Category Archives: University of Illinois

Who Was Thomas Arkle Clark, Dean of Men?

I just spent two days of research in my very favorite place to research, the Student Life and Culture Archives at the University of Illinois. I was on a specific quest, so I didn’t have time to just open books … Continue reading

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Happy Founders’ Day Sigma Delta Tau, Especially the Chapter at 1104 West Nevada Street

On March 25, 1917, seven female Cornell University students founded Sigma Delta Tau. Their organization was originally called Sigma Delta Phi, but when they discovered the name belonged to another Greek-letter organization they changed the “Phi” to “Tau.” Sigma Delta Tau’s … Continue reading

Posted in Cornell University, Fran Favorite, Sigma Delta Tau, University of Illinois, University of Texas, Women's Fraternity History | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Happy Founders’ Day Sigma Delta Tau, Especially the Chapter at 1104 West Nevada Street

Julian H. Lewis, Ph.D., M.D., Alpha Phi Alpha, the “Father of Anthropathology”

“This is the greatest unknown story of the greatest unknown medical and African American pioneer of the 20th century,” said Robert L. Branch II. Branch was speaking about Julian Herman Lewis, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha. Lewis was honored … Continue reading

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Rotary International’s Birthday with a Surprise Visit from a Sigma Nu

Rotary International, one of the world’s first service organizations, was founded on February 23, 1905.  That first Rotary Club in Chicago has the name Rotary One. According to this on the Rotary One website: On February 23, 1905, Paul Harris … Continue reading

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Harper Lee, Thornton Wilder, Thurmon Munson et al.

Harper Lee, Chi Omega, author of the Pulitzer Prize winning To Kill a Mockingbird, announced the publication of her second book, Go Set a Watchman.  She finished the book in the mid-1950s and it has the same characters and is set … Continue reading

Posted in Alpha Delta Phi, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Alpha Sigma Phi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Upsilon, DePauw University, Fran Favorite, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Kappa Sigma, Northwestern University, Notable Fraternity Women, University of Illinois, University of Michigan, Yale University | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Harper Lee, Thornton Wilder, Thurmon Munson et al.

The @GLOHistory Twitter Feed – a ΘΧ Mustang, ΦΚΘ, ΧΩ’s PBS Inquiry , a New ΦΚΨ House, and a ΠBΦ Connection

Some days I have no idea what I will write about. Yes, I have a calendar with the founding dates and other important events and I consult it regularly. Somedays, I just go to the twitter posts I favorited. Phi Theta … Continue reading

Posted in Chi Omega, Cottey College, Phi Kappa Psi, Phi Theta Kappa, Pi Beta Phi, Theta Chi, University of Illinois | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The @GLOHistory Twitter Feed – a ΘΧ Mustang, ΦΚΘ, ΧΩ’s PBS Inquiry , a New ΦΚΨ House, and a ΠBΦ Connection

First Homecoming? 1910, Illinois!

It’s Homecoming season. Several schools vie for the claim of being the first to have a homecoming celebration. Although I usually do not quote Wikipedia, I found this citation amusing. “The NCAA, Trivial Pursuit, Jeopardy!, and references from the American TV Drama … Continue reading

Posted in Fran Favorite, Miami University, University of Illinois, University of Indiana, University of Missouri | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on First Homecoming? 1910, Illinois!

The Importance of Indiana and Other Monday Morning Musings

All weekend, I have been jumping between projects. I’ve been writing my talk for the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis Alumnae Panhellenic (http://wp.me/s20I1i-indy). The celebration is Sunday, October 12, 2014, and if you haven’t reserved a spot, you might still have a … Continue reading

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R.I.P. James Brady, Significant Sig

Yesterday, James “Jim” Brady, died. A few months after becoming President Reagan’s Press Secretary, he was seriously wounded  in the assassination attempt on the President’s life. Since that time, Brady and his wife, Sarah, have been staunch advocates for gun control. Brady, a … Continue reading

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Among Kindred Spirits – Recharging the Archivist’s Batteries

This past weekend, the University of Illinois Archives’ Student Life and Culture Archival Program hosted the third National Archives Conference for Fraternities and Sororities. The conference is designed to provide archival training and support to headquarters staff and volunteers who oversee their organization’s archives. … Continue reading

Posted in Fran Favorite, Greek-letter Organization History, National Panhellenic Conference, Phi Gamma Delta, Sorority History, Student Life and Culture Archival Program, University of Illinois | Tagged , , | 1 Comment