______________________________HISTORY_____________          

  

Gamma Phi Beta was founded on November 11, 1874 at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York by Helen M. Dodge, Frances E. Haven, E. Adeline Curtis and Mary Alice Bingham. That same day these couragous women met in Dr. Brown's study for the first Official Gamma Phi Beta meeting. They worked to acheive the same ideals and morals Gamma Phi emphasizes today.

Universities admitted few women the the 1870's. In fact, administrators and faculty gave women a rather reluctant welcome. They argued that women had inferior minds and could not master mathematics and the classics. In the controversy, Dr. E. O. Haven, Syracuse University Chancellor and former President of the University of Michigan and Northwestern University, maintained that women should receive the same advantages of higher education. He enrolled is daughter Frances at Syracuse. In 1874, the University had approximately two hundered students and ten faculty members. At that time, Frances asked three friends to assist her in organizing a society. They sought to acheive the help of Dr. Haven, their brothers, and faculty members of two existing fraternities.

After the installation of the Beta chapter at the University of Michigan in 1882, Syracuse faculty member Frank Smally coined the word "Sorority" especially for Gamma Phi Beta. It has been used ever since. Today Gamma Phi Beta is an International Sorority with more than one-hundered and twenty eight collegiate chapters in the United States.

          

Timeline
1874 Founded November 11 at Syracuse University
1875 First initiate, Clara Worden, initiated in March
1882 First extension effort, Beta Chapter installed at the University of Michigan
1882 First alumnae chapter chartered, Chicago, Illinois
1893 First Executive Board
1902 Gamma Phi Beta and six other sororities found the National Panhellenic Conference
1919 First Canadian chapter, 25th Greek-letter chapter, Alpha Alpha at the University of Toronto
1927 First business office opened at Zeta Chapter, Goucher College
1940 50th Greek-letter chapter, Beta Beta at the University of Maryland
1958 Gamma Phi Beta incorporated
1959 Founded the Gamma Phi Beta Foundation
1960 75th Greek-letter chapter, Gamma Gamma at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
1971 100th Greek-letter chapter, Delta Delta at California State-Fullerton installed
1974 Gamma Phi Beta Celebrates 100th Anniversary
1972 First Crescent Circle
1984 SisterLink Service established for Alumna
1986 125th Greek-letter chapter, Epsilon Epsilon, Union College
1990 First International Council
1991 International Headquarters building dedicated
1995 150th Greek-letter chapter, Zeta Zeta, Coastal Carolina
1999 Gamma Phi Beta Celebrates 125th Anniversary