Baird's Manual

[Drolefille]

So, because college library systems are fantastic, I got my hands on the 18th edition of the Baird's Manual (1968) and I thought it was really interesting because I'm a nerd like that. So, I thought I'd plagiarize and put at least some of the info about Sigma Kappa on here.

"Sigma Kappa was founded at Colby College, Waterville, Maine, November 9, 1874. The founders were Mary Low Carver who enrolled in 1871 and was the only woman student until 1874, and Louise Helen Coburn, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller and Frances Elliot Mann, who in that year were the next four women students to enroll. The purposes of the organization are to promote service, cultural development, spiritual standards, scholarship and intellectual life among its members. Sigma Kappa was the first New England sorority."

"Until the fall of 1890 the number of girls in college was small, never more than 20 at one time, so that the plan of admitting all to Sigma Kappa presented no difficulties"

I thought that was really cool. I didn't know we initiated, or intended to, all of the women at Colby.

In 1894, however, fifteen women entered and all could not be admitted to Alpha chapter because of the membership limit of twenty-five set in 1879. It was decided to establish another chapter of the sorority on the campus and the following year the girls were divided between Alpha and Beta, meetings always being held jointly. In 1892 a third chapter, Gamma, also on the Colby campus was instituted to meet the needs of the class of 1896. A decision was reached to initiate no more girls into Beta and Gamma and to look beyond Colby for additional members. In 1904 a chapter was established at Boston, and in 1905 another at Syracuse. Thus the sorority grew steadily and soundly

PKS

Pi Kappa Sigma was founded November 17, 1894, at Michigan State Normal College, Ypsilanti, by Georgia Fox, a student. Thirteen other students with her comprised the first organization. It was known as J.P.N. The purpose was mainly social training. In 1897 J.P.N. was reorganized and the purpose broadened. The name was changed to Pi Kappa Sigma. In 1915 the widening opportunity for women in teaching as leaders and policy makers led to the broadening of the scope of the work to be accomplished by the chapters. objectives were to prepare members to fill these places and to give a better service in the work, to keep pace with the broadening democratic ideals, and to give opportunity for more training in initiative and cooperation to more girls.

The badge was a modified triangular shield of black enamel displaying the sorority letters and a lamp and carrying a diamond surrounded by thirteen gold rays. The pledge pin was a modified triangle enameled in turquoise and carrying the sorority letters. The official insignia of office was a gold disk with thirteen gold rays. Colors were turquoise blue and gold. Flowers were forget-me-nots and jonquils
Pi Kappa Sigma ended its existence on May 15, 1959 when absorbed by Sigma Kappa by merger.

So, there's some info.. i'm going to go massage my carpal tunnel now.

Oh and for those like me who don't know flowers, GIS for "jonquils" shows me that they're daffodils, and flowers like them... I think.

[sueali]

Ok so the founding date in the first paragraph is wrong, is that a mistype by you or is actually misinformation from the manual.

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by sueali

Ok so the founding date in the first paragraph is wrong, is that a mistype by you or is actually misinformation from the manual.

lol me sorry!

[sueali]

Not a problem. I just wanted to know if Baird's the best source for greek history had made a colossal mistake. LISK

[BaylorBean]

Great work! I would never have had the gumption to sit down and retype all that!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by BaylorBean

Great work! I would never have had the gumption to sit down and retype all that!

lol, my excuse was maybe that I was practicing for my Civil Service Test... I type 90 wpm

Anyway, I thought it was really cool that we wanted to initiate all of the women at Colby

Oh and there's a ton more in there... I'm too lazy for that.

[BaylorBean]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Anyway, I thought it was really cool that we wanted to initiate all of the women at Colby

I thought that was way cool too and I'm sure it was much needed back then for the support!

[ufdale]

What is the Baird's manual? Who wrote it?

[Drolefille]

Wikipedia on Baird's

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by BaylorBean

I thought that was way cool too and I'm sure it was much needed back then for the support!

Yeah, I can't imagine having all of 15 girls in a freshmen class (and that was the biggest ever)

[SigKapSweetie]

I really enjoyed reading that, but am I the only one who dorked out upon seeing 'Georgia Fox' and immediately thought of Jorja Fox from CSI?