First Women's Fraternity?

[angels&angles]

Yeah, it REALLY depends on how you want to frame the argument/discussion. There's no question that Phi Mu & ADPi have existed the longest, but they were formed as literary societies, not women's fraternities. Pi Phi was the first to be formed specifically as a women's fraternity. Theta & Kappa were the first to use the Greek letters, Gamma Phi (I think?) was the first to use the term "sorority."

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Yeah, it REALLY depends on how you want to frame the argument/discussion. There's no question that Phi Mu & ADPi have existed the longest, but they were formed as literary societies, not women's fraternities. Pi Phi was the first to be formed specifically as a women's fraternity. Theta & Kappa were the first to use the Greek letters, Gamma Phi (I think?) was the first to use the term "sorority."

Secret society =/= fraternity.

[angels&angles]

Originally Posted by thetalady

Secret society =/= fraternity.

Hmmm, I'm not sure what you're taking issue with here (if anything?). Phi Mu & ADPi never claimed to be women's fraternities when they started, and only became that later. Pi Phi was specifically founded as a women's alternative to men's fraternities. In my mind that makes them (us) the "first" but not, as noted above, the oldest, since both Phi Mu & ADPi have existed longer. If you're correcting me on my definitions for Theta, Kappa, or Gamma Phi, then I defer to you as I know less about their foundings.

[SWTXBelle]

I think the "first" thing is silly, too. That said . . .

Gamma Phi Beta was the first of the NPC sororities to use the word "sorority" in referring to itself, although not from the very beginning. To quote from our history:

After the installation of Beta Chapter at the University of Michigan in 1882, Syracuse faculty member Dr. Frank Smalley coined the word "sorority" especially for Gamma Phi Beta. It has been used ever since.

It was Professor Frank Smalley who coined the term 'sorority' for Gamma Phi Beta. "Translate 'fraternity' into its real English equivalent of brotherhood and think how that sounds when applied to a society of women. Why then should the exact Latin equivalent be regularly so used?"

"The word 'sorority' or 'sisterhood,' moreover, is precise and definite and means exactly what we wish to denote when speaking of a society composed wholly of women."

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Hmmm, I'm not sure what you're taking issue with here (if anything?). Phi Mu & ADPi never claimed to be women's fraternities when they started, and only became that later. Pi Phi was specifically founded as a women's alternative to men's fraternities. In my mind that makes them (us) the "first" but not, as noted above, the oldest, since both Phi Mu & ADPi have existed longer. If you're correcting me on my definitions for Theta, Kappa, or Gamma Phi, then I defer to you as I know less about their foundings.

I take issue with your statement that "Pi Phi was the first to be formed specifically as a women's fraternity. " That is not accurate. Pi Phi was established as a secret society for women. That is not the same as a fraternity.

Having said that, I don't understand the point of this thread. Many organizations have the right to claim "first" in important aspects of our histories.

[adpiucf]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

There's no question that Phi Mu & ADPi have existed the longest, but they were formed as literary societies, not women's fraternities.

ADPi was not formed as a literary society. It was founded as the Adelphean Society, and from the beginning it was founded as a secret society for collegiate women with a focus on sisterhood and strong academic and social ideals. While it may not have used the name "fraternity" or "sorority," the Adelphean Society was the first secret society for collegiate women.

[angels&angles]

Was Phi Mu originally a literary society? I may have conflated them since they were formed around the same time, at the same school. My apologies for misrepresenting your history.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by angels&angles

Was Phi Mu originally a literary society? I may have conflated them since they were formed around the same time, at the same school. My apologies for misrepresenting your history.

i don't know about Phi Mu, but until the late 19th Century, the line between fraternities vs. secret societies vs. literary societies could be a very thin, very vague line. Even now, there are NIC fraternities that describe themselves in literary society-like terms.