Phi Beta

Phi Beta Fraternity () 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.Robson, John, ed. (1963). ''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 526-528. It was established as a women's professional fraternity for music and speech. Its three founders were Gladys Burnside, Josephine Mack, and Elsie Schultz.

The fraternity was incorporated in the State of Illinois in 1914. 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 .

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.

By 1963, the fraternity had chartered 41 chapters (31 actives) and had 34 alumni chapters, with more than 13,000 members.

In 1974 and 1975, its chapters voted to become co-ed, prompted by Title IX. Today, Phi Beta is gender inclusive. 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.

Phi Beta is also affiliated with the Fraternity Communication Association (FCA) and the National Interfraternity Music Council (NIMC). It was a member of the American Educational Theatre Association, Music Educators' National Conference, the National Federation of Music Clubs, the American Educational Theatre Association, and the Speech Association of America.

Symbols

Phi Beta's badge is a monogram of the Greek letters ; the outside of the can be set with pearls and its bar can be set with pearls or diamonds.Shepard, Francis W., ed. (1927)
''Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities'' (11th ed.)
Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. p. 447 – via Google Books. The fraternity's pledge pin is a small gold . The fraternity also has a recognition pin, in the shape of a gold laurel wreath that has a baton through it middle.

Phi Beta's colors are violet and gold. Violet represents sincerity and gold symbolizes success. 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." Its motto is "To be rather to seem to be". Its quarterly publication is ''The Baton''.

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.

Philanthropy

Annually, Phi Beta awards scholarships to its collegiate members and grants to its alumni members.

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.

In 1931, the fraternity built and endowed a stone cottage at the MacDowell Colony for use by creative artists. Pi Sigma also built a practice studio at the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan in 1934.

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''. The fraternity refers to its colonies as probationary chapters.

Alumni chapters

Following is an incomplete list of Pi Beta alumni chapters.

See also

* Professional fraternities and sororities

References

{{NIMC

Professional fraternities and sororities in the United States
National Interfraternity Music Council
Student organizations established in 1912
Music organizations based in the United States
Professional Fraternity Association
1921 establishments in Illinois