Sororities

     The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, - a three link fraternity, was the first fraternity to form a woman’s auxiliary named the Daughters of Rebekah in 1851, though the term sorority wasn’t yet coined then.  The Adelphean Society, now Alpha Delta Pi was established in 1851 at Wesleyan College, as was the Philomathean Society, later named Phi Mu was also founded at the same place a year later in 1852, - though it wasn’t until 1904 the Adelphean and Philomathean societies respectively adopted their letters Greek names the Alpha Delta Pi and Phi Mu.  They’re now often referred to as the Macon Magnolias, after the Macon area where the Wesleyan College is.

     The earliest organisations were founded as ‘Women’s fraternities or fraternities for women’; the term ‘sorority’ was coined by Professor Frank Smalley in 1874, in reference to the Greek organisation, Gamma Phi Beta being established at Syracuse University.  Kappa Kappa Gamma and IC Sorosis, later known by their motto Pi Beta Phi [1867], were also known as ‘The Monmouth Duo’, both founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Alpha Phi was established at Syracuse University first, in 1872, was Alpha Gamma Delta, these three sororities make up the Syracuse Triad.  Sigma Kappa was the first to adopt the word ‘sorority’ in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.  Alpha Kappa Alpha, Lambda Theta Alpha, Alpha Pi Omega were founded as the first sororities by and for African-American, Latina-American, and Native American members respectively. ^[7]

     In 1913, at Hunter College, New York, Phi Sigma Sigma became the first non-denominational sorority, allowing any woman, regardless of race, religion, or economic background into membership.  In 1917, at New York University School of Law five female law students founded Delta Phi Epsilon Sorority.  High school fraternities and sororities, or secondary fraternities and sororities, are social fraternities for high school-aged children. There are a few active high school fraternities and sororities, including Alpha Omega Theta in New York, The Lounge in Saginaw, Michigan, Phi Eta Sigma and Zeta Mu Gamma in Puerto Rico, and DeMolay, Sigma Nu Xi and Sigma Alpha Rho[SAR] in mainland US.  Sigma Delta Chi is an active sorority that was established in Alabama and continues today in several different chapters throughout Alabama, Tennessee and Florida. ^[7]

      Although these are similar societies, they are considered wholly different and unrelated societies. The Sub Deb Club, also known as Sigma Delta Chi was chartered in Athens, Alabama, in 1965, as a service and social sorority for young ladies who are students at Athens High School; Sub Deb Clubs or local chapters can be found in neighbouring towns such as Decatur, Hunstville, Florence, Sheffield, Russellville, and Pulaski, TN. Theta Phi Delta was the second high school sorority founded in Durham, North Carolina in 1996 and to be incorporated in 2004 ^[7]

Extract from Trapped in a Masonic World; http://www.trappedinamasonicworld.co.uk                                                          

[7] "UVA latest in string of blackface incidents.".  http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-26978313_ITM.