Category Archives: Colleges and Universities

NPC Organizations That No Longer Exist; A Reflection on International Badge Day

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) celebrates International Badge Day on the first Monday in March. NPC asks its members to “Wear Your Letters on Your Heart.” Men’s fraternities and other Greek-letter organizations have joined in on the fun. The more the merrier, … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Phi, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Association of Education Sororities, Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, Delta Zeta, George Washington University, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Hunter College, Miami University, National Panhellenic Conference, Phi Mu, Sigma Kappa, Sorority History, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, The Phoenix of Alpha Sigma Alpha, Thiel College, University of California, University of California at Berkeley, University of Illinois, University of Missouri, Women's Fraternity History, Zeta Tau Alpha | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on NPC Organizations That No Longer Exist; A Reflection on International Badge Day

The 100th Anniversary of the Suffrage Parade, Sorority Women, and a Guest Appearance by High School Student J. Edgar Hoover

This weekend marks the 100th anniversary of the March 3, 1913 Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C. Among the women who marched were sorority/fraternity women. Pi Beta Phi Carrie Chapman Catt was one of the speakers. Pi Beta Phi’s former Grand … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Chi Omega, Carrie Chapman Catt, Chi Omega, Delta Sigma Theta, Fran Favorite, George Washington University, GLO, Goucher College, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Howard University, National Panhellenic Conference, Notable Sorority Women, Pi Beta Phi, Sigma Kappa, The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi, The Lyre of Alpha Chi Omega, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on The 100th Anniversary of the Suffrage Parade, Sorority Women, and a Guest Appearance by High School Student J. Edgar Hoover

A Smoking Issue at the 1928 NPC Meeting

The 20th National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) meeting took place at the Parker House in Boston from February 27 to March 1, 1928. By that time, more than 210,000 women had joined the 21 NPC organizations. At the meeting, it was … Continue reading

Posted in Mount Holyoke College, National Panhellenic Conference, Sorority History, The Arrow of Pi Beta Phi, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on A Smoking Issue at the 1928 NPC Meeting

Happy Founders’ Day Sigma Pi – The Founding of the SIUC Chapter

February 26 is recognized as Sigma Pi’s Founders’ Day. In honor of my next-door neighbor, a former Grand Sage and charter member of the chapter at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, I offer this snippet about the history of the chapter. … Continue reading

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Celebrating the Rebirth of Two NPC Alpha Chapters!

This spring two National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) organizations are recolonizing their Alpha chapters. Zeta Tau Alpha is returning to its birthplace at Longwood University. Alpha Omicron Pi is revitalizing the chapter whose home will be the now co-ed Columbia University, with … Continue reading

Posted in Barnard College, Boston University, Colby College, DePauw University, Farmville Four, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Knox College, Lombard College, Longwood University, Miami University, Mount Holyoke College, National Panhellenic Conference, Sorority History, Syracuse University, Women's Fraternities | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A Fraternity of Firsts – Heth Aleph Re at Tufts University

My thanks to Charlie Trantanella, Sigma Nu,  for this contribution. A graduate of Tufts University and the University of Arizona, he is currently writing a book entitled “Brown and Blue and Greek: A history of fraternities, sororities, and early student … Continue reading

Posted in Fran Favorite, GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Sigma Nu, Tufts University | Tagged , , | Comments Off on A Fraternity of Firsts – Heth Aleph Re at Tufts University

The Valentine’s Day Card Connection to Mount Holyoke College

Esther Howland, an 1847 Mount Holyoke alumna, is credited with popularizing the Valentine’s Day card. Her company, the New England Valentine’s Company, was founded about 50 years before the Hallmark Company, the company most people think of when they think … Continue reading

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Happy Birthday Mizzou! In 1902, There Were Only Two – KKΓ and ΠBΦ

“Happy Birthday Mizzou! Founded in 1839 as America’s first public university west of the Mississippi,” read the status of one of my Pi Phi friend’s facebook page. How could I not cobble together a quick post from my dissertation, Coeducation … Continue reading

Posted in GLO, Greek-letter Organization, Greek-letter Organization History, Kappa Kappa Gamma, National Panhellenic Conference, Notable Sorority Women, Pi Beta Phi, Sorority History, University of Missouri, Women's Fraternity History, Zeta Tau Alpha | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Birthday Mizzou! In 1902, There Were Only Two – KKΓ and ΠBΦ

Amelia Earhart’s Connection to Thiel College

(When I found myself on the Thiel College campus this summer, I thought it a bit odd to be on a road called Amelia Earhart Drive. Would I end up in the middle of nowhere, never to be seen again … Continue reading

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“Hazing as Girls Practice It” – The University of Chicago’s Esoteric Club, 1896

“What objection can Miss Talbott (sic) make to a national fraternity in the face of this?” was written on a page that had an undated article entitled “Hazing as Girls Practice it.” It was in with some late 1890s correspondence … Continue reading

Posted in American Association of University Women, Bradley University, Davida Harper Eaton, Delta Sigma Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), National Panhellenic Conference, Phi Delta Theta, Pi Beta Phi, Sorority History, University of Chicago, Women's Fraternities, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on “Hazing as Girls Practice It” – The University of Chicago’s Esoteric Club, 1896