Phi Omega Pi
Encyclopedia
Phi Omega Pi was a national collegiate sorority operating in the United States from 1922 until 1946 when it was absorbed by the larger national sorority, Delta Zeta
.
signifying one's blood sister or a female relative), created on the campus of the University of Nebraska on March 15, 1910. The fifteen founding sisters were all members in good standing of the Order of the Eastern Star
. In a letter to the fraternity, Jessie Downing explained to Sigma Phi Epsilon
that Achoth "is similar to that of the Acacia Fraternity
, but in no way are the two connected". In 1911, it was officially recognized by the Order of the Eastern Star organization and only Earstern Star members were permitted to join. Chapters were named in Hebrew alphabet
ic order, The first chapter was Aleph (Nebraska), the second Beth (Iowa), etc.
Published materials from various fraternal organization demonstrate that Achoth was functioning as a typical collegiate sorority. The Trident of Delta Delta Delta
(1920) recorded Achoth's petition for admission to the National Panhellenic Congress, but was denied (The Adelphean, 1921).
Achoth may have changed their official name as early as 1922. Kappa Sigma's Caduceus (1922) reported that the "Supreme Governing Council of Achoth announces the change of name 'Achoth' to 'Phi Omega Pi' fraternity." Other contemporary publications refer to Achoth as Achoth, e.g. "A chapter of Achoth, the organization of Eastern Star members, was installed last March" (IU Alumni Quarterly, 1922). The chapters were renamed according to the Greek alphabet and the sorority's periodical was renamed Kochev to The Pentagon (Miner, p. 146).
In 1933, Phi Omega Pi dropped the Masonic requirement and was thus given full membership into the National Panhellenic Conference
.
That same year, the sorority absorbed two other organizations. Sigma Phi Beta was a national group with ten chapters. It was founded on November 1, 1920 at New York University
, as Sigma Sigma Omicron. In July 1927, the name was changed to Sigma Phi Beta (Miner, p. 148).
Phi Alpha Chi, from the University of California at Berkeley, was founded as The Tewanah in 1919. In 1926, the group chartered as the Alpha chapter of Phi Alpha Chi. Then, they joined Sigma Phi Beta (Miner, p. 148).
Miner (p. 146) explained that "after 1933, Achoth, Tanewah, Phi Alpha Chi, and Sigma Phi Beta members were all sisters in Phi Omega Pi. In the 1937 Pentagon, sixteen collegiate and 39 alumnae chapters and clubs were listed."
In 1946, the members of ΦΩΠ were accepted into Delta Zeta
sorority.
"It had a sapphire blue ground crossed by an inverted chevron of white upon which were placed five five pointed stars. Below the chevron and to the left was placed the sword and veil and to the right the lily of the valley with five bells. Above the chevron was the Roman numeral X. Surmounting the shield a crown below which was a rod. Beneath the shield a white ribbon upon which are the Greek letters ΦΩΠ."
The pledge pin was " a black enameled pentagon bearing the Greek letters ΦΩΠ in gold. The pentagon was banded in gold also." (Miner, p. 146)
Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 158 collegiate chapters in the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada...
.
History
The sorority originally formed as Achoth (a Hebrew wordHebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
signifying one's blood sister or a female relative), created on the campus of the University of Nebraska on March 15, 1910. The fifteen founding sisters were all members in good standing of the Order of the Eastern Star
Order of the Eastern Star
The Order of the Eastern Star is a fraternal organization that both men and women can join. It was established in 1850 by Rob Morris, a lawyer and educator from Boston, Massachusetts, who had been an official with the Freemasons. It is based on teachings from the Bible, but is open to people of all...
. In a letter to the fraternity, Jessie Downing explained to Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Phi Epsilon
Sigma Phi Epsilon , commonly nicknamed SigEp or SPE, is a social college fraternity for male college students in the United States. It was founded on November 1, 1901, at Richmond College , and its national headquarters remains in Richmond, Virginia. It was founded on three principles: Virtue,...
that Achoth "is similar to that of the Acacia Fraternity
Acacia Fraternity
Acacia Fraternity is a Greek social fraternity originally based out of Masonic tradition. At its founding in 1904, membership was originally restricted to those who had taken the Masonic obligations, and the organization was built on those ideals and principles. Within one year, four other Masonic...
, but in no way are the two connected". In 1911, it was officially recognized by the Order of the Eastern Star organization and only Earstern Star members were permitted to join. Chapters were named in Hebrew alphabet
Hebrew alphabet
The Hebrew alphabet , known variously by scholars as the Jewish script, square script, block script, or more historically, the Assyrian script, is used in the writing of the Hebrew language, as well as other Jewish languages, most notably Yiddish, Ladino, and Judeo-Arabic. There have been two...
ic order, The first chapter was Aleph (Nebraska), the second Beth (Iowa), etc.
Published materials from various fraternal organization demonstrate that Achoth was functioning as a typical collegiate sorority. The Trident of Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
(1920) recorded Achoth's petition for admission to the National Panhellenic Congress, but was denied (The Adelphean, 1921).
Achoth may have changed their official name as early as 1922. Kappa Sigma's Caduceus (1922) reported that the "Supreme Governing Council of Achoth announces the change of name 'Achoth' to 'Phi Omega Pi' fraternity." Other contemporary publications refer to Achoth as Achoth, e.g. "A chapter of Achoth, the organization of Eastern Star members, was installed last March" (IU Alumni Quarterly, 1922). The chapters were renamed according to the Greek alphabet and the sorority's periodical was renamed Kochev to The Pentagon (Miner, p. 146).
In 1933, Phi Omega Pi dropped the Masonic requirement and was thus given full membership into the National Panhellenic Conference
National Panhellenic Conference
The National Panhellenic Conference , founded in 1902, is an umbrella organization for 26 national women's sororities.Each member group is autonomous as a social, Greek-letter society of college women and alumnae...
.
That same year, the sorority absorbed two other organizations. Sigma Phi Beta was a national group with ten chapters. It was founded on November 1, 1920 at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, as Sigma Sigma Omicron. In July 1927, the name was changed to Sigma Phi Beta (Miner, p. 148).
Phi Alpha Chi, from the University of California at Berkeley, was founded as The Tewanah in 1919. In 1926, the group chartered as the Alpha chapter of Phi Alpha Chi. Then, they joined Sigma Phi Beta (Miner, p. 148).
Miner (p. 146) explained that "after 1933, Achoth, Tanewah, Phi Alpha Chi, and Sigma Phi Beta members were all sisters in Phi Omega Pi. In the 1937 Pentagon, sixteen collegiate and 39 alumnae chapters and clubs were listed."
In 1946, the members of ΦΩΠ were accepted into Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Today, Delta Zeta has 158 collegiate chapters in the United States and over 200 alumnae chapters in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada...
sorority.
Crest
As described by Miner,"It had a sapphire blue ground crossed by an inverted chevron of white upon which were placed five five pointed stars. Below the chevron and to the left was placed the sword and veil and to the right the lily of the valley with five bells. Above the chevron was the Roman numeral X. Surmounting the shield a crown below which was a rod. Beneath the shield a white ribbon upon which are the Greek letters ΦΩΠ."
Pins
The mebership badge was "an irregular pentagon. The center was raised and in black enamel. The upper section was surmounted by a raised five pointed star set with a blue sapphire. Around the edge of the bade were set 20 whole pearls." (Miner, p. 146)The pledge pin was " a black enameled pentagon bearing the Greek letters ΦΩΠ in gold. The pentagon was banded in gold also." (Miner, p. 146)