Panhellenic Toast

[LucyKKG]

I think it's, "And to our own dear DELTA G"

[heatherirene]

Hi Everyone,

Below are the lyrics to the W&M Panhellenic Toast. My senior year I was the Inter-Sorority Council President at William & Mary and my favorite part of the job was getting to lead the Toast during Recruitment. Every year students, residents, tourists, and former alumni would also stop and listen as we sang (shouted) in Sorority Court. It's a fabulous tradition!

-Heather Irene, AXO


The Panhellenic Toast
The College of William and Mary

(Humming proceeds the song as Chapter members exits their houses)

All: Here’s to all the women of Greek Fraternity
Whatever their creed or motto, wherever they may be.
Our strength is on our country, our God, democracy.
May we never be found wanting in allegiance to these three!

Phi Mu: Now here’s to all the Phi Mu’s who wear the heart and hand
To the rose and white ribbons that bind us in our bond
From the lion we take our courage, our strength and honor, too.
May we always have the memory of that love that means Phi Mu!

Kappa Alpha Theta: And here’s to dear old Theta, colors of black and gold.
Our kites will e’re unite us with sisters young and old
Twin stars so brightly shining will guide us night and day
From Kappa Alpha Theta our hearts will never stray!

Kappa Delta: And here’s to Kappa Delta, the diamond shield we wear.
Throughout our lives in sisterhood our friendships we will share.
Our truth is in our emerald, our beauty our white rose
Through Ta Kala Diokomen our love forever grows!

Gamma Phi Beta: And here’s to Gamma Phis who crescent shines so bright.
With the pink carnation and browns of dark and light.
Our love is with our sisters and loyal we will be,
In Gamma Phi Beta true friendships you will see!

Pi Beta Phi: And here’s to Pi Phi angels, the wine and silver blue.
The friendships that we cherish, and sisters ever true.
Our hopes and aspirations, we aim our arrows high.
May we always be united in our Pi Beta Phi!

Delta Delta Delta: And here’s to all Tri-Deltas, the silver gold and blue.
The never ending circle, the pearl and pine tree, too.
Our sisterhood so special, good friends we’ll ever be.
Your happiness is our hope and love for the Deltas three!

Chi Omega: And here’s to Chi Omega, the cardinal and the straw.
And to the white carnation, the fairest flower of all.
And to the skull and crossbones, the letters and the owl
May we ever keep unbroken our love and sacred vows!

Kappa Kappa Gamma: And here’s to Kappa Gamma and to her key of gold.
Unlocking love and loyalty her bond will ever hold.
The beautiful and good to us will always be
The blue and blue, the friendships true of KKG!

Alpha Chi Omega: And here’s to the lyre with pearls of friendship true.
Our sisterhood we cherish in everything we do.
Together we will honor the sacred vows that tie.
And ever will we seek the heights in the name of Alpha Chi!

Delta Gamma: And here’s to Delta Gamma our anchor and our shield.
Our loyalty united, our friendships ever sealed.
The cream rose deems her beauty, amidst bronze pink and blue.
And to our own fraternity we always will be true!

Repeat first verse:

All: Here’s to all the women of Greek Fraternity
Whatever their creed or motto, wherever they may be.
Our strength is on our country, our God, democracy.
May we never be found wanting in allegiance to these three!

(song ends with all Chapters humming as they return to their houses)

[NinjaPoodle]

Thanks for posting the lyrics! Just curious, how long has this tradition been going on @ W&M?

Originally Posted by heatherirene

Hi Everyone,

Below are the lyrics to the W&M Panhellenic Toast. My senior year I was the Inter-Sorority Council President at William & Mary and my favorite part of the job was getting to lead the Toast during Recruitment. Every year students, residents, tourists, and former alumni would also stop and listen as we sang (shouted) in Sorority Court. It's a fabulous tradition!

-Heather Irene, AXO


The Panhellenic Toast
The College of William and Mary

(Humming proceeds the song as Chapter members exits their houses)

All: Here’s to all the women of Greek Fraternity
Whatever their creed or motto, wherever they may be.
Our strength is on our country, our God, democracy.
May we never be found wanting in allegiance to these three!

Phi Mu: Now here’s to all the Phi Mu’s who wear the heart and hand
To the rose and white ribbons that bind us in our bond
From the lion we take our courage, our strength and honor, too.
May we always have the memory of that love that means Phi Mu!

Kappa Alpha Theta: And here’s to dear old Theta, colors of black and gold.
Our kites will e’re unite us with sisters young and old
Twin stars so brightly shining will guide us night and day
From Kappa Alpha Theta our hearts will never stray!

Kappa Delta: And here’s to Kappa Delta, the diamond shield we wear.
Throughout our lives in sisterhood our friendships we will share.
Our truth is in our emerald, our beauty our white rose
Through Ta Kala Diokomen our love forever grows!

Gamma Phi Beta: And here’s to Gamma Phis who crescent shines so bright.
With the pink carnation and browns of dark and light.
Our love is with our sisters and loyal we will be,
In Gamma Phi Beta true friendships you will see!

Pi Beta Phi: And here’s to Pi Phi angels, the wine and silver blue.
The friendships that we cherish, and sisters ever true.
Our hopes and aspirations, we aim our arrows high.
May we always be united in our Pi Beta Phi!

Delta Delta Delta: And here’s to all Tri-Deltas, the silver gold and blue.
The never ending circle, the pearl and pine tree, too.
Our sisterhood so special, good friends we’ll ever be.
Your happiness is our hope and love for the Deltas three!

Chi Omega: And here’s to Chi Omega, the cardinal and the straw.
And to the white carnation, the fairest flower of all.
And to the skull and crossbones, the letters and the owl
May we ever keep unbroken our love and sacred vows!

Kappa Kappa Gamma: And here’s to Kappa Gamma and to her key of gold.
Unlocking love and loyalty her bond will ever hold.
The beautiful and good to us will always be
The blue and blue, the friendships true of KKG!

Alpha Chi Omega: And here’s to the lyre with pearls of friendship true.
Our sisterhood we cherish in everything we do.
Together we will honor the sacred vows that tie.
And ever will we seek the heights in the name of Alpha Chi!

Delta Gamma: And here’s to Delta Gamma our anchor and our shield.
Our loyalty united, our friendships ever sealed.
The cream rose deems her beauty, amidst bronze pink and blue.
And to our own fraternity we always will be true!

Repeat first verse:

All: Here’s to all the women of Greek Fraternity
Whatever their creed or motto, wherever they may be.
Our strength is on our country, our God, democracy.
May we never be found wanting in allegiance to these three!

(song ends with all Chapters humming as they return to their houses)

[heatherirene]

NinjaPoodle, I know the W&M Panhellenic Toast goes back to at least 1977--probably much further. I'll see if I can find out.

-Heather Irene

[honeychile]

Heather Irene, I think it's one of the very best Panhellenic traditions that I've ever seen - congratulations!

[GammaBelle]

HeatherIrene, you beat me to translating the lyrics. I'm a W&M grad too! I believe the panhellenic toast started sometime in the 70s--our HCB president graduated in 1969 and they weren't using it at that time.

No expansion discussion at W&M--total has been 90 there forever and ever and ever =)

[honeychile]

I keep coming back to this and have another question - is the order in which the sororities sing always the same? How was it decided?

As for expansion, well, as much as I'd love to see it, it's too late for me!

[NinjaPoodle]

Bringing this back to the top because I respect traditions, especially cool ones!

[Katmandu]

Ok, that brought a tear to my eyes. Beautiful!!

[CutiePie2000]

I'd love to add this to my own local campus, but it would have to be adapted somewhat, as some chapters are there and others are not.

[SWTXBelle]

I wish this would spread to other campuses - how awesome would that be?

[Cutie_Hootie]

I know the verse Chi O sings has been around for some time--it's the second verse of our Panhellenic Toast, which I believe was written in the 1920s. It uses the same tune as this one, only the first verse honors other organizations. Since most university/fraternity songs use tunes that were popular during the time it was written, I can only assume that other organizations also have a version of this toast?

As for our toast, we always sang it at Formal and at our Initiation Banquet, and we stood on our chairs as soon as Chi Omega was mentioned. We modified it slightly to make sure all the chapters on our campus were included:

Here's to Kappa Kappa Gamma
Here's to Alpha Delta Pi
To the Phi Mu Lion and the Arrow of Pi Beta Phi
Here's to Kappa Alpha Theta, the girl's fraternity
And here's to Chi Omega, for we love thee

Here's to Chi Omega
The Cardinal and the Straw
To the White Carnation, the fairest flower of them all
To the Skull and the Crossbones
The Letters and the Owl
May we ever keep unbroken
Our love and Sacred Vows

I would love to teach the W & M Panhellenic version to our Panhellenic Council. It would be a great way to kick off our Pre-Recruitment activities in the Fall. Soooo, does an ADPi want to write a verse for me?

[SWTXBelle]

Here's to A D Pi,
Our azure blue and white,
the woodland violets on our path,
our diamonds shining bright.
The clasped hands of friendship
two stars up in the sky,
symbolize the sisterhood
of dear old A D Pi.

- please, A D Pis, feel free to tweak if this works for you!

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Here's to A D Pi,
Our azure blue and white,
the woodland violets on our path,
our diamonds shining bright.
The clasped hands of friendship
two stars up in the sky,
symbolize the sisterhood
of dear old A D Pi.

- please, A D Pis, feel free to tweak if this works for you!

eta - alternate last line: we'll remain ever true/ to dear old A D Pi.

[SWTXBelle]

JUST FOR HONEYCHILE -

Here's to A D Pi,
Our azure blue and white,
the woodland violets on our path,
our diamonds shining bright.
The clasped hands of friendship
two stars up in the sky,
"We live for each other"
say Alpha Delta Pis!