Greek chapters with literary society roots
 

Literary societies predate fraternities and sororities as the first student organizations at many of our oldest institutions. While they were literary in purpose, they also provided the only social outlets on campus. As fraternities were introduced, these societies began to diminish and today there are few to be found. In some cases these literary societies evolved into Greek chapters. Here are a few I have found. Can any of you add chapters of your organization that began as literary societies?

Baldwin Wallace: 1855 Alethian Literary Society ultimately became Alpha Gamma Delta; 1870 Philomanthean split and became chapters of Alpha Phi and Alpha Xi Delta; 1848 Philozetian became Alpha Tau Omega; 1859 German became Phi Kappa Tau; 1868 Schiller became Lambda Chi Alpha; & 1883 Goethe became Alpha Sigma Phi.

Culver-Stockton: 1867 Zetalophian Society became Chi Omega; 1867 Hawkins Institute became Lambda Chi Alpha; & 1868 Methetrophian became Tau Kappa Epsilon.

Univ. Evansville: 1905 Castalian Literary Society became Alpha Omicron Pi; predecessors of Lambda Chi Alpha & Sigma Alpha Epsilon may also have begun as literary societies.

Morningside: 1890 Atheneum Society became Sigma Kappa; 1897 Zetalethean became Delta Zeta; 1907 Pieria became Alpha Delta Pi; 1890 Othonian became Sigma Phi Epsilon; & 1892 Philomaethean became Tau Kappa Epsilon.

Nebraska Wesleyan: 1897 Orophilia Society became Phi Mu; 1909 Aeolian became Delta Zeta; 1887 Theophania became Zeta Psi; & 1900 Dialectic became Theta Chi.

Southeast Missouri: 1892 Sorosis Society became Alpha Chi Omega; 1894 Clio became Delta Delta Delta; 1914 Hesperian became Alpha Delta Pi; 1892 Webster became Sigma Phi Epsilon; 1892 Benton became Sigma Chi; & 1931 Mark Twain became Pi Kappa Alpha.

Trinity: 1877 Clio Society became Delta Kappa Epsilon

Wesleyan: The predecessors of Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu may have been literary societies, but it appears they were meant to be social groups from the beginning. Perhaps an ADPi or Phi Mu can clarify that.

Michigan State: Many of the locals carried the name "literary" but they were almost certainly social only, using the name because fraternities were outlawed at the time.

Nothing earth shaking about any of the above. Just thought it was some trivia of interest to some of you.

Not quite the same, but Alpha Phi Alpha began as a social study club in 1905, then a society on October 23, 1906, then a fraternity on December 4, 1906.

Several of the other early chapters began as literary societies for black men, but only the Omusu Society at Ohio State sticks out without my history book in front of me.

Well, when Alpha Kappa Psi was founded at Saint Mary's Raleigh, two literary societies were founded with it. Check the wiki article for the names.

Just for clarity, I assume you mean this article in the Wiki: Alpha Kappa Psi Sorority. (There is also Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity, a professional business fraternity.) ;)

The Wiki article says that the two Greek-lettered literary societies -- Epsilon Alpha Pi and Sigma Lambda -- were founded the same year as Alpha Kappa Psi (1900). I'm not sure that's the same as being "founded with it."

Interesting info, though.

Most of the first six founders of Phi Gamma Delta were members of the Franklin Literary Society at Jefferson College in Pennsylvania. While every member of the Franklin Society did not become a founder, the majority of the founders did meet through the society and, through their debates and literary discussions, did find common ground to found our fraternity in 1848.

MysticCat,

Yes, that Alpha Kappa Psi sorority article is the one I meant! I brought them up only because they were more of a "finishing school", but still had a sorority and two literaries.

That's pretty interesting. Cool.

The beginning of Otterbein College's Greek life came from the Literary Societies (Philomathean, Philothronean (sp?), etc). The administration felt that Greek life was antithetical to scholarly study, and that the literary societies would fulfill the need for social life on campus. Soon, underground secret societies using non-greek names (Tomo Dachi, Onyx, Greenwich, Owls, Arbutus, Talisman, Kings, Sphinx, Alps, Country Club, Jonda, Rats) made up of a combination of members from the different societies, with some intermingling. After pressure from the student body, the clubs were made public, but still without Greek letters. Finally, the administration caved and allowed the clubs to take letters, which they did at various stages. Most now keep their original "club" name in some way shape or form, and honor them in their chants and songs. The popularity of the new clubs drained the membership of the literary societies, and they became defunct.

Tomo Dachi became Tau Delta, Onyx became Kappa Phi Omega, Greenwhich became Theta Nu, Owls became Sigma Alpha Tau, Arbutus became Epsilon Kappa Tau, Talisman became Tau Epsilon Mu.

Kings became Lambda Gamma Epsilon, Sphinx became Sigma Delta Phi (no relation to others), Country Club became Pi Kappa Phi (no relation to the national fraternity), Jonda became Eta Phi Mu, Rats (sometimes recorded as Stars, but I have no idea which is accurate, I've heard it both ways) is now Zeta Phi, Pi Beta Sigma was formed out of a combination of organizations (it's complicated).

^^^ I love hearing about Otterbein's greek life.

I wish otterbein Greeks had websites! Only some of them do. I love to hear their histories and see their pins.

They're working on it. It just isn't a priority for most chapters, although I think it would be helpful for keeping the alumni engaged. I wish that the school would put an effort towards mining the archives...there's a TON of old paraphernalia (pledge hats, old sweaters, pins, banners, etc) and lots of documentation that would make a really awesome book, that I'm sure the alumni would buy en masse. A few years ago, I did manage to locate a Sigma Alpha Tau pin on Ebay and I bid on it with the intention of giving it to their house, but I lost the auction. Epsilon Kappa Tau is pretty much the only sorority that has kept the tradition of badges, and they have neat sword pins...I'll have to get in touch with some friends and see if I can round up a picture.

There was some otterbein paper stuff on eBay a week or so ago! Dance cards, letters, stuff like that. I think it was from the twenties possibly. It was really cool!

Beta Theta Pi has connections to the Erodelphian and Union Literary Societies at Miami University. 4 of the founders were Union men and 4 were Erodelphians.

Shorter College briefly had nationals from about 1910-1912. I don't know if the literary societies took their place or predated them but from that time to about 6 years ago, only the literaries-Pi Sigma, Epsilon Sigma, and Delta Tau-were there. As time went on, they got less and less literary and more social and a lot of hazing went on. The college was furious and wanted national groups to come.

About that time, Pi Sigma folded (and boy, that was fast; they were as strong as the others quite recently) and the Deltas became a chapter of Phi Mu. Ep Sig was allowed to stay local but given huge warnings about hazing. Zeta Tau Alpha came to campus maybe 4 years ago.

The local fraternities became Chi Phi and Delta Sigma Phi.

My very good friend from High School was a TEM at Otterbein. She always was more interested in learning about the Ohio State Greek system than her own.