Gamma Phi Beta History
International History
Gamma Phi Beta has a history spanning over 125 years. The sorority was started on November 11, 1874 at Syracuse University. 
At this time, women were not commonly admitted to college campuses and four female students wanted to form an organization
to enhance the lives of female students. 
Helen M Dodge, Frances E Haven, E Adeline Curtis, and Mary A Bingham
(Click here to learn more about these ladies) wanted to start the College Literary Society with the goals of
enhancing women's lives through scholarship, sisterhood and service. Instead they formed the group that became Gamma Phi Beta.
These girls asked for the help of the chancellor (and Frances's father), Dr. Haven, to suggest a name and a motto. Out of
the six suggested mottos Gamma Phi Beta was chosen. The girls also used the help of science professor, Dr. Brown.
They held meetings in his library and chose brown and mode as the official Gamma Phi Beta colors in his honor.
Gamma Phi Beta has only grown since then. In 1882 the Beta Chapter was started at the University of Michigan.
Gamma Phi Beta
coined the term sorority at this time, instead of using the common term of a women's fraternity.
Other sororities were forming and growing this time also. There were rivalries and conflicts between these groups.
Gamma Phi Beta accepted the invitation of Kappa Kappa Gamma to the first meeting of the National Panhellenic Conference. Also
in attendance of the first meeting in 1891 were Alpha Phi, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma, Kappa Alpha Theta and Pi Beta Phi.
This conference sorted out the relationship between sororities and the interactions between sororities and still deals with
these issues today.
Gamma Phi Beta grew to an international organization in 1919. The Alpha Alpha chapter was formed at the University of
Toronto.
Today, the organization continues to grow. Currently there are over 150,000 members in over 116 active chapters.
Some famous Gamma Phi Beta members include...
- Carol Bossert - Alpha Nu Chapter - Swam the English channel
- Chartelle Jennings - Zeta Zeta Chapter - Coached the first gold medal synchronized swimming team
- Helen Griffith Kaiser - Phi Chapter - First female sales engineer for General Electric Co.
- Joan Knoerzer Hackett and Jayne Knoerzer Schwartz - Beta Phi Chapter - Doublemint Gum Twins
- Jessie Woodrow Wilson Sayre - Zeta Chapter - Daughter of President Woodrow Wilson
- Kelli McCarty - Beta Chi Chapter - Miss USA 1991, currently stars in soap opera Passions
- Laurel Blair Salton Clark - Gamma Chpater - Austronaut on the Space Shuttle Columbia
Click here to see a complete list of noteworthy Gamma Phi Betas.
Local History
Gamma Phi Beta has been setting the standard for excellence on the Plateville campus since 1867, just one year after
the school was founded. However, the organization has had many different names. Gamma Phi Beta was orginally founded
under the name Nulli Secundas. It was meant to translate "second to none" from Latin. However, it was not
quite that exact translation and was brough to the group's attention by a campus professor.
The ladies of Nulli Secundas decided to change their name to the Athenaeum Society in the spring of 1868. During
this time the group was thriving and had to cap membership at 60 members. Many events were held with the Philidelphian
Society, a fraternity on campus (currently Phi Sigma). Social and debates were popular between the groups. The group
also held a tea party for new female freshmen each fall.
The Athenaeum Society changed their name again in the 1960's. They became Alpha Theta Chi 
and celebrated their 100th
anniversary on campus as such in 1967. At this time the group recieved silver platters from other greek organizations
on campus that are still displayed today.
Alpha Theta Chi became a colony of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority 
in 1968. After receiving training, Gamma Phi Beta was
granted a charter from International Headquarters on March 29, 1969. They became the 96th chapter of the organization.
Currently, the group is the only member of the National Panhellenic Conference on campus.
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Last updated: 5/6/08
