A Brief History on the Evolution of Greek Life
Aaron Stannard
Issue date: 10/26/05 Section: features
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Versus Magazine Online [Image based format]
Greek Life has a conclusive presence on campus and a pronounced effect on the social enterprise of many Vanderbilt students. So, what is Greek Life? According to Kristen Torrey, Director of Greek Life at Vanderbilt, "[Greek Life] provides an opportunity for students to be involved on campus, to hold leadership positions, and to make a lot of friends; it makes Vanderbilt a smaller place, and it makes [students] feel like they aren't lost in the shuffle." In order to gain an understanding of the modern function of the Greek community and its role in campus life, one must take the time to appreciate the history of this body's evolution from a small secret society of clandestine intellectuals to the social centerpiece of American institutions for higher learning.
The Beginning
The beginning of Greek Life dates back to December 5th, 1776 at the College of William and Mary in Virginia, where five young undergraduates had an idea. These men decided to create a secret society, a fraternity of honorable intentions, which would adopt the Greek phrase Phi Beta Kappa. It was founded "to recognize and encourage scholarship, friendship, and cultural interests, and to support excellence and integrity in the pursuit of the liberal arts and sciences." Specifically, Phi Beta Kappa had a scholastic emphasis on Greek language, literature, et al, from which "Greek Life" was derived. It was the beginning of formal Greek Life structure, featuring secret handshakes, an intricate insignia, and a highly selective recruitment process. Within months of its founding, Phi Beta Kappa began to take on a governing structure, with regular meetings, "generally with an emphasis on literary exercises, especially composition and debating," leadership positions, member dues, written laws, and punishments.
The first sorority, Alpha Delta Pi, was formed in 1851 at Wesleyan College in Mason, Georgia. The organization was originally named The Adelphean Society (changed to Alpha Delta Pi in 1905) and its stated purpose was that, according to Article 1 of its Constitution, it "shall have for its objects, the mental, moral, social, and domestic improvement of its members." As this early sorority grew, it too followed in the stead of the early fraternities and adopted a formal set of bylaws, established hierarchy for overseeing the organization, and forged a social network among its sisterhood that would last beyond their time at Wesleyan and other universities where chapters were established.