I.C. Sorosis
 

I saw in another thread the term I.C. Sorosis, To describe a womens fraternity. What is this term Sorosis. I'm wondering could this be where the term sorority came from?

Re: I.C. Sorosis
 

I.C. Sorosis was the "first name" of what we know today as Pi Beta Phi; in 1888 the name was changed from I. C. Sorosis to Pi Beta Phi. (As for what the I.C. means...I don't know! Maybe some Pi Phis on this board can help us out).



I consulted a dictionary (a rather old one belonging to my Mom) and this is what it had to say:

sorosis come from Greek, "soros" - a heap.
1. Botany - A collective fruit formed by the union of many flowers into a fleshy of pulpy mass, as in the mulberry and pinesapple.
2. U.S.- A women's club.

IC Sorosis was the orriginal name of Pi Beta Phi. I am ashamed to admit I don't know the exact meaning of sorosis. My best guess is it comes from the latin Sororitas, meaning sisterhood. I do know that the word sorority was coined around 1900 by a college proffesor for Gamma Phi Beta. All of the Organizations before that time were formed as women's fraternities.

As for the meaning of IC... umm... I plead the 5th...


TG

I have been led to believe that the true meaning of the I.C. has never been determined, as it was never recorded in the early history of I.C. Sororis or Pi Beta Phi.

...and even some later on were still womens fraternities! (ie- PHI SIGMA SIGMA :) - Founded 1913!)

Like Trojangirl, I plead the fifth as to the meaning of IC.:D :D :D :D

You're right....lots came after who are called Fraternity...another one is Alpha Gamma Delta.

Actually, Gamma Phi Beta was never a "fraternity"...before it became a "sorority", it was called a "society", same with Sigma Kappa.

What does I.C. mean? :D Hee, Hee! :D I, too, plead the 5th. :p

From the Pi Beta Phi national website:

"The Founders didn't leave specific documents about why they chose the arrow [for the badge] -- there's as much speculation about it as there is about the meaning of I.C. "

Don't believe everything you read, Peachy! ;) I distinctly remember being told what I.C. stands for during my initiation. The founders didn't say why they chose the arrow as our badge, though, but I'm very glad they picked it. It's a lovely symbol. I look at it as always going forward, onward and upward.

As an interesting side note, when I was an active, one of the women on our AAC was named Peachy. Yes, that is her real name. She said her parents wanted her to have a sense of humor. And it turns out we even graduated from the same high school. She has lovely red hair, just like my lovely mother.

I don't know why the founders chose an arrow but I assure you that I know what IC means!:D

Do you think that I.C. still has the exact same meaning it originally had? I only ask because some meanings change with time. And I have been to some historical seminars in my own fraternity that showed how some things have changed in meaning over the years.

Yes, it means the same thing today as it did in 1867.

What she said!

I.C.?
 

Hmm...I guess I'm a horrible Pi Phi! I don't ever remember hearing what I.C. stood for during Initiation, but then again it's possible that I missed it. It's definitely something to listen for next time! :D

I also agree that I love the arrow! There is something majestic about it.

PPL,
Erin