Sigma Mu Sigma
Sigma Mu Sigma | |
---|---|
ΣΜΣ | |
Egyptian lotus[1] | |
Chapters | 0 |
Members | 6,700 lifetime |
Merged with | Tau Kappa Epsilon (1935) |
Second merger | Kappa Sigma, and scattered |
Reestablished | Sigma Mu Sigma (1984) |
Headquarters | 22031 United States |
Sigma Mu Sigma (ΣΜΣ) is a former American
Early history
In 1921, Sigma Mu Sigma was founded by three
At the time of the fraternity's founding, Tri-State College had a ban on secret societies; however, several sub-rosa organizations were known to exist on campus. The three founders of ΣΜΣ selected nine other students who were also Master Masons and among the top students at the college. Sigma Mu Sigma announced its formation to administrators and professors of the college. Faced with the possibility of expelling twelve of the top students at Tri-State, the college moved to end its ban on fraternities.
The fraternity's original intent was to limit membership to Master Masons and to maintain the scholarship standards of Phi Beta Kappa. This was soon found to be impracticable and the Phi Beta Kappa standard was soon dropped. However, the fraternity did require a high scholarship record of its pledges.[1]
Sigma Mu Sigma became a junior member of the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) in 1928.[1] In 1929, the fraternity's membership requirements were changed to allow both Masons and sons of Masons.[1]
Merger with TKE
In the early 1930s, the United States was in the midst of the Great Depression, resulting in college enrollment and fraternity membership dropping significantly. The effect was especially felt on Sigma Mu Sigma because of the added constraints of its Masonic membership requirement. In the fall of 1934, Sigma Mu Sigma national decided to dissolve itself and allow its chapters to be absorbed by Tau Kappa Epsilon. Sigma Mu Sigma had nine chapters at the time of the decision.
The merger was effected in March 1935 with the Epsilon chapter at
One year later, in 1936, Alpha chapter affiliated with
The Iota chapter lingered for a few years, and was inactive by 1940.Redevelopment
Clyde E. Shaw, a ΣΜΣ brother and faculty member of the Tri-State chapter, revived the fraternity in 1940, four years after his original chapter had joined Alpha Lambda Tau as its Psi chapter.[2] (To complete the story on the original chapter, Alpha Lambda Tau was a small national fraternity that in 1947 would later itself merge into ΤΚΕ as a coincidental, second national merger, that time bringing the Tri-State chapter along with it briefly; but within a year the Tri-State group, now called Beta-Epsilon chapter of ΤΚΕ was forced to return its newly-won charter because of the accreditation problem. The resilient Tri-State group then joined Kappa Sigma Kappa, and was granted a charter from Kappa Sigma just after Tri-State earned accreditation. The chapter survives to the present day.)
Meanwhile, while Shaw's original chapter was proceeding through these several affiliations, his newly-re-established Alpha chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma was reborn through his efforts, and able to successfully navigate the manpower drain of World War II, stabilizing into a thriving chapter as the only existent active group of his re-established fraternity. This chapter, now operating as a local fraternity with the name Sigma Mu Sigma, changed its membership requirements to allow non-Masons to join. Alpha chapter remained the only chapter of ΣΜΣ from 1940 to 1952.
Merger with Sigma Alpha Chi
In August 1952, the Alpha chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma decided to merge with Sigma Alpha Chi, another Masonic fraternity that had been originally known as Square and Compass.
Square and Compass had originated as a club of Master Masons (The Masonic Club) at
In the fall of 1919, Carl A. Foss, the secretary of the fraternity, which was still a local group, returned to Washington and Lee University to complete his education. Foss reorganized the fraternity with the help of Thomas J. Farrar and others. By the beginning of World War II, it had initiated nearly 4,500 members and had expanded to 57 chapters. Square and Compass was inactive for the duration of the war, opening once again for both Masons and sons of Masons. However, a decline in viability during the Great Depression and rising tensions before the war led to a precipitous loss of chapters. Some members lobbied for the adoption of Greek letters as a way of sparking new interest. These pressures prompted Square and Compass to adopt the Greek letter name of Sigma Alpha Chi in 1950; the organization became Square and Compass–Sigma Alpha Chi.[2][1] Their
Two years later, on August 3, 1952, Square and Compass and Sigma Mu Sigma voted to merge; the merged organization became known officially as Sigma Mu Sigma–Square and Compass.[3][2] The merger linked Sigma Mu Sigma with four chapters from Sigma Alpha Chi and led to another period of moderate growth.[3] The other Square and Compass chapters dissipated.[4]
- Badge: Diamond Shaped with M, F, C & E at the four corners and two secret characters in the center of the badge.[6]
- Pledge Button: Circle divided by an S in navy blue and silver gray.[6]
- Colors: Blue and Gray[7]
- Flower: White Rose[7]
- Publication: The College Mason [6]
Square and Compass Squares
Square and Compass referred to their chapters as squares and are designated with the name of the school where established. The Squares of Square and Compass through 1929 were:[6]
- 1917 Washington and Lee University
- 1920 Tulane University
- 1920 Colgate University
- 1920 Louisiana State University
- 1921 University of Arkansas
- 1921 North Carolina State College
- 1921 Howard College
- 1921 St. Lawrence University
- 1921 Columbia University
- 1921 Alabama Polytechnic Institute
- 1921 Emory University (1924)
- 1921 Missouri School of Mines
- 1922 Vanderbilt University (1924)
- 1922 Medical College of Virginia
- 1922 University of Idaho
- 1922 Millsaps College (1924)
- 1922 Washington and Jefferson College
- 1922 Brown University
- 1922 Clarkson College of Technology
- 1922 University of Illinois(1926)
- 1922 State College of Washington
- 1922 University of Wisconsin
- 1923 University of Oklahoma
- 1923 Clark University
- 1923 Des Moines University (1929)
- 1923 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- 1923 Georgia School of Technology
- 1923 Birmingham-Southern College
- 1923 Wabash College
- 1923 West Virginia University
- 1923 Montana State College
- 1923 Medical College of the University of Arkansas
- 1923 Municipal University of Akron
- 1923 Miami University
- 1924 Lehigh University
- 1923 Stout Institute(1926)
- 1924 Brooklyn Law School
- 1924 Ohio University
- 1924 George Washington University
- 1924 University of Utah
- 1924 University of Georgia
- 1924 University of North Dakota
- 1924 Washington University in St. Louis
- 1924 University of Pittsburgh
- 1924 University of Washington (Seattle)
- 1924 Colorado School of Mines
- 1924 University of Kansas
- 1925 Syracuse University
- 1925 University of Arizona
- 1925 University of Kentucky
- 1926 University of Southern California
- 1926 Marshall College
- 1926 Medical College of the University of Tennessee
- 1926 University of Nevada
- 1927 College of William and Mary
- 1928 Still College of Osteopathy
Recent history
The merger with Sigma Alpha Chi put the fraternity on more solid footing during the 1950s and into the 1960s. This led to the establishment of eight additional chapters. Sigma Mu Sigma marketed itself as a service fraternity from this point, allowing participation by men already active in another social fraternity.[8] However, anti-establishment attitudes on college campuses of the late 1960s began to put pressure on most college fraternities.
This was especially true for ΣΜΣ, which had long been linked with socially conservative ideals and the Freemasons. As Baird's explained, "The purpose of the fraternity is to foster the indoctrination of the college men of America with the traditions of their American heritage"
Coed evolution
Under the pressure of these changes, the fraternity took on a new direction. When reestablished in 1984 with the assistance of the Tau chapter at
Chapters
Following are the historic chapters of Sigma Mu Sigma.[1][4] The original fraternity roll of ΣΜΣ included chapters Alpha through Iota. It was re-established by Alpha (Second) which operated as a local under the ΣΜΣ name for twelve years, until the addition of several Sigma Alpha Chi chapters and a second period of moderate growth that lasted until the national was dissipated in the mid-1960s, leaving several surviving locals. A third iteration of the fraternity with a co-ed model was attempted by the surviving Sigma chapter, now dormant.[1]
Chapter | Chartered/Range | Institution | Location | Status | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alpha (Prime) See Alpha (Second) |
March 25, 1921 – 1936 | Tri-State University
|
Angola, Indiana | Withdrew (ΑΛΤ) (Kappa Sigma) | [3][a][b] |
Beta | 1924–1934 | University of Oklahoma | Norman, Oklahoma | Disbanded | [c] |
Gamma | 1925–<1935 | National University | Washington, D.C. | Disbanded | [c] |
Delta | 1925–1935 | Milwaukee School of Engineering | Milwaukee, Wisconsin
|
Disbanded | [c] |
Epsilon | June 1924–1934 | George Washington University | Washington, D.C. | Merged | [11][d] |
Zeta | 1925–1934 | Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana | Merged (ΤΚΕ) | [e] |
Eta | 1925–1935 | University of Illinois
|
Urbana, Illinois | Merged (ΤΚΕ) | [e] |
Theta | 1926–1934 | Oklahoma State University
|
Stillwater, Oklahoma | Disbanded | [c] |
Iota | February 22, 1926 – 1940 | Michigan State Normal College
|
Ypsilanti, Michigan | Inactive | [12][f] |
Alpha (Second) See Alpha (Prime) |
February 16, 1940 – 1966 | Tri-State University
|
Angola, Indiana | Withdrew (Acacia) | [3][a][b] |
Kappa | August 3, 1952 – 19xx ? | Medical College of Virginia
|
Richmond, Virginia | Inactive | [3][g][h] |
Lambda | August 3, 1952 – June 1, 1972 | Elon College
|
Elon, North Carolina | Withdrew (ΚΣ) | [2][3][13][g][i] |
Mu | August 3, 1952 – 19xx ? | Chase College of Law
|
Highland Heights, Kentucky | Inactive | [3][g][j] |
Nu | 1953–19xx ? | Miami University | Oxford, Ohio | Inactive | [g][k] |
Xi | 1953–19xx ? | Joliet Junior College | Joliet, Illinois | Inactive | |
Omicron | 1953–19xx ? | University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | Inactive | |
Pi | 1955–19xx ? | New York University | New York City, New York
|
Inactive | |
Rho | 1955–19xx ? | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, Virginia | Inactive | |
Sigma | February 6, 1962 – 197x ?; 1984–20xx ? | University of Lynchburg | Lynchburg, Virginia | Inactive | [9][l] |
Tau | 1965–19xx ? | Brandywine Junior College (now part of Widener University )
|
Chester, Pennsylvania | Inactive | [14][m] |
Upsilon | 1969–19xx ? | Salem College | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Inactive | |
Phi colony | 1971–19xx ? | Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, Virginia | Inactive | [n] |
Chi | November 3, 1990 – 202x ? | College of William & Mary | Williamsburg, Virginia | Inactive | [10][o] |
Notes
- ^ a b Alpha chapter was unable to merge with Tau Kappa Epsilon in 1935, likely due to lack of school accreditation, a requirement of the NIC for its full member fraternities. Alpha chapter then affiliated with Alpha Lambda Tau in 1936 but twelve years later would finally become a chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon, albeit briefly, in 1947 as a result of a merger between Alpha Lambda Tau and Teke. But the same lack of school accreditation ended this affiliation; the chapter would progress through several short-term non-NIC affiliations, finally becoming a chapter of Kappa Sigma in 1966 shortly after the school became accredited. Meanwhile, an alumnus would revive Sigma Mu Sigma on the Tri-State (Trine) campus, even as the original chapter was moving through its various affiliations. This second iteration of Alpha would eventually affiliate with Acacia in 1967.
- ^ a b The original Trine University chapter of Sigma Mu Sigma may arguably be the most prolific, or resilient chapter of any fraternity. This local chapter birthed three successor chapters on the Trine campus and a surviving, small national fraternity. It opened Trine (at the time Tri-State) to fraternal organizing, weathered a lack of school accreditation, and negotiated waves of merger talks during its hundred-year history.
- ^ a b c d Ceased operations at about the time of the 1935 ΤΚΕ merger.
- ^ Merged with Tau Kappa Epsilon in 1935.
- ^ a b Merged with an existing Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter in 1935.
- ^ Lingered independently, but still recognized as a national fraternity by its campus, for four years after the ΤΚΕ merger in 1935. However, the chapter became inactive in 1940 with World War II.
- ^ a b c d Originally a chapter of ΣΑΧ (Square and Compass).
- ^ Baird's has Virginia Medical chapter named Mu and does not list a Kappa chapter. Mu is assumed to be an error.
- ^ Lambda chapter did not merge with Sigma Alpha Chi. Instead, it became the Lambda Lambda chapter of Kappa Sigma in 1973.
- ^ Baird's has the Chase chapter named Nu.
- ^ Baird's does not list a Miami University chapter.
- ^ Sigma chapter was kicked off campus in the later 1970s because of its increasingly social nature. With its 1984 re-establishment, ΣΜΣ became a co-ed service fraternity. However, the college the fraternity to return to a single-sex all-male fraternity in 1992.
- ^ Baird's lists this chapter at "Brandywine (DE)" but does not otherwise show that school. There is a unit of Penn State at Brandywine, formally called "Penn State-Delaware County". Widener is assumed to be correct.
- ^ The Pi colony was started and named but never chartered.
- ^ Established as a coed chapter after Sigma chapter's revival of the fraternity as a co-ed service fraternity.
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0963715906.
- ^ a b c d e f g Gentil, Jace S. (September 2016). "The Greek Rite: A Survey of Undergraduate Fraternities Founded by the Masons" (PDF). The Scottish Right Journal (September/October): 9–10 – via Hampton Lodge 204.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Alpha Chapter | Sigma Mu Sigma". 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ ISBN 978-0963715906.
- ^ "Paragraphic History of TKE". The Golden Book of Tau Kappa Epsilon: 1899-1949. Leland F. Leland, editor. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, 1949. p. 25. via Issuu, accessed January 6, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities Twelfth Edition - 1930 p 226
- ^ a b Agromeck 1922 p277
- ^ Active recruitment toward additional chapters was pursued, one example of which was profiled on p.2 of The Breeze of Virginia's Madison College on 21 Oct, 1968. Accessed 1 Nov 2020. A James Madison chapter never materialized.
- ^ a b c "Sigma Chapter | Sigma Mu Sigma". 2006. Archived from the original on November 8, 2006. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ a b "Chi Chapter | Sigma Mu Sigma". 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ "Epsilon Chapter | Sigma Mu Sigma". 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ "Iota Chapter | Sigma Mu Sigma". 2006. Archived from the original on 2006-11-08. Retrieved 2023-01-06.
- ^ White, J. King (2019). "The Journey of the Lambda-Lambda Chapter of Kappa Sigma". Kappa Sigma Elon. Retrieved 2023-01-07.
- ^ "Tau Chapter | Sigma Mu Sigma". 2007. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved 2023-01-06.