Kappa Delta Trivia

[Leslie Anne]

So for those who are interested, I'll post some details of the early names.

(I have a complete list of all chapters chartered by Kappa Delta, their locations, and their years, but for some reason it was considered unwise to post it on GC, so I won't post it but rather just lay out the basics that I know. I definitely don't have the whole story though, as you'll see.)

Alpha, Beta and Gamma are clearly alphabetical. Then came:

Sigma (1902) - I have no idea why -- wild guess would be because it was installed by Susie Scott, National Treasurer at the time.

Theta (1903) - Again, no idea why.

Epsilon Prime (1903) - Possibly an attempt to get back to an alphabetical naming system? Also possibly named for it's location at Elizabeth College. Regardless, this chapter only existed for one year, sub rosa, before Kappa Delta determined that sub rosa chapters were not a good idea. (Not to be confused with Epsilon chapter at LSU chartered 6 years later.)



Starting in late 1903, a lot of chapters were named for the local sororities that petitioned Kappa Delta for a charter. This was the norm back then (for a local to select one particular national sorority with which they wanted to affiliate.)

Phi Psi (1903) - The local sorority was named Mu Phi Psi.

Zeta (1904) - Perhaps an attempt to return to alphabetic naming after Epsilon Prime?

Phi Delta (1904) - The local sorority's name.

Kappa Alpha (1904) - Named in honor of KA fraternity.

Rho Omega Phi (1904) - The local sorority was named R. O. F. Society.

Delta (1905) - Wild guess would be because a KD from Phi Delta chapter assisted in getting the group together to petition KD, then participated in the installation.

Iota (1907) - no clue

Lambda (1907) - Named in honor of William C. Levere of SAE for his assistance in Kappa Delta's expansion in the North.

Omicron (1908) - no clue

Sigma Sigma (1908) - The local sorority's name.

Epsilon (1909) - no clue

Epsilon Omega (1910) - The local sorority, originally named Black Cats, changed their name to Epsilon Omega Delta.

Alpha Gamma (1911) - The local sorority's name.

Sigma Delta (1912) - The local sorority's name.

Kappa (1913) - My only guess is because the local was named Kappa Lambda.

Omega Xi (1913) - I have no idea, but I'm very curious. Such an unusual name had to come from somewhere. Maybe Kaydee_cutie knows since that's her chapter.

Eta (1913) - Either from the name of the local, Eta Pi, or the location, Hunter College.

Chi (1914) - no clue

Rho (1914) - The local sorority was named Sigma Rho.

Mu (1914) - The local sorority was named Kappa Mu.

Phi Tau (1915) - The local sorority was named Phi Epsilon Tau.

Phi Epsilon (1916) - The local sorority's name.

Sigma Alpha (1916) - The local sorority's name.

Omega Chi (1917) - The local sorority's name.

Theta Sigma (1917) - another stumper - the local was called Nous Soeurs Club - there must be a good reason for this chapter's unusual name.

Phi (1917) - no clue (the local sorority was named Copo de Oro)

Sigma Beta (1918) - The local sorority's name.

Psi (1918) - no clue (doesn't match local's name)

Nu (1919) - no clue (doesn't match local's name)

Xi (1920) - no clue (doesn't match local's name) - perhaps Dani would know since this is her chapter.

Pi (1920) - no clue

Tau (1920) - This one has a little story. Four Kappa Deltas from Psi chapter transferred to the University of Wisconsin. One of them, Elsie Taylor, worked to get a local group together to petition KD for a charter. They named the local Tau Kappa Delta (Tau for Elsie Taylor + Kappa Delta for their goal.)

Upsilon (1920) - Just a guess but the local was named Kappa Phi Upsilon.



Now we go into a stage where double letters starting with Sigma were chosen. *Ta kala explains why in a post below.* This begins the first real attempt to go alphabetically with some minor exceptions.

Sigma Alpha and Sigma Beta had already been assigned to chapters so it begins with:

Sigma Gamma (1920)

Sigma Delta was already assigned to a chapter so it was skipped.

Sigma Epsilon (1921) - Although it does fit alphabetically, it's noted that the Epsilon part of this chapter's name was given in honor of Eliza Winn, of Sigma Alpha chapter, who was then a student at UT and assisted in selecting members for the new chapter.

Sigma Zeta (1921) - Again, this one fits alphabetically but there's more. It's noted that a Kappa Delta named Katherine Farrah, of Zeta chapter, transferred to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and joined a group named Caryatides. She pushed for them to petition KD for a charter, which was granted. Whether the Zeta in the chapter's name is for Katherine's Zeta chapter background or it's simply there alphabetically is, as the history books say, up to "the gods of chance."

The next 10 chapters were named alphabetically; Sigma Eta through Sigma Pi. Then it goes out of sequence to:

Sigma Tau (1923) - It's possible that the Tau was given in honor of the local which was called Tonora.

Sigma Rho (1923) - get's us back on track alphabetically, however, it is also the name of the local.

Sigma Sigma was already assigned so it skips to:

Sigma Upsilon (1923) - which brings us back to alphabetical naming.

Sigma Phi (1924)

Sigma Chi (1924) - This one is alphabetical but it's also noted that the local was named Delta Sigma Chi. Here I have a hunch that local groups with an interest in Kappa Delta started naming themselves after the next available chapter name. (Which would apply to Sigma Rho as well.) It's just a hunch though.

And the double letter Sigmas come to an end with Sigma Omega.


Starting with Michigan State in 1924, the chapters are named strictly alphabetically beginning with Alpha Alpha continuing until the present. (The only exception is Alpha Gamma which had already been assigned back in 1911.)

I have a feeling that I'm missing a couple of things. I distictly remember one chapter being named after a prominent Kappa Delta. I also think that one chapter later on in the alphabet is skipped but I'm not sure why.



Anyway, that's as much as I know about the naming of our chapters. If anyone knows the answers to my many "no clue"s or can shed some light on the many mysteries, please chime in! I'd love to find out more.

AOT,
Leslie Anne

[Katmandu]

Oh My Gosh, this is fascinating!!

Thank you so much for posting this. When read about Lambda and Kappa Alpha Chapter, and when I thought about Omega Xi being founded in '13, I realized I didn't know what I thought I knew about chapter naming.

You have some great sources. Now I will see what I can find out about some of the question marks. Kaydee Cutie, do you know about the origin of UC's chapter designation?

Thanks again Leslie Anne!

[ta kala]

The Sigma chapters were named in honor of someone. I'm in the airport right now on my way home, so I will be able to tell you after I look through Ordinary Miracles!

[Leslie Anne]

Oooooo! Get home quickly (and safely) and let us know! I'm so curious. Could it have been for Sarah Blue?

[SydneyK]

Leslie, thanks so much for all that information! And ta kala... we can't wait for you to get home!

In the meantime, here's another trivia question:
What was KD's original open motto?

[ta kala]

"... the 1919 Convention voted to make "Sigma" the key letter in honor of retiring National President Marion Mullins, an initiate of Sigma Chapter."

Some of the others:

Mu was also named in honor of Marion, who was National Treasurer at the time.

Epsilon Omega was "named for Edith Orilla KNown, the Naitonal Chapterian who worked with the chapter at the University of Kentucky in securing its charter"

It also said that in the early years, groups were allowed to choose their own name, so that may explain why it was not in order.


ETA: My guess for the open motto would be "Let us pursue the honorable things" or "We seek that which is noblest."

[Leslie Anne]

Originally Posted by ta kala

"... the 1919 Convention voted to make "Sigma" the key letter in honor of retiring National President Marion Mullins, an initiate of Sigma Chapter."

Some of the others:

Mu was also named in honor of Marion, who was National Treasurer at the time.

Epsilon Omega was "named for Edith Orilla KNown, the Naitonal Chapterian who worked with the chapter at the University of Kentucky in securing its charter"

It also said that in the early years, groups were allowed to choose their own name, so that may explain why it was not in order.

Wow! Thanks so much for the info, ta kala. I've been wondering about the double letter sigmas for so long. What a relief to finally have the answer.

[SydneyK]

ta kala - Your knowledge of all things KD astounds me. Thanks for sharing the info about the chapters!
And what a great question, katmandu!

The original open motto was, "Let us pursue the honorable." Not knowing Greek, I wonder if ta kala diokomen could have several translations, and therefore it has morphed (for lack of a better word) over the years.

I've also heard that when the flower was changed from the marguerite daisy to the rose, it was specifically the white kaiserin rose. Not being familiar with varieties of roses, I wonder if that's just an ordinary white rose.

Great. Now I realize that I don't know enough Greek and that I am flower-ignorant.

ETA: Here's a link to a picture of a Kaiserin Auguste Viktoria, which is the closest thing I can find to a "white kaiserin rose":
http://www.helpmefind.com/rose/pl.php?n=3570%22

[ta kala]

Thank you - but I can't take all the credit - Ordinary Miracles has provided me a lot of info.

For the motto:
"In the August, 1912 Angelos, classical scholar professor Winfield P. Woolf pointed out that the ancient Greek root word "dioko" was used more frequently to refer to a chase. Therefore, he said, the motto is 'active and aggressive, not lazy and passive.'"


KD has had 9 executive directors since 1925. How many chapters are represented in those 9 women?

[kdizzy]

This is all so wonderful! I love reading about our sorority's history and facts that they don't teach you during your new member period. Unfortunately I can't answer many of the questions but I just wanted to let you all know that I am having a great time reading all of this!

[Leslie Anne]

Glad you're joining us, kdizzy!

Originally Posted by ta kala

KD has had 9 executive directors since 1925. How many chapters are represented in those 9 women?

Seven: Psi, Sigma Sigma, Sigma Alpha, Omicron, Alpha Psi, Delta Kappa, and Alpha Mu.


ETA: Since what year has a Founder's Day message been published in The Angelos by the National President?

[kathykd2005]

Originally Posted by kdizzy

This is all so wonderful! I love reading about our sorority's history and facts that they don't teach you during your new member period. Unfortunately I can't answer many of the questions but I just wanted to let you all know that I am having a great time reading all of this!

Glad you're having fun, kdizzy!

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by Leslie Anne

ETA: Since what year has a Founder's Day message been published in The Angelos by the National President?

Just a guess, but I'm gonna say 1913, when plans were made outlining the first celebration of Founder's Day (even though FD was first recognized in 1911, I don't think there were any actual celebrations until 1913).

[ValpoKD]

Originally Posted by Leslie Anne

ETA: Since what year has a Founder's Day message been published in The Angelos by the National President?

I am going to guess 1921.

This is a fun game! I think that I am going to ask for Ordinary Miracles as a Christmas gift.

[Leslie Anne]

Not quite there yet. It's not 1913 or 1921.

The answer is in Ordinary Miracles.


ETA: Thanks for the photo of the kaiserin rose, Sydney! Where did you learn that?