Rainbow Fraternity

Rainbow Fraternity, also known as Mystic Sons of Iris and W.W.W. Society, was a United States-based fraternity founded in the antebellum south that merged with Delta Tau Delta in 1886.

Rainbow Fraternity
W.W.W.
Rainbow Fraternity badge for Vanderbilt University chapter, circa 1898
Founded1849 (1849)
University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
TypeSocial
ScopeRegional (Southern United States)
Colors  Red
  Orange
  Yellow
  Green
  Cyan
  Blue
  Violet
SymbolRainbow
Patron Greek divinityIris
PublicationThe Rainbow
Chapters0 active, 13 inactive or separated
Merged withDelta Tau Delta (1886)

History

Founding and early years

Rainbow Fraternity was founded at the University of Mississippi in 1849 by seven students who had recently transferred from La Grange Synodical College, now a defunct college in Tennessee.[1][2][3] The seven founders were John Bayliss Earle, John Bannister Herring, James Hamilton Mason, Robert Muldrow, Joshua Long Halbert, Marlborough Pegues, and Drew William Bynum.[2]

Officially, the founders called their organization the Mystic Sons of Iris. In Greek mythology, Iris was the personification and deity of the rainbow, and the group's founders went to great lengths to incorporate symbolism connected to the rainbow of Iris into the fraternity's emblems and constitution. The original constitution, for example, was divided and subdivided into sections of seven (for the seven colors of the rainbow). There were seven officers for the chapter, each of which wore the fraternity's emblem enameled with one of the rainbow's colors. The ritual of initiation, too, contained seven portions, or degrees. Due to these associations, the Mystic Sons of Iris quickly came to be called simply Rainbow Fraternityor the W.W.W. Society.

Its second chapter came in the form of a colony at La Grange Synodical College.[4]

The fraternity initially would only accept seven members at any one time, a tribute to the number of its founders, and no man from a northern state could be initiated. The low membership count that resulted led Rainbow Fraternity's to dormancy during the American Civil War. It was revived at the University of Mississippi, after the close of hostilities, spreading to several other schools in the south, and no longer confined by a membership cap.[2]

Map showing the growth of Rainbow Fraternity

Merger with Delta Tau Delta

On December 16, 1884, representatives from Rainbow Fraternity and Delta Tau Delta met in Nashville, Tennessee to finalize the terms of a merger of the two fraternities, the idea of consolidation having been informally discussed for the preceding two years.[4] At the time, Delta Tau Delta president W.W. Cook explained the purpose of the merger was "to get a standing in good universities of the South, and the Rainbows had a corresponding design toward Northern colleges."[5]

The Rainbow chapter at Southwestern University initially expressed optimism about the merger with Delta Tau Delta. As the terms of the compact became clearer, however, members began to have doubts. Rainbows at the University of Texas contacted their brothers at Southwestern and suggested both houses surrender their charters and defect to Phi Delta Theta, which had indicated it would be receptive to absorbing the displaced Rainbow members. In doing so, the Southwestern chapter became a new chapter of Phi Delta Theta, while the members of the Texas chapter were simply initiated into the existing Phi Delta Theta chapter on that campus.[6]

Three other Rainbow chapters, at the University of Tennessee, Emory and Henry College, and Chamberlain-Hunt Academy were unwanted by Delta Tau Delta and Rainbow Fraternity withdrew the charters from those chapters so they would not be included in the consolidation. In the end, the Delta Tau Delta-Rainbow merger resulted in the larger fraternity only acquiring the Rainbow chapters at the University of Mississippi and Vanderbilt University, a process that became official in early 1886.[7] At least one observer at the time questioned whether the Rainbow Fraternity had, in fact, merged with Delta Tau Delta or it was rather the case that two of its chapters had simply bolted Rainbow Fraternity for the Delts. The heart of the question is whether the charters of Tennessee, Emory and Henry, and Chamberlain-Hunt had been legitimately revoked. The secret nature of the Rainbow constitution makes a more thorough assessment impossible.[8]

During its existence, Rainbow Fraternity had also chartered chapters at Wofford College, Furman University, Erskine College, Southern Presbyterian University, and Neophogen College. All of these were inactive by the time the merger with Delta Tau Delta occurred.[2]

Revival

In 1889, Rainbow Fraternity was briefly revived at Wofford College by an alumnus who hadn't received the news that the fraternity had merged with Delta Tau Delta. It subsequently disbanded on learning the fate of its parent organization.[2]

Symbols

Rainbow Fraternity's colors were the seven colors of the rainbow and its emblem was the rainbow.[3] Its patron Greek divinity was Iris. For many years, its password was "W.W.W."[3]

The fraternity's original badge was modeled after the Roman fasces, consisting of a half cylinder and a bundle of seven rods surrounded by a Roman hatchet.[3][9] The rods were held by three bands that were colored with one of the seven rainbow colors, with each of the chapter's seven members having a badge featuring a different color.[3]

The badge was changed in 1874 to a semicircle rainbow above three Ws.[3][9] The middle W was twice the size of the outer two and was decorated with seven stones; the badge's owner could select the stones' color.[3] Over the middle W, under the rainbow, was the chapter's initial letters.[3] Although this badge was originally designed to have the rainbow in enameled rainbow colors, it was more often made with a black enamel rainbow shape that was surrounded by a narrow band of color.[3]

The Rainbow Fraternity's seal was identical to its second badge, with the addition of two surrounding circles.[3] The words “Enios Iridos” was located between the circles, at the top.[3] The university's name was located between the circles at the bottom.[3]

Chapters

Following is a list of Rainbow Fraternity's s chapters.[10] Inactive chapters and institutions are indicated in italic.

Chapter Chartered/Range Institution Location Status References
S.A. 1849–1861, 1867–1886 University of Mississippi Oxford, Mississippi Merged [11][9][12][10][lower-alpha 1]
A. First 1858–1861 La Grange Synodical College La Grange, Tennessee Inactive [12][10][1][lower-alpha 2]
L.K.S. First 1871–1874 Furman University Greenville, South Carolina Inactive [10][9][lower-alpha 3]
L.T. First May 15, 1872 – 1880; 1881–1884 Erskine College Due West, South Carolina Inactive [9][10][lower-alpha 4]
I.A. November 21, 1873 – 1874 Southern Presbyterian College Clarksville, Tennessee Inactive [9][10][13]
L.S. 1874–1875, 1889–1890 ? Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina Inactive [10][9][lower-alpha 5]
D. of V. 1874–1874 Neophogen College Cross Plains, Tennessee Inactive [10][9][lower-alpha 3]
A. Second 1880–1886 Chamberlain-Hunt Academy Port Gibson, Mississippi Inactive [10][lower-alpha 6]
I.P. 1881–1886 Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee Merged [11][9][10][lower-alpha 7]
R. of V. 1882–1886 Southwestern University Georgetown, Texas Withdrew [10][lower-alpha 8]
L.K.S. 1883–1886 University of Texas Austin, Texas Withdrew [10][lower-alpha 9]
L.T. Second 1884–1886 Emory and Henry College Emory, Virginia Inactive [14][10][lower-alpha 10]
D.V. 1884–1886 University of Tennessee Knoxville, Tennessee Inactive [10][14][lower-alpha 6]
Rainbow Fraternity's magazine became the publication of Delta Tau Delta.
  1. Chapter went defunct in 1861 because of the Civil War. After reforming, it became the Pi chapter of Delta Tau Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities in 1886.
  2. Chapter went defunct when the college closed in 1861 because of the Civil War.
  3. Charter was withdrawn by fraternity.
  4. Charter was withdrawn in 1880 but was reissued shortly afterwards.
  5. Charter was withdrawn by the fraternity in 1875. Alumni re-established the chapter, but it was closed after they realized the national fraternity had merged with Delta Tau Delta.
  6. This chapter's charter was withdrawn at the time of the national fraternity's merger with Delta Tau Delta in 1886
  7. This became the executive chapter in 1883. In 1886, it became the Lambda chapter of Delta Tau Delta with the national merger of the two fraternities.
  8. Instead of joining its national fraternity's merger with Delta Tau Delta, this chapter became the Texas Gamma chapter of Phi Delta Theta.
  9. Instead of joining its national fraternity's merger with Delta Tau Delta, this chapter withdrew and merged with the Texas Beta chapter of Phi Delta Theta.
  10. The chapter's charter was withdrawn at the time of the national fraternity's merger with Delta Tau Delta in 1886. Most of its members joined the existing Virginia Pi chapter of Alpha Epsilon chapter.

Legacy

Under the terms of its merger with Delta Tau Delta, several elements of the Rainbow Fraternity were preserved.[15][16]

  • Rainbow's official publication, The Rainbow, became the official publication of Delta Tau Delta, replacing the latter fraternity's The Crescent.[10]
  • A Rainbow ritual, the Rite of Iris, was preserved and incorporated into Delta Tau Delta work, becoming the combined fraternity's pre-initiation ceremony.
  • The new southern division of Delta Tau Delta was named the Rainbow Division.

References
  1. Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (April 10, 2023) "LaGrange Symodical College". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  2. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Alcolm. 1905. pp. 444–447.
  3. Churchhill, C. Robert. "The Rainbow Fraternity". Epsilon Mu Chapter | Delta Tau Delta | Ball State University. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  4. American College Fraternities. Lippincott. 1890. pp. 105–106.
  5. "Two Secret Societies United" (PDF). New York Times. New York, NY. 28 March 1885. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  6. "A Misunderstanding". The Scroll. April 1897. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  7. "The Rainbow or W.W.W." The University Magazine. January 1891. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  8. "Greek Press". Kappa Alpha Journal. October 1889. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  9. "History of the Rainbow Chapter". The Rainbow. IX (VII): 195–196. April 1886 – via Google Books.
  10. Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (December 3, 2022) "W.W.W. Rainbow". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed May 1, 2023.
  11. "Pi Chapter Installed the University of Mississippi". www.delts.org. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  12. Baird, William Raimond, editor. American College Fraternities, 4th edition. New York: James P. Downs, 1890. p. 105. via Hathi Trust.
  13. Randal Rust. "Austin Peay State University". Tennessee Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  14. Baird, Wm Raimond (1905). "Baird's manual of American college fraternities". Baird's Manual, American College Fraternities (6th ed.). New York: The Alcolm Company: 445–446.
  15. "The Consolidation of the Delta Tau Delta and Rainbow". The Crescent. October 1885.
  16. "Insignia". bsudelts.org. Epsilon Mu of Delta Tau Delta. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
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