Ida Shaw Martin

[oldu]

Ida Shaw martin is probably the most instrumental person ever in the development of the sorority system. I don't know if much has been written about her on this forum but Xidelt asked me to do some research and report.

First she edited a publication "The Sorority Handbook" which was a Baird's Manual type edition strictly about sororities. The first was published in 1905 and a total of eleven were published, the last being 1931. They are very very rare, and expensive if you are lucky enough to find one. I have the 6th, 8th & 9th editions in my library.

Because she edited the publication she quickly came somone who others sought for advice, especially local groups seeking national affiliation. Sometime during the 1920s she became more official and organized The Sorority Service Bureau. During this period she was instrumental in founding Pi Lambda Sigma (absorbed by Theta Phi Alpha in 1952), Theta Upsilon (absorbed by Delta Zeta in 1962), and Theta Sigma Upsilon (absorbed by Alpha Gamma Delta in 1959) all in 1921; Lambda Omega (absorbed by Theta Upsilon in 1933) in 1923; and Pi Delta Theta (absorbed by Delta Sigma Epsilon in 1941) in 1925.

Zeta Tau Alpha gives her credit in helping them achieve NPC status and aiding in founding their first northern chapters. She claims to have been instrumental in changing the name of Alpha Delta Phi to Alpha Delta Pi. She was also elected national president of Alpha Sigma Alpha during their early years (and edited their magazine).

The most recent history of Delta Delta Delta devoted several pages to this fascinating woman. It seems to me that NPC should be doing more to immortalize this amazing sorority pioneer.