Iota Alpha Pi

Iota Alpha Pi (ΙΑΠ) was an international collegiate sorority operating in the United States and Canada from March 3, 1903[4] to July 1971, when it ceased operations.

Iota Alpha Pi
ΙΑΠ
FoundedMarch 3, 1903 (1903-03-03)
Hunter College, New York City
TypeSocial
AffiliationNPC (former)
ScopeUnited States and Canada
Colors  Red
  Black[1]
Symbolskull and crossbones
Flowerred Rose
PublicationJ.A.P. Journal/Bi-Annual[2] then The Heights
PhilanthropyMuscular Dystrophy
Chapters25 installed
Merger?No successor; disbanded (1971)
[3]

History

Iota Alpha Pi was the first national sorority for Jewish women. On March 3, 1903, on the campus of New York City, Normal College (now Hunter College), seven young women created a new sorority which they called the J.A.P. club,[note 1], or "Jay-ay-peez",[5]: 80–82  focused on religious education and settlement house work.[6]

The founders were:

  • Hannah (Finkelstein) Swick
  • Olga (Edelstein) Ecker
  • Sadie (April) Glotzer
  • Rose (Posner) Bernstein
  • Rose (Delson) Hirschman
  • May (Finkelstein) Spielgel
  • Frances (Zellermayer) Delson.[5]: 309 [7]

Frances Zellermayer was a sister to Zeta Beta Tau founder Maurice Zellermayer and later married the brother of her fellow founder Rose Delson.

In 1913, with the new name Iota Alpha Pi, the members began the traditional sorority expansion process. The original organizers grouped themselves as Alpha chapter and the succeeding group became Beta chapter. Early expansion was at other schools in the New York Area, Gamma at the Brooklyn Law School, Delta at NYU Washington Square and Epsilon at the New Jersey Law School The Sorority became international in 1929 with the founding of Kappa chapter at University of Toronto, University of Manitoba had a particularly prosperous chapter.[7]

In 1924, a Rotation Scholarship Fund was created, allowing money to be loaned to worthy students by the sorority on the expectation of it being repaid. In 1925 the sorority began creating its own semi-annual bulletin.[7]

Iota joined the National Panhellenic Conference as an associate member in November 1953[8] and became a full member on November 4, 1957.[9] Although many chapters were planned, Iota Alpha Pi could not keep up with its rapidly growing competitors.

Historian Marianne Sanua recounts the life of Iota Alpha Pi in her book, Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the United States, 1895-1945. The sorority was "not for the especially popular, affluent, or snobbish, but just a group of good friends" (p. 81) The American Jewish Yearbook 5692 describes the sorority as Jewish in a positive way".[7] This accolade probably stems from Iota's studies on women in the Bible.[5]

By 1966, Iota Alpha Pi had granted a total 23 charters. A report by Wilson Heller indicates that the sorority was strong until 1968. Heller posits that the sorority saw dramatic declines in membership, particularly with the cessation of the "Christians only" clause in non-Jewish organizations.

As of June 1, 1967 an NPC report indicated that Iota Alpha Pi had 11 chapters , 8 Alumnae groups and 5,802 sisters and 13 chapters, 8 Alumnae groups and 6,204 as of June 1, 1969.[10]

In 1969, Iota Alpha Pi established new chapters at the University of Maryland College Park and Hunter College Park Avenue.

In July 1971, the international headquarters voted to disband Iota Alpha Pi (Heller).

Two chapters went on to affiliate into other national sororities. The Beta Alpha chapter at Penn State joined Alpha Epsilon Phi, while the Upsilon chapter at Rider University eventually affiliated with Delta Phi Epsilon.[11]

As of 2008, some alumni continue to hold reunions and other events. However, no formal organization exists to coordinate these gatherings.

Insignia

The original name of the sorority was J.A.P. Their publication was The J.A.P. Bulletin. With the name change to Iota Alpha Pi, the magazine was also renamed: The Heights.[5]

The first official badge was a scarlet horizontal diamond surrounded by seed pearls. The scarlet diamond bore the letters Ι Α and Π, in gold. Above the Α, in gold, was a skull and crossbones. Later versions of the badge included two full blown roses at the points of the diamond.

Official colors:red and black.[1]

As of 1931, the sorority used in " a diamond of scarlet surrounded by jewels" where a crest would otherwise be used.[12]

National Philanthropy: Muscular Dystrophy[13]

Chapters

Chapters of Iota Alpha Pi include the following. All are inactive, thus noted by italics.[1][11]

Name Chartered Institution Location Status Notes Reference
Alpha March 3, 1903–1913 Hunter College New York, NY Merged Combined with Beta chapter in 1913 [7]
Beta 1913–1965 Hunter College New York, NY Dormant May have absorbed Alpha chapter in 1913 [7]
Gamma 1913–1941 Brooklyn Law School New York, NY Dormant By 1969 Brooklyn Law School no longer had a chapter although the date of disbanding is uncertain.
Delta 1922–1971 NYU Washington Square New York, NY Dormant
Epsilon 1922–1942, 1946–1947 New Jersey Law School (Rutgers) Newark, NJ Withdrew Absorbed local sorority ΓΓΓ in 1938.
Became local ΗΝΤ in 1947.		 [11]
Zeta February 27, 1926–1971 Adelphi University Garden City, Long Island, NY Dormant [14]
Eta April 17, 1927–1942 University of Denver Denver, CO Dormant [14]
Kappa 1929–1956 University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario, Canada Dormant
Iota 1930–1970 Long Island University (Brooklyn) Brooklyn, NY Dormant
Lambda 1931–1971 Brooklyn College (CCNY) Brooklyn, NY Dormant
Mu March 27, 1932–1965 University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Dormant Originated as Theta Gamma Phi (local). [14][15]
Nu 1935–1971 Wayne State University Detroit, MI Dormant
Omicron 1938–1971 Queens College (CCNY) Queens, NY Dormant
Pi December 13, 1942–1971 Syracuse University Syracuse, NY Dormant Originated as Pi Kappa Epsilon (local) in 1941 [14]
Rho 1946–1956 Miami University Oxford, OH Dormant
Sigma February 1946–1971 Temple University Philadelphia, PA Dormant Originated as Rho Lambda Phi (local) in 1931. [16]
Upsilon 1947–1955 Rider University Lawrence Township, NJ Withdrew This chapter originated as Pi Eta Sigma (local) in 1925.
Withdrew to reform as a local, and in 1962 became the Delta Sigma chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon.		 [11]
Phi October 17, 1954–1971 University of Illinois Champaign, IL Dormant [14]
Psi June 1961–1965 NYU University Heights New York, NY Dormant [14][17]
Omega Unassigned [11]
Beta Alpha May 5, 1962–1971 Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA Withdrew Merged into the existing Alpha Zeta chapter of Alpha Epsilon Phi. [14][11]
Beta Beta 1965–1971 City College of New York New York, NY Dormant
Beta Gamma Unassigned [11]
Beta Delta May 21, 1966–1971 Cornell University Ithaca, NY Dormant [18]
Beta Epsilon 1966–1970 C.W. Post College (LIU Post) Brookville, NY Dormant
Beta Eta 1969–19xx? University of Maryland College Park, MD Dormant [19]

The Baird's Archive notes a 1969 colony as a separate chapter from Alpha and Beta at Hunter College, Park Avenue, but this group did not charter. This appears to be an error, and should be clarified as simply an attempt to reestablish itself on the sorority's first campus.

Conventions

Conventions include:

  • December 22–27, 1925, New York City[20]
  • December 20–25, 1926, New York City[21]
  • December 20–25, 1927, New York City[22]
  • December 20–25, 1929, New York City[23]
  • December 20–25, 1930, New York City[24]
  • December 20–25, 1931, New York City[25]
  • December 20–25, 1933, New York City[26]
  • December 22–24, 1934, New York City[27]
  • 33rd Annual Convention, December 21–24, 1935, New York City[28]
  • 34th Annual Convention, December 1936, New York City[29]
  • 35th Annual Convention, December 25–26, 1937, New York City.[30]
  • 36th Annual Convention, December 24–26, 1938, New York City.[2]
  • 37th Annual Convention, December 23–25, 1939, New York City[31]
  • 38th Annual Convention, December 21–24, 1940, New York City[32]
  • 44th Annual Convention, December 22–24, 1947 Waldorf Astoria, New York City.[33]
  • 1948 Syracuse, New York[34]
  • August 1954, Roney Plaza Hotel, Miami Beach[4][35]
  • June 22, 1968, Washington D.C.[36]

Notable Alumnae

Jill Wine-Banks - one of the prosecutors during the Watergate scandal. She was the first woman to serve as US General Counsel of the Army (1977–80)[37]

See also

Notes
  1. No relation to "Jewish American Princess", a term that did not come into use until after World War II

References
  1. William Raimond Baird (1991). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. Baird's Manual Foundation, Incorporated.
  2. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1939-1940
  3. Shield & Diamond of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity - September 1966
  4. Jewish Floridian March 12, 1954, page B4
  5. Sanua, Marianne Rachel (2003). Going Greek: Jewish College Fraternities in the US, 1895- 1945. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0-8143-2857-6. Retrieved 2008-11-14.
  6. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities. G. Banta Company. 1977. pp. 806–807.
  7. Kohut, Rebekah (1931–1932). "Jewish Women's Organization in the United States" (PDF). The American Jewish Year Book. 33: 197–198. JSTOR 23601441.
  8. The Crescent of Gamma Phi beta, December 1953. p 20
  9. The Crescent of Gamma Phi Beta, March 1958. p.4
  10. Sigma Kappa Triangle Summer 1970, p 23
  11. William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), section showing Iota Alpha Pi chapters". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 16 November 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  12. Emily Helen Butterfield (1931). College Fraternity Heraldry. George Banta Publishing Company. p. 46.
  13. Templar (Temple University Yearbook) 1961, page 131
  14. Excerpted from Iota Alpha Pi's 60th anniversary commemorative history. Accessed 6 May 2022.
  15. Noted in the Winnipeg Free Press March 30, 1932, p 8, accessed 6 May 2022.
  16. Noted in the Templar (Temple University Yearbook) of 1946, p.168
  17. The heights of Iota Alpha Pi - Winter 1962
  18. Photo of Cornell "It's all Greek to Me 1967" about Iota Alpha Pi
  19. Noted in the 1970 Terrapin Yearbook, p.330
  20. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1926-1927
  21. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1927-1928
  22. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1928-1929
  23. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1929-1930
  24. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1931-1932
  25. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1932-1933
  26. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1934-1935
  27. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1935-1936
  28. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1936-1937
  29. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1937-1938
  30. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES 1938-1939
  31. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1940-1941
  32. JEWISH NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED-STATES 1941-1942
  33. Philadelphia Jewish Exponent January 3, 1947, p 11
  34. Winnipeg Free Press, August 24, 1948, p 10
  35. The Miami News Miami, Florida 20 Aug 1954, Page 21
  36. HON. MARTHA W. GRIFFlTHS Extension of Remarks
  37. Wine-Banks, Jill (2020). The Watergate Girl: My Fight for Truth and Justice Against a Criminal President. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 9781250244321. OCLC 1113434676.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.