Sororities

Included in the STOP THE VIOLENCE publication, is Dickinson College’s definition of hazing as it appears in the student handbook.  It appears that “the breaking of these rules has become so routine on this campus that most people do not even realize it is against the law.”  On the same page, personal accounts of violent acts, some quite horrific, are included.  The names of all involved are withheld for safety reasons. 

 

A group of unidentified Dickinson students organized themselves and produced a pamphlet in hopes of bringing about awareness and stopping violence on campus.  “Its right here; RIGHT HERE ON THIS CAMPUS,” reads the headline on the first page, and is followed by the mission of the article/pamphlet.  Their demands include the investigation and end to all fraternity and sorority related hazing and ritualized violence and the investigation and prosecution of any act of hazing or ritualized violence by the college.  “Hazing has become painfully obvious,” and “detrimental to the social and intelle

Kathryn Egan, the Women's Center columnist for the Dickinsonian, discusses stereotypes experienced at college in the September 2004 issue of the Dickinsonian. She discusses the stereotypes of sororities, fraternities, those in favor of women's issues, those who attend a private liberal arts college, men and women. Kathryn expresses her disgust with how people stereotype all of these groups, stating that we all individuals, but because of that we have a tendency by others to be grouped.

Taken from Alta Kimmel's personal scrapbook is this handwritten invitation, or bid rather, to the Pi Beta Phi fraternity for women.  The letter is written by the Greek organization's president, Helen Purvis, and gives instruction for acceptance or rejection of the bid. 

Pictured here are the ladies of the Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority in 1937.

Barbara Wishmeyer, the Dean of Women for the Academic Year 1962-1963, included photographs of her female students in her scrapbook of their pledge formal attire during the sorority rush/pledge spring season. Women had the opportunity to pledge Chi Omega, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, and Zeta Tau Alpha. In these photographs from top to bottom are:

Peggy McBee

Doris Detweiler '66

Carol Frey '66

Ann Davis

Elisabeth Lane '66

Lori Shimer

From the Wishmeyer Scrapbook, this listing provides over a dozen rules and regulations for all girls rushing sororities. Things like social phone calls between upperclass women and freshman  and showing any "preference between upperclassmen and freshman or rushee or unaffiliated upperclasswoman going through rush" are absolutely forbidden. In the text here, counselors must remain impartial and not support any one sorority by wearing letters or insignia or discussing certain sororities.

A photograph from the Wishmeyer Scrapbook shows a room ransacked of its contents during the rush season. The caption reads: "During the 'Silent Period' we raided our counsellors' room of all contents- what could they say??!" This probably relates to the many rules, also found in the Wishmeyer Scrapbook, listed as Fall Panhellenic Rules, that female students faced while rushing and pledging.

An article in the Dickinsonian announces that the local Alpha Delta Epsilon sorority voted to affiliate with the national sorority Gamma Phi Beta. The group was to be a colony as of February 9 and initiated as the Delta Rho chapter to the international sorority in May of 1980. The former President of ADE, Peggy Silberthau, said that the group was “looking for more structure, support, and guidance from a strong organization which could also offer us advisors and active alumni support” and which they ultimately found in Gamma Phi Beta.

After thriving on Dickinson’s campus for twelve years, the women of Alpha Delta Epsilon saw that a change was needed and looked for “the support which could be found in a national organization." A letter offering information about Dickinson College and Alpha Delta Epsilon was sent to nine different national organizations by the Associate Dean for Special Programs, Mary Watson Carson.