Beta Phi Alpha

Beta Phi Alpha
ΒΦΑ
Founded	May 8, 1909; 116 years ago (1909-05-08) University of California, Berkeley
Type	Social
Former affiliation	NPC
Status	Merged
Merge date	June 22, 1941
Successor	Delta Zeta
Scope	National
Motto	Scientia, Virtus, Amicitia "Knowledge, Virtue, Friendship"
Colors	Kelly green and   Gold
Publication	Aldebaran
Chapters	35
Members	3,295 lifetime
Headquarters	United States

Beta Phi Alpha (ΒΦΑ) was an American collegiate sorority. It was formed at the University of California, Berkeley in 1919. It was absorbed by Delta Zeta in 1941.

History

The group had a succession of names. Founded on the campus of the University of California, Berkeley on May 8, 1909, Beta Phi Alpha began as Bid-A-Wee, a group created to meet the needs of a "very difficult housing situation".^{[1][2]: 144} Through future name changes, the fraternity continued to count its Founders Day as 8 May 1909. The founders were Edith May Harriman, Elsa Erva Meta Ludeke, Anna Belle Nelson, Hattie Belle Paul, Ida Luise Rinn, and Lydia Maude Taylor.^[3]

In 1912, the name changed to Aldebaran, after the star. This change, and an expanded symbolism, mark the point where interest began among members for expansion to other campus groups.^[3]

On November 24, 1919, the group chose to rename itself as a Greek letter organization with the name Kappa Phi Alpha.^[4] But within a year, discovering that a men's fraternity in Boston had been operating under those letters, in 1920, the sorority took on its final name, Beta Phi Alpha. The 1919 date appears to be the juncture where the group, now solidly interested in connecting with other campus organizations, began to establish structures that would aid such growth. This process was led by Mary Gordon Holway, who wrote the ritual and advocated for a Greek letter identity.^[3][5]

Beta Phi Alpha then began the process of nationalization and expansion. In 1923, it was granted membership in the National Panhellenic Conference. Expansion was often effected by the absorption of local chapters or restless chapters of struggling non-NPC sororities. One of these was a five-year-old local at the University of Minnesota called Zeta Alpha that became the Kappa chapter of Beta Phi Alpha in 1927.^[6] A total of 35 chapters were installed by 1936, but only a portion of them survived due to the economic downturn of the Great Depression. For example, in 1936, two of the six chapters of a small national sorority called Phi Delta affiliated with Beta Phi Alpha, creating chapters at New York University and George Washington University.^[7] However, it appears these did not survive, as five years later they were not reflected in the final chapter list at the time of merger with Delta Zeta.^[5]

On June 22, 1941, Beta Phi Alpha joined in a friendly merger with Delta Zeta sorority.^{[2]: 144–145} Delta Zeta gained eight undergraduate chapters from the merger.^[3][5] At the time of the merger, Beta Phi Alpha had chartered thirty chapters with 3,295 initiates.^[8]

Beta Phi Alpha's Convention Lights is still sung at the close of Delta Zeta national conventions.^[1] The gavel that opens Delta Zeta's convention is an artifact of Beta Phi Alpha. It was given to Beta Phi Alpha by Founder Elsa Ludeke. The gavel is inscribed with the names of both sororities' founders and national presidents.^{[2]: 144–145}

Symbols

Delta Zeta's history book (1983) described the insignia as follows: Its badge "was a pearled Φ with Greek letters Β and Α embossed on a field of black enamel at either side of the Φ's stem".^[9] Its colors were Kelly green and gold. Its flower was the yellow tea rose. The fraternity's open motto was Scientia, Virtus, Amicitiaor or "Knowledge, Virtue, Friendship".^[9] Its publication was Aldebaran.^[9]

The Creed of Beta Phi Alpha was:

We believe in service, the keynote of our daily lives, the foundation of our Fraternity, and its power to reveal the worth of woman. We believe in knowledge and its broadening influence, in understanding and unselfish love as the creators of our happiness. We pray for grace to meet success with humility, for strength and courage to rise above failure with spirit renewed, for wisdom to judge man by the spiritual values he may possess. We strive to keep faith in ourselves. We believe in the brotherhood of man and in our kinship to God, our Creator.^[2]: 145

Chapters

Following are the chapters of Beta Phi Alpha.^{[5][8][10][11][12]}

Name	Chartered	Institution	Location	Status	Notes	Reference
Alpha	May 8, 1909 – June 22, 1941	University of California, Berkeley	Berkeley, California	Merged (ΔΖ)	[a]
Beta	1923–1937	University of Illinois	Champaign and Urbana, Illinois	Inactive	[b]	[13]
Gamma	1923 – June 22, 1941	Colorado State Agricultural College	Fort Collins, Colorado	Merged (ΔΖ)	[c]
Delta	1923–1938	University of Washington	Seattle, Washington	Inactive
Epsilon	1923–1937	Southern Methodist University	University Park, Texas	Inactive	[d]
Zeta	1924–1933	Lawrence University	Appleton, Wisconsin	Inactive	[e]
Eta	1924 – June 22, 1941	University of Pittsburgh	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	Merged	[f]
Theta	1925 – June 22, 1941	Syracuse University	Syracuse, New York	Merged (ΔΖ)	[g]	[14]
Iota	1925–1933	University of Wisconsin	Madison, Wisconsin	Inactive	[h]	[15]
Kappa	1926–1939	University of Minnesota	Minneapolis, Minnesota	Inactive	[i]	[16]
Lambda	1926 – June 22, 1941	University of California, Los Angeles	Los Angeles, California	Merged (ΔΖ)	[j]
Mu	1926–1932	Ohio Wesleyan University	Delaware, Ohio	Inactive	[k]
Nu	1926–1934	Kansas State University	Manhattan, Kansas	Inactive	[l]	[11]
Xi	1927–1932	Ohio State University	Columbus, Ohio	Inactive	[m]
Omicron	1927 – June 22, 1941	Nebraska Wesleyan University	Lincoln, Nebraska	Merged (ΔΖ)	[n]
Pi	1927–1939	Coe College	Cedar Rapids, Iowa	Inactive	[o]
Rho	1928 – June 22, 1941	Oregon State University	Corvallis, Oregon	Merged (ΔΖ)	[p]
Sigma	1929–1937	Samford University	Homewood, Alabama	Inactive	[q]
Tau	1928 – June 22, 1941	Tulane/Newcomb University	New Orleans, Louisiana	Merged (ΔΖ)	[r]	[11]
Upsilon	1929–1941	Miami University	Oxford, Ohio	Withdrew (ΑΧΩ)	[s]
Phi	1929–1934	Purdue University	West Lafayette, Indiana	Inactive	[t]
Chi	1930 – June 22, 1941	Oglethorpe University	Brookhaven, Georgia	Merged (ΔΖ)	[u]
Psi	March 6, 1931–1940	Florida State University	Tallahassee, Florida	Inactive	[v]	[17]
Omega	1931 – June 22, 1941	Wittenberg University	Springfield, Ohio	Merged (ΔΖ)	[w]
Alpha Alpha	1931–1939	Randolph-Macon Woman's College	Lynchburg, Virginia	Inactive	[x]
Alpha Beta	1931 – June 22, 1941	Adelphi University	Garden City, New York	Merged (ΔΖ)	[y]
Alpha Gamma	1931–1935	University of Oregon	Eugene, Oregon	Inactive	[z]
Alpha Delta	1932–1935	Louisiana Tech University	Ruston, Louisiana	Inactive	[aa]
Alpha Epsilon	1934–1937	Westminster College	New Wilmington, Pennsylvania	Inactive	[ab]
Alpha Zeta	1934 – June 22, 1941	College of Charleston	Charleston, South Carolina	Merged (ΔΖ)	[ac]	[18]
Alpha Eta	1935–1938	George Washington University	Washington, D.C.	Inactive	[ad]
Alpha Theta	1935 – June 22, 1941	New York University	New York City, New York	Merged (ΔΖ)	[ae]	[19]
Alpha Iota	1937 – June 22, 1941	University of Miami	Coral Gables, Florida	Merged (ΔΖ)	[af]

1. This chapter was absorbed into the Mu chapter of Delta Zeta.
2. This chapter originated as Delta Nu (local) in 1922.
3. This chapter originated as Zeta Tau Omega (local) in 1922. At the merger, it became the Beta Sigma chapter of Delta Zeta.
4. This chapter originated as Alpha Rho (local) in 1922.
5. This chapter originated as Epsilon Alpha Phi (local) in 1919.
6. This chapter originated as Theta Gamma Phi (local) in 1920. At the merger, it was absorbed by the Omicron chapter of Delta Zeta, which had been installed on the campus in 1916.
7. This chapter originated as Delta Epsilon Phi (local) in 1922. At the merger, it reestablished the dormant Alpha Kappa chapter of Delta Zeta, which had been installed on the campus in 1924 but had closed by 1937.
8. This chapter originated as Epsilon Alpha Phi (local) in 1924.
9. This chapter originated as Zeta Alpha (local) in 1924.
10. This chapter originated as Chi Zeta (local) in 1924. At the merger, it was absorbed by the Alpha Chi chapter of Delta Zeta, which had been installed on the campus in 1922.
11. This chapter originated as Phi Sigma Delta (local) in 1925.
12. This chapter originated as Gamma Phi Delta (local) in 1917.
13. This chapter originated as Lambda Pi Omega (local) in 1921.
14. This chapter originated as Alpha Epsilon (local) in 1907. At the merger, it became the Beta Tau chapter of Delta Zeta.
15. This chapter originated as Alpha Theta (local) in 1919.
16. This chapter originated as Delta Omega (local) in 1920. At the merger, it was absorbed by the Chi chapter of Delta Zeta, which had been installed on the campus in 1919.
17. This chapter originated as Lambda Sigma (local) in 1921. Several chapter lists note that the Sigma chapter was founded in 1929, apparently one year out of sequence.
18. This chapter originated as Alpha Pi Epsilon (local) in 1918. At the merger, it became the Beta Upsilon chapter of Delta Zeta.
19. This chapter originated as Kappa Tau Alpha (local) in 1925. Upsilon chapter was released at the time of the merger, as Miami University already was home to Delta Zeta's founding chapter. Later that same year, this chapter became the Beta Tau chapter of Alpha Chi Omega.
20. This chapter originated as the Themis Club (local) in 1921.
21. This chapter originated as Phi Kappa Eta (local) in 1926. At the merger, it became the Beta Phi chapter of Delta Zeta.
22. This chapter originated as Chi Gamma (local), forming in 1928.
23. This chapter originated as Chi Delta Omega (local) in 1923. At the merger, it became the Beta Chi chapter of Delta Zeta.
24. This chapter originated as Gamma Tau (local) in 1929.
25. This chapter originated as Phi Gamma Sigma (local) in 1922. At the merger, it was absorbed by the Alpha Zeta chapter of Delta Zeta, which had been installed on the campus in 1922.
26. This chapter originated as Chi Delta (local) in 1927.
27. This chapter originated as Zeta Iota (local) in 1927.
28. This chapter originated as Kappa Alpha Alpha (local) in 1927.
29. This chapter originated as Iota Lambda Phi (local) in 1923. At the merger, it became the Beta Psi chapter of Delta Zeta.
30. This chapter had formerly been the Zeta chapter of the small, non-NPC national of Phi Delta, which it joined in 1927. However, its roots were as a local sorority called Alpha Sigma Theta that formed in 1927.
31. This chapter had formerly been a part of the small, non-NPC national of Phi Delta. Before that, its roots were as a local sorority called Sigma Epsilon that formed in 1919, which became one of two founding chapters of Phi Delta. With the merger, the chapter became the Beta Omega chapter of ΔΖ in 1941.
32. This chapter originated as Alpha Kappa Alpha (local) in 1929. At the merger, it was absorbed by the Beta Nu chapter of Delta Zeta, which had been installed on the campus in 1939.

Notable members

• Caroline Brady (philologist)

See also

• List of social sororities and women's fraternities

References

1. The Spring 1995 edition of The Lamp of Delta Zeta, p.10, has an article about the sorority's several mergers. Accessed 25 Aug 2020.
2. Miner, Florence Hood (1983). Delta Zeta Sorority 1902-1982: Building on Yesterday, Reaching for Tomorrow. Delta Zeta Sorority, Comploith Graphics, Muary Boyd and Associates, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.
3. "GAMMA PHI". Retrieved 2025-10-15.
4. University of California, University of California Chronicle, University of California Press, 1920, v. 22, p. 38.
5. William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), section showing Beta Phi Alpha chapters". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 31 December 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
6. Kappa chapter became dormant at Minnesota in 1940, just before the national merger with Delta Zeta, which was also present at Minnesota at that time with their Gamma chapter. Members and alumnae of Beta Phi Alpha would have been welcomed as part of the merger. That campus also hosted a chapter of Phi Omega Pi (originally Achoth) that similarly had failed four years before its merger with Delta Zeta in 1946.
7. These joined Beta Phi Alpha, according to this article on NPC organizations that no longer exist, accessed 26 Aug 2020.
8. Baird, Wm. Raimond; Duerr, Alvan E., eds. (1940). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (14th ed.). Menasha, Wis.: George Banta Publishing Co. – via Hathi Trust.
9. Anson, Jack L.; Marchenasi, Robert F., eds. (1991) [1879]. Baird's Manual of American Fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc. p. VIII-30. ISBN 978-0963715906. Baird's Manual is also available online, here: The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
10. Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 12th edition. Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company, 1930.
11. The Greek Chat blogsite provided several chapter names, with their colleges and dates. Accessed 28 Aug 2020.
12. Another Greek Chat blog post proved additional chapter names, accessed 29 Aug 2020.
13. Noted in the 1926 Illio yearbook, p.458, accessed 29 Aug 2020.
14. See Fran Becque's Women's Fraternity blog for more information on the Syracuse chapter, where she says, "Delta Zeta, founded in 1924, had been a local society (at Syracuse, called) Lambda Delta Sigma, founded the previous year. The Alpha Kappa chapter of Delta Zeta became inactive in 1937. In 1923, a local group, Delta Epsilon Phi, was founded. It became a chapter of Beta Phi Alpha in 1925. When Beta Alpha Phi amalgamated with Delta Zeta in 1941, the former became a chapter of Delta Zeta and took the Alpha Kappa chapter designation. The ΔΖ chapter closed in 1957. Accessed 29 Aug 2020.
15. Noted in the 1931 Badger yearbook, p.382, accessed 29 Aug 2020.
16. From Minnesota Gopher yearbook sources.
17. according to the Florida Flambeau newspaper in a front page article, accessed 29 Aug 2020.
18. As noted by the school's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, accessed 29 Aug 2020.
19. Noted on a GreekRank blog, accessed 29 Aug 2020.