Student social organizations at the College of Wooster
Encyclopedia
The College of Wooster
, an Ohio
school, has 4 active, chartered fraternities
, known at Wooster as Sections, and 5 active, chartered sororities, known as Clubs, as of Summer 2006. Wooster also had 6 national fraternities and 4 national sororities, all of which became inactive between 1914 and 1917.
In 1913, the school embarked on a campaign to raise $1.2 million to build three academic and residential buildings, now known as Ebert Art Center, Severance Hall and Kenarden Lodge. The College's president at the time went to Cleveland philanthropist Louis Severance
to request money (he had already paid for most of the college's reconstruction after the 1901 fire). Severance, according to the book Wooster of the Middle West, felt that a Presbyterian school like Wooster was allowing its moral character to be broken down by fraternities. He strongly impressed upon the President that he did not want to see fraternities at the school. He also offered the school hundreds of thousands of dollars for their buildings. At the February 1913 meeting of Wooster's Board of Trustees, the President asked for and received an order preventing Wooster's fraternities and sororities from pledging new members. Knowing that the ban was imminent, the fraternities and sororities worked through the night for weeks pledging as many new members as they could. The last few national Greek members graduated in 1918.
Many of the national groups continued to function as fraternities and sororities of sorts, only without letters. Upon moving into Kenarden Lodge in 1918, the groups began to call themselves by numbers. Eventually these groups took on new Greek letters as well. As each fraternity lived in a section of Kenarden, the groups began to call themselves Sections. The sororities eventually called themselves Clubs.
By the 1940s, each of Kenarden's 7 sections had a group of their own, and there were at least 9 sections on campus by the 1950s, as well as several clubs. To cope with this expansion, which according to the Wooster Voice included 99% of men on campus from 1953–1957, the college built three new dorms, Armington Hall, which housed sections I-III, Stevenson Hall, which housed sections IV-V, and Bissman Hall, which housed sections VI-VIII.
The College of Wooster has connections to secret societies as well. In 1891, the Tau Chapter of Theta Nu Epsilon
(ΘΝΕ) was established at the college by members of the Alpha Chapter at Wesleyan University
. The Alpha Chapter at Wesleyan University was first established by the Skull and Bones
, a secret society that formed at Yale University
. In 1923, the group's charter was allegedly revoked by the national organization.
On March 3, 1983, hazing became a crime in the state of Ohio. In response to the state ban on hazing, the school's longstanding policy of don't ask-don't tell evolved into a crackdown of hazing activities.
In 1991, in response to pressure from the faculty to "decide the Greek issue once and for all", the Board of Trustees issued a statement reaffirming the ban on national groups but offering support for the clubs and sections, officially allowing them to refer to themselves by their Greek letters. The Board also clarified that the ban could be rescinded by vote of either the Trustees or, due to a quirk in the college's Campus Council agreement of 1968, the faculty.
In 1993, according to the Wooster Voice, the school told the fraternity Omega Alpha Tau and the sorority Pi Kappa that they could not take pledges due to alleged hazing. In both cases, the decisions were later reversed by the Judicial Board due to lack of evidence. In 1999 the school received national attention when four Kappa Chi members were arrested for hazing pledges by beating them and urinating on them, leading to the ban of the fraternity.
On January 26, 2006, Dean of Students Kurt Holmes proposed bringing in national fraternities again to alleviate many perceived problems with the local model.
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Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Delta Theta
Beta Theta Pi
Sigma Chi
Delta Tau Delta
Phi Gamma Delta
Alpha Tau Omega
Sigma Phi Epsilon
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and the return of a significant portion of the male population to campus.
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, Kappa Alpha Theta
, Kappa Kappa Gamma
, and Pi Beta Phi
used to exist at the college. They are officially recognized as inactive by their national organizations.
The College of Wooster
The College of Wooster is a private liberal arts college primarily known for its Independent study program. It has roughly 2,000 students and is located in Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio, United States . Founded in 1866 by the Presbyterian church as the University of Wooster, it was from its creation...
, an Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
school, has 4 active, chartered fraternities
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
, known at Wooster as Sections, and 5 active, chartered sororities, known as Clubs, as of Summer 2006. Wooster also had 6 national fraternities and 4 national sororities, all of which became inactive between 1914 and 1917.
History
The College of Wooster opened in 1866 with no dining facility, so groups of men began to form dining groups to help share the costs and responsibilities of meals. These groups, beginning in 1870, eventually took on Greek letters and integrated themselves into the fraternity system that was sweeping through Ohio's colleges. These men's groups were quickly joined by sororities.In 1913, the school embarked on a campaign to raise $1.2 million to build three academic and residential buildings, now known as Ebert Art Center, Severance Hall and Kenarden Lodge. The College's president at the time went to Cleveland philanthropist Louis Severance
Louis Severance
Louis Henry Severance , Oilman and philanthropist was a founding member of the Standard Oil Trust, the first treasurer of Standard Oil, and a sulfur magnate.- Biography :...
to request money (he had already paid for most of the college's reconstruction after the 1901 fire). Severance, according to the book Wooster of the Middle West, felt that a Presbyterian school like Wooster was allowing its moral character to be broken down by fraternities. He strongly impressed upon the President that he did not want to see fraternities at the school. He also offered the school hundreds of thousands of dollars for their buildings. At the February 1913 meeting of Wooster's Board of Trustees, the President asked for and received an order preventing Wooster's fraternities and sororities from pledging new members. Knowing that the ban was imminent, the fraternities and sororities worked through the night for weeks pledging as many new members as they could. The last few national Greek members graduated in 1918.
Many of the national groups continued to function as fraternities and sororities of sorts, only without letters. Upon moving into Kenarden Lodge in 1918, the groups began to call themselves by numbers. Eventually these groups took on new Greek letters as well. As each fraternity lived in a section of Kenarden, the groups began to call themselves Sections. The sororities eventually called themselves Clubs.
By the 1940s, each of Kenarden's 7 sections had a group of their own, and there were at least 9 sections on campus by the 1950s, as well as several clubs. To cope with this expansion, which according to the Wooster Voice included 99% of men on campus from 1953–1957, the college built three new dorms, Armington Hall, which housed sections I-III, Stevenson Hall, which housed sections IV-V, and Bissman Hall, which housed sections VI-VIII.
The College of Wooster has connections to secret societies as well. In 1891, the Tau Chapter of Theta Nu Epsilon
Theta Nu Epsilon
Founded at Wesleyan University in 1870 as a chapter of Skull and Bones, Theta Nu Epsilon is a sophomore class society that accepts members regardless of their fraternity status.-Early history:...
(ΘΝΕ) was established at the college by members of the Alpha Chapter at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
. The Alpha Chapter at Wesleyan University was first established by the Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones
Skull and Bones is an undergraduate senior or secret society at Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut. It is a traditional peer society to Scroll and Key and Wolf's Head, as the three senior class 'landed societies' at Yale....
, a secret society that formed at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. In 1923, the group's charter was allegedly revoked by the national organization.
On March 3, 1983, hazing became a crime in the state of Ohio. In response to the state ban on hazing, the school's longstanding policy of don't ask-don't tell evolved into a crackdown of hazing activities.
In 1991, in response to pressure from the faculty to "decide the Greek issue once and for all", the Board of Trustees issued a statement reaffirming the ban on national groups but offering support for the clubs and sections, officially allowing them to refer to themselves by their Greek letters. The Board also clarified that the ban could be rescinded by vote of either the Trustees or, due to a quirk in the college's Campus Council agreement of 1968, the faculty.
In 1993, according to the Wooster Voice, the school told the fraternity Omega Alpha Tau and the sorority Pi Kappa that they could not take pledges due to alleged hazing. In both cases, the decisions were later reversed by the Judicial Board due to lack of evidence. In 1999 the school received national attention when four Kappa Chi members were arrested for hazing pledges by beating them and urinating on them, leading to the ban of the fraternity.
On January 26, 2006, Dean of Students Kurt Holmes proposed bringing in national fraternities again to alleviate many perceived problems with the local model.
Beta Kappa Phi (ΒΚΦ)
- I (First) Section
- Founded: 1914
- Short Name: Betas
- Motto: "First and Finest"
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Beginnings traced back to the Alpha Lambda chapter of Beta Theta PiBeta Theta PiBeta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
(ΒΘΠ) on May 18, 1872. ΒΘΠ was the second national fraternity to be installed at the College of Wooster (the first national fraternity at Wooster is no longer active in any form on the campus). On February 13, 1913, the College Board of Trustees voted to prohibit initiation of additional members into fratenities and sororities. The local brotherhood, Beta Kappa Phi, was formed in the first section of Kenarden Lodge in 1914, and modeled after the original Alpha Lambda chapter of Beta Theta Pi (BΘΠ). Beta Kappa Phi was the first section to wear and affiliate themselves with Greek Letters, despite the colleges objections. - Membership: Varied. Not known as being affiliated with any Sports team.
- Colors: Kelly Green and White
- Mascot: Dragon
- Housing: 2008-9: Bissman Hall VII Section 4th Floor; Section VIII 3rd Floor. Formerly Armington and Kenarden First Section.
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, the Beta Kappa Phi pledges were tarred and feathered using molasses on the College's Quad.
Xi Chi Psi (ΞΧΨ)
- Never lived in Section in Kenarden, so no official number. Sometimes unofficially referred to as VIII or III, based on the Armington and Bissman sections in which the group has lived.
- Founded: February 1991
- Short Name: Xi Chis & Thugs is sometimes used in reference to the group's original letters.
- Motto: Rari Inventu Sunt
- Original Letters/National affiliation: 7 of 9 founders were Beta Kappa Phi pledges who disagreed with the group's techniques for initiation. Used Theta Upsilon Gamma (THUG; ΘΥΓ)in 1991, for less than a semester before asked by school to change.
- Membership: General Interest - Humorous, Handy, and Handsome
- Colors: Black and Royal Blue
- Mascot: The unofficial mascot is the WB character 'Taz' which appeared in the group's lounge in Armington Hall and formerly appeared in the group's lounge in Bissman Hall. The fraternity now lives in Westminster Cottage.
- Housing: Westminster Cottage
Phi Sigma Alpha (ΦΣΑ)
- VI (Sixth) Section
- Founded: 1936 in Sixth Section of Kenarden Lodge
- Short Name: Sigs
- Fraternity, Sportsmanship, Leadership
- Motto: "S.E.B"
- Original Letters/National affiliation: The Sigs claim that they are the group that can trace its roots back the second farthest, to 1870, however this can not be independently verified. The Wooster organization bears no affiliation to the National Phi Sigma AlphaPhi Sigma AlphaPhi Sigma Alpha Fraternity commonly known as La Sigma, is a Puerto Rican fraternity established originally as the Sigma Delta Alpha Fraternity on October 22, 1928 at the University of Puerto Rico by 12 students and a professor...
fraternity founded at the University of Puerto Rico in 1928 and which can claim its roots back to the 1800s. - Membership: Mainly football players
- Colors: Blue and Gold
- Mascot: Sammy the Sig
- Housing, 2008-9: Bissman Hall VI Section 2nd and 3rd Floors
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, the Sigs were famous for holding egg fights - pledges versus actives - on the Kenarden patio.
- Philanthropy: 1994 - 1998, On call 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, to move heavy objects and other physical tasks for the Salvation Army in Wooster, Ohio.
Phi Omega Sigma (ΦΩΣ)
- For other uses, see Phi Omega SigmaPhi Omega SigmaPhi Omega Sigma may refer to the five unrelated student organizations:*Phi Omega Sigma at The College of Wooster, U.S.A....
- IV (Fourth) Section
- Founded: October 24, 1913 in Room 425 Kenarden Lodge.
- Short Name: Omegas / Zards / Bros
- Motto: Brotherhood, Unity, Respect, and Trust. "Fortune Favors the Bold."
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Rho chapter of Delta Tau Delta (ΔΤΔ) in 1877 until ban in 1913, prior to colonizing by Delta Tau Delta the group was recognized as an underground organization called the 'Ozarks' who can allegedly be traced back to 1868. Phi Omega Sigma was also the first section to declare itself a local fraternity following the 1913 ban on national fraternities, and was chartered by the College a year later.
- Membership: Consists of gentleman and scholars of the highest degree.
- Colors: Crimson and White
- Mascot: Osprey
- Housing, 2008-9: Bissman Hall Basement.
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, the Omega pledges wore hangman's nooses around campus all week.
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Men of Harambee
- Name change from what was originally VIII Section
- Though the group did not start out as a minority-based group, in 1969, with a dwindling membership, the group took ten African-American pledges, and over time became the Men of Harambee. It is unknown if the group still practices the traditions of the VIII section it was created from. There is no evidence that they do. They do hold a formal pledge period just as the other Greek groups do but are not subject to the same college policies.
- Housing, 2008-9: On-Campus house.
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Omega Alpha Tau (ΩΑΤ)
- The result of a split among VII Section (Kappa Chi) members
- Founded: 1976
- Short Name: OAT
- Motto: Stay Gold
- Original Letters/National affiliation: This was the first Wooster group to openly refer to itself as a fraternity rather than a section.
- Membership: Open
- Colors: Gold and brown
- Mascot: Charles Chance Meadows: An indigenous dog of the Wooster area
- Housing: No on-campus housing.
- Reasons for unchartered status:Removed by campus.
Phi Kappa PsiPhi Kappa PsiPhi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
(ΦΚΨ)
- Established at Wooster: June 1871
- Wooster's first National Fraternity
- No longer exists in any form at the College of Wooster (ceased to operate at the College before the new initiate ban)
Phi Delta ThetaPhi Delta ThetaPhi Delta Theta , also known as Phi Delt, is an international fraternity founded at Miami University in 1848 and headquartered in Oxford, Ohio. Phi Delta Theta, Beta Theta Pi, and Sigma Chi form the Miami Triad. The fraternity has about 169 active chapters and colonies in over 43 U.S...
(ΦΔΘ)
- Established at Wooster: 1872
- Wooster's third national Fraternity
- No longer exists in any form at the College of Wooster (ceased to operate at the College before the new initiate ban)
Beta Theta PiBeta Theta PiBeta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
(ΒΘΠ)
- Established at Wooster: April 1872
- Chapter: Alpha Lambda
- Wooster's second national fraternity
- Colors during last active year at Wooster: Light pink and Light Blue
- Flower during last active year at Wooster: American Beauty
- Currently inactive following 1913 order of Board of Trustees
Sigma ChiSigma ChiSigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
(ΣΧ)
- Established at Wooster: March 1873
- Chapter: Beta
- Wooster's fourth national fraternity
- Colors during last active year at Wooster: Blue and Gold
- Flower during last active year at Wooster: White Tea Rose
- Currently inactive following 1913 order of Board of Trustees
Delta Tau DeltaDelta Tau DeltaDelta Tau Delta is a U.S.-based international secret letter college fraternity. Delta Tau Delta was founded in 1858 at Bethany College, Bethany, Virginia, . It currently has around 125 student chapters nationwide, as well as more than 25 regional alumni groups. Its national community service...
(ΔΤΔ)
- Established at Wooster: 1877
- Chapter: Psi
- Wooster's fifth national fraternity
- Colors during last active year at Wooster: Purple, White and Gold
- Flower during last active year at Wooster: Pansy
- Currently inactive following 1913 order of Board of Trustees
Phi Gamma DeltaPhi Gamma DeltaThe international fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta is a collegiate social fraternity with 120 chapters and 18 colonies across the United States and Canada. It was founded at Jefferson College, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and its headquarters are located in Lexington, Kentucky, USA...
(FIJI)
- Established at Wooster: 1882
- Chapter: Rho Deutron
- Wooster's sixth national fraternity
- Colors during last active year at Wooster: Royal purple
- Flower during last active year at Wooster: Heliotrope
- Currently inactive following 1913 order of Board of Trustees
Alpha Tau OmegaAlpha Tau OmegaAlpha Tau Omega is a secret American leadership and social fraternity.The Fraternity has more than 250 active and inactive chapters, more than 200,000 initiates, and over 7,000 active undergraduate members. The 200,000th member was initiated in early 2009...
(ΑΤΩ)
- Established at Wooster: 1888
- Chapter: Beta Mu
- Wooster's seventh national fraternity
- Colors during last active year at Wooster: Blue and Gold
- Flower during last active year at Wooster: White Tea Rose
- Currently inactive following 1913 order of Board of Trustees
Sigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi EpsilonSigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
(ΣΦΕ)
- Established at Wooster: 1912
- Chapter: Ohio Delta
- Wooster's eighth national fraternity
- Colors during last active year at Wooster: Purple and Red
- Flower during last active year at Wooster: American Beauty; Violet
- Currently inactive following 1913 order of Board of Trustees
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Phi Delta Sigma (ΦΔΣ)
- V (Fifth) Section
- Founded: "A long, long time ago" - 1991 Delt President in The Wooster Voice 9/13/1991
- Short Name: Delts
- Motto: Carpe Diem
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Phi Delta Theta (ΦΔΘ)
- Colors: Red and Grey
- Mascot: Viking
- Last Active at Wooster: 2005
- From 2002-2005, the Delts lost a pledge class and failed to recruit for another pledge class, and their remaining members were kicked out of the college, graduated or transferred. The group allowed its charter to expire in May, 2005.
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, the Delts made their pledges wear burlap underwear. The ΦΔΣ letters were branded on new pledges by actives and alum.
Kappa Chi (ΚΧ)
- Founded: 1873
- Short Name: Krappers
- Motto: Pride of the Hill (referring to the hill on which the baseball team plays its home games.)
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Kappa Kappa Kappa (ΚΚΚ) - changed in 1960s due to increased racial sensitivity. The group descended from the Beta chapter of Sigma ChiSigma ChiSigma Chi is the largest and one of the oldest college Greek-letter secret and social fraternities in North America with 244 active chapters and more than . Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio when members split from Delta Kappa Epsilon...
. - Colors: Blue and Red
- Symbol: Winning
- Flower: Beeble Flower
- Reasons for unchartered status: Permanently banned following 1999 "no contest" pleas of four members to hazing charges.
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, the Kappa Kappa Kappas would write "KKK" on pledges foreheads in lipstick and parade them in front of The Shack.
- Membership: In the years before expulsion, the Krappers were mainly composed of Baseball and Basketball athletes
- Last Active at Wooster: Officially 1999, unofficially 2005
Kappa Phi Sigma (ΚΦΣ)
- II (Second) Section
- Founded: "When the angel Gabriel descended and anointed the living Bacchus Leader of the House", an event which apparently occurred around 1922.
- Short Name: Crandall House (members lived there for quite a number of years), Crandalls
- Motto: "Where Rumor Meets Reality"
- Original Letters/National affiliation: None.
- Colors: Scarlet and Grey
- Symbol: Steal your Face (Grateful Dead Logo)
- Flower: Begonia
- Mascot: Jim "The Freak" Clark, "Trippin" Tom, Jason Frankenfuck, etc.
- Housing: No official housing
- Reasons for unchartered status: Pulled own charter
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, every pledge was crammed into a Kenarden phone booth and told to exchange underwear. There are unconfirmed rumors... [State Secrets Act redacted line] ...amusements best left unpublished were endured. Suffice to say there was no "Hell week"...only "Party Weak."
- Claim to Fame: Bacchanalia Festival, held the second Saturday in September for 32 years at a rural off-campus location. This two-day camping event featured live music by numerous bands ranging from Ekoostic Hookah to M.C. Paul Barman, a truck full of beer (all you like included in ticket price), Pig Roast, hot dogs, not dogs, wine, revelry, mischief and merriment. Scenes and sights included hallucinogenic "road toads," trips to Buffalo Hill, and wandering minstrels and maidens. The last Bacchanalia was held at Beck's Family Campground on September 10th, 2005. Some say the spirit of Bacchus still haunts those lush and fetid grounds...
- Other Claims to Fame: In the late 60's, Crandall House went co-ed. Around the same time, the organization also refused to follow the traditional "black ball" method of picking members; anyone brave enough to endure the pledging process was welcomed as a brother or sister. 1974 - 1978 saw counter culture rock n' roll and practice tee for Dean Plusquellec's front porch across the street. From Mid-1970s through early 1980s Crandall House was the party center of the campus...until it burned down...suspiciously.
- Last Active at Wooster: 2005
Original Third Section
- III (Third) Section
- Founded between 1913–1930
- Pre-ministerial students.
- Short Name: Rabbis
- Last Active at Wooster: likely in the 1970s, under research
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, the Rabbi's "baptized" their pledges by cutting their bangs in a straight line across their forehead.
Iota Chi
- IX (Ninth) Section
- Greek Name: Iota Chi
- Founded between 1913 and 1948
- Short name: The Ninth
- Nickname: The Friars
- Motto: Our Word, Our Oath
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, ninth section pledges held a shoe shining service in the student union (now the RubbermaidRubbermaidRubbermaid is an American manufacturer and distributor of many household items. It is a subsidiary of Newell Rubbermaid. It is most well known for producing food storage containers and trash cans...
center). In at least one meeting in the fraternity house pledges dressed in burlap sacks with rope belts. - Located in a large College-owned house at 658 Beall Avenue. In addition to sleeping quarters Ninth had its own cook and served daily meals in its dining room.
- Noted for having the highest GPA of any section. In 1942 the entire section had a GPA of 3.09
- Prospered until about 1949 when the college decided to raze its building. Disbanded shortly thereafter.
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Active, Chartered Sororities
When local sororities were founded, the groups did not go by Greek letter names. Instead, the groups took on names that were mythical, spiritual, or otherwise fit the era. Greek letters were added around the 1940s or 1950s. The Peanuts, Echoes, and Imps became Pi Kappa, Epsilon Kappa Omicron, and Zeta Phi Gamma, and are the only three groups which predate the Greek letters which still exist.Pi Kappa (ΠΚ)
- Founded: 1918
- Originally in 8th section kenarden
- Short Name: Peanuts
- Motto: We've come a long way
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Kappa Kappa Gamma (ΚΚΓ) National Sorority (about 1870-1918)
- Colors: Purple and Gold
- Mascot: Mr. Peanut
- Flower: Yellow Rose
- Housing, 2008-11: Bissman Hall VII Section 3rd Floor
- Hazing Tradition: When hazing was legal, the Pi Kappa pledges had to take their worst jeans and write "Peanut" on the butt in Yellow. The Section men would then be instructed that the way to say hi to these girls, who were not allowed to talk or interact with boys during pledging, was to "Slap their peanut"
Delta Theta Psi (ΔΘΨ)
- Founded:1992
- Short Name: Thetas
- Motto: "Strength, Unity and Grace"
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Unknown
- Colors: Purple and Green
- Mascot: Dolphin
- Flower: Iris and Bluebells
- Housing, 2009-10: Bissman Hall VI Section, 4th Floor
- Philanthropy: Each member must do one hour of service for every full week of school that semester at one of the approved organizations. The current approved organizations are Every Woman's House, Lincoln Way Reads, The Humane Society, and Learn n Play daycare center.
Epsilon Kappa Omicron (ΕΚΟ)
- Founded: 1943
- Short Name: EKOs
- Motto: Excellence, Kindness, Oneness
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Kappa Kappa Gamma (ΚΚΓ) National Sorority (about 1870-1918), EKO broke off from Pi Kappa in 1943. Called Echoes before taking Greek letters.
- Colors: Green and Gold
- Mascot: EchoEcho (mythology)In Greek mythology, Ekho , "echo", itself from ἦχος , "sound") was an Oread who loved her own voice. Zeus loved consorting with beautiful nymphs and visited them on Earth often. Eventually, Zeus's wife, Hera, became suspicious, and came from Mt...
- Flower: Narcissus
- Housing, 2010-2011: Miller Manor (fall), Avery House (spring)
- Philanthropy: The EKOs are involved in a number of service projects. Past examples include the Humane Society and the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
- EKO Website
Zeta Phi Gamma (ΖΦΓ)
- Founded: At least before 1937; Reinstatement: December 5, 1988
- Short Name: Zetas; Original Group was the Imps
- Motto: "Seek The High Call of Friendship"
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Unknown
- Colors: Red, Black, and White
- Mascot: Imp
- Flower: Red Rose
- Housing 2011-2012: Miller Manor
- Hazing Tradition: The Zeta Pledge Class President had to carry a pitchfork with her at all times while she is on campus. This no longer takes place, now that pledging is frowned upon by the school.
- Philanthropy: Each year the Zetas volunteer at blood drives, the local animal shelter, Soup and Bread, IGC events, and Relay for Life.
Alpha Gamma Phi (ΑΓΦ)
- Founded: February 28, 1983
- Short Name: Alpha Gamms
- Motto: "Always Good Friends, Always Good Times"
- Original Letters/National affiliation: None
- Colors: Blue and Gray
- Symbols: Diamond Ring, Champagne Flute
- Flower: White Gardenia
- Housing, 2011: Howell House
- Philanthropy: Members participate in community service through Every Woman's House, Friendtique, MS walk, Alzheimer walk, and Relay for Life
- Website: http://www.alphagammaphi.org/
Delta Phi Alpha (ΔΦΑ)
- Founded: 1989
- Short Name: D Phi A's
- Motto: Determined Phenomenal Women
- Original Letters/National affiliation: Unknown. The college had a national history honorarium by the same name chartered in 1939, although this appears to be coincidence. They also appear to be unrelated to the DPAs at Miami International University (Fla.)
- Colors: Pink, Purple and Grey
- Mascot: Unicorn
- Flower: African Violet
- Graduated last three members in 2006; resurrected during the 2007-2008 school year.
Delta Delta Gamma (ΔΔΓ) (?)
- Founded: About 1914
- Died out: Sometime between 1965 and 1991, likely earlier.
- Short Name: Pyramids
- Original Letters/National affiliation: There is evidence that this sorority emerged from the remnants of a national sorority, but no proof.
Sphinx (ΛΑΣ)
- Founded: About 1914
- Lambda Alpha Sigma (ΛΑΣ)
- Died out: Sometime between 1965 and 1991, likely earlier.
Keys (ΚΕΖ)
- Founded: Between 1913 and 1945
- Kappa Epsilon Zeta (ΚΕΖ)
- Died out: Sometime between 1976-1980.
Chi Omega Psi (ΧΩΨ)
- Founded: 1976
- Short Name: Chi Ohs
- Motto: Honesty, Friendship and Understanding
- Original Letters/National affiliation: None
- Colors: Red and White
- Flower: Red Carnation
- Last mentioned in the September 11, 1992 issue of The Wooster Voice.
Other early clubs
The following groups were likely founded between 1913 and 1945. Many likely died out quickly following the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the return of a significant portion of the male population to campus.
- The Dominoes
- The Arrows
- The Spuds
- The Trumps
- The Darts
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National Sororities
The national sororities Delta Delta DeltaDelta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
, Kappa Alpha Theta
Kappa Alpha Theta
Kappa Alpha Theta , also known as Theta, is an international fraternity for women founded on January 27, 1870 at DePauw University, formerly Indiana Asbury...
, Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma
Kappa Kappa Gamma is a collegiate women's fraternity, founded at Monmouth College, in Monmouth, Illinois, USA. Although the groundwork of the organization was developed as early as 1869, the 1876 Convention voted that October 13, 1870 should be recognized at the official Founders Day, because no...
, and Pi Beta Phi
Pi Beta Phi
Pi Beta Phi is an international fraternity for women founded as I.C. Sorosis on April 28, 1867, at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois. Its headquarters are located in Town and Country, Missouri, and there are 134 active chapters and over 330 alumnae organizations across the United States and...
used to exist at the college. They are officially recognized as inactive by their national organizations.