Happy Founders' Day, Gamma Phi Beta!

[crescent&pearls]

Originally Posted by nyapbp

When I went through rush (as it was known in those days) at Syracuse, I remember being told that Gamma Phi's founders didn't particularly care for the founders of another society on the campus. I thought that a bit odd to say, but as I later learned, it was the truth.

That's not exactly the way it's presented in my history book, or how I've ever heard the relationship between the two groups described.

"Frances, Dr. Haven's oldest daughter, had attended Northwestern while her father was president, and had completed enough work to enable her to enroll at Syracuse as a sophomore. She was then twenty years old, an attractive girl who made friends at once. Two years previously, 10 of the 15 women students to enter Syracuse with the first class had formed a secret society which they called Alpha Phi. By 1874 they numbered 21 and invited Frances to join them. In her own words, "They were the friendliest people I had ever met but after due deliberation, I declined." She goes on to say in an article she wrote in The Crescent, October 1912, "Soon after I discovered that there were other girls in just the same position. We drifted together, and finding each other congenial, the question was broached- "Why shall we not found a society of our own?'" - The Gift from Syracuse

138 years later, Gamma Phi and Alpha Phi have a shared history and plenty to be proud of as Panhellenic pioneers and sisters! Neither would probably be the great organizations they are today without the friendly rivalry that challenged them both in their earliest years

[nyapbp]

Originally Posted by crescent&pearls

That's not exactly the way it's presented in my history book, or how I've ever heard the relationship between the two groups described.

"Frances, Dr. Haven's oldest daughter, had attended Northwestern while her father was president, and had completed enough work to enable her to enroll at Syracuse as a sophomore. She was then twenty years old, an attractive girl who made friends at once. Two years previously, 10 of the 15 women students to enter Syracuse with the first class had formed a secret society which they called Alpha Phi. By 1874 they numbered 21 and invited Frances to join them. In her own words, "They were the friendliest people I had ever met but after due deliberation, I declined." She goes on to say in an article she wrote in The Crescent, October 1912, "Soon after I discovered that there were other girls in just the same position. We drifted together, and finding each other congenial, the question was broached- "Why shall we not found a society of our own?'" - The Gift from Syracuse

138 years later, Gamma Phi and Alpha Phi have a shared history and plenty to be proud of as Panhellenic pioneers and sisters! Neither would probably be the great organizations they are today without the friendly rivalry that challenged them both in their earliest years

I have the copy of the 1912 article and that's the quote from Frances that appears in the blog post. When I went through rush at Syracuse and the Gamma Phi told me that the Gamma Phi Founders didn't like the Alpha Phi Founders, I think she was taking some liberty. There weren't many women at Syracuse back then and they had to stick together somewhat. Frances' quote that they couldn't meet at Dr. Brown's because there were Alpha Phi's rooming in his house may not have been totally accurate either. I recall reading that some early meetings did take place there. She was writing in 1912 and recalling things that had taken place decades before. Details do get muddled in our memory over the years.

Seeing as there were two men's fraternities on campus at the time (DKE and DU), it may have seemed natural to have another women's group. Frankly, I am glad Frances had the gumption to do what she did.

I do love the quote from Frances to the effect of, "why couldn't we have a society of our own?" That theme seems to run through the histories of many of the groups.