All Orgs That were founded before 1930/Why I pledged stories

[summer_gphib]

Gamma Phi Beta was formed Nov. 11, 1874 at Syracuse University.

I chose to pledge Gamma Phi Beta for a lot of different reasons. It was new to our campus, so I felt there was a lot of potential to have a leadership role, and to take on something new and exciting. I skipped formal rush to go through the recruitment process for the Gamma Phi expansion. I was also incouraged to rush from my bf at the time who was a Lambda Chi at another university, and two very good friends who were Sigma Nu's (also new to the university).

I went through the recruitment process for the colony... and just so happened to come down with a bad sinus infection. When it came time to interview with International President Diane Thompson, I was running a pretty high fever, and was carrying kleenex everywhere. I managed to SNEEZE on her. Good impression I'm sure. Anyway, I didn't receive a bid. Go figure.

I felt horrible and decided to wait and go through formal recruitment. But that spring a good friend of mine, who was a Gamma Phi, asked me to come to informal recruitment (structured) I couldn't make it, because I had class, but I was invited to the next night, which was informal pref night. I got a bid!

[SxyLambdaLady6]

prettyboy

what did your dad pledge, and what did he think about you pledging for the kappas? did he want you to pledge his fraternity?

[SxyLambdaLady6]

Originally Posted by trueblueZTA

My time in ZTA is almost up and I can not imagine what I am going to do without "my girls" once I have graduate....if you are thinking about rushing... GO FOR IT! It's the most amazing experience!

what do you mean by your time in Zeta is up? Isn't your sorority membership for life? I know that in my org I will be supporting my chapter and sorority for the rest of my life. I will always be an LTA even after I graduate. I've heard people say (mostly mainstream orgs, not minority orgs) that after they graduate they are done. Hopefully thats not true..

I know I'm gonna be a Neo for life....

[Pike_Cardinal]

I don't know about any sorority histories, but there are some really cool stories from the books of fraternities founded during/before the civil war era, it was also during a time when secret societies really operated secretly.

[TriSigmaKel-lay]

As trublueZTA said

We are part of the "Farmville Four". Three other organizations were born around the same time.

Sigma Sigma Sigma is another of the "Farmville Four". We were founded April 20, 1898.

I was unsure when I rushed where I would end up. It wasn't until Pref night that I was sure. I can't imagine being anywhere else now.

[AlwaysSAI]

Let's see

Sigma Alpha Iota: University School of Music, Ann Arbor Michigan-1903

I joined Sigma Alpha Iota because I wanted a sisterhood of only women and having already had a negative experience with NPC in formal recruitment, I thought I may be more comfortable with a relaxed recruitment. I also love music. I studied voice classically for five years before realizing I would never survive the broadway curcuit. SAI was a way for me to nurture my musical abilities and dreams with other women who had the same passion. We are also relatively new to campus-just chartered in 1999. I saw the potential to help an org grow and change in a way that established chapters can't.

Phi Sigma Pi: State Teacher's College at Warrensburg, Missouri (now Central Missouri State U)-1916

I joined Phi Sigma Pi because I was looking for camaraderie. I wanted to broaden my horizons and meet more people outside of the music and education buildings. I was looking for a place where I would feel comfortable confiding in each and every member and an organization that provided financial support to collegiate members. (SAI only offers scholarships to music fields-even though our membership is much broader) While I loved being apart of a brand new org and watching it grow, I also wanted to be apart of something that was strongly established so that I could spend more time enjoying the members.

It's hard for me to explain, really. I've been asked before why did I join Phi Sig after SAI. I guess the easiest answer is that, while I cherish and love everything SAI is about---I really found my heart and my home with the brother of Phi Sigma Pi. Phi Sigma Pi is the place that I can relax, kick back and just be myself.

[lstorey]

Alpha Xi Delta was formed in April 1893 at Lombard College in Illionois.

[modorney]

Acacia - May 12, 1904

Historically, Acacia was restricted to Masons, and, for the most part, Masons must be 21, which meant the early years of Acacia were older students. However, a century ago, college wasn't just 18-22 year olds, there were many older students back then. And, after WW I, colleges were filled with men in their twenties. It was possible to be a member of a GLO and Acacia, since Acacia often was more of a "Masonic club", than a fraternity.

Becoming a Mason involves a fair amount of study and work, but there are clauses in the rules of Masonry that allow relatives of Masons to become Masons "on sight", without all the work, and at a younger age, around 18. Some Acacia chapters allowed this, and, in 1931, this was formalized in the rules. By 1933, the Masonic requirement was totally dropped, at the national level, though a few houses still practiced the requirement.

WW II brought more veterans, who were older, and those chapters who resembled Masonic clubs flourished well into the fifties. Many of these chapters allowed dual membership with traditional fraternities, as the Acacia chapter either didn't have a house, or the "house" resembled more of a "university club" (eating rooms, ritual rooms, and a limited number of residence rooms, generally occupied by much older members),

By the early sixties, Acacia chapters everywhere were the same as any social fraternity, and dual membership had ended. Since the thirties, there was always an undercurrent to change the name to something resembling other GLO's - like AAA (Tri-Alpha) or AK (Alpha Kappa).

Hazing was never a major factor, there were no traditions of nude pranks or insane behavior to preserve. Paddling only happened during hell week; most of the pledge period involved a work project. Acacia adopted a mentorship program, similar to Sig Ep's Balanced Man program, to replace pledge hazing.

Acacia has about 44 chapters, somewhat small for a national. It will be interesting to see if they pursue great expansion, or merger with another national.

*****

I joined Acacia because I found a handful of close friends in the chapter. We acquired a much nicer and larger house, and expanded too quickly. My house went through some tough times in the post-Vietnam era (and the rapid expansion split us into many factions), but survived and did well. And, most of my longest-lasting friends are brothers.

Later, I joined the Masons, and Acacia was a catalyst for that.

[preciousjeni]

Originally Posted by PhiBeteDean

Hello I am just curiuos to try and find out how many organization were founded before 1930? My org Phi Beta Psi Sorority inc. was founded February 15,1904 I am just curious to see how many orgs are just as old as my is .

Phi Beta Psi is a non-collegiate sorority founded February 15, 1904 in Columbus Ohio at Old North High School. A Hundred and two years later we are still here, it is amazing to see an organization last that many years.

Being an member of this greek chat, I have seen some many organizations that I have never heard before. And if any of you are like me you are infatuated with greek life.

Being a soror was my dream from very young,in fact since I was 12 years old. It was a dream I never let die no matter how hard the struggle how diffuicult the commitment, how long it took to find my greek family. I am 22 living out my dream as a member of Phi Beta Psi's Alpha Gamma Chapter in Manhattan,NY. I have great sisters that are genuine and are truly caring. The day I began pledging Phi Beta Psi and crossed was the happiest moments I can remember.

I want to here your story. So if you feel as passionate as me about you sorority no matter when your org was founded, tell me your story.

Hey Meiko,

Why is this thread in Up & Coming GLOs??

[AOII Angel]

Alpha Omicron Pi International Fraternity was founded at Barnard College of Columbia University on January 2, 1897. We've been around for a long time, too. It is amazing that the ideals chosen by four young women could withstand the test of time. I personally chose to join a sorority because I was going away from home to college. The only person I knew there was my older sister, who had pledged AOII the year before and loved it! I joined AOII because Karen loved it, loved the sisters, loved the ideals. I loved Karen and chose to follow her lead. Luckily, my sister chose very well! Ha!

[TravelingMan357]

Greetings,

I'm a proud member of Prince Masonry (13 years) The establishment of, what is now called Prince Hall Masonry, then African Lodge #459, was founded in 1784 as African Lodge #1 and then after receiving its charter in 1787 became an offical Masonic body and ultimately, not only the first official African-American organization in this country, but also the first African-American fraternal order for African-American men.

In fact, if one could reflect on that time period, with all the overt oppresion against African-American people (pre-emanicipation proclamation), you had a man named Prince Hall and 14 other Black men, one, get initiated into a British Lodge and ultimately attaining their own legitmacy as a proper Masonic body in Boston, Massachusetts. Simply fascinating history.

We're often called the "Father Of All" in terms of BGLO's because many founders of those groups were Masons prior to forming those undergraduate groups.

I'm the webmaster for our Michigan Prince Hall website -- there's a lot of information on this very intrguing and legendary fraternity: http://www.miphgl.org

Jay

Jay

[faireststar]

That site is fantastic! Great job.

Originally Posted by TravelingMan357

Greetings,

I'm a proud member of Prince Masonry (13 years) The establishment of, what is now called Prince Hall Masonry, then African Lodge #459, was founded in 1784 as African Lodge #1 and then after receiving its charter in 1787 became an offical Masonic body and ultimately, not only the first official African-American organization in this country, but also the first African-American fraternal order for African-American men.

In fact, if one could reflect on that time period, with all the overt oppresion against African-American people (pre-emanicipation proclamation), you had a man named Prince Hall and 14 other Black men, one, get initiated into a British Lodge and ultimately attaining their own legitmacy as a proper Masonic body in Boston, Massachusetts. Simply fascinating history.

We're often called the "Father Of All" in terms of BGLO's because many founders of those groups were Masons prior to forming those undergraduate groups.

I'm the webmaster for our Michigan Prince Hall website -- there's a lot of information on this very intrguing and legendary fraternity: http://www.miphgl.org

Jay

Jay

[honeychile]

Alpha Delta Pi is the first secret society for college women in the world, appropriately founded at Georgia Wesleyan College, which is the first college for women in the United States. Founded on May 15, 1851 by Eugenia Tucker Fitzgerald, Ella Pierce Turner, Octavia Andrew Rush, Elizabeth Williams Mitchell, Sophronia Woodruff Dews, and Mary Evans Glass, the Adelphean Society consisted of young women who were consistently at the head of their class, and were mostly the daughters of Methodist pastors.

The Adelphean Society flourished alongside the next secret society, the Philomathean Society (Phi Mu, founded in 1852) almost 50 years before other sororities tried to woo them into the Greek Letter societies. In 1905, the Adelphean Society caved under pressure and changed their name (but not their ritual) to Alpha Delta Phi. There were already over 3,000 alumnae at that time. In 1913, the name was changed yet again to Alpha Delta Pi, due to a northern fraternity having the same name.

Alpha Delta Pi celebrated its 150th Anniversary in 2001, with nationwide celebrations, a commemorative book, Sisters; Celebrating 150 Years of Alpha Delta Pi Sisterhood written by Linda Welch Ablard, and a donation of $150,000 to the National Panhellenic Conference. In 2005, Memorial Headquarters renovation was finished, and a Dedication was held at the biannual Convention.

If you'd like to know more, you can read about it here.



I was impressed with the women of Alpha Delta Pi from the moment I met them; even more so when I realized I had known many prior to rush. My own rush story is here. As a New Member, I started to learn the history of ADPi, and I grew to love it even more - I knew that I had made the right decision.

I would never want someone to think that I have anything but the highest respect for my legacy chapter to this day. There have been times when I've wondered "what if?", and it's taken years for my mother to accept it. I also have a high regard for the other NPC organizations, and happily served the Panhellenic Society on my campus. But when I go back to our Creed, I am deeply honored to be one of the fortunate women who was invited to join the sisterhood of Alpha Delta Pi.