6 sororities can claim largest

[oldu]

At the request of NutBrnHair I pulled out my research and offer this tidbit about sorority growth:

Six different national sororities can lay claim to the title of largest number of chapters.

Until 1876, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi, the three oldest national sororities, were the only groups with more than one chapter. All three were of comparable size.

Kappa Kappa Gamma became more aggresive at expansion and by 1879 was largest with eleven chapters. This lead continued until 1896 when Pi Beta Phi first tied (with 26 chapters) then surpassed Kappa Kappa Gamma in size. Expanding more rapidly, Delta Delta Delta with 46 chapters caught up with and surpassed Pi Beta Phi in 1913. For several years the lead shifted between these two sororities.

However, Chi Omega was growing at an even faster pace and took the title of largest sorority in 1924 with its 72 chapters. This dominance continued until 1957. With the absorption of Delta Sigma Epsilon (the largest sorority merger ever), Delta Zeta became the largest with 120 chapters. Delta Zeta held the lead for more than twenty years until Chi Omega again became largest, a title it presently holds.