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IOTA CHAPTER QUES

Omega's First Graduate Chapter - Established August 17, 1920


News / Articles

Who Was First? - Part 4

Published on 1/15/2020

Historic Speculation


Why didn't the Supreme Council just assign or designate "Sigma" to the undergraduate Chapter in Chicago similar to what had been done in Philadelphia with Mu and Mu Omega Chapters? Speculation is that while Sigma Chapter in Montreal was founded on December 15, 1923, the Supreme Council might have "reserved" the Chapter designation of Sigma for that effort when the Chapter started being formed in September or October 1923 – and shortly prior to the undergraduates in Chicago forming what became Iota Chapter.

That would have required the Supreme Council to assign another designation for the new undergraduate Chapter in Chicago… and the reason for the reassignment of Iota to the undergraduates in Chicago since it wasn't in use. Others speculate the young Brothers didn't want a double-Greek letter name since they were originally founded as a single-Greek letter Chapter!

 

Another consideration is that Alpha Psi Chapter was founded on April 9, 1923, so new Chapters in 1923 were now being assigned double-Greek letter names. Based on dates the Chapters were established, the Supreme Council could have assigned the undergraduate Chapter in Chicago to be Beta Psi Chapter and the new Chapter in Montreal, Gamma Psi Chapter – since Beta Psi Chapter wasn't established at Clark College in Atlanta until December 20, 1923 – more than 2 months after Iota Chapter was assigned to Chicago!

We may never know… but it makes for great debate...