Beta phi alpha
Encyclopedia
Beta Phi Alpha was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from 1919 until 1941. It was absorbed by Delta Zeta
sorority.
In 1912, the name changed to Aldebaran
, after the star.
In 1919, the group became a Greek letter organization with the name Kappa Phi Alpha (University of California Chronicle, p. 38). By 1920, the sorority took on its final name, Beta Phi Alpha.
Beta Phi Alpha then began the process of nationalization and expansion. In 1923, it was granted membership in the National Panhellenic Conference
. Thirty five chapters were installed by 1936, but not all of them were active. Many of them suffered from the Great Depression
.
In 1941, Beta Phi Alpha was absorbed by Delta Zeta sorority (Miner, pp. 144- 145).
The gavel which opens Delta Zeta's convention is an artifact of Beta Phi Alpha. It was given to Beta Phi Alpha's Elsa Ludeke. The gavel is inscribed with the names of both sororities' founders and national presidents (Miner, pp. 144- 145).
By Julia Wells Bower
Sisters in Beta Phi Alpha, we have long traveled a star-lit road together. We have given loving service, have formed priceless friendships, and have learned true wisdom as we traveled that road. Now the warm glow of a brightly burning Lamp joins the soft radiance of our star to light our path. May we be worthy bearers of the Lamp as we are faithful followers of the star!" (Miner, p. 144)
We pray for grace to meet success with humility, for strength and courage to rise above failure with spirit renewed, for wisdom to judge man by the spiritual values he may possess. We strive to keep faith in ourselves. We believe in the brotherhood of man and in our kinship to God, our Creator. (Miner, p. 145)
The badge "was a pearled Φ with Greek letters Β and Α embossed on a field of black enamel at either side of the Φ's stem".
Colors were kelly green and gold.
The flower was the yellow tea rose.
The open motto was "Scientia, Virtus, Amicitia- Knowledge, Virtue, Friendship"
Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 158 collegiate chapters in the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada...
sorority.
History
On the campus of the University of California Berkeley, Beta Phi Alpha began as Bid-A-Wee, a group created to meet the needs of a "very difficult housing situation" (Miner, p. 144).In 1912, the name changed to Aldebaran
Aldebaran
Aldebaran is a red giant star located about 65 light years away in the zodiac constellation of Taurus. With an average apparent magnitude of 0.87 it is the brightest star in the constellation and is one of the brightest stars in the nighttime sky...
, after the star.
In 1919, the group became a Greek letter organization with the name Kappa Phi Alpha (University of California Chronicle, p. 38). By 1920, the sorority took on its final name, Beta Phi Alpha.
Beta Phi Alpha then began the process of nationalization and expansion. In 1923, it was granted membership in the National Panhellenic Conference
National Panhellenic Conference
The National Panhellenic Conference , founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 national women's sororities.Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae...
. Thirty five chapters were installed by 1936, but not all of them were active. Many of them suffered from the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
.
In 1941, Beta Phi Alpha was absorbed by Delta Zeta sorority (Miner, pp. 144- 145).
Legacy
Beta Phi Alpha's Convention Lights is still sung at the close of Delta Zeta national conventions.The gavel which opens Delta Zeta's convention is an artifact of Beta Phi Alpha. It was given to Beta Phi Alpha's Elsa Ludeke. The gavel is inscribed with the names of both sororities' founders and national presidents (Miner, pp. 144- 145).
Final Benedictory
Given at the final Beta Phi Alpha convention in 1941By Julia Wells Bower
Sisters in Beta Phi Alpha, we have long traveled a star-lit road together. We have given loving service, have formed priceless friendships, and have learned true wisdom as we traveled that road. Now the warm glow of a brightly burning Lamp joins the soft radiance of our star to light our path. May we be worthy bearers of the Lamp as we are faithful followers of the star!" (Miner, p. 144)
Creed
We believe in service, the keynote of our daily lives, the foundation of our Fraternity and its power to reveal the worth of woman. We believe in knowledge and its broadening influence, in understanding and unselfish love as the creators of our happiness.We pray for grace to meet success with humility, for strength and courage to rise above failure with spirit renewed, for wisdom to judge man by the spiritual values he may possess. We strive to keep faith in ourselves. We believe in the brotherhood of man and in our kinship to God, our Creator. (Miner, p. 145)
Insignia
Delta Zeta's history book (1983) described the insignia as follows:The badge "was a pearled Φ with Greek letters Β and Α embossed on a field of black enamel at either side of the Φ's stem".
Colors were kelly green and gold.
The flower was the yellow tea rose.
The open motto was "Scientia, Virtus, Amicitia- Knowledge, Virtue, Friendship"
Chapters
Delta Zeta's history book (1983) included the names of the earliest and final chapters:- University of California Berkeley
- University of Illinois
- Colorado State Agricultural CollegeColorado State UniversityColorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
- University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
- Southern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist UniversitySouthern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
- University of Wisconsin
- University of PittsburghUniversity of PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
- Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
- University of MiamiUniversity of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
(last chapter installed, 1935)