Sigma Kappa was founded on November 9, 1874, by five young women, the only females enrolled at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. They received a letter from the faculty approving the organization’s petition, which included a constitution and bylaws.
Violets, Sigma Kappa’s flower
The five founders of Sigma Kappa are Mary Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Fuller Pierce, Louise Helen Coburn and Frances Mann Hall. In Sigma Kappa’s first constitution, membership in Sigma Kappa was limited to 25 women. The original chapter is known as the Alpha chapter. After Alpha chapter’s membership reached 25, a Beta chapter was formed. A Gamma chapter soon followed. Although there were some early joint meetings, the members did not think it feasible to continue that way. In 1893, a vote was taken to limit Alpha chapter to 25 members and to allow no more initiations into Beta and Gamma chapters. In due time, Beta and Gamma were no more.
The Delta chapter was installed at Boston University in 1904. In 1905, Sigma Kappa became a member of the National Panhellenic Conference.
At the 1918 convention, the Maine Sea Coast Mission was chosen as Sigma Kappa’s first national philanthropy. The decision honored Sigma Kappa’s founding in Maine as well as the members who volunteered in support of this missionary society. Sigma Kappas still support the Maine Sea Coast Mission. Through the Sigma Kappa Foundation, members support the mission’s Christmas program, emergency relief program and scholarships.
The February 1927 Arrow of Pi Beta Phi had an article about Sigma Kappa’s Seacoast Work:
Among the big national philanthropic projects being fostered
by Greek letter organizations is that of the Maine Sea Coast
Mission, supported in part by Sigma Kappa.
On August 28, 1926 there was launched the new ‘Sunbeam’
which carries the staff of the Mission to its duties with comfort
and expedition. It serves a parish which extends along more
than three-fifths of the Maine Coast. The Sunbeam is eighty
feet long, sixteen and a half beam and draws six feet. She is
fisherman type, built according to a proved design and equipped with auxiliary sailing for steadying in bad weather. Her power is that of a 120 h.p. crude oil engine and her cruising radius is nearly fifty per cent longer than that of the old Sunbeam. She is equipped with a small hospital and other accessories.
Sophie Parsons Woodman, New York Beta of Pi Beta Phi,
who was staying at her ‘best loved spot’ of South Bristol, Maine
last summer had the pleasure of attending the launching of the
new Sunbeam at Damaris Cotta.
In sending the above photograph and information to the
ARROW Editor she writes: ‘As you know this is the visible means to the splendid work of the Maine Sea Coast Mission, supported in part by Sigma Kappa. My snap isn’t very good as I had to aim into the sun from my vantage point of a keg of salt fish on the fish-house wharf but it at least shows that a Pi Phi was there. On the street afterwards I met a very charming girl, Carolyn Peasley. Maine Alpha of Pi Beta Phi, whose mother is head of the Bible work of the Mission,. and she helps in the summers.’
The Maine Sea Coast Missionary Society is undenominational in religion and concerned only that it is a real need to which it is called to minister. The facilities of the Mission are available for service under all circumstances and in any place within its physical limitations. The Mission co-operates enthusiastically with any agency religious or social which has a contribution to make to the solution of the problems of the coast.
Sigma Kappa’s Alpha chapter closed in 1984 when Colby College banned all fraternities and sororities from campus.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2015. 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/
