Gamma Phi Beta..From The Beginning
In a society where women were discouraged from entering college due to their "insufficient brainpower" and "delicate health," four women from Syracuse University came together to form a society they named Gamma Phi Beta. Now, more than 130 years later, we celebrate the vision and dedic ation of th ose women and all that have come since then, who have built
Gamma Phi Beta into one of the largest and most well-respected sororities in the world.
Helen M. Dodge, Frances E. Haven, E. Adeline Curtis and Mary A. Bingham were courageous women that could see beyond the limits of their time. They recognized the opportunity a women's society presented, and aimed to establish one that would promote literary culture and social improvement among its members.
On November 11, 1874 , the four founders met in Dr. J. J. Brown's study for the first official meeting of Gamma Phi Beta. As The University Herald, Syracuse University's newspaper, reported the following spring, "A new ladies' society made its appearance at the close of last term, and is to be known as Gamma Phi Beta . . . The ladies have started on the right principle, are select in the choice of members, and we see no reason why a prosperous future is not in store for Gamma Phi Beta."
The years that followed were full of growth. The society drafted a constitution, decided on rituals and expanded membership. The women took intellectual advancement seriously, taking time at every meeting to discuss current world issues and share new ideas. In those days, new members were initiated for the high price of $2.50, and tardy members were fined a nickel.
Eight years after their first meeting, two members of the Alpha chapter went to the University of Michigan to charter the Beta chapter. Upon their return to Syracuse, Professor Frank Smalley commented, "I presume that you young women are now members of a sorority."
Thus, Gamma Phi Beta became the first women's fraternity to be called a sorority. With an international membership of more than 160,000 members, Gamma Phi Beta International Sorority has 119 collegiate chapters and 171 alumnae groups.