Phi Beta Fraternity (ΦΒ) is an American professional collegiate fraternity for the creative and performing arts. It was founded in 1912 at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Phi Beta is gender inclusive and incorporates all art forms into its membership. It is a founding member of the Professional Fraternity Association.
History
Phi Beta Fraternity began as a local club at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, on May 5, 1912.[1] It was established as a women's professional fraternity for music and speech.[1] Its three founders were Gladys Burnside, Josephine Mack, and Elsie Schultz.[1]
The fraternity was incorporated in the State of Illinois in 1914.[1] Phi Beta organized its first residence, renting a house at 1928 Sherman Avenue in Evanston, Illinois.
In 1915, Phi Beta petitioned the women's social fraternity Alpha Delta Pi for a charter. Because most of Phi Beta's members were enrolled in professional two- or three-year coursework, as opposed to traditional four-year programs, that petition was denied. Also in 1915, a group of women at the Chicago Conservatory petitioned to become a chapter of Phi Beta Fraternity; Beta chapter was installed on July 17, 1917.[1]
Helen Rowan served as Phi Beta's first national president. Phi Beta's first convention was held in the spring of 1918 in Chicago, Illinois. The fraternity became a member of the Professional Panhellenic Association when that group formed in 1925.[1]
By 1963, the fraternity had chartered 41 chapters (31 actives) and had 34 alumni chapters, with more than 13,000 members.[1]
In 1974 and 1975, its chapters voted to become co-ed, prompted by Title IX. Today, Phi Beta is gender inclusive.[2] In 1978, Phi Beta became a founding member of the Professional Fraternity Association (PFA), with Phi Beta member Mary Ellin Frohmader serving as the first president of PFA.[3]
Phi Beta's badge is a monogram of the Greek letters ΦΒ; the outside of the Φ can be set with pearls and its bar can be set with pearls or diamonds.[1][4] The fraternity's pledge pin is a small gold Φ.[4][1] The fraternity also has a recognition pin, in the shape of a gold laurel wreath that has a baton through it middle.[1][4]
Phi Beta's colors are violet and gold.[4][1] Violet represents sincerity and gold symbolizes success.[5] Its flower is the yellow rose, tied by a violet ribbon. Symbolically, the rose and ribbon reflect the fraternity's colors, but are also intended to represent "joy, friendship, and new beginnings."[6] Its motto is "To be rather to seem to be".[1] Its quarterly publication is The Baton.[1]
Membership
In the beginning, the fraternity limited its membership to women majoring in music and speech. Over time, the fraternity has grown to embrace all of the creative and performing arts and their related therapies and histories, marking this broader acceptance of art students instead of only fine arts, or only dance.[2]
Philanthropy
Annually, Phi Beta awards scholarships to its collegiate members and grants to its alumni members.[7]
Phi Beta has completed several national projects including: enlarging by hand sheet music for the visually impaired, service in USO shows, aiding music programs in Mexico, and most notably its continued work with The MacDowell (artists' residency and workshop) in Peterborough, New Hampshire.[8]
In 1931, the fraternity built and endowed a stone cottage at the MacDowell Colony for use by creative artists.[1] Pi Sigma also built a practice studio at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan in 1934.[1]
Chapters
Collegiate chapters
In the following list of collegiate chapters, active chapters, and colonies are indicated in bold, and inactive chapters and institutions are in italics.[1] The fraternity refers to its colonies as probationary chapters.
^In 1966, the MacPhail family gave the MacPhail College of Music to the University of Minnesota, which changed the name to the MacPhail Center for the Performing Arts.
^The college merged with the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1955, forming the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, which is now part of the University of Cincinnati.
^Chapter formed at Long Beach State College, now California State University, Long Beach.
^Chapter formed at Northeast Louisiana State College, now the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrRobson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 526-528.
Former and formerly active members of the Professional Fraternity Association or its predecessors: Professional Panhellenic Association or Professional Interfraternity Conference