Sororities at Pitt around 1925-1940
 

Does anyone know how to find out which sororities were at Pitt from 1925-1940?

My grandma seems to think that my "Aunt Mae" (I dont know what she really is to me, I think my great aunt?) was a member of a sorority at Pitt.

I know that Phi Sig's Iota chapter was at Pitt, but I am not sure of any other orgs and wanted to check out what was there and start my sleuthing!

Their yearbooks are available in their online archives... Ive done research for my fraternity with them

Irishpipe's NPC recruitment thread is always good for this kind of thing


According to that it looks like these chapters were on campus:


Zeta Tau Alpha 1915-1965
Delta Delta Delta 1916-present
Delta Zeta Omicron 1916-present
Alpha Xi Delta 1918-1935
Pi Beta Phi 1918-1931
Kappa Kappa Gamma 1919-present
Chi Omega 1919-present
Alpha Delta Pi 1920-1942/1946-present
Alpha Epsilon Phi 1920-present
Kappa Delta 1920-1933/1979-present
Phi Mu 1920-1961
Delta Phi Epsilon 1922-1944/1966-present
Theta Phi Alpha 1922-present
Beta Phi Alpha 1924-1941 (National absorbed by Delta Zeta)
Phi Sigma Sigma 1924-1974
Sigma Sigma Sigma 1949-1964/1977-present
Sigma Delta Tau 1950-present

Looks like Kappa Alpha Theta might have been on campus as well, however, some of the dates were missing:

Kappa Alpha Theta Alpha Omega 1915-?/?-1999

Here's info about the Theta chapter at Pitt: established 1915, active until 1987; re-established 1988, and closed in 1999. Don't have any details other than those dates.

So Theta was active during the dates the OP was looking at; if you pm me, I'll search to see if your Aunt Mae was a Theta.

irishpipes might wish to update her thread with this info, which is accurate.

I'm fairly certain that Kappa Alpha Theta closed to recolonize in the late 1980s or early 1990s.

A qualification of ADPi closing in the 1940s: The entire chapter quit school to help with the war effort. After WWII, the chapter recolonized with a bang!


ETA: I just reread the original post. Is your "aunt" Maybelle Meals?

Didn't even think about that...I can check for Alpha Xi Delta, if you'd like!

I can't believe I missed AZTheta's post! I'd be happy to check the records for ADPi, too. What was her name?

I would be happy to look for her in the ZTA list.

The OP pm'ed me and the name she gave wasn't listed in our Sister Search. That suggests that Theta can be ruled out.

Yearbooks aren't always helpful - not everyone is photographed. Data bases are only as good as the person who inputs info. It would be great if we sleuths were able to confirm membership for the OP, if what she's been told is right. I like mysteries. As long as there's no murder involved.

I'd be happy to check Pi Phi Directories.

Unfortunately all that is the case with my fraternity in terms of research, I have names I'd like to look up and research but it seems I run into bad databases or no yearbook info. Frustration sets in quickly

^^^ sorry for that, pkt...from what I've gathered, sororities have pretty comprehensive membership records. Bummer for you.

Paging AngelPhiSig, you have lots of Panhellenic sisters offering to search for you!!! Come BACK.

I can check for Theta Phi Alpha.

If anyone wants to check - her name is Mae E. Pierce. She would have been at Pitt anywhere from 1928-1934. I believe her diplomas read 1931 and 1934. (she either got a lot of degrees or maybe they degreed after two years back then? She became a chemistry teacher :) It runs in the family. (well, not chem, it is the only science that I am not 100% keen on!)

I did not find her in my directory.

No record of that name in Alpha Xi Delta.

I found a Martha Pierce in the Tri Delt Chapter in the '32 Yearbook, which would be '31

Not a DZ
 

Hi,

I checked our database and there are no members with the last name of Pierce listed for Pitt.

Not a Pi Phi
 

She wasn't in our 1938 directory.

I just found out that our directory is just for those still alive. If she has already passed, the individual chapter would have the information. Good luck!

I've seen situations in my Fraternity (Alpha Phi Omega) and others where this happened and the Fraternity didn't consider the chapter inactive, especially since a significant number of brothers came back in the 1945-46 school year and picked up where they left off.

That's Delta Zeta, Omicron Chapter (installed on January 21, 1916; see? I still remember things I learned as a pledge!)

AngelPhiSig, it is so nice to see you back here!

Not a Kappa.

Has anyone else tried the yearbook site? I cannot believe how slow it is!

Theta Phi Alpha has a Margaret Pierce, but her chapter isn't listed.

It's moody with its speed

Another thought: Is Pierce her married name or her maiden name? If you're checking yearbooks, it makes a huge difference.

She was never married. Her diploma says "Mae" I will ask my grandma if it could be Margaret...

Such a mystery!

Im glad to be back... driving my husband crazy. Yeah, in my "down time" I became a married lady with teenage step-daughters. Well, I guess I came back every once in a while... but not like this!

Not a Chi Omega
 

Check the Chi Omega member search and there's no one with the last name Pierce initiated at our Pitt chapter (Phi Beta).