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Tri Delta National History
Delta Delta Delta was founded on November 27, 1888 at Boston University. It became the fourth women's society at Boston. Its founders saw a need for a group that would be different from the others. Sarah Ida Shaw, with the help of her close friend Eleanor Dorcus Pond, set out to "found a society that shall be kind alike to all and think more of a girl's inner self and character than of her personal appearance." Although they had set a daunting task before themselves, the young ladies looked upon their project with excitement and anticipation. Sarah later wrote, "The two enthusiastic friends were unaware of the fact that there was something stupendous about the task they had set hands, heads and hearts to accomplish." Their dedication quickly brought about the foundation of a new society. Sarah and Eleanor not only founded a fraternity, but at the same time they wrote the rituals and constitution, as well as designing the emblems. The name was a joint effort due to Eleanor's suggestion of a triple letter and Sarah's knowledge of Greek. Inspiration for their fraternity, however, came from a variety of sources: Egyptian lore, Hindu mysticism and astronomy, reflecting the wide and various interests of Sarah Ida Shaw. Never before had a fraternity been founded so completely and with such depth of meaning from the very beginning. Sarah recalled the solemnity when their work was finally complete. "At last, all was finished on Tuesday...November 27, 1888, but there was one more meeting of the two friends on the following afternoon before they separated for the Thanksgiving recess, at the top of the college building in what was then the Philological Library. It was there that the two girls embraced each other and said 'Tri Delta is founded'...It is not strange that the hearts of these sponsors were full of emotion as together they went out of the college building, for each felt there were added reasons why her Thanksgiving should be a very happy one When they came to the parting of the ways at the historic Boston Common, Miss Pond said, 'We can make the girls we initiate promise secrecy, but what shall hold us two?' So there in the shadow of the old Park Street Church, with a bright new moon and three brilliant stars nearby...the two faithful friends clasped hands and said, 'In the presence of these myriads of witnesses, I swear eternal loyalty and fealty to Delta Delta Delta.'"
After vacation they began the task of
building the chapter by inviting their first new member. Senior Florence
Isabelle Stewart, a high school friend of Eleanor's, soon consented to join.
Isabel Breed, another senior, was at first reluctant to join. She was deeply
religious and felt fraternities were fundamentally wrong. When the girls
convinced her that the aims of the society had strong Christian ideals and asked
her to be the chaplain, she consented to join. Three girls from the junior
class, five sophomores and six freshmen were then chosen. Since there was such a
short time before the Christmas holiday, initiation was postponed until January.
The history of Alpha Chapter describes that initiation: "At the opening of
the college term, on Friday, January 15, 1889, the new fraternity pins were
received, and in Prof. Browne's room in the college building on
Gamma Iota History In
1988, the 100th year anniversary of the Tri delta sorority, a charter was given
to
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