oldest continuous chapter

oldu · #1 10-03-2007, 10:02 AM

Listed below is the oldest continuously operating chapter of each NPC sorority. It is interesting to note how many Alpha (or founding) chapters are no longer active or have not had a continuous existence. Tell us the story of your founding and early chapters. Founding chapters are noted with *

1/1/1870 Kappa Alpha Theta DePauw *
9/18/1872 Alpha Phi Syracuse *
10/12/1872 Kappa Kappa Gamma Indiana 4th charter
4/10/1873 Pi Beta Phi Kansas 6th charter
11/11/1874 Gamma Phi Beta Syracuse *
3/15/1879 Delta Gamma Akron 6th charter
10/15/1885 Alpha Chi Omega DePauw *
5/10/1889 Delta Delta Delta Simpson 2nd charter
4/5/1895 Chi Omega Arkansas *
4/29/1898 Sigma Sigma Sigma Longwood *
4/14/1902 Alpha Omicron Pi Tennessee 4th charter
?/?/1902 Alpha Xi Delta Iowa Wesleyan 2nd charter
3/12/1904 Kappa Delta Alabama 8th charter
6/16/1904 Zeta Tau Alpha Tennessee 6th charter
4/21/1906 Sigma Kappa Illinois Wesleyan 5th charter
6/7/1906 Alpha Delta Pi Texas 4th charter
2/14/1908 Alpha Gamma Delta Minnesota 4th charter
10/8/1910 Phi Mu Brenau 11th charter
1/21/1911 Delta Zeta Ohio State 7th charter
12/28/1914 Alpha Sigma Alpha Truman State 15th charter
4/30/1916 Alpha Epsilon Phi Adelphi 4th charter
3/25/1917 Sigma Delta Tau Cornell *
/?/?1919 Theta Phi Alpha Cincinnati 5th charter
5/18/1923 Phi Sigma Sigma Illinois 8th charter
5/31/1930 Alpha Sigma Tau Concord 14th charter
10/18/1955 Delta Phi Epsilon Florida 34th charter

twhrider13 · #2 10-03-2007, 12:02 PM

I'm pretty sure I learned during new member ed that DZ's Alpha chapter has never been closed, which would make it the oldest, since it was founded in 1902.

honeychile · #3 10-03-2007, 01:22 PM

The first three chapters of Alpha Delta Pi were closed because all three schools banned Greek Life.

Our oldest chapter, Delta, just initiated a descendant of one of our founders! Can you imagine having roughly EIGHT or NINE generations of legacies?!?!?

33girl · #4 10-03-2007, 01:27 PM

Technically, Truman is our 15th charter, but it is actually one of the four "Alpha chapters" from our reorganization in 1914. Many of the first 14 (other than Alpha) were located at schools that no longer have Greek life or were released to other sororities.

ISUKappa · #5 10-03-2007, 01:27 PM

The Alpha chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma was closed in 1884 because the college banned Greek organizations. It was reestablished as Alpha Deuteron in 1934. Pi Beta Phi would have a similar closing of their Illinois Alpha chapter, only I believe they reestablished earlier than Kappa did.

IIRC, The Beta and Gamma chapters were closed after a few short years due to low interest/members.

LaneSig · #6 10-03-2007, 01:51 PM

Alpha Xi Delta's founding chapter closed due to the college closing down. Lombard College closed, or was absorbed by another college. Maybe Knox?

texas*princess · #7 10-03-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeychile

Our oldest chapter, Delta, just initiated a descendant of one of our founders! Can you imagine having roughly EIGHT or NINE generations of legacies?!?!?

Whoa - that is seriously cool!

ZZ-kai- · #8 10-03-2007, 02:00 PM

I believe Knox is the old Lombard college......

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaneSig

Alpha Xi Delta's founding chapter closed due to the college closing down. Lombard College closed, or was absorbed by another college. Maybe Knox?

AnchorAlumna · #9 10-03-2007, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeychile

Our oldest chapter, Delta, just initiated a descendant of one of our founders! Can you imagine having roughly EIGHT or NINE generations of legacies?!?!?

That's awesome! Is there an online article somewhere? I'd love to read more details.

irishpipes · #10 10-03-2007, 02:22 PM

AOII's founding chapter at Barnard College/Columbia University closed when Greek life was banned. Alpha Epsilon Phi was also founded there and closed for the same reason.

LXA SE285 · #11 10-03-2007, 02:32 PM

I think Phi Mu's oldest continuously open chapter is Kappa (1908) at Tennessee, ZTA's is Epsilon (1903) at Arkansas, and Chi O's is Rho (1900) at Tulane.

azureblue · #12 10-03-2007, 03:02 PM

AnchorAlumna, the ADPi founder with the long line of legacies is Ella Pierce Turner. I tried to locate an article, but wasn't able to find one. Her original badge has remained in the family and has been used to initiate many generations of her legacies.

AOII Angel · #13 10-03-2007, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azureblue

AnchorAlumna, the ADPi founder with the long line of legacies is Ella Pierce Turner. I tried to locate an article, but wasn't able to find one. Her original badge has remained in the family and has been used to initiate many generations of her legacies.

What a wonderful family tradition! None of AOII's founders have any family passing their badges down the generations. All of the founding badges are in our International archives. They are all beautiful by the way!

ZTAngel · #14 10-03-2007, 03:13 PM

Our oldest chapter is our Epsilon chapter at the University of Arkansas which was founded in 1903.

ZTA's first few chapters closed because the school banned Greek Life. Our Alpha chapter reopened when the school received accredidation of sorts.

oldu · #15 10-03-2007, 04:07 PM

Delta Zeta's Alpha chapter has not had a continuous existance. According to the national history it was not functioning from 1905 until 1908. The Zeta Tau Alpha chapter at Arkansas was inactive from 1938 until 1947.