Kappa Sigma Tau

Kappa Sigma Tau
ΚΣΤ
FoundedApril 1922 (April 1922)
Northwestern University
TypeSocial
AffiliationIndependent
StatusMerged
Merge date1932
SuccessorAlpha Xi Delta
ScopeRegional
Member badge
Colors  Gold and   White
SymbolCrescent
FlowerYellow rose
PublicationThe Gold and White
Chapters4
Members100+ lifetime
Headquarters
United States

Kappa Sigma Tau (ΚΣΤ) was an American college women's fraternity that was established in 1922 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. It had four chapters in Illinois and Mississippi before merging with Alpha Xi Delta in 1932.

History

Kappa Sigma Tau was established in April 1922 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois.[1][2] The women's fraternity originated from the Campus Club, an independent women's group that was established before World War I, but went inactive during the war.[1] Campus Club attempted to reform in 1919, but its members decided that the Y.W.C.A. was an adequate substitute.[1]

In April 1922, the group reformed as the Kahniga women's fraternity, but changed its name to Kappa Sigma Tau later that year.[1] Its 1922 founders were Dorothy Benellack, Mae Benson, Dorothy Bonar, Violet Burchwood, Florence Carpenter, Dorothy Dodge, Margaret Fisher, Maurine Gahagen, Mildred Garmine, Wilma Helper, Alma Hook, Ruth Martin, Ester Olson, Irene Swensen, Louise Tanquary, Kathryn Taylor, Yvonne Torgerson, Grace Towle, Evelyn Van Vactor, Mildred Wahlberg, Francis Wiehl, and Rachel Wilson.[1]

University of Illinois, chapter house at 908 South Fourth Street in Champaign, 1928

A second chapter, Beta, was established at the University of Illinois in 1924.[1] In October 1924, Beta was admitted to the campus Pan-Hellenic Council.[3][4] In the fall of 1925, the chapter moved into a house at 908 South Fourth Street in Champaign, previously used by Theta Kappa Phi.[5] The Beta Chapter Alumni Association of Kappa Sigma Tau was incorporated in July 22, 1927 and was based in Champaign.[6] A third chapter was chartered at the University of Mississippi in 1927, followed by a fourth chapter at Lake Forest College in 1928.[1] In 1928, Beta purchased a lot in Urbana to build a house, renting 607 East Daniel Street in Champaign pending construction.[7]

Chapter activities included a biennial formal,[8] singing contests,[9] and participating in campus intramural sports such as swimming and basketball.[10][11] Kappa Sigma Tau was governed by a five-person national council that was elected at an annual convention.[1] In June 1932, the national convention was held in the Buena Vista Hotel in Biloxi, Mississippi.[12]

In 1932, the Kappa Sigma Tau merged with the national sorority Alpha Xi Delta.[13][14][15] The merger took place under the instruction of the National Panhellenic Council which determined that the sorority system had over-expanded and would benefit from consolidation.[14][13] Delta chapter merged on July 19, 1932,[16] while Beta merged on August 8, 1932.[13][17] Alpha chapter, at Northwestern, disbanded instead of merging.[15] Gamma at the University of Mississippi withdrew and joined another national sorority.[15] At the time of the merger, Beta chapter of Kappa Sigma Tau had 100 alumnae.[13]

Kappa Sigma Tau is not affiliated with the local sorority of the same name that was established at McKendree University in 1992.[18]

Symbols

Kappa Sigma Tau's coat-of-arms was a shield featuring three stars, a pair of balances, and a lamp, with a crescent as the crest above the shield.[19]

The fraternity's badge was a gold crescent with ten pearls on the left side, one pearl at the tip of the right side, and a raised onyx crescent in the center with the Greek letters in ΚΣΤ in gold.[1] The fraternity's colors were gold and white.[1] Its flower was the yellow rose.[1][20] Its publication was The Gold and White.[1]

Chapters

In 1930, Kappa Sigma Tau's chapters were as follows.[1][2]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status Ref.
Alpha April 1922–1932 Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois Inactive [15][a]
Beta September 1924 – August 8, 1932 University of Illinois Champaign, Illinois Merged (ΑΞΔ) [13][17][21][b]
Gamma 1927–1932 University of Mississippi University, Mississippi Withdrew [15][22][c]
Delta 1928 – July 19, 1932 Lake Forest College Lake Forest, Illinois Merged (ΑΞΔ) [16][8][d]
  1. ^ The chapter formed from Kahniga women's fraternity, established in 1919 as the Campus Club. At the time of the merger with Alpha Xi Delta, this chapter disbanded.
  2. ^ The chapter formed from Tau Kappa (local). It merged into the Kappa chapter of Alpha Xi Delta with the national merger of the two sororities.
  3. ^ At the time of the merger with Alpha Xi Delta, this chapter withdrew and joined another national sorority.
  4. ^ The chapter formed from Beta Sigma Iota (local). It became the Beta Zeta chapter of Alpha Xi Delta with the national merger of the two sororities.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Shepardson, Francis Wayland, ed. (1930). "Kappa Sigma Tau". Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (12th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press/George Banta Publishing Company. p. 602 – via HathiTrust.
  2. ^ a b Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (July 11, 2025) "Inactive Womens Organization". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed September 17, 2025.
  3. ^ "Pan-Hell Awards Scholarship Cup". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1924-10-14. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Pan Hell to Vote on New Members". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1924-10-12. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Many Fraternities, Sororities on Campus Change Quarters". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1925-09-20. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Beta Chapter is Incorporated". The Times. Streator, Illinois. 1927-07-22. p. 15. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Kappa Sigma Tau Buys Urbana Sorority Site". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1928-09-11. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "Sorority Holds Formal Tonight". Waukegan News-Sun. 1931-02-21. p. 3. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "17 Houses Sign for Shi-Ai Sing". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1925-03-18. p. 7. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Kappa Sigma Tau Captures Shi-Ai Trophy". The Urbana Daily Courier. 1930-04-16. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Delta Zeta Beats Kappa Sigma Tau". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1927-03-23. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Sorority to Meet in Biloxi Friday". Sun Herald. Biloxi, Mississippi. 1932-06-15. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Greeks of U. of I. Start Movement". The Urbana Daily Courier. 1932-09-12. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b "Merger Movement Continues as Sororities Unite; Pan-Hel Congress Approves Tendency". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1932-09-11. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ a b c d e "Alpha Xi Delta on Campus". The Lake Forest College Bulletin. 7 (5): 4. October 1932. Retrieved September 17, 2025 – via Hathi Trust.
  16. ^ a b "Alpha Xi Delta Forms Chapter". Waukegan News-Sun. 1932-07-20. p. 8. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ a b "Tau Kappa Goes Kappa Sigma Tau". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1924-09-16. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Kappa Sigma Tau". McKendree University. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  19. ^ Butterfield, Emily Helen (1931). College fraternity heraldry. Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. p. 46. OCLC 774775 – via Hathi Trust.
  20. ^ "Sorority Pledges Delight in Flaunting Every Color of Rainbow at Campus". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1924-10-02. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "Kappa SIgma Tau Has Annual Meet". The Daily Illini. Urbana, Illinois. 1926-06-18. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-09-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ The Ole Miss. University, Mississippi: University of Mississippi. 1933. p. 110 – via eGROVE, University of Mississippi.
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