The history of sororities
 

I'm sure we have all seen this before:

Meanwhile, in 1870 three years after I.C. Sororis began, the first women's fraternities with Greek-letter names were formed. Kappa Alpha Theta was the first, founded at DePauw in Illinois.

It's not true though. I see this stated all over the internet but the truth is Phi Nu was formed with the greek letters in 1853.

Re: The history of sororities
 

I've never heard of Phi Nu.

Me either. :(

Can we have a little more info please?

I'm currently researching this. If you are referring to Phi Nu Theta, they were founded in 1852, not 1853 and were shortly disbanded, and were only first GLO at Dickinson, and foudned by a guy, so i doubt that's a fraternity for women.

http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/ency...hinutheta.html

If you are referring to Phi Nu Sigma......well the following link doenst give information about where or when it ws founded, much less where it's at, but the pictures of the guy on it and postings implies that too is a male group url]http://www.phinusigma.com/[/url]

Phi Beta Nu 1853.......it refers to members as brothers........all alumni on teh list are male as well.

http://home.earthlink.net/~golfindex/phi-nu-party.html

I'm still researching

http://www.mac.edu/studentlife/stl_clubs.html

I think the person is referring to a Phi Nu local sorority at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. Maybe it is true, but I think we'll need a little more proof than a post on GC. I think we'll all agree that Theta was the first NATIONAL sorority that used Greek letters.

The last replier has a good point. Kappa Alpha Theta is the first NATIONAL women's fraternity. And I also have never heard of Phi Nu...Can anyone give more proof on this sorority?

I thought ADPi was the first, not Theta?

Wasn't ADPi started under a different name? One without greek letters?

Yeah, ADPi was founded in 1851, but they were founded as the Adelphian society or something, then Phi Mu was founded a year later as the Philomathean society. PiPhis were also founded before Kappa Alpha Theta in 1867 as I.C. Sorosis. BUT Theta was the first sorority to be founded as a Greek lettered organization (although, they were technically the fourth sorority to be founded). The others changed to Greek letters somewhere along the way.

But yes, ADPi is the oldest women's "secret society."

Edited for typo's.

ADPi was originally the Adelphean Society, founded in 1851.

I think just about all the NPCs were the first at something..... think about how many firsts there are --

first secret society, first to use the word "sorority", first founded with greek letters, first founded with the intent of going international, first .....

etc.

I was amused to hear a girl at work tell me she joined the only sorority at George Mason University -- she joined GPhiB on a campus including Chi O, ZTA, Alpha Phi, and a few others. (meaning, all the others are women's FRATERNITIES.) What's too bad though is that we have to explain to non-members our differences using "firsts" or "onlies" -- if they got to know the different orgs. I think their differences would be crystal clear.

Just goes to show though that we're making more progress towards being unified than we thought. We are allllll about some sisterhood. :D

The history on the net states "Kappa Alpha Theta was organized at DePauw University in 1870 as the first Greek-letter society for women." No where does it say national or local. If this is true Phi Nu...the local at MacMurray College...was established on December 8, 1853...would come before them. We actually go by Phi Nu Society and we are planning our 150th anniversary right now. While some of the other organizations did come before us, it took about 50 years for them to become greek. What kind of proof would you like?? We don't have a lot on the net b.c we are local and we are so old and then net is so new.

If you're going to try and shoot someone's facts down, first get your own right....Depauw University is not in Illinois, it's in Indiana....

Oh snap.:D :D :D

With all due respect, you're organization may be 150 years old, but your active chapter members are not. You've all been around the internet before, why not create a website? Many of us are curious about your history and have never heard of Phi Nu before.
Since we're not living in the 19th century anymore, researching on the web is how many people get their information now.



edited for spelling

yes, not to mention you come here to GC out of the blue posting a claim like that. You offer no solid evidence or proof to back up your claim. So I dont mean to come across as a being snotty to you, but making a claim like that without anything to offer to back it up other than just your word is bogus and does not fly.

Also if you will click on the following links, you will see that after our Alpha chapter was founded at DePauw which as someone has already corrected is in INDIANA, not Illinois, you will see that we quickly opened up new chapters of Theta that same year on other campuses, thus making us "local" very short lived, as goes for the other three women's groups that formed before us.

http://www.kappaalphatheta.org/kat_v...ry/history.cfm

http://www.kappaalphatheta.org/forms/pdf/chap_roll.pdf

The net is at least 10 years old but anyway...show us your charter. Scan it in! Show us your minutes from your first meeting, show us evidence somewhere besides GreekChat.com that you're that old. It definitely is possible, my chapter is not much younger than yours, but we a) didn't use greek letters right away and b) can back up our age with a whole lot of documentation.

interesting that Phi Nu is only becoming concerned about this *now*. And not even Phi Nu but this ONE member.

Imagine
 

if this thread had been started in a different way, as an informative post and not a defensive posture. With links or descriptive facts about this unknown group and its history, members, charter etc, instead of off the cuff remarks that knowingly would cause others to get their feathers (or kites!) ruffled.

In a positive light, you'd have kindled our curiosity and interest instead of ire.

I find it very interesting to learn about other locals, especially with such a long and rich history as yours must be. If you and your sisters would be interested in putting togeth a website and need any help with it, let me know - not only is it fun to put it together and show off what your sisterhood has to offer, it's a great recruitment tool. Congratulations on your 150th!

Campus History (taken from http://www.mac.edu/campus/camp_history.html)

"MacMurray College dates its history from 1846 when a group of Methodist clergymen, led by Peter Cartwright and Peter Akers, founded it as the Illinois Conference Female Academy. The first class was held in 1848. The school was renamed the Illinois Conference Female College in 1851, with the name changed again to Illinois Female College in 1863...... More serious pursuits included student support for Union efforts during the Civil War and the development of Belles Lettres and Phi Nu, literary societies designed to promote "independent thought and accurate habits of composition," according to the 1856 catalog."

Well, Phi Nu was around in at least 1856, but theres nothing to note when they actually opened, and if they ever closed and later reopened.

We have a website but it's pretty much just pictures right now. You people are pretty rude. My bad I typed something wrong at 4 in the morning...heaven forbid I make a mistake. Maybe we are first now concerned with it b/c we didn't realize it until just now. And being national or local really didn't have anything to do with it.

www.geocities.com/PhiNuBlue1853/PhiNuindex.html


No we never closed. We are celebrating our 150th anniversary this December.

Did anybody else just click on "View Source" and notice that website was just made? ;)

When it all comes down to it, what matters to those of us in the NPC isn't who was first (ADPi) or first to use Greek letters (Kappa Alpha Theta in the NPC) or first to use sorority (Gamma Phi Beta), but that all of us have a sisterhood spanning the nation (and in some cases, Canada!) and we've managed to unite together to provide a wonderful sisterhood experience to as many women as possible. Phi Nu is not now, nor has ever been, a member of the NPC, so it's irrelevant in our stories of "Who was first in the NPC to...." This is not to say that your sisterhood is irrelevant, because it certainly isn't, but one local sorority cannot compete with the myriads of NPCs. When we speak of who was first to, we are almost always referring to our individual conferences or national organizations. Does that leave out locals? Yes. One thing you should already know as a member of a local is that you aren't going to be as well-known or recognized as an NPC. That's a choice you made by not going national or being colonized by a national.

I didnt think about clicking on view source, but i did just click there and it is temporarily down.

It doesn't matter if our website is brand new. Someone above proved we exisit. 150 years of history is a lot for me to upload for you guys and I shouldn't have to sit here and prove every little detail to you guys. Nice greek community you all have here. If someone wants to tell me where to upload a pic or scan let me know and I'll show you how old we are. Sorry if I came off rude on the first post b/c that wasn't at all how I meant it but you guys definately make me feel like I have to be b/c of all the attacks I'm getting.

And leaving locals out of the history of greek societies is awful b/c everyone started out the same and we are just as much greek as you. It's really rude to say that locals don't matter in the history. You don't have to be national to matter. If that is the way it is then it's not really sisterhood.

Have you ever contacted Theta's HQ to present your case? Just curious.

don't know that PhiNuBlue is paying that much attention to actually READING other posts.....

Don't know if ya'll bothered to read her other posts, but she's been on GC a couple months and mentioned it at least twice before. So please don't jump on her for this being "out of the blue". Though I'd like to see some evidence myself before I accept it as a fact, her lack of supporting evidence on the internet does not autmatically mean she is wrong.

PhiNuBlue,

Do you know if your sorority maybe started out with a different name at first? Like ADPi, Phi Mu, and Pi Phi?

I hope your sorority enjoys their anniversary!

Just and observation...

but according to the information BetaRose posted, it said that Phi Nu was established as a literary society. Kappa Alpha Theta is a social sorority (fraternity for women). Technically they can't be classified as the same. So, while Phi Nu might be older (and congratulations on 150 years), Kappa Alpha Theta and Phi Nu are 2 different types or organizations.

As someone said before, we all have our firsts.

You're intial post came of as very defensive, and we understand that you want your history to be recognized. Some of us just responded with the same tone you took. No one here is trying to deny you your organizations history. We are curious about it as many of us have never heard of it before, and we are just asking for a little proof to back up your statements. It's only natural. I'm sure you would want proof if I came on here and told you something that you had thought to be wrong, was really true. You would want evidence to back up my claims, wouldn't you?
All we would like is a little more info. You may not have a website, but is there anywhere we can research information on your group? Are you listed in Baird's Manual? A point in the right direction would help us out.

I want to apoligize if I came off rude. I never meant to attack you or your organization. I'm just trying to find out more about Phi Nu.

slight hijack: Are local fraternities, sororities, or other local organizations listed in Baird's Manual? (I've never seen a copy... never heard of it until GC.)

From what I understand, they were included at one point, but have been taken out in recent editions. Its such a shame. For the most part, national groups do a pretty decent job of maintaining thier histories, but not all the locals do such a good job.

It only takes a couple of people viewing a Geocities page, before they shut it off for bandwith limits. Try again in a hour or so, and the service should be restored.

PhiNuBlue, I'm going to add your site to my locals page :) I had your info up, but no website link, so I'm glad you built one.

Hi everybody,

Just like was previously said that pretty much ever sorority was the first at something, possibly Phi Nu was the first female literary society to use greek letters, but that does not change the fact that Kappa Alpha Theta was the first Greek Letter Fraternity for Women, unless, of course, Phi Nu became a Fraternity prior to 1870...which I doubt since they are currently listed as a sorority and not a fraternity on the MacMurry College website.

But, if they were truly the first greek letter fraternity for women, I suggest they bring this up to Kappa Alpha Theta headquarters or NPC and get the record set straight.

Even in Theta's history, they never claim to be the first female society, just to be the first greek letter fraternity for women....

From KappaAlphaTheta.org:

"To be sure, there were societies for women before 1867, and some of these had secret rituals with badges, passwords, mottoes, and other symbols. But in 1870, Theta became the first women's Greek-letter fraternity because its primary founder, Bettie Locke, wanted full membership in a male fraternity. When the men asked her to wear their fraternity badge as a "mascot," she responded, "If you won't initiate me into your fraternity, I'll start my own." Thus, Kappa Alpha Theta was established on January 27, 1870. In 1995, Kappa Alpha Theta celebrated its 125th anniversary."

Without meaning to stir a hornets nest, what is the difference between a fraternity (composed of only women) and a society (composed of only women)?

Marie

good questions..
 

...and I may be wrong, but aren't Kappa Alpha Order and Kappa Alpha Society both fraternities? If that is true(and I am guessing) then it wouldn't matter if Phi Nu Theta was a "society" or a "sorority" would it? This is a great thread! I'd never heard of Phi Nu, but congrats on 150 years of sisterhood. How wonderful for you! We'd love to know more. Colors, mottos, badges, founders, upload a copy of your crest if permissible. Very interesting indeed.:)

Here's what I found in the dictionary
 

SOCIETY:

The totality of social relationships among humans.
A group of humans broadly distinguished from other groups by mutual interests, participation in characteristic relationships, shared institutions, and a common culture.
The institutions and culture of a distinct self-perpetuating group.
An organization or association of persons engaged in a common profession, activity, or interest: a folklore society; a society of bird watchers.
The rich, privileged, and fashionable social class.
The socially dominant members of a community.
Companionship; company: enjoys the society of friends and family members.
Biology. A colony or community of organisms, usually of the same species: an insect society.

And SORORITY
A chiefly social organization of women students at a college or university, usually designated by Greek letters.
An association or a society of women.

And FRATERNITY
A body of people associated for a common purpose or interest, such as a guild.
A group of people joined by similar backgrounds, occupations, interests, or tastes: the fraternity of bird watchers.
A chiefly social organization of men students at a college or university, usually designated by Greek letters.
Roman Catholic Church. A sodality.
The quality or condition of being brothers; brotherliness.



....so they are all socieities as far I can tell. The issue then, it seems, is the PURPOSE for which they were founded. Even Theta appears to have an academic bent to their founding (as does DG bec if you read through the original minute book you'll find them discussing essays and famous people in history). So I suppose it is a matter of when they became not focused only on literature and on more social matters. All quite muddy it appears. I'm afraid I'm inclined to let Theta and Phi Nu duke it out. I'm not qualified as I'm not an executive member of either!

OK--so to clarify the record.

Alpha Delta Pi = first female secret literary society, 1851
Phi Mu = second female secret literary society, 1852
Pi Beta Phi = first national women's fraternity, 1867
Kappa Alpha Theta = first national Greek-letter women's fraternity, 1870
Gamma Phi Beta = first national women's sorority, 1874

Note that these are all NPC firsts. It may well be that

Phi Nu = first female Greek-letter literary society, 1853

but it does not claim to be national. Therefore, Theta is still the first national Greek-letter women's fraternity.

In sum:
Alpha Delta Pi, 1851
Phi Mu, 1852
Pi Beta Phi, 1867
Kappa Alpha Theta, 1870 (January 27)
Kappa Kappa Gamma, 1870 (October 13)
Alpha Phi, 1872
Delta Gamma, 1873
Sigma Kappa, 1874 (November 9)
Gamma Phi Beta, 1874 (November 11)
Alpha Chi Omega, 1885
Delta Delta Delta, 1888
Alpha Xi Delta, 1893
Chi Omega, 1895
Alpha Omicron Pi, 1897 (January 2)
Kappa Delta, 1897 (October 23)
Sigma Sigma Sigma, 1898 (April 20)
Zeta Tau Alpha, 1898 (October 15)
Alpha Sigma Tau, 1899
Alpha Sigma Alpha, 1901
Delta Zeta, 1902
Alpha Gamma Delta, 1904
Alpha Epsilon Phi, 1909
Theta Phi Alpha, 1912
Phi Sigma Sigma, 1913
Delta Phi Epsilon, 1917 (March 17)
Sigma Delta Tau, 1917 (March 25)

Many secret organizations of the time were formed as literary societies, as a way for students to escape the stranglehold the university faculty had on them, especially on what they could read. In days of old many private colleges (this was well before the public land-grant state colleges) were religious in nature

The word 'sorority' was not coined until 1882, when Professor Frank Smalley of Syracuse University mentioned it to the founding members of Gamma Phi Beta.

I am just curious and going by the dates posted by breathesgelatin but if Sigma Kappa was formed 2 days before Gamma Phi Beta wouldn't that make Sigma Kappa Sorority the first national women's sorority?

We've actually gone over this several other times...SK was formed before us, but we were the first to use the word sorority, as it was COINED for us. Y'all changed your name to sorority later, after it became more widespread.