Alpha Phi is the oldest of the Syracuse Triad, the three women’s National Panhellenic Conference organizations – Alpha Phi, Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Gamma Delta – founded at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York. In 1871, a chapter of Delta Kappa Epsilon, was established at Syracuse University. A year later, Martha Foote, Clara Sittser and Kate Hogoboom discussed forming an organization of their own. They invited the Syracuse women to a discussion about this possibility.
In September 1872, ten women – the original three and Jane Higham, Clara Bradley, Louise Shepherd, Florence Chidester, Ida Gilbert, Elizabeth Grace, and Rena Michaels met and pledged allegiance to the sisterhood. Minutes from the first meeting noted that Michaels was chosen president, plans were made for weekly meetings at which literary exercises would be part of the program, and a 25¢ tax was levied for the purchase of a secretary’s book. The first debate was “Resolved – that women have their rights.”
Years later Clara Sittser Williams shared her recollection of that first meeting with the readership of the fraternity’s magazine:
The first meeting was held in my room in the house which is now 303 Irving Avenue. My mother had sent me some chicken, grapes and so forth. Kate Hogoboom Gilbert and I invited some of the college girls to share our feast. Mattie Foote was one of the first who came in, and she told us about the literary societies of Cazenovia Seminary, where she had recently graduated, said she had been talking with Clara Bradley and proposed that we start one here. Kate Hogoboom was very enthusiastic over it, said some of her gentlemen friends were loyal members of secret societies, and if women were to have the same position in college as men, we must organize one; so the subject was presented to the girls that night. We thought it would be a fine idea socially to form a circle of sympathetic friends whom we would know personally. We had as our aim the mutual improvement of each other, every trying to do our best in college work, always keeping a high ideal before us, never under any circumstances to speak disparagingly of a sister. We were to be very loyal to one another, in joys and sorrows, success or failures, and ever extend a helping hand to our sisters who need our aid. (Williams, 1913, p. 145)
Dr. Wellesley P. Coddington, a Professor of Greek and Philosophy, was, for many years, Alpha Phi’s advisor. He encouraged the chapter to incorporate and having rented a room and acquired some property to furnish the rooms, the chapter felt it a commendable idea. A New York State Law passed on April 12, 1848, while precluding the incorporation of a Greek-letter society permitted the incorporation under the formation of “Benevolent, Literary, Scientific, and Missionary Societies.” The chapter made application under the name “Michaelanean Society” in honor of its president, Rena Michaels. The document was issued to the five members who were of legal age to hold property. Due to the small number of members of legal signing age, for the first year Coddington signed his name as director of the society. The certificate was filed on June 9, 1873. The Alpha Chapter House Board still retains the name of the Michaelanean Society.
Coddington was so esteemed by the chapter that it was “proposed that his name be cheered at every meeting for five years.” However, in lieu of yelling, the chapter instead purchased a piece of furniture for his study. Coddington also had a hand in the fraternity’s public motto, he aided in the formation of its constitution and by-laws, he later encouraged the chapter to rent and then build a chapter house, and he introduced the chapter to one of its most famous and honored initiates, Frances Elizabeth Willard.
Frances Willard, Alpha Phi
Willard, a graduate of the Northwestern Female College in Evanston, Illinois, earned a Master’s degree at Syracuse University. On October 15, 1875, a Women’s Congress was held in Syracuse and Coddington introduced the Alpha Phis to Willard. They were so taken by this female leader who was corresponding secretary of the newly formed Women’s National Christian Temperance Union, that they asked her to be a member of their fraternity. Willard went on to serve as Alpha Phi’s National President in 1888-89. However, she was unable to preside at the 1889 Boston Convention as “a crusade kept her in England.”
For nine years the Alpha chapter stood alone until “she sought out as Beta chapter, seven girls at Northwestern, who had cemented already, their friendship. . . by wearing uniform rings.” The motto “Toujours Fidele” was inscribed on their rings. Minnie Moulding, Claire Lattin and Adele Maltbie were the nucleus of the group. As sophomores, upon return to campus, they sought an organization similar to the men’s fraternities then at Northwestern. The three consulted their Dean, Jean Bancroft, an alumna of the Syracuse Alpha Phi chapter. Bancroft encouraged them to enlarge their circle and they asked four other female students to wear their rings, seniors Emma Meserve and Jennie Marshall, and sophomores Lizzie Hill and Eva Lane. Three members of the Syracuse chapter visited Evanston upon Bancroft’s invitation and before the three left Evanston, the Beta chapter of Alpha Phi had been installed. The installation took place on June 6, 1881, at Meserve’s home on the corner of Orrington Avenue and Clark Street across from Willard Hall.
