October 15 is the day on which both Alpha Chi Omega and Zeta Tau Alpha celebrate Founders’ Day. In 1885, Alpha Chi Omega was founded at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Thirteen years later, in 1898, Zeta Tau Alpha was founded at the State Female Normal School (now Longwood University) in Farmville, Virginia.
Alpha Chi Omega’s seven founders, Anna Allen, Olive Burnett, Bertha Deniston, Amy DuBois, Nellie Gamble, Bessie Grooms and Estelle Leonard, were students in the DePauw School of Music. With the guidance and support of James Hamilton Howe, Dean of the School of Music, they created an organization that at its beginning insisted its members possess some musical culture. The first appearance of Alpha Chi Omega was in Meharry Hall of East College. The seven women wore scarlet and olive ribbon streamers.
Alpha Chi Omega’s entry from the 1907 edition of The Sorority Handbook (My apologies for the fuzziness of the photo.)
1907 entry, part 2
The entry below is from the 11th edition (1931). The 3rd edition (1909) noted that the flag “is in preparation,” the Open Motto was “Together let us seek the Heights,” and the call was “Hi! Hi! Hi! Alpha Chi! Chi-O! Chi-O! Alpha Chi Omega!”
Alpha Chi Omega’s entry from the 11th edition (1931) of The Sorority Handbook.
Zeta Tau Alpha‘s founders are Alice Maud Jones Horner, Frances Yancey Smith, Alice Bland Coleman, Ethel Coleman Van Name, Ruby Bland Leigh Orgain, Mary Campbell Jones Batte, Helen May Crafford, Della Lewis Hundley, and Alice Grey Welsh.
Zeta Tau Alpha’s entry from the first edition (1907) of The Sorority Handbook.
Zeta Tau Alpha’s entry from the 11th edition of Ida Shaw Martin’s The Sorority Handbook.
Ida Shaw Martin was the married name of Delta Delta Delta founder Sarah Ida Shaw. She was an authority on women’s fraternities/sororities and edited The Sorority Handbook.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2014. All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/
