How long before you had a Beta chapter?

pbear19 · #1 05-18-2002, 12:25 PM

Hey all! I haven't posted much in a long time, but I have another question. I've found some information about this in various other threads, but I was hoping I could get a little more info.

How long did it take your organization before you had two chapters? Did your organization start with the idea of becoming national some day, or did you originally intend to be a local? And if you know, did your alpha chapter have everything figured out as to how to work with a potential new chapter, or did they learn as they went? If they didn't have it all planned out for the installation of a new chapter, did everything go smoothly with that second chapter or was it difficult for the alpha chapter and/or the new one?

I appreciate any info that you all can give me!

The1calledTKE · #2 05-18-2002, 12:35 PM

TKE didn't have a Beta chapter for 10 years. The Knights of Classic Lore (TKE before it took the greek letter name) was approached by Phi Delt alums tring to restart one of their chapters. The KCL took the name TKE to look more apealing to Phi Delt nationals. After being turned down a couple times but Phi Delt nationals for membership. After being turned down TKE members went agaisnt the Phi Delt alums to keep trying and decided to become their own national fraternity. Bet Phi Delt regrets that one since TKE now has the most active chapters out of all the fraternities and is in the top 4 with most initiated members.

Kevin · #3 05-18-2002, 01:45 PM

Sigma Nu had 10 chapters active before it ever had a "beta" chapter. The old chapter nomenclature was Roman Numerals. Trying to adapt itself to be a more "Greek" organization, Sigma Nu adapted the Greek Letter system for chapter name around 1880. Our "Beta" chapter is still active, it was founded in 1871 two years after our founding at the Virginia Military Institute.

If you've ever been to our chapter listings on the Sigma Nu website, that explains why the early chapters aren't in order

Tom Earp · #4 05-18-2002, 04:47 PM

PBear19, Remember, each Greek Org. started out with 1.

I sometimes look back after starting Beta Chi if I could have gone National! WOW would that have been something!

We thought the best way to go was to affiliate with a Strong National of which we did. I have never looked back, but sometimes think of the things I designed and wonder what it would be like to see 1000,s wearing and displaying it!

There are some Locals on site that are expanding as we speak so hang in there! It is a damn tuff road to how, but if you plant enuff seeds and give it enuff care, it just may grow!

33girl · #5 05-19-2002, 10:49 PM

Our Beta chapter came 2 years after our Alpha. Over the next 8 years we got 11 more. Then they all (except Alpha) folded. But that's another story.

The longest time between folding & recolonizing would be our Kappa Phi chapter...founded in 1909, closed sometime between then & 1914, reopened in 2000.

greeklawgirl · #6 05-19-2002, 11:20 PM

Alpha Gamma Delta was founded with the intention of becoming a national women's fraternity. We were founded May 30th, 1904.

On June 1, 1905, 12 girls from the University of Wisconsin received word that a charter had been granted them to create Beta Chapter. Gamma Chapter followed in January 1906.

Alpha Gam spanned North America by 1909, and became International by 1919. Pretty amazing considering how limited communication was at the time.

MysticCat · #7 05-19-2002, 11:31 PM

Beta chapter of the Sinfonia Fraternity (that was the name originally) came into being on October 6, 1900, two years to the day after the founding of Alpha Chapter. There was some disagreement in Alpha about whether they should seek to expand the Fraternity -- fortunately, the expansionists carried the day.

FuzzieAlum · #8 05-20-2002, 07:32 PM

AXD's Beta chapter was installed almost exactly 100 years ago at Iowa Wesleyan. The funny thing is that it had been a chapter of PEO, and it had been formed before AXD's Alpha chapter. (I'm not sure what year that was but Alpha was founded in 1893.) So our Alpha is older than our Beta!

AXD was founded with the intention of joining KKG, which is why dark and light blue were chosen as our colors. When we instead decided to go national, we added the gold.

#9 05-25-2002, 05:48 PM

Our beta chapter received its charter 8 years after our National Founding.

Jennifer

AOX81 · #10 08-28-2002, 12:12 PM

Our Beta Chapter was founded 13 years after our Alpha Chapter.

LatinaAlumna · #11 10-01-2002, 06:01 PM

Our (Lambda Theta Nu Sorority, Inc.) Beta Chapter was established after 4 years, and in a completely different state, which a lot of people find pretty interesting.

NoShame_Gamma · #12 10-02-2002, 07:43 PM

Our Beta chapter (Univ. of Arizona) was established 7 months after the Founding/Alpha (Arizona State Univ.) chapter. However, it was 4 years before we established a Gamma chapter (Univ. of Washington)

excuse_3 · #13 12-02-2002, 08:36 PM

Our Beta Chapter was chartered 4 years after the 10 founders began the fraternity (Beta Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.).

nyrdrms · #14 12-02-2002, 09:31 PM

Our Alpha chapter was established in 1874 and our Beta chapter in 1888.

SigK_Bama · #15 12-11-2002, 12:23 AM

Our Alpha, Beta and Gamma chapters were all located at Colby College where we were founded. When membership got too high in the Alpha chapter, the Beta and Gamma were formed. In 1893 it was decided that Sigma Kappa needed to expand past Colby College, so Beta and Gamma received no more initiates, and Delta chapter was installed at Boston University in 1904.