He was in AZ and I missed it b/c I was out of the country.

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Originally Posted by joella (Post 2273324)

Yeah we got that, see upthread. Thanks.

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Originally Posted by SoCalGirl (Post 2273321)

Sigma Kappa was never a fraternity. Although sorority obviously came at some point later.

Really? Were you just Sigma Kappa? Or Sigma Kappa Society?

From everything that I've been able to figure out, simply Sigma Kappa.

Wasn't SK founded only 2 days before Gamma Phi?

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Originally Posted by angels&angles (Post 2273147)

There's no question that Phi Mu & ADPi have existed the longest, but they were formed as literary societies, not women's fraternities.

ADPi was not formed as a literary society. It was founded as the Adelphean Society, and from the beginning it was founded as a secret society for collegiate women with a focus on sisterhood and strong academic and social ideals. While it may not have used the name "fraternity" or "sorority," the Adelphean Society was the first secret society for collegiate women.