Sigma Kappa was founded on November 9, 1874, by five young women, the only females enrolled at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. They received a letter from the faculty approving the organization’s petition, which included a constitution and bylaws. The five founders of Sigma Kappa are Mary Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Fuller Pierce, Louise Helen Coburn and Frances Mann Hall.
The Founders of Sigma Kappa
On Sigma Kappa’s founding day, let us take a look at what was going on a century ago in Sigma Kappa Land, courtesy of the Sigma Kappa Triangle of December 1916.
Alpha Chapter – Colby College
The social service work is admirably conducted by Helen Cole, ’17. Just now we are making Christmas bags for the wounded soldiers ‘somewhere in France.’ These bags are of gaily colored cretonne and contain articles selected from an approved list. We are enclosing our addresses and a Christmas message in French, in the expectation of hearing of the safe arrival of our gift.
In the interest of the movement to raise $150,000 for the relief of men in the prison camps and hospitals of Europe, Y.M.C.A. Secretary, David R. Porter, Bowdoin, ’06 (DKE), addressed the student body at a joint chapel meeting, October 6. He told of the present war situation, and pictured the suffering and want of the soldiers, many of whom are students. As a result of this address, $400 was raised among the girls alone as their offering.
Epsilon – Syracuse
Rushing season is over, we have just entered the routine of work and behold! Christmas holidays are upon us and nearly half a college year has passed. The time seems much shorter between the opening of college and Christmas vacation because the opening of college was postponed on account of the infantile paralysis scare. Even now we are not beyond its danger but the cases are fewer, even though new cases are reported breaking out in other cities and towns. The freshman-sophomore reception which is always held at the beginning of the year was postponed and also the Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A. reception, both on account of the epidemic.
This did not effect the Flour Rush, however. The all-important sophomores took their place at the top of Crouse College Hill and defied the freshmen at the foot to climb up. Of course the freshmen won, although the air was so white and thick that we could scarcely distinguish forms.
Zeta – George Washington University
Zeta has given two teas and a dance, a chafing-dish party, and a ‘bonfire party.’ The ‘bonfire party’ was the most fun, in the woods under a bright harvest moon, with a roaring fire. We toasted ‘dogs’ and marshmallows on long sticks, getting well toasted ourselves in the process, and after finishing all the pumpkin pie and cider, settled down to sing and tell stories. We find such parties very good rushing stunts.
Eta – Illinois Wesleyan University
One of our most interesting rushing parties was a Bluebird Breakfast held out in the woods. About sixty were present, counting both Sigma Kappas and rushees. Hand-painted bluebirds, suspended by string from the trees nearby, were given as favors; bluebird place cards were used and a little china bluebird was given as a prize to the rushee who, blind-folded, could draw a bluebird most realistically.
Theta – University of Illinois
One of the big events in our university is the laying of the cornerstone in the new Woman’s Dormitory. An outsider cannot realize what this means, but to some of the people in the university who have worked for fifteen years with this aim in view the result is indeed most gratifying. The building is to accommodate one hundred girls, and thus it is hoped that some of the small rooming-houses may be done away with, and that the Woman’s Dormitory will be made the center of
the social life for the girls of the university.
Iota – University of Denver
The Big Sister Association, in connection with the Y.W.C.A., is very active at the university. The second week of school, it gave a tea at one of the big stores in the heart of Denver, and practically every girl in school attended. The big sisters brought their little sisters, and the faculty and the sophomores were also urged to come. At the close of the tea, short toasts were given and responded to. Every girl, both new and old, declared that she had had a wonderful time. This tea has now been made a custom in the university and is to be given each fall.
Lambda – University of California
A junior of Lambda had her Oyster party October 15. Of course you all know that ‘Oysters’ mean announcements. Still another one is scheduled for November 14.
Mu – University of Washington
Washington has just passed through a two weeks’ system of rushing. This system was tried several years ago but did not become permanent, since it has been followed by all sorts of systems. This year it was agreed to try the old two weeks’ system of rushing once more. The first week’s entertaining consisted of tea from three to six on Monday, with three dinner dates following and an all-day date on Saturday, at which time second-week dates were sent out. The second week’s entertaining was much the same and Saturday the freshmen accepted their bids by appearing at the house designated by the Sorority.
This system worked out rather well, although it was awfully tiresome
for the sorority girls to do such constant rushing for two weeks. It is
thought that by making a few changes in the rules that this form of rushing will be made permanent here at Washington. We all hope that a permanent system will be adopted, as it is very bothersome to change rules every year.
Nu – Middlebury College
Some changes, as the change of chapel hour from 8:15 to 10:00 o’clock, and our first hour class meeting at 8:00 o’clock, instead of 8:10, as formerly, made school seem a little different, but we are all accustomed to the changes now.
Xi – University of Kansas
According to Panhellenic, we had only eight days of rushing this year which was easier on the rushers and rushees, both Panhellenic was very strict in enforcing the rates this year. Wednesday afternoon we had a matinee dance at the house and a cafeteria luncheon afterwards. Several of our girls have ukuleles and mandolins so we have jolly times together. Thursday was our ‘exclusive’ which we called ‘An Afternoon at the Orpheum.’ Five of the girls gave a farce and stunts with a dinner at six o’clock. Saturday evening we had our usual Sigma Kappa dinner with butterfly decorations and everything in our colors. Monday was pledge day. On the next Friday we had our annual dance for our pledges. (The chapter pledged 11 women.)
Omicron – Jackson College (now part of Tufts)
Margaret Cochran. ’17, is president of the Jackson Equal Suffrage Association. Katherine Briggs, ’18, is vice-president of the Athletic Association, as well as secretary of the Equal Suffrage Association and junior Sigma Kappa member of the Panhellenic Association.
Pi – Leland Stanford Junior University
Girls, you should see our chapter house! We’re just that proud of it that we tell everyone about it. The house is newness inside and outside. The outside is still white, and the woodwork in the inside downstairs is now all in cream, with even cream fire-places. Then we have rose drapes for the windows, and old-rose sofa-cushions to match them. We certainly do look fine and we’re real proud of ourselves. I wish some of you girls could pay us a visit. We’re getting quite lone-
some to see some of our Sigma sisters… I wonder if any of the other colleges are especially interested in the bag for the soldiers of Europe! The Stanford Y.W.C.A. is taking quite a lively interest in preparing these bags which contain ten articles, among these being cold cream, tooth-paste, soap, a pair of woolen socks, and some kind of puzzle. Such things as tobacco and playing-cards are to be excluded.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2016. All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory.
When she was a young child of three or four, she saw my husband’s Sig Ep pin in my jewelry box. She asked what it was, and I told her it was Daddy’s fraternity pin. “Oh, I didn’t know Daddy was a pirate,” she exclaimed.
