Ida Fuller
Encyclopedia
Ida May Fuller Pierce (November 26, 1854—September 26, 1930) was one of the five founding members of Sigma Kappa
sorority.
Fuller served as one of the co-founders of the Sigma Kappa
sorority, along with Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag
, Frances Elliott Mann Hall
and Louise Helen Coburn
. The group founded the sorority at Colby College
in Waterville, Maine
on November 9, 1874. They were the only female students at Colby at that time. Colby College became the first New England college to admit women along with men.
Being the only women in the college, the five of them found themselves together frequently. In 1873-74, the five young women decided to form a literary and social society. They were instructed by the college administration that they would need to present a constitution and bylaws with a petition requesting permission to form Sigma Kappa Sorority. They began work during that year and on November 9, 1874, the five young women received a letter from the faculty approving their petition. They sought for and received permission to form a sorority with the intent for the organization to become national.
Fuller was 20 years old when she decided to attend Colby College
. Her brother Blin, upset that she would dare try to attend a men's school, refused to attend Colby if she went. Although Fuller men had always attended Colby, Blin went to Bowdoin College
instead. At the college, Fuller found a natural set of friends with the only other women attending the school. She was said to contribute to the forming of Sigma Kappa
with her practical ideas and nature.
After leaving Colby in her junior year, Fuller went to Kansas
to seek a drier climate. In Kansas, she met and married Dr. Pierce. In later years, after his death, she became a successful businesswoman, founded a hotel for girls in Kansas City, and was vice-president of a bank.
Fuller helped her niece Abby Fuller, Blin's daughter, to found the Xi chapter of Sigma Kappa
at the University of Kansas
. Both her nieces attended the University of Kansas, and Ida May served as the university Sigma Kappa chapter's housemother for several years.
A loyal convention attender, Ida May was always willing to travel to Sigma Kappa
functions and was present at the 1924 Golden Jubilee Convention.
Fuller died September 26, 1930 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Eureka, Kansas
.
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
sorority.
Fuller served as one of the co-founders of the Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
sorority, along with Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag
Elizabeth Gorham Hoag
Elizabeth Gorham Hoag was one of the five founding members of Sigma Kappa sorority.Along with Mary Caffrey Low, Ida Fuller, Frances Mann and Louise Helen Coburn, Hoag helped to form Sigma Kappa at Colby College in Waterville, Maine on November 9, 1874. The five women were the only female students...
, Frances Elliott Mann Hall
Frances Elliott Mann Hall
Frances Mann Hall was one of the five founders of Sigma Kappa sorority.Colby College, in Waterville, Maine, became the first New England college to admit women along with men. Mary Caffrey Low became the first female student at Colby, and for two years remained the only one...
and Louise Helen Coburn
Louise Helen Coburn
Louise Helen Coburn was one of the five founders of Sigma Kappa sorority, a pioneer for women's education at Colby College, where she served as the first female trustee, and an accomplished scientist and writer known for writing the two volumes of "Skowhegan on the Kennebec."She was the niece of...
. The group founded the sorority at Colby College
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
in Waterville, Maine
Waterville, Maine
Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States, on the west bank of the Kennebec River. The population was 15,722 at the 2010 census. Home to Colby College and Thomas College, Waterville is the regional commercial, medical and cultural center....
on November 9, 1874. They were the only female students at Colby at that time. Colby College became the first New England college to admit women along with men.
Being the only women in the college, the five of them found themselves together frequently. In 1873-74, the five young women decided to form a literary and social society. They were instructed by the college administration that they would need to present a constitution and bylaws with a petition requesting permission to form Sigma Kappa Sorority. They began work during that year and on November 9, 1874, the five young women received a letter from the faculty approving their petition. They sought for and received permission to form a sorority with the intent for the organization to become national.
Fuller was 20 years old when she decided to attend Colby College
Colby College
Colby College is a private liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. Founded in 1813, it is the 12th-oldest independent liberal arts college in the United States...
. Her brother Blin, upset that she would dare try to attend a men's school, refused to attend Colby if she went. Although Fuller men had always attended Colby, Blin went to Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
instead. At the college, Fuller found a natural set of friends with the only other women attending the school. She was said to contribute to the forming of Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
with her practical ideas and nature.
After leaving Colby in her junior year, Fuller went to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
to seek a drier climate. In Kansas, she met and married Dr. Pierce. In later years, after his death, she became a successful businesswoman, founded a hotel for girls in Kansas City, and was vice-president of a bank.
Fuller helped her niece Abby Fuller, Blin's daughter, to found the Xi chapter of Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
at the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. Both her nieces attended the University of Kansas, and Ida May served as the university Sigma Kappa chapter's housemother for several years.
A loyal convention attender, Ida May was always willing to travel to Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa is a sorority founded in 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pierce, Frances Elliott Mann Hall and Louise Helen Coburn...
functions and was present at the 1924 Golden Jubilee Convention.
Fuller died September 26, 1930 and is buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Eureka, Kansas
Eureka, Kansas
Eureka is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,633.-History:...
.