HTM_WCA149.xml Whitman College Greek Life Collection Whitman College Greek Life Collection Megan Hearst Whitman College and Northwest Archives 2018
345 Boyer Avenue Walla Walla, WA 99362 Business Number: 509-527-5922 Archives@whitman.edu https://library.whitman.edu/archives/
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-10-27. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. Whitman College and Northwest Archives Whitman College Greek Life Collection Whitman College WCA.149 1.75 linear feet 4 boxes, 1 oversize folder 1912-2005 Greek life became a part of Whitman in the 1910s when the first greek groups were established, and remain an important part of the campus. This collection contains records of inter-Greek relations and events, as well as correspondence and documents from defunct groups. English .

Greek life has been a part of Whitman College campus culture since the early 1900s when students began to form their own student societies. The school administration was wary of these local social groups and refused to grant them official recognition. President Stephen B. Penrose had been a member of the social fraternity Sigma Alpha Epsilon during his time at Williams College and was sympathetic to the students' desires, and in 1912 he led the administration to reconsider their position. In 1914, the first greek group, Phi Mu, was chartered after a group of women successfully petitioned the board. In the following year two local men's groups, the Illahee Club and Delta Phi Delta, were also granted charters by two national fraternities: Phi Delta Theta and Beta Theta Pi. These establishments were followed in quick sucession by Delta Gamma in 1916, Kappa Kappa Gamma in 1918, Sigma Chi and Delta Delta Delta in 1923, Alpha Chi Omega in 1925, and Tau Kappa Epsilon in 1932. During this period greek membership hit its peak, with almost eighty percent of the students affiliated in the late thirties. Local groups also flourished, including Zeta Phi Epsilon and Theta Nu Epsilon, which gained infamy for their pranks. War time expansion in the 1940s led to the addition of Delta Tau Delta and Alpha Phi in 1948. Phi Mu became the first long-standing national fraternity to fall into decline and decolonize in 1954, but was quickly replaced by another national sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta as per President Chester Maxey's request. During the mid-century, the greek system was embroiled in controversy for religious and racial discrimination on a national level. Whitman's Sigma Chi even left the national charter from 1967 to 1972 because the national institute would not allow them to pledge students of color. Once these issues were addressed, greek life continued to attract the majority of students, until a general disinterest in the system led to the shuttering of multiple groups: Alpha Phi in 1979, Alpha Chi Omega in 1983, Delta Tau Delta in 1994 and Delta Delta Delta in 2005. Today, a sizeable percentage of students still identitfy as greek, and the campus hosts four fraternities, Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, Sigma Chi and Tau Kappa Epsilon and four sororities, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Gamma and Alpha Phi (after it was reestablished in 2012.) These groups are all governed by Whitman deans, as well as the Panhellenic Association and the Interfraternity Council.

This collection contains records of inter-greek group affairs and events, as well as documents which cannot be traced to one group in particular. This collection also contains the correspondence from groups which failed to colonize the campus, and memorabilia, photographs and documents from local fraternity, Zeta Phi Epsilon and local sorority Zeta Pi.

Collection is open for research.

 Greek letter societies Analytics 1935-1971 English. 1 1 Analytics: Fraternity and sorority rushing and pledging methods 1948 English. 1 2 Centennial celebration 2013 English. 1 3 Champagne flute 1996 English. 3 1 Correspondence 1936-1987 English. 1 4 Discrimination issues 1961-1969 English. 1 5 Failed colonization efforts 1912-1962 English. 1 6-10 G.A.R.A.P. records undated English. 1 11 "The Greek Insider" 1994 English. 1 12 George Seebart photographs circa 1940s 2 16 Greek Club records 1902-1914 4 1-2 Greek Week and Greekend events 1991-2005 English. 1 13 Lambda Chi Theta: Pin 1920 English. 2 1 "Lecture at the beginning of college" 1912-09-22 4 3 List of sororities and fraternities 1914-1956 English. 1 14 Membership registers 1965-1977 English. 1 15 National Conference on College Fraternities and Societies 1950 English. 1 16 Newspaper articles 1949-1987 English. 1 17 Officers and advisors 1955-1975 English. 1 18 Philanthropic efforts 1982-1998 English. 1 19 Pins: Delta Gamma and Beta Theta Pi undated English. 1 20 Publications 1978-1979 English. 1 21 Qualifications for membership in Delta Sigma Rho 1952 2 18 Recognition of Whitman College chapter of Hui O Kamaaina [Kama'āina] 1949 2 17 Reform letter 1969 English. 1 22 Regulations 1912-1968 English. 1 23 Scholarship ratings 1933-2004 English. 2 1-8 Sponsored events undated English. 2 9 Whitman panhellenic pamphlets 1945, 1998 4 4 Zeta Phi Epsilon: Dance programs 1921-1931 English. 2 9-10 Zeta Phi Epsilon: Leather tarp with signatures 1936 English. 1 Zeta Phi Epsilon: Photographs 1920 English. 2 11 Zeta Phi Epsilon: Reunion photograph undated English. 2 12 Zeta Phi Epsilon: Zeta Review 1931 English. 2 13 Zeta Phi Epsilon signed red leather tarp 1930-1936 5 13 1