The story of the founding of Alpha Chapter is also that of the beginning of Alpha Phi International Fraternity. From the first expression of their mutual need for “a circle of friends who could sympathize with one another,” our Founders envisioned that the circle would embrace far flung campuses. Among those 20 women entering Syracuse in the fall of 1872, there were six freshmen, three sophomores and a junior who became the Founders of Alpha Phi. They were the Original Ten. These Syracuse University women believed that their idea of a women's fraternity was original and that theirs would be the first college women's society. They were unaware that the same idea had occurred to four women at DePauw who founded Kappa Alpha Theta in January of 1870. Three months later the four founders of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Monmouth College in Illinois likewise believed themselves the originators of the first Greek letter college women's fraternity. While not the first women’s fraternity, Alpha Phi provided a sense of community , respect and camaraderie for its members, much as it continues to do today. On September 30, 1872 at the home of Ida Gilbert, with a ritual, symbols and a pledge, The Original Ten founded Alpha of Alpha Phi. For twelve years, the members of Alpha Chapter used a suite of rooms in which to have their meetings. Then, in 1884 Alpha moved to a rented house near the university. In 1886, they purchased land with the intention of building a house. They secured a first mortgage from a bank and an Alpha Phi father lent them money for a second mortgage. A contractor was hired and in January 1887, the members dedicated their new chapter house. For years to come Baird's Manual held Alpha Phi in high regard because they had financed the first chapter house and were in possession of real property at a time where that was less common for women.
Sep 18th, 1872
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This speech includes fun Alpha Phi facts including that the organization had the first and second chapter houses in the country, why the Fraternity greeting uses a white handkerchief, and important discussions from the 1926 Convention.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date:
This article announces Founder Kate Hogoboom Gilbert's death.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Jun 1900
This video features footage from both the 1954 Convention in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and the 1938 Convention in Pasadena, California.
Collection: Audio-Visual Collection
Date: Jun 6th, 1996
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1964
Collection: Publications
Date:
This program for the 1929 District I Convention Banquet features the menu and a list of speakers.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Mar 23rd, 1929
This program for the 1897 Alpha Chapter Reunion features the menu and a list of toasts.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Jun 9th, 1897
Notary Public N.F. Kendall signs this land deed granting George and Julia Sawyer ownership of the 8th Ward of Syracuse, New York.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Jul 8th, 1886
This order form offers two books by Past International President Betty Mullins Jones books: A Goodley Heritage and A Code for the Coed. The letter in which this item was enclosed is also part of the collection.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1990 - 1999
Founder Martha Foote Crow details the founding of Alpha Phi on the 25th anniversary of the Fraternity.
Collection: Beta Epsilon Chapter Scrapbook Collection
Date: Oct 16th, 1897
This essay contains Martha Foote Crow's memories of the founding of Alpha Phi at Syracuse University.
Collection: Delta Mu Chapter Scrapbook Collection
Date: Oct 16th, 1897
This binder page features planning notes for the 1953 Wisconsin State Day.
Collection: Theta Chapter Archive Collection
Date: Oct 9th, 1953
This binder page features notes from the November 1942 meeting held by the Milwaukee Alumnae Chapter.
Collection: Theta Chapter Archive Collection
Date: Nov 17th, 1942
Collection: Object Collection
Date:
Artist Adrian Lamb asks Executive Secretary Doris Ross Corbett if she would prefer his portrait of Founder Martha Foote Crow to feature a straight or slanted Alpha Phi pin.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Sep 21st, 1959
Alpha Chapter alumna Alice Jeffres Moule remembers her time as a collegiate member of Alpha Phi.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date:
Fraternity Secretary-Treasurer Alice Morgan Roedel informs District I leadership that Nan Hancock Armstrong has stepped down as District I Governor and been replaced by Omega Chapter alumna Mabel Cooper Haeberly.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Sep 12th, 1944
Alpha Chapter alumna Alice Wells updates fellow alumna Bertha Holden Gilbert on her recent travels and family. Alice also discusses news of other alumnae lives.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Feb 27th, 1884
Epsilon Delta Chapter member Michelle Wray Foote outlines how she discovered Founder Martha Foote Crow was her ancestor.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1980 - 1989
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Jun 1962