About Phi Sigma Sigma
H I S T O R Y
In 1913, when college was primarily for wealthy men, academic women were a new breed and skirt lengths were no higher than six inches above the floor. In this climate, ten Hunter High School lunchmates, commited to strength in friendship and the act of giving, founded Phi Sigma Sigma at Hunter College in New York City.
There were several sororities at Hunter College in 1913, including Gamma Tau Kappa, Omega Iota, Phi Sigma Psi, Epsilon Phi, Omega Theta Pi, J.A.P., Pi Sigma, Kappa Delta, Sigma Phi Omega, Phi Delta Sigma, Sigma Alpha Gamma, Alpha Epsilon Phi, Pi Delta Theta, and Zeta Pi. The Hunter College Panhellenic Council was founded in 1912, just one year before Phi Sigma Sigma was founded.
The Founders of Phi Sigma Sigma came from a variety of religious and socio-economic backgrounds. They wished to stay together as the group they had become while still in high school, but found that because of their varied backgrounds they all could not join one of the existing sororities on campus. Lillian Gordon, Ethel Gordon, Josephine Ellison, Shirley Cohen, Fay Chertkoff, Claire Wunder, Estelle Melnick, Rose Sher, Jeanette Lipka and Gwen " Rae" Zaliels approached the dean of women at Hunter College and inquired about starting their own sorority, one that would promote open membership to all women of character regardless of background.
Upon the leadership of Faye Chertkoff, the first Archon of the Alpha Chapter, the Founders obtained permission and Phi Sigma Sigma was born on November 26, 1913. Quietly, unobtrusively, and without thought of expansion. Phi Sigma Sigma was the FIRST non-sectarian sorority, the only one open to DIVERSE membership from its inception with a ritual not based in scripture. First in the minds of these ten women were the twin ideals which endure today. To the brotherhood of man and the alleviation of the world's pain, each Founder extended herself to her fullest capacity to live up to the mottoes the group chose.
The Fraternity's symbols were chosen because they were appealing to the Founders. It is said that Shirley Cohen Laufer chose the Sphinx because historically it was a mythological figure of mystery and secrecy for women. The American Beauty Rose was chosen beacuse of its statuesque beauty, and because of the balance of sharp thorns and soft petals. The First ritual was written by Fay Chertkoff, Gwen Zalies Snyder and Estelle Melnick Cole, who literally locked themselves in a room together to write it. Gwen Zalies Snyder designed the familiar sapphire-eyes Sphinxhead pin.
Thus laid the foundation and planted the seeds which enabled Phi Sigma Sigma to grow and blossom into a garden of roses spead across North America and Canada. Clearly, as Phi Sigma Sigma prospers today, the Fraternity is as meaningful and exciting as it was on the day it was founded.
OUR BELOVED FOUNDERS
Josephine Ellison Breakstone
Estelle Melnick Cole
Faye Chertcoff
Gwen Zaliels Snyder
Ethel Gordon Kraus
Rose Sher Seidman
Jeanette Lipka Furst
Lilian Gordon Alpern
Shirley Cohen Laufer
Claire Wunder McArdle
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