Sigma Sigma Omicron

Sigma Sigma Omicron
ΣΣΟ
FoundedNovember 1, 1920 (1920-11-01)
New York University
TypeSocial
Former affiliationNPC
StatusMerged
Merge dateOctober 1, 1933
SuccessorPhi Omega Pi
ScopeRegional
Colors  Purple and   White
FlowerViolets with White Rose
JewelAmethyst and Pearl
PublicationThe Talaria
Chapters15 chartered
Members1,000 lifetime
Other namesSigma Phi Beta
Headquarters
United States

Sigma Sigma Omicron (ΣΣΟ), also known as Sigma Phi Beta (ΣΦΒ), was an American college sorority. It was established at New York University in New York City, New York in 1920. It changed its name to Sigma Phi Beta in 1927 and merged with Phi Alpha Chi in 1928. Sigma Phi Beta merged into Phi Omega Pi in 1933.

History

Sigma Sigma Omicron

Sigma Sigma Omicron was formed on November 1, 1920 at New York University in New York City, New York.[1][2] Its primary founder was Vera Bartone Goelier, supported by other students of the junior, sophomore, and freshman classes.[1][3]

Gamma chapter was installed at Hunter University in April 1921, followed by Zeta chapter at Newark State Teachers College in May.[3] By 1927, it had chartered nine chapters, mainly at teachers' colleges.[1][3] Eventually, some of those chapters lost their charter because the National Panhellenic Conference did not allow its member sororities to have chapters at normal schools.[3]

Sigma Phi Beta

Sigma Sigma Omicron changed its name to Sigma Phi Beta on July 28, 1927.[2] The reason for this name change was unknown but coincided with merger discussions with Phi Alpha Chi.[2] It merged with the three chapters of Phi Alpha Chi on January 7, 1928 after "having found their interests and purposes similar".[3] The Alpha chapters of the two sororities were renamed New York Alpha (Sigma Sigma Omicron) and California Alpha (Phi Alpha Chi) with the merger.[3] The other chapters retained their names except for the Gamma chapter of Phi Alpha Chi, which became the Delta chapter of Sigma Phi Beta.[3]

Sigma Phi Beta held its first biennial national convention on June 21–24, 1929 in New York City, New York.[3] In 1929, it had ten alumnae clubs.[3] In 1931, it had ten active chapters, with 1,000 members.[4] It eventually chartered fifteen chapters.[2] It was an associate member of the National Panhellenic Conference. On October 1, 1933, Sigma Phi Beta merged into Phi Omega Pi, which itself was partly absorbed by Delta Zeta in 1946, with some chapters disbanded or released to other sororities.[5][6][2]

Symbols

The insignia of Sigma Sigma Omicron consists of a circle, helmet, pyramid, sabre, and a sheaf of wheat.[4]

The sorority's membership badge is a "pearl bordered circular shield of purple enamel, displaying sorority letters in gold, and jeweled additionally with six amethysts set at prescribed points outside a circlet of pearls".[4] This description is accurate for both Sigma Sigma Omicron and Sigma Phi Beta, with the difference being the Greek letters in gold on the purple enamel. Its pledge pin is a "crescented Norman shield divided vertically into two equal sections, one enameled in purple, the other in white, and displaying diagonally a gold sabre".[4]

Sigma Sigma Omicron's colors were purple and white.[4][3] Its flowers were violets with a white rose.[4][3] Its jewels were amethyst and pearl.[4] The sorority's publication was The Talaria.[2][4]

Chapters

Sigma Sigma Omicron

Following are the chapters of Sigma Sigma Omicron, with inactive chapters and institutions indicated in italics.[1][2][7][3]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status Ref.
Alpha November 1, 1920 – January 7, 1928 New York University Washington Square New York City, New York Merged (ΣΦΒ) ,[a]
Beta 1921–19xx ? Teachers College of New York City New York City, New York Inactive
Gamma April 1921 – January 7, 1928 Hunter College New York City, New York Merged (ΣΦΒ)
Epsilon 1921 – January 7, 1928 Montclair State Teachers College Montclair, New Jersey Merged (ΣΦΒ) [b]
Zeta May 1921 – June 1926 Newark State Teachers College Union Township, New Jersey Inactive [c]
Eta 1923–1924 Syracuse University Syracuse, New York Inactive
Theta April 25, 1924 – January 7, 1928 Wittenberg College Springfield, Ohio Merged (ΣΦΒ) [d]
Iota 1924–1927 Howard College Birmingham, Alabama Inactive [e]
Kappa January 30, 1925 – January 7, 1928 Hamilton College Lexington, Kentucky Merged (ΣΦΒ) [f]
  1. ^ Became the New York Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Beta with the national merger of the two sororities.
  2. ^ Chapter formed at the New Jersey State Normal School at Montclair, which became Montclair State Teachers College is 1927. It is now Montclair State University.
  3. ^ Chapter was removed because normal schools were not eligible for membership in National Panhellenic Congress organizations.
  4. ^ This chapter originated as Sigma Pi Delta (local) in 1920.
  5. ^ This chapter originated as Lambda Xi Delta (local) in 1922.
  6. ^ This chapter originated as a local sorority in 1919.

Sigma Phi Beta

Following are the chapters of Sigma Phi Beta, with inactive chapters indicated in italics.[1][2][7][3]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status Ref.
New York Alpha November 1, 1920 – October 1, 1933 New York University New York City, New York Merged (ΦΩΠ) ,[a]
Gamma April 1921 – October 1, 1933 Hunter College New York City, New York Merged (ΦΩΠ) [b]
Epsilon 1921 – October 1, 1933 Montclair State Teachers College Montclair, New Jersey Merged (ΦΩΠ) [c]
Theta April 25, 1924 – October 1, 1933 Wittenberg College Springfield, Ohio Merged (ΦΩΠ) [d]
Kappa January 30, 1925 – October 1, 1933 Transylvania University Lexington, Kentucky Merged (ΦΩΠ) [e]
California Alpha January 7, 1928 – October 1, 1933 University of California Berkeley, California Merged (ΦΩΠ) [6][f]
Beta January 7, 1928 – 1931 Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio Inactive [g]
Delta January 7, 1928 – October 1, 1933 Alabama Polytechnic Institute Auburn, Alabama Merged (ΦΩΠ) [h]
Lambda 1929 – October 1, 1933 University of Illinois Champaign, Illinois Merged (ΦΩΠ) [i]
Mu ? 1930 – October 1, 1933 University of California at Los Angeles Los Angeles, California Merged (ΦΩΠ) [j]
Nu 1930 – October 1, 1933 Utah State Agricultural College Logan, Utah Merged (ΦΩΠ) [k]
  1. ^ Became Alpha Zeta chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities.
  2. ^ Became the NY Gamma chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities.
  3. ^ Chapter formed at the New Jersey State Normal School at Montclair, which became Montclair State Teachers College is 1927. It is now Montclair State University. Although this chapter merged with Phi Omega Pi, it was immediately placed on the inactive list by order of the National Panhellenic Congress when Phi Omega Pi joined it in 1933.
  4. ^ This chapter originated as Sigma Pi Delta (local) in 1920. It became the Omega chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities.
  5. ^ This chapter originated as a local sorority in 1919 at Hamilton College, an affiliate campus of Transylvania University. It became the Alpha Alpha chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities.
  6. ^ This chapter originated as the Alpha chapter of Phi Alpha Chi in 1925; before that it was the local sorority Tanewah in 1919. It merged with the Lambda chapter of Phi Omega Pi, with the national merger of the two sororities.
  7. ^ This chapter originated as the Beta chapter of Phi Alpha Chi in 1926.
  8. ^ This chapter originated as the Gamma chapter of Phi Alpha Chi in 1927. It became the Psi chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities.
  9. ^ Joined the existing Gamma chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities
  10. ^ Joined the existing Sigma chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities.
  11. ^ This chapter originated as Gamma Xi Gamma (local) in 1920. It became the Alpha Beta chapter of Phi Omega Pi with the national merger of the two sororities.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Anson, Jack L.; Marchesani Jr., Robert F., eds. (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-33. ISBN 978-0-9637159-0-6. OCLC 25278937.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Carroll Lurding; Fran Becque, eds. (November 23, 2025). "Inactive Women's Organizations: Sigma Phi Beta" (PDF). Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved December 30, 2025 – via University Library: Student Life and Culture Archives.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. (1930). "Sigma Sigma Omicron". Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (12th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company. p. 341 – via HathiTrust.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Shaw, Ida Martin (1931). The Sorority Handbook (11 ed.). Boston: Ida Shaw Martin. pp. 79–80 – via Hathi Trust.
  5. ^ "A Lifetime of Sisterhood...Our Mergings" (PDF). The Lamp of Delta Zeta: 10–11. Spring 1995. Retrieved December 30, 2025 – via Delta Zeta Archive.
  6. ^ a b Miner, Florence Hood (1983). Delta Zeta Sorority 1902-1982: Building on Yesterday, Reaching for Tomorrow. Delta Zeta Sorority, Compolith Graphics, and Maury Boyd and Associates, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. p. 146.
  7. ^ a b Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. (1927). "Sigma Phi Beta". Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (11th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company. p. 297 – via HathiTrust.
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