Eta Upsilon Gamma () was an American collegiate junior sorority. It formed in 1901, and was active through at least 1968. The sorority was a founding member of the National Junior College Panhellenic.

History Eta Upsilon Gamma was founded as a junior college sorority in November 1901 at Christian College (now Columbia College) in Columbia, Missouri. Its founders were Bess Dain Browning, Caroline Mabry Christie, Anna Hudson Lewis, Eula Gray Pfeuffer, Nell Mackey Powell, and Anne McDonald Smith.

The Beta chapter was established at Hardin College and Conservatory of Music in 1902. This was followed in 1903 by Gamma at the Liberty Ladies' College, Delta at Forest Park University, and Epsilon at Central College for Women. Its first six chapters were all chartered at colleges in Missouri.

Eta Upsilon Gamma was overseen by a national board or grand council, consisting of a grand president, grand vice-president and editor, grand secretary, grand treasurer, grand organizer, and a Panhellenic representative. Officers were elected at the annual national conclave or convention. The sorority held its first conclave in Columbia, Missouri in 1904.

By 1909, Eta Upsilon Gamma had established an alumni association. That same year, the sorority made the news for deposing two of its national officers, Eva Marie Myers who was the grand president and Mattie Lou Catron grand organizer, for getting married. The Eta Upsilon Gamma constitution specified that its grand chapter officers "must be neither betrothed or married". It continued, "Man has no place in the organization of the sorority, and the rule against the members who yield to him is rigidly enforced." In addition, members who allowed a man to wear their sorority badge were fined $25 ($ in 2022 money); failure to pay this fine resulted in expulsion from the sorority.

The Alpha chapter at Christian College built its chapter house in the summer of 1910 and dedicated it on May 18, 1911. It was not a residential house but was used for meetings, social events, and for alumnae accommodations. The Zeta chapter at Lindenwood College dedicated its chapter house in 1914."Lindenwood College House" The Adamus. 6 (2). Eta Upsilon Gamma (May 1914). p. 79. – via Google Books. In September 1914, Eta Upsilon Gamma was a founding member of the National Junior College Panhellenic."The National Pan-Hellenic Council of Junior Sororities". The Adamas. 7 (1). Eta Upsilon Gamma: 13-17. January 1915 – via Google Books.

In 1919, the sorority had nine active chapters and two alumnae associations. It had initiated 1,500 members and had 170 active members. In 1921, it had seven active chapters and six alumnae associations, with 2,000 total members and 100 active members.

As the sorority's host institutions became four-year colleges, some chapters left to join National Panhellenic Conference members. Eta Upsilon Gamma decided to become a regular collegiate sorority. At this time, it withdrew the charter of any chapters hosted at junior colleges. In an article in the January 1926 Banta's Greek Exchange, the sorority's vice president wrote an article noting, "The junior college does not define or limit the field of Eta Upsilon Gamma." Baird's Manual (1930) shows 26 chapters of which twelve were active and fourteen were inactive. On June 16, 1932, a delegation from Eta Upsilon Gamma had lunch with President Herbert Hoover.

In November 1951, the sorority celebrated its fiftieth anniversary by establishing a Memorial Art Library at Christian College, consisting of circulating fine art reproductions. In February 1962, Eta Upsilon Gamma had initiated 8,000 members and had nine active chapters. The sorority's date of dissolution is unknown. Its last known national convention was held in August 1968. The Omega chapter at Potomac State School was active until 1975 when it became a local sorority.

Symbols

The Eta Upsilon Gamma insignia was designed in 1908 by Zeta chapter members Edna Hanna and Jae Fonte. The insignia consisted of a shield that featured a lamp on top of an equilateral triangle and the motto "Be Strong in the Truth", supported by a unicorn. The sorority's badge was a diamond-shaped shield in black enamel bearing in center clasped hands, with the Greek letters "" above it and a skull and cross bones below. The badge could be set in pearls. The pledge pin was gold, with clasp hands.

The sorority also had a scholarship pin in the shape of a gold Greek lamp with a small diamond in its blue flame and the Greek letters "" in black enamel. It was worn by the member with the highest average grades in each chapter. The lamp symbolized higher scholarship and the diamond in its flame represented the light or torch of knowledge.

The sorority's colors were olive green and gold. Its jewels were the diamond and the pearl. Its flower was the red carnation as of 1909 and the yellow rose as of 1919. Its insignia were clasped hands, a skull and cross-bones, a diamond, a lamp, a triangle, and a unicorn. Its original flag was olive green with the Greek letters "" in gold; a later version also featured the sorority's coat of arms.

The sorority's open motto was "Be Strong in the Truth". Its bi-annual publication was The Adamas, first published in 1909. Its nickname was Gamma.

Philanthropy In 1962, Eta Upsilon Gamma's national philanthropy was the Crippled Children's Society. During World War I, the sorority raised funds for the Red Cross; some members volunteered for Y.M.C.A. canteen work in France.

Chapters Eta Upsilon Gamma installed over thirty chapters. Following is a list of Eta Upsilon Gamma chapters, with inactive chapters and institutions in italics.

ChapterCharter date and rangeInstitutionLocationStatusAlpha–1915Christian CollegeColumbia, MissouriInactive"Christian College Sororities to End". The Adamas. 7 (2). Eta Upsilon Gamma: 77-79. May 1915 – via Google Books.Beta–1931Hardin CollegeMexico, MissouriInactiveGamma–1913Liberty Ladies' CollegeLiberty, MissouriInactiveDelta–1912Forest Park UniversitySt. Louis, MissouriInactiveEpsilon–1925Central College for WomenLexington, MissouriInactiveZeta – 1920Lindenwood CollegeSt. Charles, MissouriInactiveEta–1909Pleasant J. Potter CollegeBowling Green, KentuckyInactiveTheta–1915Boscobel CollegeNashville, TennesseeInactive Iota–1914Judson CollegeMarion, AlabamaInactive Kappa – Brenau CollegeGainesville, GeorgiaMerged ()Lambda–1920Colorado Women's CollegeDenver, ColoradoInactiveMu–1920Ward–Belmont CollegeNashville, TennesseeInactive Nu–1937Greenville Woman's CollegeGreenville, South CarolinaInactiveXi – 1919Centenary Female CollegeCleveland, TennesseeInactive Omicron–1932Belhaven CollegeJackson, MississippiInactivePi–1938Stephens CollegeColumbia, MissouriInactiveRho–1921Fulton Female Synodical CollegeFulton, MissouriInactiveSigma–1923Eastern CollegeManassas, VirginiaInactive Tau–1931Logan CollegeRussellville, KentuckyInactiveUpsilon–1932Hamilton CollegeLexington, KentuckyInactivePhi–1926Hedding CollegeAbingdon, IllinoisInactive Chi – April 22, 1967Rider CollegeTrenton, New JerseyMerged () Psi–1954Northeastern Oklahoma Junior CollegeMiami, OklahomaInactiveOmega–1975Potomac State SchoolKeyser, West VirginiaInactiveAlpha Alpha–196x ?Bliss CollegeColumbus, OhioInactiveAlpha Beta–19xx ?Dodd CollegeShreveport, LouisianaInactiveAlpha Gamma–1939Mississippi Synodical CollegeHolly Springs, MississippiInactiveAlpha Delta–1933Crane Junior CollegeChicago, IllinoisInactiveAlpha Epsilon–1968 Woodbury CollegeLos Angeles, CaliforniaMerged ()Alpha Zeta19xx ?–19xx ?Greenbrier CollegeLewisburg, West Virginia InactiveAlpha Eta–19xx ?Bergen CollegeTeaneck, New JerseyInactiveAlpha ThetaUniversity of Texas at AustinAustin, TexasInactiveAlpha Iota–19xx ?West Virginia Training School for Dental HygienistsCharleston, West VirginiaInactive"Sorority installed at Dental Hygiene School" Charleston Daily Mail, April 17, 1940 p. 9. via NewspaperArchiveAlpha Kappa–1961Tennessee Wesleyan CollegeAthens, TennesseeMerged ()The Quill of Alpha Xi Delta: 125th Anniversary Celebration p 36Alpha Lambda–19xx ?Sacramento City CollegeSacramento, CaliforniaInactiveAlpha Mu – 19xx ?Draughon's College of CommerceKansas City, MissouriInactiveAlpha Nu–19xx ?Miller-Draughon CollegeCincinnati, OhioInactiveAlpha Xi – 1967Angelo State UniversitySan Angelo, TexasWithdrew (local)

Alumnae associations By 1909, Eta Upsilon Gamma had established an alumni association. Following is a list of known alumnae association chapters.

Cleveland, Tennessee Denver, Colorado Greenville, South Carolina Kansas City, Missouri Mexico, Missouri Montgomery, Missouri Nashville, Tennessee St. Charles, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri

Conclaves

The Eta Upsilon Gamma national annual conclaves included: 1904 – Columbia, Missouri June 8, 1905 – Columbia, Missouri June 28 and 29, 1906 – Kansas City, Missouri June 27 and 28, 1907 – St. Louis, Missouri June 23 to 26, 1908 – Mexico, Missouri Later, the conclaves were held every other year. The biannual conclaves include: June 8 to 10, 1910 – St. Charles, Missouri 1912 – Pertle Springs, Warrenburg, Missouri June 1914 – Nashville, Tennessee 1916 – Palmer Lake, Colorado 1918 – Kansas City, Missouri 1920 – Excelsior Springs, Missouri 1922 – Excelsior Springs, Missouri June 4, 1924 – Mexico, Missouri 1926 – Louisville, Kentucky June 1928 – Kansas City, Missouri June 1930 – Memphis, Tennessee June 1932 – Washington, D.C. July 1934 – Chicago, Illinois June 11 to 19, 1936 – St. Louis, Missouri June 16 to 19, 1938 – Columbus, Ohio June 1940 – Trenton, New Jersey June 25 to 28, 1942 – Williamburg, Virginia June 10 to 14, 1946 – Williamburg, Virginia August 1950 – Greenbrier College in Lewisburg, West Virginia, with Zeta Mu Epsilon August 1952 – Kansas City, Missouri August 21 to 23, 1954 – Columbus, Ohio August 1956 – Los Angeles, California August 22 to 24, 1958 – Trenton, New Jersey August 1960 – Columbus, Ohio August 17 to 19, 1962 – Kansas City, Missouri August 21 to 23, 1964 – San Angelo College in San Angelo, TexasKinsey, Anna (September 24, 1964). "SAC Gamma Sorority Earns National Project Trophy " The Ram Page, p. 3. August 1966 – Los Angeles, California August 8 to 10, 1968 – Cincinnati, Ohio

Notable members

Helen Gurley Brown (Alpha Epsilon), the editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine for 32 years Claudette Colbert (Alpha Epsilon, honorary), actress

See also

Defunct North American collegiate sororities List of social sororities and women's fraternities

Notes

References