[paulaKKG]

Since this has been a bit of a history thread, I'll throw in this factoid about Fraternity/Sororities and the difference between being founded as a Literary Society and a Social society:

In the 1880s as you already know, women were not only beginning to attend college in larger numbers but also participating in politics. In particular, the suffrage movement and the temperance movement were hot topics.

In literary societies women would discuss intellectual topics and their studies in an environment free from professors. But like most "polite" conversations of the day, there were the three taboos: politics, religion, and death. Talking about the suffrage movement in unknown mixed company was potentially dangerous, or at the least "improper".

In Fraternities however, or secret social societies - such conversations would be acceptable. Also, social organizations had the potential to create an "old girls" network to parallel what the men had in fraternities. I.C Sorisis (PiPhi) was already on campus and of course a pioneering literary society. But for the feminists of the time, nothing short of a full fraternity was acceptable.

In fact, the founding members of Kappa were inspired to form a fraternity equal to that of Men's in part after hearing Susan B. Anthony speak on campus about equality for women. I gotta love it - the founders waited to announce themselves until they could have golden keys were made by a jeweler. Ha. Of course although Theta had been founded months earlier - at the time the founders of Kappa thought they were forming the first Fraternity for women.

But regardless of firsts, there is a connection between the creation of women's fraternities/sororities and literary societies and the feminist movement at the time and I think for all our organizations that is a remarkable heritage.

-paula