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History of Kappa-Omega Zeta |
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History of Kappa-Omega Zeta |
The national fraternity system can trace its origins to the debate and literary societies formed at American colleges beginning in the mid-1700's. While the official activities of these societies were academic, most exhibited very significant social characteristics associated with fraternities today. Phi Beta Kappa, founded at the College of William and Mary in 1776, and considered the prototype for all future collegiate Greek-letter organizations, arose as a compeititor to and "enhancement" of the literary societies on campus at the time.
Literary societies formed at Georgetown College shortly after the college was chartered.
Tau Theta Kappa and Ciceronian societies for men began at
Georgetown in 1839. The Euepian Society for women,
founded shortly after the college became co-educational in the 1880's, split into two groups
called Alpha and Zeta in 1916. These groups provided social as well as literary and
debate experiences for its members, and were highly competitive when recruiting students.
The demise of Georgetown's literary societies came in the mid-1920's just as the social
Greek system was beginning to bloom.
[Photo: TQK Society from the 1900 Belle of the Blue
When asked which was the first national fraternity at Georgetown, most Georgetonians would answer Kappa Alpha. While the KA's were the first sucessful fraternity at Georgetown, established in 1904, they were not the first chartered. Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, founded in 1848 at Miami University in Ohio, chartered its Kentucky-Gamma chapter at Georgetown College in 1857, just before the Civil War. The chapter lived only three months and initiated only five members (the charter members) before being closed by faculty opposition. The faculty were opposed to the secretive nature of FDQ, which like almost all general fraternities, had a secret initiation, motto, handshake, etc.
After the tumult of the Civil War, FDQ tried again. Kentucky-Gamma
was rechartered in March of 1875, and sent a delegate to a FDQ
state convention later in the year. In May of the next year, the chapter reported it
was doing well, had 12 members, and high hopes for the future. However, according to records the
chapter was closed, re-opened, and closed for good in the fall of 1876, once again
probably due to faculty opposition.
The two attempts by FDQ demonstrate that Georgetown was an unwelcome campus for national general fraternities in the 1800's, an attitude that would remain until the election of Joseph Judson Taylor as president of the College in 1903. However fraternalism wasn't unknown at the college, but flourished in the bonds of friendship in the literary societies.
[Photo: engraving of the FDQ Coat-of-Arms, taken from the internet]
