Zeta Tau Alpha

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

Zeta Tau Alpha's members maintained an active schedule of social and philanthropic activities in 1958.  They continued to support their traditional philanthropy dedicated to cerebral palsy through the annual Songfest and they additionally held Christmas party with Phi Delta Theta for underprivileged children.  Social activities included a bazaar called "Santa's Workshop," Big and Little Sisterhood events, as well as teas and formals for the seniors and pledges.  The Beta Beta chapter also entertained a national officer during her week-long visit to the college.

In 1957, Zeta Tau Alpha continued to serve the community and college. To support their cerebral palsy philanthropy, the women sponsored a songfest where various organizations on campus participated. They also held their annual Christmas party for underprivileged children with the fraternity Phi Delta Theta. Their social activities included pizza and dessert parties, a Pledge Tea, a Founder's Day Luncheon, and formals. Like Pi Beta Phi and Chi Omega, in 1957 Zeta Tau Alpha also began to change the executive board mid-year.

The Beta Beta Chapter of Zeta Tau Alpha participated in and sponsored a number of different campus activities, including the annual song fest, which raised money for cerebral palsy. In coordination with the Phi Delta Theta fraternity, Zeta Tau Alpha held a Christmas party for underprivileged children. Their social activities included chapter dinners and teas, formals, and a Founder's Day Luncheon with the Alumnae. The officers of Zeta Tau Alpha in 1956 were Ingrid Reinhold, President; Nancy Schreiber, Vice-President; Lorraine Appleyard, Secretary; and Nancy Kelley, Treasurer.

In 1955, the women of Zeta Tau Alpha were active members of the Dickinson community.  They held a song festival to raise funds for a cerebral palsy organization and invited all members of the greek community to participate.  Their social calendar included Sunday morning breakfasts, teas for faculty and fraternity representatives, and the Pledge and Winter Formals.  A picture in the Microcosm also documents the women of Zeta Tau Alpha supporting athletics on campus.  The officers of the organization in 1955 were Wilma V. Hatter, president; Barbara L. Burket, vice-president; Barbara J.

Frances Vuilleumier (Class of 1924) reports in an interview that Dickinson had four sororities: Pi Phi, Chi Omega, Phi Mu, and Zeta Tua Alpha. She characterizes Pi Phi as the oldest and strongest sorority as well as the only sorority that "survived." According to Vuilleumier, "it was considered quite a good thing to be a Pi [Phi]," and daughters of faculty members often joined Pi Phi. Chi Omega, explains Vuilleumier, was not as old as Pi Phi. Vuilleumier claims that its members were "very social." Vuilleumier's sorority, Phi Mu, was a newer sorority and was always academic.

The Zeta Eta Phi Fraternity began as one of the local sororities. Seeking to be part of a national organization, however, they changed their name and became the Beta Beta chapter under the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.

A welcome reception open to the student body was given at Memorial Hall, but the ceremonies partitioned by national officers were held at Mrs. Fred P. Mohler's home (wife of one of Dickinson's professors).

According to "Inside Information" a guidebook for women published by the Dean of Women's office, there were four national sororities on campus, Phi Mu, Pi Beta Phi, Chi Omega, and Zeta Tau Alpha as well as a group known as the Independent Women. The Independent Women was a social group of women that chose not to participate in the greek system.