Greek chapters with literary society roots

[oldu]

Literary societies predate fraternities and sororities as the first student organizations at many of our oldest institutions. While they were literary in purpose, they also provided the only social outlets on campus. As fraternities were introduced, these societies began to diminish and today there are few to be found. In some cases these literary societies evolved into Greek chapters. Here are a few I have found. Can any of you add chapters of your organization that began as literary societies?

Baldwin Wallace: 1855 Alethian Literary Society ultimately became Alpha Gamma Delta; 1870 Philomanthean split and became chapters of Alpha Phi and Alpha Xi Delta; 1848 Philozetian became Alpha Tau Omega; 1859 German became Phi Kappa Tau; 1868 Schiller became Lambda Chi Alpha; & 1883 Goethe became Alpha Sigma Phi.

Culver-Stockton: 1867 Zetalophian Society became Chi Omega; 1867 Hawkins Institute became Lambda Chi Alpha; & 1868 Methetrophian became Tau Kappa Epsilon.

Univ. Evansville: 1905 Castalian Literary Society became Alpha Omicron Pi; predecessors of Lambda Chi Alpha & Sigma Alpha Epsilon may also have begun as literary societies.

Morningside: 1890 Atheneum Society became Sigma Kappa; 1897 Zetalethean became Delta Zeta; 1907 Pieria became Alpha Delta Pi; 1890 Othonian became Sigma Phi Epsilon; & 1892 Philomaethean became Tau Kappa Epsilon.

Nebraska Wesleyan: 1897 Orophilia Society became Phi Mu; 1909 Aeolian became Delta Zeta; 1887 Theophania became Zeta Psi; & 1900 Dialectic became Theta Chi.

Southeast Missouri: 1892 Sorosis Society became Alpha Chi Omega; 1894 Clio became Delta Delta Delta; 1914 Hesperian became Alpha Delta Pi; 1892 Webster became Sigma Phi Epsilon; 1892 Benton became Sigma Chi; & 1931 Mark Twain became Pi Kappa Alpha.

Trinity: 1877 Clio Society became Delta Kappa Epsilon

Wesleyan: The predecessors of Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu may have been literary societies, but it appears they were meant to be social groups from the beginning. Perhaps an ADPi or Phi Mu can clarify that.

Michigan State: Many of the locals carried the name "literary" but they were almost certainly social only, using the name because fraternities were outlawed at the time.

Nothing earth shaking about any of the above. Just thought it was some trivia of interest to some of you.