Fraternity History & More

In looking at the history of women’s fraternities/sororities, it is not uncommon to find that the founders had help from a man in forming the organization. Dr. Charles Richardson, a Kappa Sigma, is one of the founders of Chi Omega. Dr. Guy Potter Benton, Phi Delta Theta, was instrumental in the founding of Delta Zeta. Father (later Bishop) Edward D. Kelly, a Catholic priest, was the force behind the founding of Theta Phi Alpha.

It is unusual, however, to find a woman involved in the history of a men’s fraternity. Today, February 26, is the date on which Sigma Pi was founded in 1897. It was interesting  to read this on the Sigma Pi website, “On January 26, 1897, Miss Charlotte N. Malotte, the professor of Latin and French, spoke to a student group at the chapel hour. She spoke on the subject of ‘College Fraternities’ which sparked the interest of several students. Then, on the afternoon of February 26, a new fraternity had its first meeting. When, after a long session, the meeting adjourned, a literary society had been born, though it was yet unnamed.”

The founders of the organization they first called Tau Phi Delta were all cadets at Vincennes University, a two year institution in southwestern Indiana. There were three seniors – William Raper Kennedy, James Thompson Kingsbury, and George Martin Patterson – and a freshman, Rolin Rosco James.

The Founders of Sigma Pi

Tau Phi Delta was, according to the organization’s website, “a combination of the fraternity idea and the old style literary society, the like of which flourished in almost every college in the United States in the 19th century. However, in all its outward aspects, Tau Phi Delta possessed the characteristics of a fraternity chapter. It was strictly secret and possessed a password and a grip and included an initiation ritual. Its badge was a simple black shield, with a border of gold, upon which were displayed the Greek letters ΤΦΔ. The colors were black and gold, and the red clover was the official flower.”

On February 11, 1907, the members last assembled as Tau Phi Delta and assumed the name of Sigma Pi Fraternity of the United States. In 1984, the Fraternity again changed its name to reflect it first Canadian chapter. It is today known as the Sigma Pi Fraternity, International.

Charlotte Northcraft Malotte, the Latin teacher, was born in Indiana. She studied at Indiana University where she joined the Beta chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. She worked at Vincennes University for three years as a Professor of French and Latin. In 1899, she took a job at Washington A and M College (now Washington State University). Her salary was $1,000 a year. There she met William Carl Kruegel and they were married in 1909. They had two children.

Charlotte Malotte Kruegel was active in the Theta alumnae group in Pullman. She was also present at the establishment of the Theta chapter at Washington State University. She was the reason, it was said by a Theta alumna, that in 1913 a small group of women at Washington State College (now WSU) chose to become the Alpha Sigma chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta. This snippet from the article which appeared in the Theta magazine was too good not to use:

Saturday evening, in Van Doren hall, came the crowning event of
our three busy days, the banquet at which fifty-four Thetas gathered around one long table stretched the entire length of the two banquet rooms, a table beautifully decorated with chrysanthemums and exquisite in its appointments. Mrs. Charlotte Mallott Kruegel, to whom Alpha Sigma chapter owes so much, made a charming toast- mistress. The many telegrams and letters of congratulation which she read—messages from practically every chapter, active and alumnae, made us most happily and deeply conscious of our national life and national responsibility and were a fitting background for the inspiring toasts which followed. It is not possible to touch upon the banquet without explaining that it was planned, ordered and cooked by college students. Think of it—a six course, delicious banquet, for fifty-four guests. Could the average college girl boast of such skill and ability? Nor would I slight the splendid serving, for our own twelve Theta pledges did this service, and did it admirably.

My neighbor, Bob Odaniell is a Past Grand Sage of Sigma Pi. He was also a charter member of the Sigma Pi chapter at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and he was a great encouragement when I wrote my Master’s thesis on the history of the fraternity system at SIUC. To Bob and the others of Sigma Pi, I wish you a very happy Founders’ Day.

Photo courtesy of the Winter 1966 issue of The Emerald of Sigma Pi.

© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2016. All Rights Reserved. If  you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates through the comments section below. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/