Delta Sigma () was a small collegiate women's fraternity operating in New England from 1895 to 1908.
History Predecessors Delta Sigma was formed from three local women's fraternities or sororities.
The oldest was Alpha Delta Sigma. In May 1895, six female students at Tufts University drew up plans for a women's fraternity they named Alpha Delta Sigma.Start, Alaric Bertrand. History of Tufts College, 1854-1896. Tufts College Class of 1897, 1896. p. 231. via Tufts Digital Library, accessed July 26, 2023. Its founders were Mary G. Fickett, Georgia L. Hodgdon, Frances G. Gefford, Martha L. Root, Carrie L. Worthen, and Kate E. Cousens. In October 1895, the fraternity's members drafted its constitution and bylaws. Its first initiations were held on November 14 and December 9, 1895. The Alpha Delta Sigma badge was a "square pin of blue enamel displaying the letters". Its colors were blue and gold.
Female students at Brown University, approximately 45 miles from Tufts, created the women's fraternity Delta Sigma (local) in 1896.
Phi Gamma was a women's society established at the University of Maine in February 1897 and was the first sorority on campus. Its original members were Agnes Burnham, Autense Cousens, Susie Davis, Rena Dunn, Maude Farnham, Lottie Farrar, Grace Fernandez, Carrie Green, Emily Hamlin, Rena Morrisette. Mildred Powell, and Pearl Swain. Phi Gamma's colors were yellow and white; its flower was the Jacqueminot rose.
Delta Sigma On November 2, 1901, Alpha Delta Sigma and Delta Sigma (local) merged into a regional literary fraternity called Delta Sigma. Alpha Delta Sigma from Tufts became the Alpha chapter and Delta Sigma (local) became the Beta chapter. The new fraternity used Alpha Delta Sigma for its establishment date and location. Phi Gamma joined Delta Sigma as its Gamma chapter in 1903. By 1907, Delta Sigma had 200 initiates and three college chapters and eight alumnae associations.
On April 13, 1908,Alpha Omicron Pi Timeline Delta Sigma was absorbed by Alpha Omicron Pi.Fernald, Merritt Caldwell. History of Maine State College and the University of Maine. Orono, Maine: University of Maine, 1916. p. 369. via Internet Archive. Alpha Omicron Pi was a young organization but was quickly growing, having formed eight chapters in the preceding decade. Alpha Omicron Pi was established at Barnard College in 1897, so the three incoming Delta Sigma chapters were all slightly older than the new sorority's chapters. With this merger, Delta Sigma ceased to exist as a regional fraternity. In its lifetime, it had around 200 members.
The Tufts chapter became the Alpha Omicron Pi Delta chapter which was active until 2017. The University of Maine chapter retained its Gamma name and is still active as of 2023. The Brown chapter also retained its name as the Beta chapter but withdrew from Alpha Omicron Pi within a year, again becoming a local fraternity.
Secret Order of Delta Sigma The restored Delta Sigma (local) at Brown University was called The Secret Order of Delta Sigma. It used the original local fraternity's 1896 founding date and was incorporated in 1908. It was active until 1911 when Brown, including Pembroke, banned Greek letter organizations.
Symbols The regional sorority Delta Sigma adopted the colors and symbols of its predecessor Delta Sigma (local). Its colors were Nile or pale green and white. Its flower was the violet. Its badge was "a square of black enamel with concave sides outlined in gold, and displaying the letters "" in gold; this square is encircled by a jeweled golden circle".
Chapters
Chapters Charter date and range Institution LocationStatus Alpha –1908 Tufts University Medford, MassachusettsMerged (ΑΟΠ) Beta –1908 Brown University Providence, Rhode IslandMerged (ΑΟΠ) Gamma 1903–1908 University of Maine Orono, MaineMerged (ΑΟΠ)
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