The history of sororities

PhiNuBlue · #1 11-09-2003, 12:26 AM

I'm sure we have all seen this before:

Meanwhile, in 1870 three years after I.C. Sororis began, the first women's fraternities with Greek-letter names were formed. Kappa Alpha Theta was the first, founded at DePauw in Illinois.

It's not true though. I see this stated all over the internet but the truth is Phi Nu was formed with the greek letters in 1853.

ThetaPrincess24 · #2 11-09-2003, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PhiNuBlue
I'm sure we have all seen this before:

Meanwhile, in 1870 three years after I.C. Sororis began, the first women's fraternities with Greek-letter names were formed. Kappa Alpha Theta was the first, founded at DePauw in Illinois.

It's not true though. I see this stated all over the internet but the truth is Phi Nu was formed with the greek letters in 1853.

I've never heard of Phi Nu.

WCUgirl · #3 11-09-2003, 12:45 AM

Me either.

Can we have a little more info please?

ThetaPrincess24 · #4 11-09-2003, 12:51 AM

I'm currently researching this. If you are referring to Phi Nu Theta, they were founded in 1852, not 1853 and were shortly disbanded, and were only first GLO at Dickinson, and foudned by a guy, so i doubt that's a fraternity for women.

http://chronicles.dickinson.edu/ency...hinutheta.html

If you are referring to Phi Nu Sigma......well the following link doenst give information about where or when it ws founded, much less where it's at, but the pictures of the guy on it and postings implies that too is a male group url]http://www.phinusigma.com/[/url]

Phi Beta Nu 1853.......it refers to members as brothers........all alumni on teh list are male as well.

http://home.earthlink.net/~golfindex/phi-nu-party.html

I'm still researching

GeekyPenguin · #5 11-09-2003, 12:56 AM

http://www.mac.edu/studentlife/stl_clubs.html

I think the person is referring to a Phi Nu local sorority at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois. Maybe it is true, but I think we'll need a little more proof than a post on GC. I think we'll all agree that Theta was the first NATIONAL sorority that used Greek letters.

undtheta2000 · #6 11-09-2003, 01:33 AM

The last replier has a good point. Kappa Alpha Theta is the first NATIONAL women's fraternity. And I also have never heard of Phi Nu...Can anyone give more proof on this sorority?

DGMarie · #7 11-09-2003, 02:26 AM

I thought ADPi was the first, not Theta?

Lady Pi Phi · #8 11-09-2003, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DGMarie
I thought ADPi was the first, not Theta?

Wasn't ADPi started under a different name? One without greek letters?

WCUgirl · #9 11-09-2003, 02:35 AM

Yeah, ADPi was founded in 1851, but they were founded as the Adelphian society or something, then Phi Mu was founded a year later as the Philomathean society. PiPhis were also founded before Kappa Alpha Theta in 1867 as I.C. Sorosis. BUT Theta was the first sorority to be founded as a Greek lettered organization (although, they were technically the fourth sorority to be founded). The others changed to Greek letters somewhere along the way.

But yes, ADPi is the oldest women's "secret society."

Edited for typo's.

ADqtPiMel · #10 11-09-2003, 02:36 AM

ADPi was originally the Adelphean Society, founded in 1851.

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #11 11-09-2003, 03:16 AM

I think just about all the NPCs were the first at something..... think about how many firsts there are --

first secret society, first to use the word "sorority", first founded with greek letters, first founded with the intent of going international, first .....

etc.

I was amused to hear a girl at work tell me she joined the only sorority at George Mason University -- she joined GPhiB on a campus including Chi O, ZTA, Alpha Phi, and a few others. (meaning, all the others are women's FRATERNITIES.) What's too bad though is that we have to explain to non-members our differences using "firsts" or "onlies" -- if they got to know the different orgs. I think their differences would be crystal clear.

Just goes to show though that we're making more progress towards being unified than we thought. We are allllll about some sisterhood.

PhiNuBlue · #12 11-09-2003, 06:54 AM

The history on the net states "Kappa Alpha Theta was organized at DePauw University in 1870 as the first Greek-letter society for women." No where does it say national or local. If this is true Phi Nu...the local at MacMurray College...was established on December 8, 1853...would come before them. We actually go by Phi Nu Society and we are planning our 150th anniversary right now. While some of the other organizations did come before us, it took about 50 years for them to become greek. What kind of proof would you like?? We don't have a lot on the net b.c we are local and we are so old and then net is so new.

AXWhoah · #13 11-09-2003, 06:59 AM

If you're going to try and shoot someone's facts down, first get your own right....Depauw University is not in Illinois, it's in Indiana....

moe.ron · #14 11-09-2003, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AXWhoah
If you're going to try and shoot someone's facts down, first get your own right....Depauw University is not in Illinois, it's in Indiana....

Oh snap.

Lady Pi Phi · #15 11-09-2003, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PhiNuBlue
...We don't have a lot on the net b.c we are local and we are so old and then net is so new.

With all due respect, you're organization may be 150 years old, but your active chapter members are not. You've all been around the internet before, why not create a website? Many of us are curious about your history and have never heard of Phi Nu before.
Since we're not living in the 19th century anymore, researching on the web is how many people get their information now.

edited for spelling