High school fraternities and sororities

American secondary student organizations

High school fraternities and sororities, also called secondary fraternities and sororities, were inspired by and modeled after Greek-letter organizations which became prevalent in North American colleges and universities during the nineteenth century.[1] Omega Eta Tau, formed in 1859 as Torch and Dagger in Council Bluffs, Iowa, is the first known high school fraternity.[2] It was followed by Gamma Sigma, Alpha Zeta, Alpha Phi, Sigma Psi, Alpha Chi Sigma, Pi Phi, Gamma Delta Psi, Eta Kappa, and more.[2]

The establishment of other fraternities was fairly slow, gaining momentum between 1890 and 1900 as older organizations added chapters and new Greek letter organizations were established.[3] Most high school fraternities were located at schools in and near New York City and Chicago, with San Francisco being a third location.[3] San Francisco's Girls' High School had seven sororities by 1905.[3]

Although there were many local high school fraternities and sororities with only one or two chapters, many secondary fraternities founded in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries grew into national organizations with highly evolved governing structures. In the early 20th century, many fraternities that formed in the Eastern United States established chapters on the Pacific Coast.[3] In this era, President William Rainey Harper of the University of Chicago contacted the 464 largest secondary schools in the United States; 120 of the 306 reporting schools had one to six fraternities and many also had a sorority.[3] With this growth came pushback against these "secret societies" and their "obnoxious" practices.[3]

Some state and local governments banned fraternities and sororities in public schools. The states of Indiana, Kansas, and Minnesota and the city of [[Madison, Wisconsin, adopted regulations in 1907.[3] Ohio passed an anti-fraternity law in 1908, as did the school board in St. Joseph, Missouri and Worcester, Massachusetts.[3] California, Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington passed laws against secret societies in 1909.[3] In 1909, school boards in Kansas City, Missouri; Lowell, Massachusetts; and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma all approved prohibitory regulations, followed by Chicago; Denver; New Orleans; Butte, Montana; Meriden, Connecticut; and Racine, Wisconsin in 1910.[3] Michigan passed an anti-fraternity law in 1911, followed by Mississippi in 1912.[3] More school boards, including those in Covington, Kentucky; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Reading, Pennsylvania; Superior, Wisconsin; and Waltham, Massachusetts, passed regulations in 1911.[3] As a result of these regulations, many Greek letter organizations ceased to exist and were replaced by local clubs; at some schools, fraternities went underground or changed to community-based organizations.[3][4][5] This favored the survival of smaller or local organizations over the larger national fraternities that continued to operate in the open.[3]

In response to the anti-fraternity sentiment and policies, the Grand Inter-Fraternity Council was formed in February 1909.[3] Its purpose was "to promote the usefulness of preparatory and high school fraternities; to place before the public the objects of these organizations and create a body by which all grievances between fraternities, school and civil officials can be fairly terminated."[3] Its founding members were organizations that were at least ten years old and had more than five chapters.[3] In 1910, the council included 25 fraternities that represented 31,455 members.[3] By 1912, 46 fraternities had joined the council.[3] Its counterpart for sororities was the Junior Pan-Hellenic Congress.[6]

In December 1927, Gamma Sigma was the first high school fraternity to established a chapter outside of the United States and the first international high school fraternity, establishing its Alpha Zeta chapter in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.[2] Theta Kappa Sigma sorority was established at Stamford Collegiate Institute in Niagara Falls, Ontario in 1932. By 1969, there were forty high school fraternities and sororities in the United States and Canada.[2]

The following is an incomplete list of secondary and high school fraternities and sororities.

## Social fraternities

[edit]

Organization  | Symbols  | Founding date and range  | Founding institution  | Foundation location  | Status  | References

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Alpha Chi Sigma | ΑΧΣ |  |  |  | Inactive  | [2]
Alpha Phi  | ΑΦ | 1876  | Colgate Academy | Hamilton, New York | Active  | [7][8][a]
Alpha Zeta  | ΑΖ | December 8, 1869  | Union Classical Institute | Schenectady, New York | Active  | [3][7][8][b]
ATOPHI (Alpha Tau Omega Phi)  | ΑΤΩΦ | November 2, 1988  | West Philadelphia High School | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Active  | [9]
Delta Sigma | ΔΣ | 1897–198x ?  | Lewis Institute | Chicago, Illinois | Inactive  | [c]
Delta Theta | ΔΘ | 1896  | Polytechnic Institute | Brooklyn, New York | Inactive  | [d]
Eta Kappa  | ΗΚ |  |  |  | Inactive  | [2]
Eta Kappa Phi | ΗΚΦ | before 1898  |  |  | Inactive  | [7][e]
Chi Sigma Chi | ΧΣΧ | 1890  | New York Military Academy | Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York | Inactive  | [f]
Gamma Alpha  | ΓΑ | 1914  | Baton Rouge High School | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Active  |
Gamma Beta Phi | ΓΒΦ |  | Williston Seminary | Easthampton, Massachusetts | Inactive  | [7]
Gamma Delta Psi | ΓΔΨ | April 13, 1879 – c. 1995; 2008  | James Hillhouse High School | New Haven, Connecticut | Inactive  | [2][10][g]
Gamma Eta Kappa | ΓΗΚ | 1883  | Lowell High School | San Francisco, California | Inactive  | [7][8][3][h]
Gamma Sigma | ΓΣ | October 1869  | Brockport State Normal School | Brockport, New York | Active  | [2][7]
Kappa Alpha Pi | ΚΑΠ | 1904–196x ?  |  | Chicago, Illinois | Inactive  |
Lambda Sigma | ΛΣ |  |  | Michigan | Inactive  | [7]
Omega Delta | ΩΔ | 1950 c. 1950–196x ?  | La Salle Senior High School | Niagara Falls, New York | Inactive  | [11]
Omega Eta Tau  | ΩΗΤ | 1859–1861, 1866–1880, 1893  |  | Council Bluffs, Iowa | Active  | [i]
Omega Gamma Delta | ΩΓΔ | 1902  |  | Brooklyn, New York | Active  | [12][j]
Omicron Kappa Pi  | ΟΚΠ | November 1893  | Lewis Institute | Chicago, Illinois | Inactive  | [7][8][k]
Phi Chi | ΦΧ |  |  | San Francisco, California  | Inactive  | [3]
Phi Kappa | ΦΚ | 1919  | Southern University Preparatory School | Greensboro, Alabama | Active  |
Phi Lambda Sigma | ΦΛΣ | February 12, 1892  | Clinton Academy | Clinton, Missouri | Inactive  | [13][l]
Phi Sigma Chi | ΦΣΧ | November 28, 1900  |  | Zanesville, Ohio | Inactive  |
Pi Delta Koppa | ΠΔϘ | 1889  | Michigan Military Academy | Orchard Lake, Michigan | Inactive  |
Pi Phi | ΠΦ | 1878–198x ?  | Rochester Free Academy | Rochester, New York | Inactive  | [2][7][m]
Sigma Phi Omega | ΣΦΩ | 1902  | Sewanee Military Institute | Sewanee, Tennessee | Inactive  | [n]
Sigma Psi | ΣΨ | 1950 c. 1950–196x ?  | La Salle Senior High School | Niagara Falls, New York | Inactive  | [2][11]
Tau Kappa Delta  | ΤΚΔ | 1924  | Pottsville Area High School | Pottsville Pennsylvania | Active  |
Theta Kappa Omega | ΘΚΩ | November 13, 1872 – 196x ?  | California Military Academy | Mayfield, California | Inactive  |
Upsilon Lambda Phi | ΥΛΦ | April 5, 1916  |  |  | Inactive  |

## Social sororities

[edit]

Organization  | Symbols  | Founding date and range  | Founding institution  | Foundation location  | Status  | References

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Alpha Sigma | ΑΣ |  |  | California  | Inactive  | [3]
Beta Delta  | ΒΔ | 1926 |  | Shreveport, Louisiana | Active  |
Delta Chi | ΔΧ | 1950 c. 1950–196x ?  | La Salle Senior High School | Niagara Falls, New York | Inactive  | [11]
Delta Iota Chi | ΔΙΧ |  |  | California  | Inactive  | [3]
Eta Phi | ΗΦ |  | Albany Normal School | Albany, New York | Inactive  | [7]
Gamma Theta  | ΓΘ | 1931 | Baton Rouge High School | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Active  |
Lambda Theta Phi | ΛΘΦ |  |  | California  | Inactive  | [3]
Omega Nu  | ΩΝ | 1897 | San José High School | San Jose, California | Active  | [3][14]
Theta Chi Omicron. | ΘΧΟ | 1950 c. 1950–196x ?  | La Salle Senior High School | Niagara Falls, New York | Inactive  | [11]
Theta Kappa Sigma  | ΘΚΣ | 1932 | Stamford Collegiate Institute | Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.  | Active  |
Xi Gamma Rho | ΞΓΡ | 1950 c. 1950–196x ?  | La Salle Senior High School | Niagara Falls, New York | Inactive  | [11]

## Jewish fraternities

[edit]

Organization  | Symbols  | Founding date and range  | Founding institution  | Foundation location  | Status  | References

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Aleph Zadik Aleph | אצא | 1924 |  | Omaha, Nebraska | Active  |
Phi Beta | ΦΒ | 1920 |  |  | Inactive  | [15][o]
Phi Sigma Beta | ΦΣΒ | June 22, 1910 – 1914  | DeWitt Clinton High School | New York City, New York | Inactive  | [16][p]
Pi Upsilon Phi | ΠΥΦ |  |  |  | Inactive  | [17][q]
Sigma Alpha Rho | ΣΑΡ | November 18, 1917 – c. 2014, December 2022  | West Philadelphia High School | West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Active  | [18][19][r]

## Jewish sororities

[edit]

Organization  | Symbols  | Founding date and range  | Founding institution  | Foundation location  | Status  | References

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B'nai B'rith Girls |  | 1944 |  | Omaha, Nebraska | Active  |
Iota Phi | ΙΦ |  |  |  | Inactive  | [20]
Sigma Theta Pi | ΣΘΠ | 1909 c. 1909 |  |  | Inactive  | [17][21][22][s][t]

## High school honor societies

[edit]

Main article: Honor Society § Secondary school honor societies

## High school secret societies

[edit]

Main article: High school secret societies

## See also

[edit]

* College fraternities and sororities
* High school club
* Greek letter society effect on youth identity

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Was formed as a local literary society in 1870.
2. ^ The fraternity was originally organized Alpha Beta Debating Club, a literary and debating society at Union Classical Institute, later known as Schenectady High School. It did not add a second chapter until seventeen years later.
3. ^ Originally begun as an athletic fraternity, its focus became purely social as it expanded throughout the United States. By the 1980s, most chapters of the fraternity had become dormant.
4. ^ The fraternity chartered chapters in towns throughout the mid-Atlantic states, the upper midwest, and as far away as California.
5. ^ Had chapters in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Columbus, Ohio; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
6. ^ At its peak, the fraternity included over thirty chapters.
7. ^ The fraternity was defunct by 1995. It was revived in 2008.
8. ^ Formed as a literary society at Boys High School, now the Lowell High School.
9. ^ Formed as Torch and Dagger. It was renamed Omega Eta Tau in 1900 when it began expanding nationally.
10. ^ In the 2010s, it was recast as "a fraternity for men" with a focus on citywide alumni and graduate clubs.
11. ^ Formed at the Chicago Academy, later known as the Lewis Institute.
12. ^ Expanded to normal schools and is still active as a collegiate educational fraternity.
13. ^ Pi Phi spread to more than 110 chapters before lapsing into solely alumni chapters in the 1980s.
14. ^ At least thirty chapters of the fraternity were founded in other states throughout the Southern United States.
15. ^ Not to be confused with the professional fraternity for the creative and performing arts.
16. ^ The fraternity was re-established as Tau Delta Phi collegiate organization in 1914.
17. ^ Its Sigma chapter was at Syracuse.
18. ^ The fraternity formed from the Soathical Club. In December 2022, the fraternity was reactivated with a new chapter in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
19. ^ Not to be confused with the international sorority with a similar name, Sigma Thêta Pi, founded in 2003, nor the local Christian fraternity at Howard Payne University, founded in 2004.
20. ^ Its Upsilon chapter was in the Twin Cities.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Owen, William Bishop. "The Good of High School Fraternities" The School Review, vol. 14, no. 7 (1906): 492.
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Atkinson, Joseph William (1969). Gamma Sigma: The First One Hundred Years. Gamma Sigma Fraternity International. p. 11 - via Internet Archive.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Cooper. W. J. The High School Fraternity: Report of the Committee of High School Teachers Association. Reprinted from the Sierra Educational News, vol. 9, no. 1 (January 1913). San Francisco: High School Teachers Association, 1913. via Hathi Trust.
4. ^ Owen, William Bishop. "The Problem of the High School Fraternities". The School Review, vol. 14, no. 7 (1906): 492–504. JSTOR, . Accessed 3 May 2025.
5. ^ Perkins, Glen O. "The Elimination of Fraternities and Sororities in the Tucson High School". The School Review, vol. 31, no. 3. (March 1923): 224–226.
6. ^ "Sorority Directory". Banta's Greek Exchange Directory. 10 (4). 1922 - via Google Books.
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Baird, William Raimond, ed. American College Fraternities, 5th edition. New York: Wm. Raimond Baird, 1898. pp. 362-365. via Hathi Trust.
8. ^ a b c d Sheldon, Henry Davidson. Student Life And Customs. New York: D. Appleton, 1901. p. 297-298. via Hathi Trust.
9. ^ The Record (yearbook). West Philadelphia High School,.1990
10. ^ Educational Manual Gamma Delta Psi Fraternity International (PDF). Gamma Delta Psi Fraternity International. November 2019. p. 3. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
11. ^ a b c d e La Salle Senior High School Yearbooks. Niagara Falls, New York: 1950s and 1960s.
12. ^ "High School Frat Organizes as Club; Omega Gamma Delta Adopts Plan". Brooklyn Eagle. 1915-02-13. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-05-02 - via Newspapers.com.
13. ^ "History". Phi Lambda Sigma. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
14. ^ "About Us". Omega Nu Sorority. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
15. ^ Schneiderman, Harry, ed. (1941). American Jewish Yearbook September 22, 1941, to September 11, 1942 (PDF). Vol. 43\. Spring Branch, Texas: The Jewish Publication Society of America.
16. ^ "History – Tau Delta Phi". Retrieved 2023-08-02.
17. ^ a b "Sigma Theta Phi Group to Hold Annual Meeting", The Jewish Daily Bulletin, June 26, 1934, p. 7. via Jewish Telegraph Society, accessed 27 Jan 2020.
18. ^ "The History of Sigma Alpha Rho". Sigma Alpha Rho Fraternity. Archived from the original on 2003-08-11. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
19. ^ Solway, Ezra (March 8, 2023). "100-year Jewish fraternity reactivates, aims for South Jersey chapter". Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey. Retrieved 2023-11-09.
20. ^ "Media - Documenting Maine Jewry". Maine Jews. Retrieved 2023-08-02. "Their 1960 convention program lists several chapters in the New England area"
21. ^ Adler, Cyrus; Szold, Henrietta (1920). American Jewish Year Book. Vol. 22\. Jewish Publication Society of America.
22. ^ "Sigma Theta Pi Sorority Conclave, 1940". University of Washington University Libraries. Retrieved 2023-08-02.

### Bibliography

[edit]

* Brown, J. Ward. American Secondary School Fraternities. New York: Maske Brown Company, 1913.

*[c.]: circa