Delta Zeta: How determination and the unstoppable spirit of six women started one of the largest sor

As we celebrate Delta Zeta Sorority’s 113th Founder’s Day, a moment should be taken to reflect upon how and why we all gather together in the light of the flame. Our six Founders met, organized, and promoted one of the most successful sororities in American collegiate history. To that end, it is important that we stop and remember how they met at Miami University, why they decided to embark upon the foundation of a college sorority, and why it is important to us today.

Miami University was named for the nearby valley and Native Americans who once dominated the Oxford area. As Ohio began to populate, the university opened to males in 1824. Although Beta Theta Pi was founded in 1839, there was an uproar regarding fraternities as secret societies and efforts were made to expel them from campus. Regardless of the fallout, student protest, and temporary removal to Centre College in Kentucky, collegiate fraternities returned to Miami University in 1848. Phi Delta Theta was founded in 1848 and Sigma Chi was founded in 1855 on the campus, and Miami University was known as the “mother of fraternities” with the Miami Triad. It would take almost a half century for another Alpha chapter to be established on campus.

Women were admitted as full students in 1902 to Miami University. Although the academic options were numerous, there were few options for extracurricular campus organizations for women. Our founding members – Julia Bishop, Anne Simmons, Mabelle Minton, Alfa Lloyd, Anna Keen, and Mary Collins – were granted approval to start an organization on 19 September 1902. The Miami Student for October 1902 reported the event: “On September 19 six of our progressive co-eds organized a sorority. It is a local organization at present but the girls hope to have sufficient success in warranting them putting chapters in other schools.”

September 26, 1902, was a watershed in the history of Delta Zeta, as the Founders made their first public appearance at the Street Fair with the sorority colors flying. In early October, the ladies met to decide about pledging new women to the sorority and opted to pledge Minton and Bess Coulter on October 27. During the first year, the Founders worked closely with Dr. Guy Potter Benton, Miami University’s President and supporter of Delta Zeta. At first, the fraternities on campus harassed Delta Zeta, including theft of the ritual and the Constitution. However, the Founders eventually were accepted as their determination to succeed resulted in respect from the other campus organizations.

March 1, 1903, was bid day for the new sorority on Miami University’s campus and Delta Zeta initiated two women – Luella Crugar and Lillian Minton – into Delta Zeta. As the first years of Delta Zeta continued, the Founders met with challenges of sisters graduating, competing with other campus sororities to pledge the same women, and expanding their base to a regional and then national level. In many ways, the issues modern chapters face is no different.

Although the first decade of Delta Zeta had many challenges, the Founders were able to expand to six active chapters on various campuses and submit their name to the National Panhellenic Conference for admission in 1910. By this time, The LAMP of Delta Zeta was also established, and 240 members were listed in the 1912 publication. Delta Zeta continued to meet through convention, although World War I did place the meetings temporarily on hold. By 1922, however, National Convention had approved a National Headquarters with an executive secretary in charge. As the 1920s progressed, so did Delta Zeta Sorority. With each convention, the Delta Zetas included more of the items modern collegiate and alumnae are familiar with today, including memorial ceremonies, installation ceremonies for National Council, pledge services, and scholarship procedures.

Mabelle May Minton began her college career at Wheaton in Illinois, but opted to transfer to Miami University in 1902 to be closer to home. She was both a professional educator and an actuary. As the organizer of the Iota, Omicron, and Xi chapters, she continued her husband’s insurance business after his death. Minton entered the Flame Eternal as the first of the six Founders in 1929.

Anna (later Anne) Dial Simmons graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1902 and continued her studies at Miami University that same year. As a professional educator, she earned her master’s degree in 1904. After marriage in 1909, Simmons relocated to Colorado Springs. She served as housemother to the Iota chapter. Simmons died unexpectedly in 1932 and entered the Flame Eternal. Her unmarked gravesite was only recently discovered by the Colorado Springs Alumnae group, and will be marked in the coming year.

Anne Keen Davis entered Miami University out of high school in 1902. She was the only Founder who did not hold office on the Grand Council, but helped to organize the Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter. Davis died in 1949 and entered the Flame Eternal.

Julia Bishop was unique among the Founders, as she was the only returning woman from 1902 to Miami University. She married her college sweetheart, had two daughters who were also Delta Zetas initiated at Convention, and kept a meticulous diary that was a Convention favor in 1985. After graduating from Miami University in 1904, Bishop served as National President from 1924 to 1926. She entered the Flame Eternal in 1959.

Alfa Lloyd had already achieved a degree from Oxford College for Women when she enrolled in Miami University in 1902. She opted to study education and pedagogy, was elected Delta Zeta’s first President, and has been honored every year with Founder’s Day on her birthday – October 24. Married on the Miami University campus, Lloyd founded the first alumnae chapter in Indianapolis. She entered the Flame Eternal in 1962.

Mary Jane Collins was already a professional educator when she enrolled at Miami University in 1902. She taught in Oxford and helped to expand the Sorority’s numbers. Collins established the Theta chapter, and was happy to travel into Wyoming and Michigan before she married in 1919. In 1963, Collins died and entered the Flame Eternal at 84.