Sigma Sigma Omicron

Sigma Sigma Omicron (ΣΣΟ) was a national collegiate sorority operating under that name in the United States from November 1, 1920 to 1927. It has had several successor names.

Sigma Sigma Omicron
ΣΣΟ
FoundedNovember 1, 1920 (1920-11-01)
New York University
TypeSocial
AffiliationNPC (former)
ScopeRegional
Colors  Purple and   White
SymbolCircle, Helmet, Pyramid, Sabre, Sheaf of Wheat
FlowerViolets with White Rose
JewelAmethyst and Pearl
PublicationThe Talaria
Chapters15 chartered
Members1,000 lifetime
Briefly renamedSigma Phi Beta
Merged withPhi Omega Pi (1933)
    see Delta Zeta

History

This sorority existed for approximately 13 years. For more than half that time it was known as Sigma Sigma Omicron, with the name Sigma Phi Beta adopted during its final six years.

The Alpha chapter of Sigma Sigma Omicron was formed on November 1, 1920 at New York University, eventually chartering five chapters, mainly at teachers colleges. Its primary founder was Vera Bartone Goelier, supported by other students of the junior, sophomore and freshman class.[1]

The ΣΦΒ pin was a slight variant from the original ΣΣΟ design.

On July 28, 1927 the sorority changed its name to Sigma Phi Beta (ΣΦΒ), in anticipation of a merger six months later with the three chapters of Phi Alpha Chi, which it effected on January 7, 1928 after "find[ing] their interests and purposes similar...".

Phi Alpha Chi had its origin as The Tanewah Club in 1919 at Berkeley. In 1926, the Tanewah Club adopted Greek letters, reorganizing as the Alpha chapter of Phi Alpha Chi.

Delta Zeta's history (1983) recorded that Sigma Phi Beta absorbed Phi Alpha Chi before combining five years later under the Phi Omega Pi banner in 1933.[1]

According to the 1931 edition of The Sorority Handbook there were 10 active chapters of Sigma Phi Beta, with 1,000 members (p. 79). Baird's Archive lists 15.

On October 1, 1933 Sigma Phi Beta merged into Phi Omega Pi, which itself was later (but only partly) absorbed by Delta Zeta in 1946, with some chapters disbanded or released to other sororities.[2]

Insignia and Traditions
  • Pledge pin- "Crescented Norman shield divided vertically into two equal sections, one enameled in purple, the other in white, and displaying diagonally a gold sabre"
  • Member pin- "Pearl bordered circular shield of purple enamel, displaying sorority letters in gold, and jewelled additionally with six amethysts set at prescribed points outside a circlet of pearls" -- This description is accurate for both Sigma Sigma Omicron and Sigma Phi Beta.
  • Insignia- Circle, Helmet, Pyramid, Sabre, Sheaf of Wheat
  • Colors- Purple and White
  • Flower- Violets with White Rose
  • Jewels- Amethyst and Pearl
  • Publication- The Talaria (Martin, pp. 79– 80)

Chapters

These are the chapters of Sigma Phi Beta prior to the merger with Phi Omega Pi in 1933. Baird's reports that 15[3] were installed, with ten surviving to participate in the merger. However, records list eight that definitely merged, with one more possible. Known active chapters at the time of the merger are listed in bold, inactive chapters listed in italics.[4][5]

Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
NY Alpha November 1, 1920–October 1, 1933 New York University New York, NY Merged Became Alpha Zeta chapter of ΦΩΠ [4]
NY Beta 1921–19xx Teachers College of New York City
now "closely affiliated" with Columbia University[6]		 New York, NY Dormant [4]
NY Gamma 1921–October 1, 1933 CCNY, Hunter College New York, NY Merged Became NY Gamma chapter of ΦΩΠ [4]
Epsilon 1921–1933 ? Montclair State University Montclair, NJ Dormant [7][4]
Zeta 1921–1926 Kean University Union and Hillside, NJ Dormant [4]
NY Eta 1923–1924 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Dormant [4]
Theta 1924–October 1, 1933 Wittenberg University Springfield, OH Merged Became Omega chapter of ΦΩΠ [8][4]
Iota 1924–1927 Samford University Homewood, AL Dormant [9][4]
Kappa 1925–October 1, 1933 Transylvania University Lexington, KY Merged Became Alpha Alpha chapter of ΦΩΠ [10][4]
CA Alpha 1928–1935 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA Merged ? May have merged into the Lambda chapter of ΦΩΠ [11][4]
Delta 1928–1931 Ohio State University Columbus, OH Dormant Alumni merged into ΦΩΠ ? [12][4]
Name ? 1928–October 1, 1933 Auburn University Auburn, AL Merged Became the Psi chapter of ΦΩΠ [13][4]
Lambda 1929–October 1, 1933 University of Illinois Champaign, IL Merged Joined the existing Gamma chapter of ΦΩΠ [4]
Nu 1930–October 1, 1933 Utah State University Logan, UT Merged Became the Alpha Beta chapter of ΦΩΠ [14][4]
Name ? 1930–October 1, 1933 University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Merged Joined the existing Sigma chapter of ΦΩΠ [4]

Phi Alpha Chi chapters
Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
Alpha December 4, 1925–January 7, 1928 University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA Merged Became CA Alpha chapter of ΣΦΒ [15][4]
Beta 1926–January 7, 1928 Ohio State University Columbus, OH Merged Became Delta chapter of ΣΦΒ [4]
Gamma 1927–January 7, 1928 Auburn University Auburn, AL Merged Became NAME chapter of ΣΦΒ [16][4]

References
  1. Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. pp. VIII-33. ISBN 978-0963715906.
  2. The Spring 1995 edition of The Lamp of Delta Zeta, p.10, has an article about the sorority's several mergers. Accessed 25 Aug 2020.
  3. Body text says 14, but the list shows 15.
  4. William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), section showing Sigma Sigma Omicron and Phi Alpha Chi chapters". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 31 December 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  5. To conjecture which would have been the tenth chapter merged, of the chapters that do not show having definitively (or likely, in the case of Berkeley) merged with ΦΩΠ, only the Ohio State campus shows a record of both organizations having existed there. But the timing is problematic: The ΦΩΠ chapter apparently was inactive between 1933–1940 at which time it was revived. But the ΣΦΒ chapter was listed as dormant as of 1931. Hence a merger of active groups was unlikely. It may be that the alumni clubs of these two chapters were given a designation, and merged their organizations, if these existed.
  6. This school still operates, and is closely affiliated with Columbia University, according to its website, accessed 31 December 2021.
  7. This chapter appears to have died at the time of the Phi Omega Pi merger, per Baird's. However, 1930-era yearbooks do not show them.
  8. This chapter originated as Sigma Pi Delta (local) in 1920.
  9. This chapter originated as Lambda Xi Delta (local) in 1922.
  10. This chapter originated as a local sorority in 1919. Baird's does not list the name.
  11. This chapter originated as Alpha chapter of ΦΑΧ in 1925, and Tewanah before that in 1919. Baird's does not specify whether it merged into the ΦΩΠ on that campus, but only says it lasted until 1935. Perhaps returning to local status?
  12. This chapter originated as Beta chapter of ΦΑΧ in 1926.
  13. This chapter originated as Gamma chapter of ΦΑΧ in 1927.
  14. This chapter originated as Gamma Xi Gamma (local) in 1920.
  15. This group had originated six years earlier, in 1919, as the Tewanah Club.
  16. This group had originated four years earlier, in 1923, as Phi Delta Rho (local).
  • Martin, Ida Shaw (1931) The Sorority Handbook, 11th edition, Published by Ida Shaw Martin, Boston, Mass.
  • Miner, Florence Hood (1983). The History of Delta Zeta, 1902–1982. Indianapolis, Indiana.
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