What happened to Iota Alpha Pi?
I have had a request to research a former NPC sorority, Iota Alpha Pi, which voted to dissolve itself in July 1971. Here is what I have uncovered (much from old Baird's Manuals). Hopefully some of you can add further details.
Iota Alpha Pi was founded in March 1903 at New York Normal College which later became Hunter College. It was the oldest national sorority founded by Jewish women. It did not add a second chapter until 1913 and a third until 1922. The first five chapters were all in the New York City area. From that point forward its expansion policy was much more conservative than the four leading predominately Jewish sororities. By 1930 it was only half or one-third the size of the other groups.
Bairds Manual shows a total of 23 chapters granted by 1966 (the last time the sorority was listed). It indicates that approximately 6,000 women had been initiated by the sorority (a figure likely exaggerated). Wilson Heller, in a report at the time of the sorority's demise, says that three additional chapters were granted by 1969. On supposedly was at University of Baltimore and another at the Hunter-Park Avenue Branch.
Also, per the Wilson Heller report, Iota Alpha Pi was reasonably strong until 1968 when the sorority began to suffer dramatic drops in membership. This was a very trying period for all groups; however, the primarily Jewish groups suffered even greater because of the cessation of "Christian only" policy by a large number of fraternities and sororities further reduced the number of available candidates. Several predominately Jewish fraternities were absorbed by stronger groups. As with any failing organization, the lack of funds created a situation where the remaining chapters were more or less operating as locals under the same name. Although the listing in Baird's indicates that approximately a dozen chapters were operating at the time of the closure, according to Heller's report at least half were in name only.
The question has been asked why the remaining chapters did not merge with another sorority on campus. It would be very interesting to hear from some sorority women who were at those institutions in 1971. My guess is that the chapters were so weak, probably with mostly upper class members, that it was simpler to close than to pursue membership in another sorority.
Interestingly, there is a trace of one of the chapters existing today. A chapter of Iota Alpha Pi was installed at Rider University in 1947. In 1955 it withdrew and took the name Iota Sigma. One year later it merged with another group and became Iota Sigma Pi. In 1962 Iota Sigma Pi became Delta Sigma chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon.
Originally the headquarters was in New York City. At the time of its closure it had been relocated to Philadelphia. It was one of the very first sororities to engage in a philanthropic project -- settlement work in Lower East Side Manhattan. For many years it had a semi-annual publication called "The Heights." I have seen a picture of the Iota Alpha Pi pin on a Greek Chat site somewhere. If it can be located by someone it would be fitting to add it to this report.
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