First Sorority...

SigkapAlumWSU · #1 01-17-2002, 01:10 AM

Ok, here' my question sisters: I know a lot of GLO's claim this, but who was the first "sorority" (NOT fraternity for women)? I know we are right up there, but I wouldn't want to claim if it wasn't true. Anyone know?

SLAM,
Melissa

#2 01-17-2002, 03:58 PM

The Winner would be ADPi

SigkapAlumWSU · #3 01-17-2002, 07:01 PM

Actually, that's what I thought too, but they are actually a fraternity for women. I'm talking about the first ever Sorority, with that title.

dzsaigirl · #4 01-17-2002, 07:28 PM

Delta Zeta

amycat412 · #5 01-17-2002, 07:39 PM

I thought it was Gamma Phi?

#6 01-17-2002, 08:16 PM

It is Gamma Phi Beta. Professor Frank Smalley of Syracuse University (GO SYRACUSE TRIAD--woohoo!) coined the term "sorority" especially for GPhiB in 1882. Most organizations at that time were either "Women's Fraternities" or "Societies".

SigkapAlumWSU · #7 01-17-2002, 08:35 PM

1882, huh? Well, I thought that there were some GLO's before that who were calling themselves (and chartered/founded as) sororities (not fraternities) before that. I may be wrong, but I thought I would find out for sure.. or as sure as we know. I think that Gamma Phi Beta was founded the same year as Sigma Kappa (1874, please correct if I am wrong) and probably a few others around that time, but before 1882...

#8 01-17-2002, 08:42 PM

For further reading, this thread may be helpful:

PANHELLENIC SORORITIES

Hope this helps!

shopgirl · #9 01-18-2002, 03:44 AM

Hi Melissa and everyone else!!!

I have wondered this for so long. See, as a member of Sigma Kappa we are taught that Sigma Kappa is today what it was from the beginning...a sorority. We were founded two days earlier than Gamma Phi Beta. Regardless though, the term "sorority" was supposedly not coined for some years later. Therefore, it's a little confusing for some of us Sigma Kappas who were taught the aforementioned. I always assumed this was brought to our attention since so many sororities today, were once known as fraternities. Therefore, it's one thing that sets us apart from the other sororities.

Just my thoughts...

LIS,
Christina

#10 01-18-2002, 02:52 PM

funny I thought ADPI was, because on its website it said they started out as the Adelphian society but then changed to a sorority quickley...oh well .

SigkapAlumWSU · #11 01-18-2002, 03:38 PM

The term sorority is commonly used to refer to many Greek letter societies for women, but not all were founded as sororities. ADPi was the first secret society for women, and also the first fraternity for women (it pays to have a best friend who is an ADPi, she tells me all these cool facts). Later, the term sorority was coined specifically for these groups and was used in charters after 1874 (give or take 8-10 years). I think that all Greek Letter sororities before that are actually "fraternities for women" and it probably uses that word in the original charters.

Beryana · #12 01-19-2002, 01:33 AM

One thing to keep in mind is that even though the word sorority was around after 1882 (or 1874 or whenever

), not all women's greek social organizations are sororities. Alpha Omicron Pi was founded in 1897 as a fraternity. The official name is Alpha Omicron Pi Fraternity--though sometimes, to keep from adding to confusion, we are referred to as a sorority. I'm sure there are other groups out there that were founded after 1882 that carry the name Fraternity rather than Sorority. It is a rather interesting discussion about who was the first 'sorority.' Who's to say the word wasn't used prior to 1874 but no organization is still around that can verify this.

Sarah
AOII-Beta Gamma

SATX*APhi · #13 01-19-2002, 01:49 AM

In 1872, Alpha Phi was the first women's fraternity to be founded on the east coast. Our official name is "Alpha Phi Fraternity," but like Beryana said, we often refer to ourselves as "Sorority" instead of "Fraternity" as to not confuse anyone.

DZ was founded in 1902, so I doubt they were the first to use "sorority."

CutiePie2000 · #14 03-15-2002, 02:21 AM

Hi Sigma Kappa ladies...
I put this up on another thread, but I wanted to see what you thought...

I just found this tidbit as well, from an old, old thread, posted by localsororities:
Actually, the word "sorority" was coined specifically for the Gamma Phi Betas by Professor Frank Smalley of Syracuse U in 1882. Before that time, all the new women's groups were called "women's fraternities" or "societies," making Gamma Phi Beta the first "sorority." ..
and also an old post by SoCalGirl:
Okay this is what GPhiB's website says:
"Eight years after their first meeting, two members of the Alpha chapter went to the University of Michigan to charter the Beta chapter. Upon their return to Syracuse, Professor Frank Smalley commented, "I presume that you young women are now members of a sorority." Thus, Gamma Phi Beta became the first women’s fraternity to be called a sorority."

I think I have solved the Sigma Kappa / Gamma Phi Beta mystery!!!
This is what I surmised happened.......
Sigma Kappa founded on November 9, 1874
(perhaps it was called Sigma Kappa Society or just Sigma Kappa)
Gamma Phi Beta founded on November 11, 1874
(perhaps it was called Gamma Phi Beta Society or just Gamma Phi Beta...it was NOT YET called "Gamma Phi Beta Sorority" as the name did not exist yet)
So, it cannot be argued that Sigma Kappa, is indeed the OLDER group of the 2. However, Professor Frank Smalley invents the word SORORITY not until 1882 in Syracuse (where Gamma Phi Beta is, so they would have had "access" to the word first).
What must have happened is that Gamma Phi Beta adopted the word first , calling themselves "Gamma Phi Beta Sorority", since they were right there in Syracuse...Frank Smalley would have said the word to them directly. Then Sigma Kappa must have adopted the word themselves after, calling themselves "Sigma Kappa Sorority". Therefore, Gamma Phi Beta kind of beat Sigma Kappa to the word "Sorority" first, so in that line of thinking, Gamma Phi Beta is the first "sorority", even though Sigma Kappa is technically the older of the 2 groups! Ai yi yi! So confusing!

What do you all think? That is the only explanation that I can think of, as I was always led to believe that Gamma Phi Beta was the first group to adopt the word, even though Sigma Kappa is technically the older group!

sweetie adpi · #15 05-01-2002, 08:42 AM

hiya sorry to intrude... adpi isn't a fraternity, we're a sorority, but as you've said

we weren't the first to be called that... in fact it was after the 1900's even began before we became a greek letter society, we were simply a (the first) secret society (the adephean society) for women. kappa alpha theta was the first Greek Letter Fraternity for women, founded from the beginning with that name.... and i too have heard that gamma phi beta was the first to be called a sorority from the beginning...