HISTORY

Founders (From left to right):

Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond, Isabel Morgan Breed, Florence Isabelle Stewart

As it was written in the manuscripts of Sarah Ida Shaw:

"There were at Boston University in the fall of 1888, four seniors, who for various reasons were not as yet allied with the three Greek letter societies at the college (Kappa Kappa Gamma, Alpha Phi, and Gamma Phi Beta). These girls were among the best students in the class of 1889. During the usual commotion attendant upon rushing that fall, one of these four girls, disliking the general atmosphere, said to her friend in deprecating the evident lack of good feeling, 'Let us found a society that shall be kind alike to all and think more of the girl's inner self and character than of her personal appearance.' The other acquiesced with much delight and so it came to pass that plans were laid that very day as the two friends sat in a quiet nook among the terra cotta cushions of the girls' study, known as 'The Parthenon.'"

These two friends were Sarah Ida Shaw and Eleanor Dorcas Pond, originators of the idea of founding Delta Delta Delta. From them emanated the rituals, constitutions and emblems, as hereafter related they were the moving spirits in the organization of Alpha Chapter.

The selection of a name was perhaps a joint matter, the suggestions of the triple letter coming from Miss Pond, while the selection of the letter itself can perhaps best be attributed to Miss Shaw, who was the hard worker on Greek mottoes, pass words and emblems. According to Miss Pond, "Miss Shaw was a fine Greek scholar, loved to delve in Egyptian lore and Hindu mysticism and had a more than ordinary liking for astronomy. Consequently when it came to ritual, badges, emblems, and constitutions, she worked out many plans alone, then we met, went over her labors together and together decided what should be chosen for Tri Delta."

THE BUILDING OF ALPHA CHAPTER

As it was written by the first Grand Historian:

"At last, all was finished on Tuesday, the third day of the week, Nov. 28, 1888, but there was one more meeting of the two friends on the following afternoon before they separated for the Thanksgiving recess, at the top of the college building, in what was then the Philological library. It was there that the two girls embraced each other and said, 'Tri Delta is founded.' Hence it became customary to speak of Thanksgiving eve as the fraternity's birthday, because it was on that day that these two young people realized that all was in readiness. It was particularly appropriate also that this fraternity, the first born on New England soil to be recognized as a national, should be connected at its founding with a typically New England feast. It is not strange that the hearts of these sponsors were full of emotion as together they went out of the building, for each felt there were added reasons why her Thanksgiving should be a very happy one.

Still the work was not yet done, for after vacation came the task of gaining over the other girls to the cause. Florence Stewart of '89 soon consented, since her friendship for Miss Pond dated back to the time both were classmates in the same high school. Isabel Breed, however, was not so easily secured because from her observation up to this time she felt that fraternities were fundamentally wrong. It was only after the girls had told her enough to convince her of the lofty and noble Christian principles and aims of the society that she consented to join.

Three girls from the junior class were then secured, along with five sophomores. Six freshmen also pledged, but since there was such a short time between Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays, the initiation was postponed until the new year. Soon after its advent came the longed-for pins. Isabel Breed and Florence Stewart were hastily initiated in Prof. Browne's lecture room, and the four seniors attended the next recitation with something shining on their breasts, with the result that there was much crooning of necks and twisting of bodies to get a glimpse of the new society's pin. The next hour, the three juniors were hurried through in Prof. Buck's Greek room, and these seven withdrew to the home of Emily F. Allen to make preparations for the more elaborate initiation of the other eleven. This was on Friday, January 15, 1889, a memorable day in the annals of the fraternity, for on that day the first chapter was organized and the fraternity's life as an organization was begun.

The following Monday eighteen pins flashed into the eyes of the other society people who were surprised at the size of the organization, for if they anticipated anything, they soon had expected only a weakling organization that would go under as soon as the seniors graduated. It was really a dangerous plan to try to assimilate so many individualities in so short a time, but for some inexplicable reason things ran very smoothly, and the meetings were a great success."

Thus was the enterprise of a new fraternity for women to be known as Delta Delta Delta originated and formulated at Boston University, Thanksgiving Eve, 1888, by Sarah Ida Shaw and Eleanor Dorcas Pond, and the assistance of their friends and classmates, Florence Stewart and Isabelle Breed, the complete Alpha chapter of eighteen members was assembled, initiated, and organized on January 15, 1889.