chronological evolvement of sororities
 

I am attempting to put together the earliest evolvement of our current sorority system. Here is what I have discovered to date:

?/?/1847 at Olivet College (Michigan): Iota Kappa Omicron (aka Soronian), active today

5/15/51 at Wesleyan College (Georgia): Adelphian Society, became Alpha Delta Pi in 1905

1/4/52 at Wesleyan College (Georgia): Philomathean Society, became Phi Mu in 1904

3/4/54 at Moores Hill College (now University of Evansville): Sigournian Literary Society, to Gamma Epsilon Sigma in 1929, to Chi Omega in 1951

?/?/55 at Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio): Alethian Literary Society, to Alpha Kappa Sigma in 1918, to Alpha Gamma Delta in 1940

?/?/56 at Troy Female Seminary (New York): Chi Theta Delta, died in 18??

?/?/56 at Elmira College (New York): Callisophia Literary Society, to Kappa Sigma Sorority in 1883, died in 1911

?/?/66 at Elmira College (New York): Philomathean Literary Society, to Phi Mu (local) Sorority in 1883, died in 1911

4/28/67 at Monmouth College (Illinois): I. C. Sorosis, became Pi Beta Phi in 1888

?/?/67 at Maryville College (Tennessee): Kappa Phi, still active

12/21/68 at Iowa Wesleyan College: Pi Beta Phi

1/27/70 at DePauw University (Indiana): Kappa Alpha Theta

5/18/70 at Indiana University: Kappa Alpha Theta

9/?/70 at DePauw University: Pi Beta Phi, closed in 1877, revived in 1942

10/4/70 at S. U. N. Y., Brockport: Sigma Gamma Phi (aka Arethusa), died in 1939

10/13/70 at Monmouth College (Illinois): Kappa Kappa Gamma

?/?/70 at Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio): Philomanthean Literary Society, part to Phi Lambda Sigma in 1921, to Beta Sigma Omicron in 1929, to Alpha Phi in 1964

?/?/70 at Baldwin-Wallace College: Philomanthean Literary Society, part to Gamma Sigma in 1921, to Alpha Xi Delta in 1941

?/?/70 at Baptist Young Ladies Seminary (Indianapolis): Pi Beta Phi, died in 1871

12/?/70 at Cincinnati Wesleyan College: Kappa Alpha Theta, died in 1871

These are the earliest dates that I can find. Early history is a little dicey as some of those groups were probably literary societies more than they were secret sororities. I'll not split hairs and give them the benefit of the doubt. It is interesting that several sororities have chapters whose roots are earlier than that of the national.

Anyone with additions or corrections?

You threw me with this - so much that you had me googling, because I've never seen any connection to Alpha Gamma Delta that you have made here.

May 30, 1904 - Syracuse University. Theta Sigma Upsilon did merge with AGD in 1959, but their roots are later than Alpha Gamma Delta's.

Would love to see where you got this information, though.

Troy Female Seminary was renamed to Emma Willard, that may provide more info?

(trivia - Jane Fonda went there, as well as "Sara Lee")

I have to admit, I've never heard of Soronian or Iota Kappa Omicron until I read this. Unless the reasoning is that IKO never became part of the NPC or NPHA (sorry if I have that wrong), I can't imagine why no one's ever brought this up before. ETA: Maybe because, over 150 years later, it's still the only chapter? OR, that's there is no mention of either Soronian OR Iota Kappa Omicron in Baird's Manual?

One correction that many people make is in spelling Adelphean. There are no "I's" in our Adelphean sisterhood!

I haven't heard the AGD reference at BW, but I know one of the charter members (she is in her 90s). I can send her an email to see what info she can give me.

That's so cool. They became Phi Mu before we did and the faded out after we incorporated as Phi Mu in 1904! Never knew about this other Philomathean/Phi Mu group!

oldu,

I love that you're doing this. I have a question though. Are you only looking at sororities that eventually have some connection to current (or former) NPCs?

The reason I ask is because I've been doing quite a bit of research on locals and I'm also one of the dreaded pin collectors. (I focus on the mystery locals though.)

There are literally thousands of sororities and fraternities that have existed over the years. There was a great website up a few years ago listing those mentioned in any edition of Baird's. Fortunately, I copied the entire list before the website went down but the number of groups was well over 4 thousand and there are many that were never included.

Honestly, I'm not trying to rain on your parade. I'm really just curious about how far you plan on taking it.

Leslie Ann --

I am including any organization that professed to be what we today call a sorority, regardless of its affiliation with NPC. That is why I stopped at 1870 because from that point on many were formed and the list would get quite lengthy.

By the way, some of the major sources for the information comes from Baldwin-
Wallace yearbooks, a history of Elmia college and several sorority histories. The sorority at Olivet is listed on their web site today.

I hope you can embellish the list from your research. Thanks

I have just been advised that there is active today a sorority at Mac Murray College in Illinois by the name of Phi Nu which was founded in 1853. It is listed on the college site as a sorority, but with no other information. Anyone have a contact at Mac Murray?

I tried to look on our website to see if we had the date there. We appear to have the incorrect info on our site, unless of course this chapter was installed before we were founded...

Weren't they still I.C. Sorosis when they installed the second chapter at Wesleyan (then became Pi Beta Phi in 1888 with the name change)? That is just what I understand from their national website's timeline: http://www.pibetaphi.org/pibetaphi/aboutus.aspx?id=98

Another p.m. advises me that there is a sorority at McKendree College in Illinois named Kappa Lambda Iota founded in 1869. It was first called Clionian Literary Society for a few years. The sorority is listed on the McKendree site.

I am a recent alumna of Phi Nu society at MacMurray, and I have all kinds of information!
I am now working on my Master's thesis at Eastern Illinois University and need some information on purely local as well as national sororities. I'd like it if you would be able to help me with this endeavor. :)

BTW, the Adelphean Society became Alpha Delta Phi in 1904 (1991 Baird's), then Alpha Delta Pi when it was discovered that there was a northern fraternity already named Alpha Delta Pi.

Clio (Kappa Lambda Iota) at McKendree
 

I just attended a Clio reunion at McKendree - the oldest attending alumna graduated in 1947, and we were told the oldest living member of the McKendree alumni is a Clionian aged 104.

We still are called Clio, but we do use our letters - Kappa Lambda Iota - and we are still going strong.

One of the recent (2003?) sisters at the Clio reunion at McKendree April 6 did her senior research paper on the history of Clio - I bet if you contacted Clio c/o McKendree University they could put you in touch with her.

I go to UE and i didn't know we were called Moores Hill at one point. thats fun to know.

My sister in law went to Olivet and Soronian is still alive and well and is a strong sorority on campus.

I know as recent as the early 1990's the still made their pledges wear red beanies with a white "s" very reminiscent of the early 20th century. I though it was a cute tradition.

Here's their myspace: http://groups.myspace.com/index.cfm?...upID=100429688

I know it would be a colossal undertaking, but I really wish Baird's could publish an up-to-date and comprehensive manual for today. It would be great to read the histories of locals, and it would be nice to have something that listed all the newer groups.

Sigma Gamma Phi (Arethusa) has a chapter at SUNY Geneseo still active.

Arethusa is still active at SUNY Fredonia, and SUNY Potsdam as well.

I'll second that. I have often thought the same thing - a newer version of Baird's would be a great resource. :)

I have made inquiries about an updated version and the answer I get is that it is unlikely to ever be done in print again. They still have many unsold copies of the last one. Typical of NIC, they haven't figured out that it was so poorly done and incomplete that no one wants it. I have much more complete information than the last one that I have volunteered to share with them but it appears that there is no interest. Maybe we should create our own on G.C.!

I'd buy one!

They must have been poorly marketed, because when a Baird's Manual comes up on ANY of the book sellers, they sell like hotcakes! I think I paid about $100 for my copy.

I think an updated GLO Reference Manual would be absolutely wonderful, and with the rise of technology (ven just from the late 80s to the early 90s has been astonishing) it should probably be some sort of electronic data base type thing.

I know of a few people who would be great for this and one includes a gentleman whom i believe owns all editions of Bairds.

The great thing about an electronic version is also the amount of information you could include. Especially a more expansive history of each group. It could also be sorted easily..i.e. founding dates, alphabetically by org or schools, etc etc.

Hi there, I am a current member of Soronian. We were first est. in 1847 as the Ladies Literary Society (first sorority in the U.S. ) We then evolved into Soronian (IKO) in 1868.We are located at Olivet College in Olivet, MI. We are not national, so there is only one of us. Not many have heard of us so its pretty cool to see some mention of Soronian. If anyone is looking for some great history on Greek life come to Olivet because we have have a long history dating all the way back in the early to mid-1800's.

A lot of people will beg to differ with that statement.

There's a difference with "society," "sorority," and "Greek Lettered Organization." Several organizations will claim to be the first, and I've never heard of your organization ever being mentioned in that group.

I believe the reason there isn't much information is because again we are private (not sure how that affects our existence in the "Greek" world, ). Olivet is a very small campus, our school in general is not well known, let alone Soronian. Even for us to look up our houses history is hard because in 1852 there was a fire which destroyed most of our documents prior to that time. What we have documented is the history the school and alumni have provided over the years. As far as being the first "sorority" that is just what we have always been told. Please if I am mistaken let me know ( in a nice way please :) ) I did not and do not mean to offend anyone. I'm just repeating a bit of our history.
I will look into the sorority vs. society thing because again I didn't realize there was much of a difference, ( maybe being naive) that is interesting though.

Soronian very well may be the first "sorority" in history. Several NPC groups claim to be the first literary society or the first GLO, but I doubt that this statement extends beyond the NPC. There are lots of local sororities (to use an inclusive, though not completely correct term) that existed over the last century and a half. NPC just happens to be a selection of the most successful of these groups. Considering that the oldest NPC is ADPi which was formed in 1851, Soronian is technically older.

I don't doubt that at all.

I just threw it out there that there may be many who will disagree. That's all. Many groups are eager to claim "first" and they have the right to. After all, that's what sets themselves apart from the rest.

I know what you mean...there's lots of firsts around the greek world! I do think it's interesting that after 150+ years Soronian didn't decide to expand.

Hi me again, I was wrong with the date of the fire in case it matters it was actually 1882. As far as us not expanding we really like being private, and local. It is as much a part of what our house stands for and who we are. Being National would be awesome, as far as getting our name out there, but as for now we are going to continue as our own society. :) oh ps as a correction again incase it matters we were founded in 1847 as the sisters of the Eurodelphian society (evolved into present day Adelphic Alpha Pi, another current Frat. on campus). We were established in 1868 under the name Soronian.

FWIW, Philomathean (from the Greek philomath -- "Lover of Learning") was actually a somewhat common name for collegiate literary societies. Perhaps the most famous is the Philomathean Society at the University of Pennsylvania, founded in 1813, making it the oldest continually-existing literary society in the country.

That's really interesting, are they still an active society?