Sorority History Blog
 

hello all! I thought I might share all my findings with you since the people in this thread are interested in the History of GLO's. ;)

I started researching AES, NPC, and Junior Defunct Sororities and complied A LOT of information. And so I decided I would start a blog! http://sororityhistories.wordpress.com/

As of right now, I am looking into sororities that were at Hunter College/Hunter Normal. But I like other projects so if anyone wants me to look into something I will!

I think Hunter would keep you busy for awhile. I came across an online archive they have on flickr. If you haven't seen it, do spend some time looking. Very informative!

I'd also suggest going through old online newspapers. You can do google news archives for free. Fulton, NY also keeps a good online repository of old online newspapers, also FREE :)

Don't be afraid to ask the actual schools for help. Some will be more open than others.

Saw the sorority blog, and noticed you have two groups highlighted. I own an old Pi Phi pin and Beta Delta Pi pin from bucknell. I picked them up years ago from an antique dealer.

Beta Delta Pi:
https://app.onlinephotofiler.com/Ima...e-dd8ae6bf1737

Pi Phi:
https://cache.nebula.phx3.secureserv...9-f56a9b59c84c

Thank you both! I will do just that!

Badge Guy--thank you sooo much for the Pi Phi picture! I was unable to find one at all!

And I am moving to NYC in August and I emailed the archivist at Hunter who told me they would love to meet and help me with this odd research request. ;)

Badge Guy--where do you find all of these? Are they from Ebay? I have been scouting that out for a while now. I purchased some sorority history books of defunct sororities and some of their manuals and magazines. I am just curious. :)

Badge Guy,

That's a great pin of Beta Pi Delta. I saw one on ebay and it did not look as nice. I do know that the Toronto chapter of BPiD went to AGD b/c they wanted to be part of a more established sorority.

Badge Guy,

Is it me or is the Pi Phi using the lower case pi/ the pi we always see in math class, with an upper case Phi. Was the sorority name spelled "pi Phi" or "Pi Phi"?

As for the pins....some on eBay, others I find at antique shops or gold buyers....

The pi phi pin is indeed a lower case pi. As to why, I do not know and maybe pas has that answer in her research.

I have tons of images and you are welcome to use any, let me know if there is anything specific you need or are looking for....

BG

https://cache.nebula.phx3.secureserv...5-86aa84705265

https://cache.nebula.phx3.secureserv...4-acf8e6385ed9


This is a pin from 1860. Name on back is Sarah Smith and date of 1860.
I was wondering if in your research you ever came across any old women's groups from that time with these letters?

Thanks
BG

That looks very much like a P.E.O. emblem (that's what they call their badge/pin). Had to hit myself on the head many times to get that terminology into it.

However, P.E.O. wasn't founded until 1869.

Yeah, I wish it had been PEO related....this one has been the toughest group to find!! Records from pre-civil war groups is VERY difficult to find.....

Im just hoping someone recognizes this pin...

BG

Oh wow! Now I am very curious! I emailed the archives at SUNY Albany and asked about this group and hopefully they will know! I don't see Upsilon Pi in the Baird's of 1930 so maybe this was a short lived organization...or perhaps a local.

I will continue to see what I can find out about this group!

Could this mystery badge be from a collegiate literary society for women ? I cannot find any mention of it being a sorority in Bairds manual of 1879. Granted, more weight was given to fraternities and other male orgs, but sororities were mentioned. In fact, two extremely short-lived sororities were mentioned- Delta Sigma Rho and Delta Chi Alha. (DXA may have colonized at a second school, and one may have gone to Theta.)

Anyway, off my tangent- I think we have to narrow this down to college literary societies in 1860. I think this sorority/society may have had a Latinate name, but used Greek letters on the in.

To solve this, I am looking for colleges with female students and female schools in 1860 and going from there. Hillsdale, for ex, had one.

Also, Star was a literary society. (Forget which school, but can find it on wiki.) I gotta see if they had female members.

Asking SUNY Albany is also a good move. The sorority may have been there and extremely short-lived, as the school started in 1844.

PAS --- just saw the new postings on your blog about Pi Kappa Sigma. Here is a image of the first "pi kappa sigma" pin (don't know if there was ever a "JPN" pin).

https://app.onlinephotofiler.com/Ima...f-6f2353e00a26

Feel free to add this to the blog if you want.

BG

Ah thank you BadgeGuy! I had a picture of the early PKS badge in the history book I purchased but I didn't think the quality was good enough to scan in!

They are looking into our request at SUNY Albany!! I hope they find something!

yay SUNY Albany!