On November 4, 1899, eight young women, Mable Chase, Ruth Dutcher, May Gephart, Harriet Marx, Eva O’Keefe, Adriance Rice, Helene Rice, and Mayene Tracy, formed a sorority at the Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Alpha Sigma Tau was the name they chose. The organization became a national one in October 1925.
Founders Helene and Adriance Rice were biological sisters. Two biological sisters were members of Theta Chapter at Wayne State University, which was in existence from 1923-1985. They were Helen Juers and Bertha Juers (Pettke).
Detroit Free Press, January 11, 1925 (Please note Helen Juers’ name was misspelled in the caption.)
The sorority’s first National Convention took place in 1925 in Detroit, Michigan. One of the orders of business was the establishment of The Anchor, the sorority’s magazine. The Juers sisters likely played a role in that convention and the dance at the boat club mentioned below may have been a part of the convention festivities.
Detroit Free Press, June 14, 1925
Helen, born in 1902, was about 18 months older than her sister. She died at the age of 25 in 1928. Bertha died in 1991 and remained a loyal member of Alpha Sigma Tau.
