Kappa Delta Phi (junior sorority)

This article is about the American collegiate sorority (1921–1961). For the social fraternity founded in 1900, see Kappa Delta Phi (fraternity).
Kappa Delta Phi
ΚΔΦ
FoundedFebruary 19, 1921 (1921-02-19)
Stephens College
TypeSocial
AffiliationNJCP
StatusDefunct
Defunct date1961
Emphasis2-year colleges
ScopeNational
MottoEx amino
Member badge
Colors  Orchid,   Bronze and   Straw
FlowerOrchid sweet pea
PublicationThe Torch
Chapters9
Headquarters
United States

Kappa Delta Phi (ΚΔΦ) was a national junior college sorority in the United States. It was established in 1921 at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. The sorority established at least nine chapters because going inactive in 1961. It was a member of the National Junior College Panhellenic.

History

Kappa Delta Phi was founded on February 19, 1921, at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.[1][2] It was established as a local social sorority.[2] Its charter members were Julie Bondurant, Fannie Ellis Cocke, Georgia Cox, Dorothy Dunlap, Ethel Green, Dorothy Heggie, Mary Geraldine Holmes, Ellen Love, Ruth Marshall, Ruth Morgan, Ola V. Powell, Hallie Redman, Alice Sanders, Mary Staley, Eunice Thornhill, and Myrtle Williams.[2] In April 1921, the sorority moved into a chapter house at 201 College Avenue in Columbia.[3]

Kappa Delta Phi became a national junior college sorority with the establishment of a second chapter at Greenville Women's College in 1924, followed by chapters at the Hardin College and Belhaven College that same year.[1][4] The sorority was a member of the National Junior College Panhellenic.[5][6]

By 1930, the sorority had established eight chapters in the Southern United States.[1] However, in 1936, only three of those chapters were still active.[1] The Alpha chapter at Stephens College withdrew in 1938 and became the local sorority Kappa Alpha Phi.[1]

Eta chapter at Blackstone College went inactive in 1943, leaving Theta chapter at Louisburg College to install a Kappa chapter at Tennessee Wesleyan College in 1944.[1] Theta and Kappa chapters continued to be active until 1961, with the former going inactive and the latter becoming a chapter of Kappa Delta.[1]

Symbols

Kappa Delta Phi's motto was Ex amino.[7] The sorority's colors were orchid, bronze, and straw.[8][7] Its flower was the orchid sweet pea.[8] Its magazine was The Torch.[1][8]

Chapters

Following are the known of Kappa Delta Phi sorority, with inactive chapters and institutions indicated in italics.[1][8]

Chapter Charter date and range Institution Location Status References
Alpha February 19, 1921 – 1938 Stephens College Columbia, Missouri Withdrew (local) [4][a]
Beta 1924–1936 Greenville Woman's College Greenville, South Carolina Inactive [4]
Gamma April 13, 1924 – 1931 Hardin College and Conservatory of Music Mexico, Missouri Inactive [4]
Delta 1924–1932 Belhaven College Jackson, Mississippi Inactive [4]
Epsilon 1925–1926 Anderson College Anderson, South Carolina Inactive
Zeta 1928–193x ? Mississippi Synodical College Holly Springs, Mississippi Inactive
Eta 1928–1943 Blackstone College Blackstone, Virginia Inactive
Theta May 1929 – 1961 Louisburg College Louisburg, North Carolina Inactive [6][5][b]
Kappa 1944 – October 14, 1961 Tennessee Wesleyan College Athens, Tennessee Withdrew (ΚΔ) [9][10][11][c]
  1. ^ Chapter withdrew and became the local sorority Kappa Alpha Phi.
  2. ^ Chapter formed from Delta Iota Kappa (local), established in 1919.
  3. ^ Chapter formed from Pi Nu Lambda, established in 1921. In 1961, the chapter withdrew and became the Gamma Phi chapter of Kappa Delta.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lurding, Carroll and Becque, Fran. (July 11, 2025) "Kappa Delta Phi". Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities. Urbana: University of Illinois. Accessed October 17, 2025
  2. ^ a b c "New Sororities Installed: Stephens College Organizations Announce Pledges". Columbia Missourian. 1921-02-28. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  3. ^ "Kappa Delta Phi's Move into House". Columbia Missourian. 1921-04-06. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
  4. ^ a b c d e "New Sorority at Hardin C." The Weekly Intelligencer. Mexico, Missouri. 1924-04-17. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-17 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b "Local Girls at Louisburg Made Sorority Members". The Herald. Ahoskie, North Carolina. 1929-05-09. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b "Louisburg College Sorority is Granted National Charter". News and Record. Greensboro, North Carolina. 1929-05-11. p. 5. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b The Ion Yearbook (PDF). Mexico, Missouri: Hardin College. 1925. p. 101. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d Entre Nous (yearbook). Greenville Woman's College. 1932. p. 110. Retrieved October 17, 2025 – via Furman University Special Collections.
  9. ^ Nocatula (yearbook). Tennessee Wesleyan College. Tennessee Wesleyan College. 1945. p. n42 – via Internet Archive.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  10. ^ Nocatula (yearbook). Tennessee Wesleyan College. 1962. p. 92 – via Internet Archive.
  11. ^ "Miss Margaret Massengill". The Greeneville Sun. 1944-05-11. p. 6. Retrieved 2025-10-18 – via Newspapers.com.
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