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
Alpha Phifa Soccer Tournaments
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This page continues a poem about An Alpha Chapter member that is an engineer.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1938
This page contains a poem about Betty Blanchard.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1938
This page continues a poem about An Alpha Chapter member that is an engineer.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1938
This page contains a song about an Alpha Chapter member.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1938
This page contains a poem about Martha (last name unknown).
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1938
This page contains a poem about an Alpha Chapter member.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1938
This page contains a poem about Virginia Dey.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1938
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1888
This invitation is a photocopy of the original.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Jun 24th, 1878
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Jun 24th, 1878
A group of men and women pose together in the Alpha Chapter house during the 1980 Alpha Chapter Spring Formal.
Collection: Alpha Phi Digitization Days Collection
Date: Apr 26th, 1980
A group of Alpha Chapter members pose at the Alpha Chapter Tie One On party at Syracuse University in 1990.
Collection: Alpha Phi Digitization Days Collection
Date: Apr 21st, 1990
This colorful painting depicts the original Alpha Chapter house, built in 1886, and the bustling chapter life happening within.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date:
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1930 - 1939
This brochure for Alpha Chapter's 75th anniversary tells the history of Alpha Phi's founding at Syracuse University, the challenges those founders and early members faced, and the establishment of the country's first female chapter house.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: 1947
This program includes the schedule for the weekend, the menu for the banquet, a song sheet, and a list of the jubilee committee as well as a narrative about the founding of Alpha Phi and the first chapter house.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Sep 26th, 1947 - Sep 27th, 1947
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Feb 23rd, 1914
This program for the 1920 Alpha Chapter Initiation Banquet features a menu, toast list, and list of initiates.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Mar 5th, 1920
This program for the 1909 Alpha Chapter Initiation Banquet features the menu and a list of new members.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Oct 22nd, 1909
Alpha Chapter member Martha Belle Churchill describes the history of Alpha Phi's founding at Syracuse University and outlines the organization's current goals and functions. The article also includes a photograph of the Alpha Chapter house.
Collection: Archive Collection
Date: Mar 1896