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Alpha Kappa Psi (sorority)

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Alpha Kappa Psi (ΑΚΨ) sorority operated in the United States from 1900 to approximately 1920. At dissolution, several chapters joined Delta Delta Delta.

Alpha Kappa Psi
ΑΚΨ
FoundedMarch 1, 1900; 124 years ago (1900-03-01)
Saint Mary's School in Raleigh, North Carolina
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusDefunct
Defunct Datec. 1920
SuccessorDelta Delta Delta and scattered
ScopeNational
Motto"Ever upward""
Member badge
Colors  Sky blue and   Gold
Symbolskull and bones
FlowerForget-me-not
PublicationTrigonon
Chapters13 chartered, 0 active
Members487 lifetime
HeadquartersRaleigh, North Carolina
United States

History

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On March 1, 1900, Alpha Kappa Psi was founded as the first Greek letter sorority on the campus of Saint Mary's School in Raleigh, North Carolina.[1][2] Rev. Theodore DuBose Bratton, eventual bishop of Mississippi, assisted his students with the creation of the sorority.[2] Its purpose was to "foster the highest ideals of Christian womanhood".[2] The first initiation was held in 1901.[2]

In 1904,[3] Alpha Kappa Psi was incorporated as a national sorority.[2] Beta chapter was chartered at Virginia Female Institute in Staunton, Virginia, later called Stuart Hall.[2] The next eight years were the heyday of the sorority. Chapters were chartered at schools in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania.[2] The Alpha chapter disbanded in 1911, when rector Dr. George W. Lay abolished all sororities at Saint Mary's.[2] The Beta chapter existed for only five years, from 1904 to 1909.

Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (1912) categorized ΑΚΨ with "other women's general fraternities", such as Alpha Chi Omega and Alpha Omicron Pi.[3] Seven active chapters were listed at this stage, with total active sisters at 304.[3]

The 1915 publication of Baird's categorized the sorority in the "second division" of women's fraternities.[4] Within a few years, a distinction would be made between the senior status sororities and junior status sororities that had been emerging, as a way of distinguishing nationals that were smaller or which served non-accredited colleges. At the time of publication of this issue, ΑΚΨ had five active chapters and five inactive chapters, with a total membership of 377.[4] Two chapters left to affiliate with Delta Delta Delta.[4]

Alpha Kappa Psi, a junior college sorority as of 1916, granted releases to chapters at four-year colleges that chose to affiliate with a larger national.[5] These included Wesleyan Female College, Florida State College for Women, and Stetson University.[5] By 1920, the sorority was recategorized as one of the "miscellaneous fraternities" in Baird's Manual. Four remaining active chapters were listed:

The sorority had an approximate total of 487 members.[4] Although the date of national dissolution is unknown, Alpha Kappa Psi dispersed sometime after 1920. Out of its legacy, three chapters joined Delta Delta Delta sorority and one chapter joined Chi Omega.

Symbols and traditions

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The open motto of Alpha Kappa Psi was "Ever Upward."[6] Its official symbol was the skull and bones.[2] Its colors were blue and gold,[3][4] specifically sky blue and gold.[6] The sorority's flower was the forget-me-not.[3][6][4]

There are two different descriptions of the Alpha Kappa Psi badge. One describes the badge as "an equilateral triangle bearing in the angles of the Greek letters".[2] The other describes it as "a triangle divided into three panels, one displaying a scroll carrying a skull and bones, one a key and the third a torch".[3][4]

The sororities official publication was the Trigonon[3][4][6] It was published from December 1909 through 1911.[2]

Conventions

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Alpha Kappa Psi held an annual national convention from 1909 through 1914. Conventions were held as follows:[3][4]

  • Asheville, North Carolina, 1909
  • Atlanta, Georgia, 1910
  • Charleston, Souther Carolina 1911
  • Jacksonville, Florida, 1912
  • Washington, D.C., 1914

Chapters

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Following is a list of the chapters of Alpha Kappa Psi:[2][3][4][6][7] Inactive chapters and institutions are indicated in italics.

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha 1904–1911 Saint Mary's School Raleigh, North Carolina Inactive [a]
Beta I 1905–1909 Stuart Hall School Staunton, Virginia Inactive [b]
Tau 1906–191x ? Fairmount College Monteagle, Tennessee Inactive [8][c]
Delta 1907–1913 Wesleyan Female College Macon, Georgia Withdrew (ΔΔΔ) [d][e]
Eta 1908–1916 Florida State College for Women Tallahassee, Florida Withdrew (ΔΔΔ) [5][9][f]
Sigma Nu 1909–1913 Stetson University Deland, Florida Withdrew (ΔΔΔ) [g]
Kappa I 1909–1910 Beaver College (Arcadia) Glenside, Pennsylvania Inactive
Zeta 1911–1912 Gunston Hall School Washington, DC Inactive
Gamma 1911–1912 Shorter College Rome, Georgia Inactive
Beta II 1911–19xx ? Fitzhugh School Fort Worth, Texas Inactive
Kappa II 1911–1928 Carnegie Institute of Technology Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Withdrew (local, then ΧΩ) [h]
Epsilon 1913–1916 Synodical College Fulton, Missouri Inactive [i]
Theta 1912–after 1915 Knight's School, The Cathedral School for Girls Havana, Cuba Inactive
Lambda 1914–after 1915 Ward-Belmont College Nashville, Tennessee Inactive [j]
  1. ^ Saint Mary's College operated as a boarding high school and junior college but discontinued its college in 1998.
  2. ^ Stuart Hall was originally a preparatory school and high school.
  3. ^ The college was previously known as Fairmount School for Girls and Fairmount School for Young Ladies and was eventually renamed as a college. It provided "3 or 4 years of preparatory work toward a degree". It closed in 1918. This Tennessee institution should not be confused with Fairmont Seminary in Washington D.C.
  4. ^ Wesleyan Female College shortened its name to Wesleyan College in 1917.
  5. ^ Chapter became the Alpha Gamma chapter of Delta Delta Delta, which survived until 1916.
  6. ^ Chapter became the Alpha Eta chapter of Delta Delta Delta.
  7. ^ Chapter became the Alpha Delta chapter of Delta Delta Delta.
  8. ^ Chapter operated as a local fraternity until it became the Omicron Delta chapter of Chi Omega in 1944.
  9. ^ Synodical College ceased operations in 1928.
  10. ^ Ward-Belmont College ceased operations in 1951.

Alumnae Associations

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Alpha Kappa Psi had the following alumni chapters:[6][9][10]

  • Tampa Alumnae
  • Atlanta Alumnae
  • Camden Alumnae
  • Savannah Alumnae
  • Portsmouth Alumnae
  • Macon Alumnae

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Banta's Greek Exchange: Published in the Interest of the College Fraternity World. Vol. 2. George Banta Company, Incorporated. 1914. p. 290 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Kenan Library: Archives Collection, Part I, Box 47: Alpha Kappa Psi". Saint Mary's School. 2009-01-29. Archived from the original on January 29, 2009. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wm. Raimond Baird (1912). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (7 ed.). p. 464.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Baird, Wm. Raimond. B Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities8th edition. New York: The College Fraternity Publishing Co., 1915. p. 464. via Hathi Trust.
  5. ^ a b c "Delta Delta Delta" (1955). The Trident of Delta Delta Delta. G. vol. 64, no. 3. pp. 160–161. via Google Books.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Flastacowo (yearbook). vol. 6. Tallahassee: Florida State College for Women. 1915. p. 144 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ "Alpha Kappa Psi History". Sorority Histories. 13 May 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-05-19. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
  8. ^ Colton, Elizabeth Avery (September 1912). "Standards of Southern Colleges for Women". The School Review. 20 (7): 472. doi:10.1086/435972. hdl:2027/hvd.rslphd. JSTOR 1076707. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  9. ^ a b Flastacowo yearbook. Vol. 3. Tallahassee: Florida State College for Women. 1912. p. 122.
  10. ^ Flastacowo yearbook. Vol. 5. Tallahassee: Florida State College for Women. 1914.
  • Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, 1991.
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