Sigma Phi Sigma

Sigma Phi Sigma (ΣΦΣ) was a national collegiate fraternity founded in 1908 at the University of Pennsylvania. It ceased operations during WWII and was unable to restart as a national entity, with several chapters joining other fraternities, predominantly Phi Sigma Kappa.

Sigma Phi Sigma Fraternity
ΣΦΣ
Founded	April 13, 1908 University of Pennsylvania
Type	Social
Scope	National
Colors	Yellow and   White
Flower	Lilies of the Valley and Jonquil
Publication	The Sigma Phi Sigma Monad
Chapters	18 installed; 0 survived

History

Sigma Phi Sigma was founded as a social, academic fraternity at the University of Pennsylvania on 13 April, 1908.[1] The Founders were:

• Brice Hayden Long
• Percy Hollinshed Wood
• Guy Park Needham

From the start, leaders cited an early aspiration of national expansion. Efforts were concentrated on formation of chapters at larger institutions, mostly state universities or large private schools. Some of these chapters entered into successful building projects. By the early 1930s it had achieved a chapter roll of eighteen, what appears to be its high water mark, but there were rumblings that this was insufficient to support its national functions during the Great Depression and WWII. Just four of its chapters re-opened after the war, and due to the fraternity's inability to re-ignite operations elsewhere, the majority of these, and scattered alumni from other chapters, sought new national allegiances.[2]

Demise

The Sigma Phi Sigma house at Oregon State, 1923

The Fraternity's disintegration began as early as 1941, when the University of Maryland chapter withdrew to become a chapter of Sigma Chi. Cornell's chapter closed that same year, with most of its members joining Tau Kappa Epsilon.[2]

The fraternity formally voted for dissolution at its 21st and last grand assembly in January, 1947.[2]

Immediately after the vote to dissolve in 1947, the University of California chapter merged into the re-established Phi Sigma Kappa chapter on that campus, with the provision that any other member of Sigma Phi Sigma from other chapters might also join Phi Sigma Kappa.[3][4] Following their lead, most of the brothers from the former University of Nevada and University of Wisconsin chapters similarly sought safe harbor in Phi Sigma Kappa, and participated in restoring those chapters as they rebuilt operations. Phi Sigma Kappa's Wisconsin chapter had been dormant since 1931, thus the infusion of new members coming from Sigma Phi Sigma was able to re-start that chapter.

The University of Oregon chapter became a unit of Phi Kappa Psi, and the University of Illinois chapter merged operations with Tau Kappa Epsilon there. Finally, one chapter, at Penn State University, lingered as an independent local for several years, retaining the name Sigma Phi Sigma. In 1954 it chartered as a chapter of Theta Delta Chi.[2]

The 1991 edition of Baird's Manual noted the Society had 4,500 initiates.[2]

Chapters

The Society had established chapters at eighteen schools, including:

• 1908 - Alpha - University of Pennsylvania[5]
• 1919 - Beta - Penn State University[6][7][8][9][10]
• 1910 - Gamma - Cornell University[11]
• 1916 - Delta - University of Maryland[12]
• 19xx - Epsilon - University of California[13]
• 1919 - Zeta - University of Illinois[14]
• 1921 - Eta - University of Maine[1][15]
• 1922 - Theta - University of Nevada[16]
• 1923 - Iota - Oregon State University[17][2]
• 1923 - Kappa - Alabama Polytechnic (Auburn)[18]
• 1924 - Lambda - University of Missouri[19]
• 1924 - Mu - University of Wisconsin[20]
• 1924 - Nu - Ohio State University[21]
• 1926 - Xi - University of North Carolina[22]
• 1928 - Omicron - University of Nebraska[23]
• 1928 - Pi - University of Washington[24]
• 1928 - Rho - Washington State University[25]
• 1929 - Sigma - Brown University[26]

Publications and Traditions

The Fraternity published a magazine, called the Sigma Phi Sigma Monad.

Its badge was the three Greek letters of its name, with the Phi superimposed on the two Sigmas. The Phi was set with fifteen pearls, or in some cases, with diamonds.

The fraternity's colors were yellow and white. Its flowers were Lilies of the Valley and the Jonquil.[27]

The fraternity's song was Come Ye Sons Who Wear the Gold and White.[23]

Government was managed by convention, held biannually.[2]

References

1. Date noted in the Feb 14, 1935 edition of The Maine Campus, p.4, accessed 28 Aug, 2020.
2. Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-23. ISBN 978-0963715906.
3. "California Sigma Phi Sigma joins Phi Sigma Kappa", The Signet, a magazine for members of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity: Vol XXXIX, No. 4, pg 309, November 1947
4. According to the article, the fine relationship PSK enjoyed with SPS at its dissolution was spurred by "notably excellent relations with PSK's Bro. Dean Palm and Bro. Bill Wood."
5. According to the 1930 Record yearbook, p.327 (of the digital file) the chapter was located at 3914 Spruce St., in Philadelphia, PA. Accessed 28 Aug 2020.
6. Baird's notes cryptically that this chapter continued as a local unit for a short time after 1947.
7. However, the surviving chapter explains more fully in their online history, what transpired. They begun as a local, with an architectural focus, called Iota Chi Delta on 13 Mar, 1915, soon expanding to include landscape architecture and civil engineering students. They sought a national affiliation, sending letters to several fraternities. This resulted in installation as the Beta chapter of Sigma Phi Sigma on 24 May 1919, (apparently out of alphabetical sequence with the other chapters, but this is quoted directly). After WWII the chapter reactivated with 8 returning brothers moving back into their solid building, which became the last chapter standing of their national, and a defacto local. In 1952 the group sought out a new national affiliation, finding Theta Delta Chi. They were installed as the Sigma Triton charge of that fraternity on 22 May, 1954.
8. The Penn State H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens and Arboretum was established to honor an early member of the chapter in a gift from his son. Accessed 28 Aug 2020. See The Arboretum at Penn State.
9. National fraternity Theta Delta Chi in a website post clarifies that this chapter, operating as a local, became their Sigma Triton chapter in 1954. Article accessed 28 Aug 2020.
10. The 1920 Penn State La Vie yearbook notes that Iota Chi Delta began in April 1913, with no mention of Sigma Phi Sigma, yet. Accessed 31 Aug 2020.
11. This chapter closed in 1941.
12. Originally formed from a local, Iota Sigma, on 4 March, 1916. This chapter left Sigma Phi Sigma to become the Gamma Chi chapter of Sigma Chi in 1941.
13. After WWII, Phi Sigma Kappa's Omega chapter reorganized to combine with the Berkeley chapter of Sigma Phi Sigma. Merging, the combined Cal chapter's address from 19 Oct 1957 (at the dedication of their building) was: 2312 Warring Street, Berkeley, CA. Address from before 1990 and at the time of a fire that year was 2320 Warring St., Berkeley, CA. This last building had been constructed in 1958, according to the previously noted Signet article.
14. This chapter merged with the Illinois Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter a short time after 1947.
15. The Maine Campus article further goes on to note that this chapter had begun two years earlier as a local, called Lambda Delta.
16. Alumni from this chapter merged with alumni from Phi Sigma Kappa to re-establish the latter chapter on this campus.
17. Baird's notes that the "Oregon" chapter became, or merged into, a chapter of Phi Kappa Psi after 1947. This appears to have been a typo, and should have been Oregon State. That school's Beaver yearbook of 1926, p.396, notes the presence of the Fraternity's Iota chapter. Prior to joining Sigma Phi Sigma it had been a local known as the Orange Club, begun in 1913.
18. As noted in the 1928 Glomerata yearbook, p.279, accessed 28 Aug 2020.
19. The Missouri chapter was noted in the 1929 Savitar yearbook, p.332, accessed 28 Aug 2020.
20. Alumni from this chapter merged with alumni from Phi Sigma Kappa to re-establish the latter chapter on this campus. Address in 1966: 619 North Lake St., Madison, WI.
21. Noted in the 1927 Makio yearbook, p.344. Accessed 28 Aug 2020.
22. Noted in the 1928 Yackety yack yearbook, p.278, accessed 28 Aug 2020.
23. This chapter formed from a local group known as Kappa Rho Sigma, chartering in 1928 according to the 1933 Cornhusker yearbook, p.174. Accessed 28 Aug 2020.
24. Noted in the 1935 Tyee yearbook, p.227. Accessed 28 Aug 2020.
25. As noted in the 1935 Chinook yearbook, p.247. Accessed 28 Aug 2020.
26. Noted in the 1930 Liber Brunensis yearbook, p.152 of the online viewer, accessed 28 Aug 2020.
27. According to a chapter listing in the 1920 edition of The Reveille yearbook, published through the University of Maryland, College Park, p.362, accessed 28 Aug 2020.