It's incredible to consider all that has occurred and changed over the last century and a half. Indeed, in the United States in 1867, Andrew Johnson was President, Alaska had just been purchased from Russia and the first elevated railroad began service in New York.
A few of the more notable events throughout Pi Phi's history are explored below.
Ada Bruen (Grier) and Libbie Brook (Gaddis) rented a room from "Major" Jacob Holt in his home on First Avenue in Monmouth, Illinois in order to attend Monmouth College.
I.C. Sorosis was founded on April 28, 1867, at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois.
The founders chose the arrow as their badge. The original pins were golden arrows, bearing the letters "I C" in black enamel on the wings. On May 14, 1867, the Founders walked into chapel, wearing their golden arrows for the first time, in their hair.
The first convention was held at the home of Fannie Thomson in Oquawka, Illinois.
A second chapter was founded by Founder Libbie Brook (Gaddis) at Iowa Wesleyan University in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
1873Kansas Alpha came into existence because of Sara Richardson, a member of the chapter at Lombard College. The chapter was chartered on April 1, 1873, with seven members.
The first I.C. party at Kansas Alpha, one to honor Sara Richardson, was dubbed a "Cookie Shine" by the University Chancellor. The term so pleased the I.C.s that they immediately adopted it as their own.
At the 1882 Burlington Convention, it was voted to publish, when funds permitted, a Fraternity magazine. However, it was not until the 1884 Iowa City Convention that the Kansas Alpha Chapter was given the responsibility of publishing the magazine and Kansas Alpha Mary E. Miller (Barnes) was elected Editor.
1885The Arrow®'s first edition, Volume I, Number I, dated May 1885, was mailed on June 25, 1885. It was 20 pages and did not have advertisements. The title page read: "The Arrow, official organ of I.C. Sorosis, Pi Beta Phi."
1888Iowa Alpha Louise “Lulu” Sawyers Linn wrote the song "Ring Ching, Ching" in response to a request from The Arrow Editor for song submissions.
1890The wine carnation was chosen as the official Fraternity flower.
By convention vote, April 28 became known as Founders' Day to celebrate the founding of the Fraternity.
The "Songs of Pi Beta Phi" songbook was published on January 1, 1899. It was 117 Pages and contained 78 songs. It was the first official songbook compiled and published by the Fraternity.
1902Pi Beta Phi became one of the seven founding members of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC). Today, there are 26 member organizations.
The Pledging Ceremony was adopted by the convention body, although its use was optional at that point.
By convention vote, a plan was adopted to establish a Settlement School in the Appalachian Mountains. D.C. Alpha Emma Harper Turner presented the philanthropic project as a way to honor the founders and Pi Beta Phi’s founding. A committee was appointed to outline and develop the project.
1912The Coat of Arms (crest) was copyrighted. It was previously adopted at the 1910 Swarthmore Convention.
Annual dues for collegiate members were raised to $7.
By convention vote, it was decided each alumnae club would meet at least four times per year. One meeting was to be devoted to the nearest chapter, a second to Founders' Day a third to the interests of the Settlement School and a fourth to the Constitution, historical documents and examination questions.
1917The Golden Anniversary Convention celebrating 50 years was canceled abruptly due to the U.S.'s entrance into World War I. It would have taken place in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, from June 23–30, 1917.
After serving 10 years as Grand President, Maryland Alpha May Lansfield Keller was named Grand President Emeritus.
The Chapter House Building Fund was established.
Chapter Executive Councils were created.
The creation of a Central Office was authorized.
Alumnae dues were raised from 50 cents to $1.00 per year.
A ritual for pledge meetings was approved at the 1927 Pequot Convention. It was prepared by Colorado Beta Emilie Engelbach King.
1934Grand President Amy Burnham Onken, Illinois Epsilon, was awarded an honorary degree from Monmouth College. Founder Margaret Campbell placed the doctoral hood upon her.
The first Amy Burnham Onken Award for Outstanding Scholarship and Campus and Community Leadership was given. Regional winners received a special guard designed by Lloyd G. Balfour with three modeled feathers in flight stemmed with a sapphire. The overall winner received a gold charm in the shape of the Fraternity crest with a diamond in the center.
1940Through the efforts of a Pi Phi father, Hugh Moffet of the Monmouth Daily Review, Holt House was purchased for the Fraternity at a delinquent tax auction for the sum of $1,100. Mr. Moffet’s own lot adjoined the Holt property on the east.
On account of World War II, convention was canceled in both 1942 and 1944.
The Order of the Golden Arrow was established to recognize members celebrating 50 years of membership in Pi Beta Phi. Originally, the carnation guard was the symbol of the Order. It was replaced by the circle pin in 1987.
The Emma Harper Turner Memorial Fund was established with a $50,000 endowment. The fund exists today through Pi Beta Phi Foundation and grants financial assistance to alumnae and collegians in dire financial need.
An Officers Workshop was authorized to take place in the years when there was an in the interim from of convention.
Pi Beta Phi grew to 97 active collegiate chapters and 56,000 ever-initiated members.
The first Chapter Service Award for Outstanding Servant Leadership was awarded. Silver arrows were given to regional winners. A bracelet was given to the overall winner.
The Chapter Executive Council was increased from seven members to 11 members to better assist with growing chapter needs.
Each chapter was required to have a Chapter House Corporation and local maintenance fund. At the Victoria Convention, the project committee proposed the idea of creating an arts and crafts center.
At the 1964 Victoria Convention, the project committee proposed The Centennial Project, an arts and crafts center to be developed on Fraternity property in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in honor of the Fraternity's 100th anniversary. The project was approved and work began.
By 1966, Sevier County took over the administration of the former Pi Beta Phi Settlement School. The existing facilities were remodeled and/or built new and called Pi Beta Phi Elementary School. At that time, the Fraternity also deeded the land the school was built on to the county.
The Northern Libraries Project was adopted to commemorate the centennials of Canada and Pi Beta Phi. The project was later renamed Arrow in the Arctic. It was the first Canadian philanthropy established by a National Panhellenic Conference group.
As part of the 1967 Chicago Convention, attendees took a trip from the city to Monmouth, Illinois, to tour Holt House and Monmouth College.
The first Evelyn Peters Kyle Angel Award for Club Service was awarded. The award recognizes an individual alumna who has served her alumnae club by performing those duties that often go unrecognized but serve to enhance the success of a club. The first award was a handmade ceramic angel wearing a silver blue dress.
Annual alumna dues and senior dues were raised to $6 per year.
A policy was enacted requiring publicity in any national print publication, or on any film, radio or television program, to have the pre-approval of Grand Council.
In anticipation of Pi Beta Phi rotating onto the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Executive Committee, the NPC Delegate was removed as a member of Grand Council and made an appointed office. At that time, Past Grand President Jean Wirths Scott, Pennsylvania Beta, was named NPC Delegate. She would serve in that role until 2003.
The initiation fee was set at $85, including and included a gold-filled badge.
Probationary terms for New Members and initiated members were clarified, as well as terms for Automatic Financial Probation.
A stronger statement that hazing was in violation of Fraternity standards was issued.
The Arrow magazine's centennial was celebrated with a special anniversary issue of the magazine, featuring historical information and greetings from Past Arrow Editors and Past Grand Presidents.
Three of Founder Jennie Horne Turnbull’s granddaughters were present at the 1989 San Diego Convention. They had with them the badge their grandmother wore to chapel when I.C. Sorosis made its debut at Monmouth College in 1867.
The Spring 1990 Arrow told of the establishment of Pi Phi Express. The tagline was “Think Pi Phi — Shop Pi Phi.” Its establishment was concurrent with the initiative to ensure all commercial use of Pi Beta Phi’s trademarks on logo apparel and merchandise were administered through a license agreement with the Fraternity.
1991The Chapter Banner Parade debuted at the 1991 St. Louis Convention. Each chapter with living alumnae had a banner in the parade. Active chapters designed and prepared their own banner with symbols specific to their campus. Those banners are proudly carried across the convention stage today.
The first Emma Harper Turner Award for Alumnae Club Leadership was given.
Past Grand President Jean Wirths Scott, Pennsylvania Beta, became National Panhellenic Conference Chairman. The practices she helped put into place continue to ensure the Conference remains a vital force in the fraternity and sorority community today.
National Panhellenic Conference's International Badge Day became an annual event to encourage sorority women of all ages to celebrate the power of sorority by wearing their badge or letters on that day
A new chapter officer, the Risk Management Educator, was added. The officer was to facilitate two special programs a per year. Topics included health issues, alcohol/drug abuse, eating disorders, etiquette and personal safety.
The Order of the Diamond Arrow was established for those Pi Phis celebrating 75 years of membership. Recognition of this Order included a letter of congratulations and a framed certificate, signed by the Grand President.
The Silver Arrow Society was established for those Pi Phis celebrating 25 years of membership. A new recognition pin featuring the official Pi Beta Phi Crest on the shaft was approved.
2003The Arrow was redesigned with formatted pages, more color pictures and larger images.
Leading with Values®, Pi Beta Phi’s Member Development Program based on the core values of the Fraternity, was introduced.
The first Fraternity Day of Service took place. Pi Phis found a range of activities to celebrate the day. Many events included the distribution of books. The events also brought visibility to Pi Beta Phi's work to promote literacy. Fraternity Day of Service is celebrated on or around March 2, the date of Dr. Seuss® birthday.
The Fraternity began its partnership with First Book® to give brand-new books to children across North America.
2011Pi Beta Phi unveiled a new literacy platform, Read > Lead > Achieve, and new literacy vision: Pi Beta Phi leads the way to a more literate society.
2015Libbie, the Ring Ching Roadshow car, made her debut at the Chicago Convention.
2016Pi Beta Phi launched its risk-prevention education programming, Critical Conversations®.
The inaugural Pi Beta Phi Leadership Institute was held to develop confident women leaders who contribute to making the impossible the inevitable.
Pi Beta Phi celebrated 150 years of sisterhood at the 71st Convention in St. Louis, Missouri.
In March, all 136 campuses with Pi Phi chapters modified their academic schedules; 110 Pi Phi chapter facilities closed due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In June, Pi Beta Phi launched a new, shared online home for the Fraternity, Foundation and Fraternity Housing Corporation at pibetaphi.org.
In September, Grand Council adopted a Commitment to DEI Statement that defines the desired future for the Fraternity.
Alumnae dues were raised from $35 to $45 per year.
In November, California Beta Aimee Cho was initiated as Pi Beta Phi's 350,000th member. Making Pi Phi the second National Panhellenic Conference organization to reach this achievement.
1893
The convention body adopted a uniform pledge pin of an arrowhead in Roman gold mounted with the Greek-letter Beta in burnished gold.
1912
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1924
At the 1946 Swampscott Convention, January 9 was designated as Chapter Loyalty Day. The day was set aside in recognition of the example that famed suffragist Carrie Lane Chapman Catt, Iowa Gamma, set for the Fraternity in her abiding, lifelong loyalty to her chapter. The date is Carrie's birthday. On this day, each alumna is to remember her own chapter.
1968.jpeg "The Coat of Arms Banner")
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